Philadelphia – Open-Door Revival.

SERMON OUTLINE:

• THE PLACE: Philadelphia (vs 7a).

• THE PERSON: holy & sovereign (vs 7b).

• THE PEOPLE: weak but strong (vs 8a).

• THE PROMISE: he will… (vs 8b-12).

• THE PLEA: hold on (vs 13).

SERMON BODY

Ill:

Philadelphia is a name we have all heard in a variety of contexts.

• e.g. Philadelphia is the sixth-largest city in the United States,

• And the largest city in the state of Pennsylvania.

• Maybe you saw the film, ‘Philadelphia’ starring Tom Hanks,

• Or listened to the song from the movie by Bruce Springsteen?

• e.g. Philadelphia Cream Cheese.

• It is one of the bestselling brands of cream cheese worldwide,

• First produced in New York State, not Philadelphia.

The root word “phil” comes from a Greek verb meaning to “love”.

• "Love” – i.e. strong affection between friends or compatriots.

• e.g. Philadelphia the city is called "the city of brotherly love."

• Two Greek words “philos” (meaning love) and “adelphos” (meaning brother),

• We use the word “philos” in many other ways,

• e.g. Phil-osophy (the love of wisdom).

• e.g. Phil-anthropy (the love of humanity).

• e.g. Phil-harmonic (the love of music).

• e.g. Phil-ip (lover of horses)

• TRANSITION:

• We are not thinking about the American City called Philadelphia,

• But the biblical one.

• This city was located about 28 miles southeast of the city of Sardis.

• The city we looked at last week.

• This modern city of Philadelphia still exists today in Turkey,

• But it is now named “Allah-shehr,” meaning “the city of God.”

We are looking at 7 letters of Jesus Christ written to 7 churches.

• This is much more than a history lesson,

• Because the problems that these seven Churches experienced,

• Can also be the same problems we might battle with today.

Let me remind you of the key truth in these letters.

• Ephesus (Revelation chapter 2 verses 1-7),

• The church that had forsaken its first love.

• (chapter 2 verse 4).

• Smyrna (Revelation chapter 2 verses 8-11),

• The church that had material poverty but spiritual power.

• (chapter 2 verse 10).

• Pergamum (Revelation chapter 2 verses 12-17),

• The church that needed to repent.

• (chapter 2 verse 16).

• Thyatira (Revelation 2 verses 18-29),

• The church that had a false prophetess.

• Faced the issue of compromise.

• (chapter 2 verse 20).

• Sardis (Revelation chapter 3 verses 1-6),

• The church that had fallen asleep, was spiritually dead!

• (chapter 3 verse 2).

• Philadelphia (Revelation chapter 3 verses 7-13),

• The church that persevered through persecution.

• (chapter 3 verse 10).

• Laodicea (Revelation chapter 3 verses 14-22),

• The church with the lukewarm faith.

• (chapter 3 verses 16).

(1). The Place - Philadelphia (vs 7a).

“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write.”

As we have noted in previous weeks.

• The word, angel also means messenger,

• So, this probably refers to the messenger,

• The person who would read this letter out to the gathered Church.

Philadelphia was the youngest of the seven cities mentioned.

• Around 150 B.C. King Attalus II of Pergamon,

• Named the city in honour of his older brother, Eumenes II.

• They were very close and so he named the city Philadelphia (Brotherly love).

Note: Two things shook up the people of Philadelphia

SHAKE UP #1: Earthquakes!

• The city was plagued by earthquakes,

• One in particular, a major earthquake hit the area in 17 A.D.

• The impact of the earthquake was so cataclysmic,

• That Rome even excluded Philadelphia for 5 years,

• From paying tribute.

• And although the other six cities,

• Managed to recover quickly from these disasters,

• Philadelphia did not,

• It experienced after-shocks,

• That continued for many more years,

• Which meant the people had to repeatedly flee the city.

SHAKE UP #2: Roman Emperor Domitian!

• On one side of the city of Philadelphia,

• The land was very good, fertile enough to grow grapes.

• These grapes that made very good wine!

• The quality of wine was so good,

• That the Roman poet Virgil (Shakespear of his day),

• Wrote about its excellence.

• Those vineyards were the backbone of Philadelphia’s economy.

• But that caused a problem, they were so good,

• That they competed with the vineyards of Rome.

Sov to keep the vineyard owners of Rome happy,

• The Roman Emperor Domitian,

• Shook up the city of Philadelphia,

• When he gave the order,

• That all the vineyards of this region should be torn out.

• And so, he ensured that Rome’s vineyards,

• Could be the cutting edge of commerce.