The Door of opportunity
Revelation chapter 3:7-3:13
Introduction-
Turn with me to Revelation chapter 3:7-13.
Revelation is the last book of the New Testament and the only book I know of that God promises to bless if you read it in its entirety.
This morning the adult Sunday school class began a new series study on the book of Revelation. It must be a coincidence that this morning the Lord laid a message from Revelation on my heart.
I would invite you to get involved in the new series that Mike and Rich are tag teaming to study. Revelation is a fascinating and prophetic book.
Revelation chapter 3:7-13 Read from Bible
We pick this up here and Jesus has already addressed 5 churches.
Each one has been given encouragement and warnings.
The church at Philadelphia, He doesn’t give much warning because He was speaking to a church that had a desire to be faithful.
( v11) says that He is coming soon. That heed is to those procrastinating weather they will serve the Lord and be ready for His return.
(V9)- “ I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” He is saying that he see’s their struggle but encourages them to continue being faithful.
This passage is 3- fold-
The church back then-
The Church today-
Each one of us individually.
2 warning to heed today-
He’s coming back soon- Be ready!
Don’t let anyone or anything steal your crown.
What get’s my attention is the way that the letter opens to the church at Philadelphia.
“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, these are the words of him who is holy, and true, who holds the keys of David. What He opens, no one can shut, and what He shuts, no one can open.”
Don’t be in a hurry to race by this- this is the text this morning.
To the pastors, to the leaders, to those that attend this church, I am the holy and true God. Doors I open will not be shut, and doors I close, will not be opened.
It gives us a look at who is evaluating us and speaking to us.
This Church obviously is not the church of Philadelphia, Pa., but the city in Asia Minor and Philadelphia translated is the city of brotherly love because it was governed by the youngest brother.
This church was the church of the open door, the church of opportunity. Why do you say that preacher!
Because, if Jesus is in charge, He’s opening and closing doors that He wants open and close, and that He is holding the keys to- this is a church of opportunity!
This is a church that has unlimited resources and unlimited potential to accomplish great things!
“Keys of David” here is a prophecy of Isaiah. Isaiah 22:22
“I will place on his shoulders the key to the house of David, what He opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.”
Doors are mentioned throughout Scripture-
Jesus says Rev. 3:20:-
“Here I am, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”
This is a door of intimacy with Christ.
This is a door to your heart.
This is the door of resistance that has to be knocked down.
There is a difference on which side of the door you are standing on.
John 14:6-
“I am the way, and the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father, except through me.”
He is saying He is the only way to the Father.
Jesus is the door to salvation.
After they understood who was standing at the door. The holy and true God of the universe. The one who was giving them warnings and encouragement.
He says to them, “I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.”
This was a little church in a big city.
This was a church that was being attacked by the very people God had called them to reach.
And Jesus proclaims to them…”Behold, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut.”
Amen. That is encouraging! The little engine that could runs again!
Jesus says that He will hold the door open for us!
For our church
For your family.
He is wanting someone to walk through.
Giving us opportunity to do the things that He wants done, and He will give us the power and guidance to do it.
God’s word says it – I believe it!
God says that I am blessed- I’m blessed.
God says that I can have it- I want it!
God says I can do it- I am going to do it!
He is waiting for us to go through the open door, and not try to force open the closed ones.
The open door is not just ministry.
It is our lives in general. God wants to bless our lives when we are faithful to Him.
He desires us to move from the red zone to the end zone.
Many are close to scoring, but not able to get into the end zone. Some just need a good block to set them free! Can we do that for each other?
Fighting back instead of kicking back!
On the frontlines instead of the sidelines.
You’ll never finish what you have never started. (repeat)
I wonder if we have forgotten that when we leave church we don’t leave the presence of God. We take the presence of God wherever He takes us.
Quit living as if life’s purpose is to arrive safely.
Enter through the God-sized door and achieve the goals that God has set for you and for this church.
Make that door so big that if God is not in it, you cannot do it, and then believe that God’s divine intervention will see you through.
Don’t take the easy way out!
Stop playing to lose and start playing to win!
(11) “I am coming soon. Hold unto what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him that overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God.”
The time is short- Jesus is coming soon! Hold on, don’t let anyone or anything steal your crown, and make a difference where you are at.
The adrenaline should be pumping now!
People cannot discover new lands until they have the courage to lose sight of the shore.
Some of us will not know the blessing of God’s open door until we have the faith to step through that door and know that God has your back.
That you must put one foot in front of the other and by faith move forward.
Shortly after Moses was told to take off his sandals, because he was standing on holy ground- the Lord told Moses to throw down his staff. Lord said, “What is in your hand, a staff, he replied. “throw it down.” It becomes a snake and he runs from it. Reach down and pick it up by the tail
Throw down your staff!- and pick that snake up by the tail!
That is for someone today- today the Lord is speaking to you. You have a choice to weather you will listen, and weather you will be trusting Him today.
Closing-
I want to close with a Scripture and a thought. 2 Samuel 23:20-21
“There was also Beniah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two of Moab’s mightiest warriors. Another time he chased a lion down into a pit. Then, despite the snow and slippery ground, he caught the lion and killed it. Another time, armed only with a club, he killed a great Egyptian warrior who was armed with a spear. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it.”
You read this fast and you will miss the great courage of Benaiah.
How many do you know that chase a lion? Most will run away, not go after!
Despite the snow and slippery ground, he was determined to catch this lion.
This 500 pound lion slips and falls into a pit.
I am sure the lion landed on his paws. Because that is what cats do!
Lions run 35 miles an hour and can leap 30 feet, but that did not stop Benaiah.
Now it is a scene out of Hollywood- You expect that the man would stop. But he doesn’t! He goes into the pit after him.
I am sure that there was some cry’s and yells and roars by the lion and the man……and Benaiah crawls out of the pit victorious!
Now, let’s not get stupid here. If the Lord didn’t tell you to get in the pit with a lion, I would not go! But God is looking for some lion chasers and less believers running away.
That would look good on a resume’- lion chaser! Man/women of courage!
Here’s the thought-
God is looking for some to take the open door opportunities that God gives us.
One who is not only dong things in his/her own strength, but daring to do something bigger than they are.
Is that you? You running away or chasing the roaring lion!
I want the Lord to use me and you! We live in exciting times and God is wanting to do exciting things through us!
Altar call
