A. Revelation 3:7 (READ)
1. Does a church have to be LARGE in number in order to EFFECTIVELY serve Christ?
a. Ask the church of Sardis that we studied last week.
COMMENT:
From all indication of their REPUTATION, they were a LARGE, ACTIVE church, but they
weren’t making an impact on their community for Christ.
b. In fact, Christ said of them, “I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.”
2. Many SMALL churches may not seem to be of any SIGNIFICANCE compared to MEGA-CHURCHES,
but it you EXAMINE them more closely you may find another PHILADELPHIA.
a. They may be SMALL and WEAK in comparison to all the MINISTRIES and PROGRAMS that
MEGA-CHURCHES offer, but STRONG biblically and spiritually, and have endured some major
challenges.
b. SIZE is no DETERRENT for the Holy Spirit!!
B. BACKGROUND TO THE CITY:
1. Philadelphia was located 28 miles southeast of Sardis and about 80 miles east of Smyrna.
a. It was the youngest of the seven cities that Christ addressed in Revelation 2 and 3.
b. It was established in 140 BC by Attalus II, the king of Pergamum, who named the new city Philadelphia—the Greek word for “brotherly love”, because of the deep love that he had for his
brother.
2. The city was established as a MISSIONARY CITY, not to promote the Gospel of Christ but to promote
the Greek culture and language throughout the former Persian Empire and beyond.
a. As a result, Koine Greek (common Greek) became the UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE throughout the
Roman Empire. In fact, it became the first language for many Jews.
b. That’s why the New Testament was first written in Koine Greek so that everyone could READ and UNDERSTAND it.
3. Philadelphia was also known as “LITTLE ATHENS” because of many TEMPLES and SHRINES that
were erected for various gods.
a. The city was surrounded by VOLCANOS that produced EARTHQUAKES that brought many of the
TEMPLES tumbling down killing thousands of citizens.
COMMENT:
In 17AD a massive earthquake destroyed 12 cities in this area, including Sardis and Philadelphia.
Volcanic ERUPTIONS and EARTHQUAKES are still a major issue in this part of Turkey today. In 1999 a 7.4 magnitude earthquake rocked this area devastating 5 cities killing 17,000 people.
b. Because of the reoccurring earthquakes and tremors many of the citizens of Philadelphia refused to live in the CITY LIMITS for fear that huge PILLARS would fall and destroy their HOMES.
4. The biggest THREAT that the church of Philadelphia faced was from the large JEWISH population in
the city, especially from the SYNAGOGUE LEADERS.
COMMENT:
In fact, Jesus Christ’s DESCRIPTION of Himself is a direct AFFRONT to the erroneous thinking and vicious mentality of the Jewish Leaders in Philadelphia.
C. THE DESCRIPTION OF CHRIST:
COMMENT:
Although the NIV does not indicate it, there is a definite article in the Greek that Christ uses
before each DESCRIPTION of Himself.
A better translation is: “These are the words of THE Holy One, THE True One, THE One who holds the key of David.”
1. “THE HOLY ONE.”
a. By calling Himself “THE HOLY ONE” Jesus is affirming that He is DIVINE—He is God the Son.
b. The Jews in the first century as well as Jews today, do not BELIEVE nor ACCEPT Jesus as the Son
of God. (Now, I am not referring to Messianic Jesus who have given their lives to Christ.)
COMMENT:
The Jews in Philadelphia would be OUTRAGED by this description of Jesus. Only God could call Himself “THE HOLY ONE.” It was to Yahweh that the Seraphim (mighty angels) before His throne sang, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty”- Isaiah 6:3.
It would be BLASPHEMOUS for anyone to call himself “THE HOLY ONE.” And it was for such BLASPHEMY that Jesus was TORTURED and CRUCIFIED.
c. Yet, the glorified Christ from His HEAVENLY THRONE, confirms to the Christians at Philadelphia who had been persecuted by the Jews for their FAITH in Jesus as the Christ, that He is indeed THE HOLY ONE—Jesus Christ the Son of God.
2. “THE TRUE ONE.”
a. The word “TRUE” is more than just being the opposite of FALSE. In the Greek the word means:
“real as opposed to the unreal; reality as opposed to the shadow.”
-Hebrews 10:1- “The law is only a SHADOW of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly
year by year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.”
COMMENT:
The Law of Moses and the entire Jewish Sacrificial System was only the SHADOW that led to
the REALITY revealed in Jesus as the Christ.
Unlike the animal sacrifices (the shadow) that had to repeated endlessly each year on The Day of Atonement for the SINS of the people, Jesus Christ was the REAL sacrifice to come to this earth
and “die once for all” (Romans 6:10) to ATONE for our SINS.
b. By calling Himself “THE TRUE ONE”, Christ is affirming that SALVATION is through Him and not through the Law of Moses or any FALSE god.
3. “THE ONE WHO HOLDS THE KEY OF DAVID.”
a. The “key of David” means AUTHORITY over the house of David.
COMMENT:
The original reference to this phrase is found in Isaiah 22 where we find the “removal of Shebna, one of the kings ministers, and putting in his place Eliakim.” Concerning Eliakim, God declared, “I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what
he shuts no one can open”- Isaiah 22:22. Eliakim is the SHADOW: Christ is the REALITY.
b. Jesus has AUTHORITY over the heavenly house (the kingdom of heaven) and its blessings,
which is the REALITY to the SHADOW of the house of David.
c. When Jesus said He holds the “key of David”, the Jews knew only the MESSIAH could make
such a CLAIM.
MESSAGE:
I. THE COMMENDATION OF CHRIST- Revelation 3:8 (READ)
A. “I know your deeds.”
1. Christ, who sees all and knows all, repeated this phrase to every one of the seven churches of Asia.
a. The context determines whether this is a COMMENDATION or CONDEMNATION.
COMMENT:
As with the church of Sardis that we studied last week and the church of Laodicea that we’ll study next week, that phrase was a CONDEMNATION. Christ was not pleased with any of the DEEDS of those two churches.
b. But here in the church of Philadelphia, as was also in the case of the church of Smyrna, Christ
has no word of CONDEMNATION or REBUKE at all.
COMMENT:
“The Holy One and The True One” sees nothing in this church for which to CHASTISE them, not because they were PERFECT (there are no perfect churches) but because of their FAITHFUL ENDURANCE to Christ despite any OPPOSITION they faced.
2. For this reason, Christ begins with a BLESSING on this church when He said, “I have placed before
you an open door that no one can shut.”
a. Now, there are conflicting VIEWS as to what Christ is referring.
1). Some believe that the “open door” refers to a continual flow of BLESSINGS from heaven.
COMMENT:
The Jews believed that they were still the CHOSEN PEOPLE of God, the only ones who could receive God’s BLESSINGS. However, the DOOR was OPEN for the Christians—the true Jews—at Philadelphia by the one who “holds the key of David” and the Jews could not CLOSE it.
2). Others believe that the “OPEN DOOR” has reference to the WORKING of God in opening
OPPORTUNITIES for the gospel to be SPREAD.
COMMENT:
Again, Philadelphia was a MISSIONARY CITY—a gateway for the spread of the Greek language and culture. So, the “OPEN DOOR” may very well mean that Christ is using the church
of Philadelphia as a MISSIONARY CHURCH to spread the GOSPEL throughout Asia Minor.
b. Either way, Christ’s BLESSINGS are upon this church because of their FAITHFUL DEEDS.
B. “You have little strength.”
1. Although this sounds like a REBUKE, it is not. It is a COMMENDATION.
a. This doesn’t mean that they were a FEEBLE church, but SMALL in number, POOR materially,
of LITTLE ACCOUNT in the eyes of man.
b. Even though they had “LITTLE STRENGTH” they used what they had to the GLORY of God.
COMMENT:
Because a church is SMALL, must they settle for MEDIOCRITY. God expects every church
no matter how LARGE or SMALL to use what He gives them to fulfill His PURPOSE.
2. Every church has the same PURPOSE—to REACH the LOST and STRENGTHEN the SAVED, all
to the GLORY of God.
a. Although Garfield Christian Church is a SMALL CHURCH, God is not DONE with us yet.
b. Isaiah 40:29- “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”
COMMENT:
Although the church of Philadelphia was WEAK within itself, it utilized the POWER of the
Lord to ACCOMPLISH great things in His SERVICE.
c. That same POWER is available to us as well.
C. “You have kept my Word.”
1. This was not only a church that PREACHED and TAUGHT the Word of God, they LIVED IT.
COMMENT:
How many times have we HEARD the Word of God and READ the Word of God, and turn right around and LIVE the WAY we WANT instead of the WAY God wants?
2. James 1:22- “Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
a. The Christians of Philadelphia not only HEARD the TRUTH of Christ’s Word, but they “did what
it said.”
b. They did not allow the JEWS or the PAGANS to SWAY them from KEEPING God’s Word.
D. “You have not denied my name.”
COMMENT:
Although they were of “little strength” surrounded by HOSTILE Jewish leaders that Christ described as “the synagogue of Satan” (v. 9) and Pagan IDOLATRY with its massive TEMPLES and SHRINES spread throughout the CITY—this LITTLE CHURCH did not DENY the name of
Christ despite the PRESSURE and PERSECUTION they faced from ALL SIDES.
Church, the real TEST to one’s LOYALTY to Christ is remaining FAITHFUL to Him and His Word, even when it’s not POPULAR.
II. THE PROMISES OF CHRIST- Revelation 3:9-13 (READ)
A. “Vindication in the eyes of the Jews”- v. 9
1. Christ said of the Jews persecuting the Christians at Philadelphia that “they claim to be Jews, but they
are not.”
a. The TRUE JEW is not determined by one’s ethnicity or religion, but by one’s ACCEPTANCE of
Jesus as the Christ—the Christian.
b. Romans 2:28-29- “A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise is not
from men, but from God.”
- Paul writes that “spiritual circumcision” takes place when one is “baptized into Christ”-
Colossians 4:11-12.
2. Christ promised the Christians at Philadelphia that “the Jews will WORSHIP at their feet.”
a. The church of Philadelphia was mainly Gentiles. This was an insult to the Jews having to BOW
DOWN at the feet of Gentiles.
b. Ironically, this very PROMISE was made the Jews through the prophet Isaiah.
-Isaiah 60:14- “The sons of your oppressors will come bowing before you; all who despise you will bow down at your feet and will call you the City of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of
Israel.”
COMMENT:
Because they rejected Jesus as the Christ, the Jews are no longer the “City of the Lord and the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.” “THE HOLY ONE” who speaks to the church of Philadelphia says, “You are my people and the Jews will bow down before you and acknowledge I Love You.”
B. “They will be kept from the hour of trial”- vv. 10-11
1. Possibly refers to judgment on Rome.
a. If so, Jesus is saying, “Since you kept my COMMAND, I will also keep you from this judgment
that is coming against Rome.”
b. When Christ said “I am coming soon”, I don’t believe he is talking about His SECOND
COMING and FINAL JUDGMENT on the WORLD, but about JUDGEMENT upon their PERSECUTORS—especially the Roman Empire, which is the major emphasis of the book of
Revelation. (Rome was destroyed centuries ago, but the church of Jesus Christ is still here.)
2. One thing we do KNOW for sure, the PROMISE “to keep them from the hour of trial” does not mean that these Christians would be EXEMPT from PERSECUTION or even DEATH for their
FAITH in Christ.
ILLUSTRATION:
From HISTORY, we know when Polycarp, the elder from Smyrna, was PUT TO DEATH for his refusal to WORSHIP Caesar as Lord in 155AD, several Christians from Philadelphia were also
MARTYRED along with him.
COMMENT:
Christ did not PROMISE his FOLLOWERS that we will NEVER be faced with DIFFICULTY because of our FAITH. But He did PROMISE to BE WITH US and to GIVE US GRACE to FACE and ENDURE any TRIAL for His name’s sake. He urges them to “Hold On! Don’t give up now.”
C. “Christ will make them pillars in the temple of God”- v. 12.
1. When Philadelphia had its earthquakes, many of the IDOL TEMPLES were LEVELED—the pillars
could not hold them up.
2. Although Paul said that “the church is the temple of God” (1 Cor. 3:16-17), I believe here Christ is referring to the heavenly Temple of God of which the Faithful Believers will be the EXALTED PILLARS—IMMOVABLE and FIRM in the Kingdom of God.
D. “Christ will write upon the OVERCOMER…”
1. “The name of God.”
COMMENT:
This merely means that we are God’s POSSESSION—we BELONG to Him. No one else has CLAIM to us—only our Heavenly Father.
2. “The name of God’s city.”
COMMENT:
When we are BORN, we become automatic citizens of the NATION in which we were given BIRTH. But nations RISE and nations FALL. Philadelphia of Asia Minor no longer EXISTS.
The Roman Empire no longer exists. But the Kingdom of God stands FOREVER.
When we are BORN AGAIN by accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior in BAPTISM, we become “citizens of heaven”- Philippians 3:20. Our HOME is not on this EARTH, but with our Father in Heaven NOW as well as in ETERNITY.
3. “Christ’s new name.”
COMMENT:
I’m not sure what that “new name” is, but we do know that because of the obedience of Jesus even the point of DEATH on the Cross, that God gave Him the “name above all names. The name that everyone will bow down and confess, that Jesus is Lord”- Philippians 2:9-10.
Whatever the “new name” of Christ is, it will be written on us signifying to all, including Satan himself, that we are OVERCOMERS.
CONCLUSION:
