READING SOMEONE ELSE’S MAIL
PHILADELPHIA, the Commended Church
Revelation 3:7-13
http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/Philadelphia.html
Yazoo, MS…in the 1930’s…the Great Depression. People didn’t have extra money / children especially had no extra money for candy / people would go to general store and get a big jar of molasses, go home and make their own candy / it was kept in big wooden barrel in middle of store / people filled their jars there…
6 year old boy got a sweet tooth / slipped finger into the barrel, then into his mouth / owner scolded him: ‘that’s unsanitary’ / kid was embarrassed, left / few days later his tongue guided him there again / did same again…was caught again / this time man took him by arm and escorted him out firmly…spanked him / you’d think he’d learn his lesson, but 10 days later he did it again, but before he could get it to his mouth, owner caught him red handed / he picked him up, turned him upside-down and, yes, dipped him in head first / last thing you could hear as he was lowered was a prayer, “Lord, give me a tongue equal to this opportunity!”
Ladies and Gentlemen, GBC has been granted an incredible opportunity to impact this area and the world for Jesus Christ…we need to pray now that we will be equal to the opportunity.
Now, anytime God gives a great opportunity, there will be obstacles set by Satan. Anytime God tries to bless, the devil tries to blast! Such is the case w/ the church at Philadelphia, seen on the map here.
3 things about the church at Philadelphia:
1. Highly commended
2. Deeply challenged
3. Greatly compensated
Let’s just look at #1 this morning, and then 2 & 3 tonite.
1. Highly commended church
We’ve seen a lot of criticism from our Lord in the first 5 letters. But you’ll notice that to the church at Philadelphia, there’s not one negative word…not a hint of rebuke.
Of all these 7 churches, this is the one we want to be at GBC! If you’ve been here for this series, you’ll remember that each of these 7 churches represents a type of church. All 7 were real in John’s day, and all were at different levels spiritually. They represent 7 periods of church history, from the time of Christ, to these last days we now live in. The Philadelphia period was a time of the greatest revival the world has ever known, and took place from approximately 1700-1900 A.D. But you could place its existence between A.D. 33 and The Rapture! For Jesus has always had true followers in every age. They may have been few in number in the dark ages…Thyatira…but there’s never been less than today, in the Laodicean church age, the last days of this age of grace!
The goal is to be a present day Philadelphia church...to bring that spirit of the past to the present. Of all these 7 churches, this is the one we want to emulate! This is the church we want to be like. The Lord says to them, you’re doing a great job, keep up the good work.
Let’s look first of all at the One Who commends them:
Notice how the Lord introduces Himself to this church:
7 “holy…true” Why say this? Probably because the city in which this church was located, Philadelphia, was filled w/ heathenism and paganism. There were pagan temples on every corner / so many heathen shrines that Philadelphia was nicknamed “little Athens”.
For example, one of the richest industries there was the wine industry. The fertile land made them the center of a vast vineyard district, and the wine industry thrived there. For this reason, the Greek god Bacchus, the god of wine, had many followers in this city. His image was stamped on their coins!
Jesus Christ says to this church, “these things saith He that is holy…” which is tantamount to saying, “I am God.” And He is! The only real and living God…the God of all gods!”
Then Jesus goes a step further and says, “I am He that is true”. That could be translated, “He that is genuine…He that is original!” The Greek gods had been manufactured, and there were hundreds of them, but only Jesus Christ could rightfully claim to be the one and only true God. He’s the only 1 to claim to be God, and then prove it by conquering death.
He that is Holy, He that is True, and…
…He that hath the key of David…openeth / shutteth
What is He talking about here?
Background is found is Is. 22, speaking of a man named Eliakim, the treasurer of David:
22And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
Eliakim was an OT picture of Jesus Christ. He was a picture of the dependable, faithful administrator of the affairs of God’s people. This is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is in full control.
The world is in some of the most uncertain times in history right now, and who can possibly keep up w/ what’s going on in Israel lately, that hub of all Bible prophecy, and of the end times?! But one thing we can know for sure, is that Jesus is in full control! I don’t know what the future holds, but I know Who holds the future!!
He alone can open doors, and when He opens, no mere man can shut. He alone can shut doors, and when He does, don’t even try to pry them open! In Genesis, God shut the door of the ark…the rains came, and no one could get in or out. And you might as well run out into the yard when you hear the tornado sirens, and hold out your hand like this, and argue w/ that tornado, rather than to try to open a door God has shut!
The theme of this letter is revival and evangelism. And Jesus presents Himself as the One Who holds the key of David, who opens and closes doors…in other words, He is the Lord of the Harvest / Head of the Church / Sovereign Ruler of the Kingdom of God…and it doesn’t matter what happens at city hall, in Washington, in Israel or Iran or N. Korea, He still sits on the throne, and is in full control!
For this reason as we look at Revelation / Bible prophecy / end times, you won’t be hearing from a doom and gloom preacher…we won’t suffer from “headline hysteria” as we study this book, because we know that no matter what happens, He’s still on the throne!
Philadelphia was filled w/ idolatry and paganism. But the darker the atmosphere is, the brighter the light of truth will shine! The Philadelphia Church was a bright light in a dark world, and any true Philadelphia Church in the 21st century will stick out like a sore thumb…it will take a bold stand for Christ…and its people will be different from the world!
That’s v. 7, the One Who commends…now look at the actual commendation itself:
8 2-fold commendation…
“hast kept my Word, and hast not denied my Name”
That’s what we want to shoot for as a church…to stand before God one day, and to hear Him say, you have kept My Word, and not denied My Name.
What does it mean to “keep His Word”?
To remain doctrinally true. To place a high priority on doctrinal purity.
Don’t miss this, because we live in a day in which doctrine is cast aside in the name of ecumenicalism…which is the road to the One-World Church. The politically-correct church today jumps on board the train of ecumenicalism, and toots its horn about “tearing down the walls that divide us”, and “let’s just get together, regardless of what we believe.”
I don’t say we all have to dot every i and cross every t the same way, but certainly there are a core set of Biblical beliefs that should be considered “non-negotiable”.
They say, tear down the walls. And if you’re talking about walls of bigotry, and walls of prejudice, I say, Amen brother, let the walls come down! I have many great friends in the ministry of many differing races. Let that wall of race that separates us come down!
If you’re talking about walls of jealousy between the good Bible-preaching churches that remain, I’m all for it! It’s high time we see each other as teammates, and not competition.
If you’re talking about walls of preferences that divide our churches, I’m with you. Since when are we supposed to make methods and preferences our gods? From time to time I see pastors in town, or at the hospital, and as we talk, I see that while we may do things differently, and may even believe differently about some sideline issues, we agree on the main thing which is Jesus Christ, and salvation by grace alone thru faith alone, and I can look at them and say, God bless you brother! I love you in the Lord! Because Jesus said, “He that is not against us is for us”.
If you’re talking about tearing down that wall of sideline issues, I’m with you!
If you’re talking about tearing down a senseless wall of preference, I’m saying, “Give me a crowbar!”
If you’re talking about tearing down walls or racism, jealousy, preferences, methods, and side-line issues, I’m on board.
But if you’re talking about tearing down walls of doctrinal truth, I say, I’m not touching a wall that God built! We have a Biblical mandate to contend for the faith, and to separate from those who walk contrary to the gospel.
Rom. 16
17Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
The very next verse says…
18For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
II Tim. 2
16But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 17And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; 18Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
Let me emphasize, I’m not talking about peripheral issues. I’m talking about the gospel, Christ, sinless, crucified, resurrected, saving all who trust in Him! Our motto ought to be, “The main thing is keeping the main thing the main thing!”
A few years ago, Paul Crouch of TBN came onto my TV screen and invited me to an “inter-faith” meeting at his place…the eyelash capital of the world…and he said, “leave your doctrine at home…and come talk about Jesus together.”
Jesus IS doctrine, He is truth! And to Paul Crouch I shouted, “I’m not letting go of doctrine, and beside that, I’m not coming!”
That might sound harsh / inflexible / unaccepting…
But remember, the Lord praised this church at Philadelphia…because they kept His Word!
Someday, I want to be commended in the same way. I want GBC to be commended in the same way!
After the Lord commends them for keeping His Word, he commends them for not denying His Name.
You say, Bro. Jerry, it was easier to live for God back then.
Who are you trying to kid? They were surrounded by opportunities to deny Jesus. In Philadelphia, beautiful prostitutes were widely available to commit immorality with…in the name of worship! Then there was the Roman government, threatening their very lives if they didn’t recant.
And thru the years, it’s always been hard to live for God ... and it’s not going to get any easier.
What we call the Philadelphia period of church history…1700-1900, the Great Awakening, was the time of great revivalists like Spurgeon, Finney, Moody, Sunday, and George Whitfield, who was called the flaming open-air evangelist, because he would preach to thousands in open fields. He made up a substantial part of the Great Awakening…during which an estimated 1/3rd of the population of America became born again!!
Let’s go back a bit. Right after Whitfield got saved, he was a student on the campus of Oxford University, where John and Charles Wesley conducted Bible studies. It was the Wesleys who had just won him to Christ.
Understand that George Whitfield was Mr. Popular…big man on campus. And as of this time, he had not yet told his friends he was saved, and to be honest, he was a little afraid to, fearing how he might be viewed in their eyes. One day he was with worldly friends when John Wesley came by and said, “C’mon, George, it’s time for Bible study.” Whitfield’s friends stood there w/ their mouth’s hanging open, looking at George.
Whitfield recalled later, I was at a crisis decision…be embarrassed, and go on to Bible study, or, deny the Lord, and make Him ashamed of me.
Thank God he made the right decision!
The Lord Jesus Christ commended the church at Philadelphia because they did not deny Him. And every day you and I come face to face w/ crisis decisions--whether we will take our stand or not, whether we’re in or out, whether we are for Him or against Him! Am I going to speak like a Christian? What am I posting online for the world to see? You can’t keep riding the fence on this one!
My prayer is that you and I…we…will take our stand, and not be ashamed of our great God!
It’s high time we get serious about keeping His Word, and not denying Him!
By the way, notice the order… ‘hast kept my word, not denied my name…’
…right thinking always precedes right living. That’s why doctrinal purity is so important. You show me someone who believes wrong, sooner or later they’ll be living wrong, because what you believe will always affect how you behave.
If I were to ask you for the practical difference between saved people and lost people, some of you would give me a list of do’s and don’ts, “Christians don’t drink, smoke, or chew, or kiss the girls that do.”
While that may be true, and should be true, that’s not the primary difference between the saved and the lost. The primary difference is found in the way we think!
Rom. 12
2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by [what?]...
*Giving up alcohol? / not cussing? / walking old ladies across the street?
No, it’s by “The renewing of your mind…”
You show me a Christian who uses alcohol, and I see a Christian who’s not thinking right.
Smokes / cares only about self / pornography / chronically misses church services / disobeys God in the area of the tithe / lets fear keep him from witnessing…
…it all begins in the mind! What you believe always affects how you behave.
We are a church that stands for the doctrinal truth called the gospel. (give 5 facts gospel) / want to join a church like that? / take your stand by public profession / baptism.
Christians: are you keeping His word? / denying His Name?
pt. 2
READING SOMEONE ELSE’S MAIL, PT. 7
Philadelphia, cont’d.—“It Pays to Serve God”
Revelation 3:7-13
Most of us have had the experience of going to the doctor or the dentist, and having an X-ray ordered. A doctor orders an X-ray when he wants to see beneath the surface…the true condition.
These 7 letters are God’s X-rays of these churches, as the Lord Jesus looks beneath the surface, to see their true condition. It has been very revealing.
These 7 letters were given that we might examine our own lives, and our own church.
In the X-ray of the Philadelphia church, there is not one negative condition revealed. There is not even a hint of rebuke in this letter. That tells me that of all 7 churches, this is the one we want to be like…a Philadelphia church.
This morning we saw that they were a highly commended church. The end of v. 8 says “thou has kept My Word, and hast not denied My Name.” Basically He’s saying, “You have been faithful” (not only in attendance, but in a marital sense!) And if you decide to be a Philadelphia Christian, you will have the privilege of hearing Christ say to you, when you go home to be with him, “well done, thou good and faithful servant.”
I’m thankful for talented people God brings our way. But if there’s something to be done, something big to do for God, I’ll take 10 faithful people (not talented) over 10 talented people (not faithful) any day! We have a low estimate of what it means to be faithful. Too many Christians today define faithfulness with an “if”… “I’ll be there if I’m not too tired / if everything goes my way / if I don’t have a sniffle / if no ballgame / if I don’t get a better offer by then!”
We have this attitude today that it’s God’s privilege to have us here when we can be here…but when there’s other things going on, He understands… “He’d rather me be here half the time than not at all!” We’ll see in the last letter, to Laodicea, that He says, no, it’s all or nothing!”
If you think you can be anything less than 100% sold out for God, and not suffer for it in eternity, you are sadly, badly mistaken!
I’m not talking about when you’re providentially hindered…I’m saying we don’t know what providentially hindered means! And many church members say that and give God credit for things the devil does.
For instance, Satan will test you and see what it takes to keep you home from church. Oh, a headache, oh, my baby coughed! And when we take the bait…Satan says, OK, that works…I’ll make sure it happens often…and we wonder why?
Let’s teach him a lesson: “That won’t work Satan”, and eventually, enjoy the fact that he’ll leave you alone!
v. 11 There’s a warning in this promise…the warning is, “you can lose your reward.” There are 5 crowns a Christian can win, and this verse says it’s possible to lose a crown by not continuing in the faithfulness that earned it for you.
I didn’t say you could lose your salvation…but here on earth, you can lose the joy of it, if you’re not faithful to Him!
…and in Heaven, you can’t lose your place there, but you can lose your reward, if you’re not faithful to Him now!
I feel sorry for some who would say, Ah, I don’t care if I have rewards there, as long as I get there. All I can say is, according to God’s Word, you’ll care when you get there!
As your pastor, I want to ask you to take a step up in faithfulness…rise to a new level…look for a way…and do it!
We can’t all sing, but we can all be faithful / preach / lead / teach
I can’t preach like Adrian Rogers could, but I can be just as faithful. I have 24 hours in my day, just like he had. And God rewards not the gifted, but the faithful, not the talented, but the faithful.
You have the same 168 hours in your week as everyone else has. Think about it, the principle of the tithe says for me to return 10% to God. I’m supposed to return to Him more than just money! I believe we’re to tithe on our time / talent / treasure. To tithe on your time would mean to give Him back about 17 hours a week, in some fashion, and yet you struggle w/ stepping up and adding that 3rd and 4th hour/wk. by starting S.S., or coming Wednesday night, much less a work day, or 15 min. a day in devotions, alone w/ Him. You say, I don’t have to take this, I’m not changing…maybe I won’t even come back here! I’ve got a better idea…
Why don’t you just decide to be faithful!
We need a new level of faithfulness, I challenge you to take a step up!
Well, not only were they a highly commended church, but they were a...
2. Deeply challenged church
It’s always been hard to live for God…it’s always been a matter of swimming against the current of this world.
They faced some major obstacles:
a. Their own lack of strength
8 “thou hast a little strength”
(resources/abilities/talents/finances)
They might have been low in number / limited in gifts and abilities and talents / not the wealthy white collar church of Dr.’s and Lawyers, they were real people struggling to make ends meet.
I predict that if you were to visit all 7 of these churches, and were to look only at the externals, Philadelphia would be the church you’d be least impressed with. Even though it’s highest on God’s list!
A large crowd doesn’t necessarily mean God is blessing…and a small crowd doesn’t necessarily mean God isn’t blessing. A large crowd can be built by a salesman preacher who puts on a good show…even though it can’t last, and I’d hate to be the guy that follows him, if it’s built on a man instead of Christ.
[Programs/Promotion/Compromise/Ear-tickling]
The only thing we know for sure when there’s a large crowd is…there’s a lot of people here!
Often we think if the crowd is down, that things aren’t right, and God isn’t blessing…well, let’s consult the Word:
“And from that point on, many went back, and followed Him no more.” (Jesus fed 5,000 one day / next day preached on commitment!)
A small crowd could mean God is not blessing, true…or,
Uncommitment of people / priorities out of line / disunity “house divided CANNOT stand”
A small crowd could mean, the church is taking a strong stand for God, and it offends a lot of people. It could be that the Bible is true when it says, “narrow is the gate of righteousness, and few there be that find it!”
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not making excuses that we’re not running 1,000 yet. That’s a vision we’ve received, and a goal we’re working toward, but it’s not the only goal! You cannot always equate numbers w/ success! We’re not called to be successful anyway, we’re called to be faithful.
I believe God is interested in numbers, because there’s a great number of people who need to be saved, thousands within a couple blocks of here! And it can only happen as we are faithful to Him who calleth us, who also will do it! And He’ll do it, not because of us so much as thru us, and sometimes despite us and our weaknesses… “We have a little strength” (in and of ourselves), but we have a great big strong God Who has promised rich blessings to us if we’ll be faithful!
So, externally, we wouldn’t be too impressed w/ this church. It was a deeply challenged church…limited resources.
They had another problem…
b. persecution
9 The unconverted Jews would persecute Christian Jews saying, “You’re no longer a Jew, you’re not one of us, we disown you.” The fact of the matter is, Biblically, the only true Jew is a Messianic Jew, a Jew that received Jesus as His Messiah and Savior!
“All who live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” That point was driven home in our letter to Smyrna…if you’re not being persecuted some for your faith, you’re not taking your stand / living Godly!
And when we’re persecuted, we’re supposed to respond to our persecutors in love, not hate them, not give up on them.
10 “Synagogue of Satan”—Jesus knew Satan was behind that persecution…so hate Satan! But love that one who’s making fun of you.
End of 9 “I will make them to come…”
That leads directly into our 3rd point:
(highly commended / deeply challenged)
3. Greatly Compensated Church
3 great promises Christ makes to this church, and makes to us if we’ll be a Philadelphia church.
a. He’ll take care of their enemies (we just read that)
One day unbelievers will bow down and say, “The Christians were right”
Skeptics / media / Hollywood / Muslims / works salvation crowd / social gospel / homosexuals / abortionists / militant feminists / new world order that says, “all that’s in the way of world peace now is the narrow-minded, bigoted Christians”…they’re gonna get their shot at world peace, we’re gonna be removed, and peace will fail, and they’ll have to say… “The Christians were right.”
He’s promised to take care of our enemies…our job is to be faithful!
b. He’ll deliver them from the hour of temptation
11 Rapture / tribulation (evacuation)
c. He promises to honor them
12 “Pillar”—in ancient times, cities would erect pillars as tributes to great people…and they would write their name on it. Well, in God’s Kingdom, the pillars are those who were faithful.
The bottom line of this letter: It Pays to Serve God!
I know, it’s easy to focus on the struggles of this life / cost of serving God, but in the end, there is no wrong, that won’t be righted / loss, compensated / heartache, swallowed up in joy / cost, rewarded.
II Cor. 4
18While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/Philadelphia.html
