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.
• By this course of action:
• He broke the backbone of Philadelphia’s economy.
• And the people of Philadelphia felt betrayed by their leader,
• Now bear that information in mind,
• Because these things will have a bearing,
• On the promises Jesus makes to this church in this letter.
(2). The Person – Jesus Christ (vs 7b).
“These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.”
Note:
• In the previous five letters,
• Jesus uses symbols, a kind of code,
• Word pictures to describe himself,
• These symbols, word pictures were taken from chapter 1,
• Where John the apostle had a vision of him.
• And in the previous 5 Churches,
• Jesus links back to this vision and draws from it,
• But not here, to this Church at Philadelphia,
• Jesus makes no reference to that vision.
• He uses new titles to describe himself.
Description # 1: He is Holy and True.
• Jesus introduces Himself as “holy and true.”
• That’s not just a title it’s a reminder of his perfect character.
• It is a strong contrast to Domitian, The Roman Emperor,
• Who did not keep his word, who was not pure in his character.
• Domitian might have let down and betrayed these people,
• #But King Jesus will not,
• Because he is “holy and true.”
• Every promise Jesus makes is backed by who he is.
• You can trust his word because you can trust his heart.
Ill:
• Other people will fail us,
• We all know the saying, “Promises are meant to be broken!”
• And often circumstances will disappoint us.
• Sometimes we face one problem alongside another.
• TRANSITION:
• But always remember Jesus is holy and true.
• People may change. Circumstances shift.
• But Jesus always remains faithful.
• “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
• (Hebrews chapter 13 verse 8).
Description # 2: He is Sovereign - Jesus holds “the key of David.”
Ill:
• This week we have just had to have a new barrel,
• Fitted into the lock on our caravan door.
• The old one broke and caused us quite a few problems.
• But the new lock is superb.
• You can pop the key in and it open and closes like a dream.
• Now, no matter how good thew door or the lock,
• If you haven’t got the key, it is pretty useless!
Question: Now where does the image of the Key of David come from?
Answer:
• Well like about 99% of the images in Revelation,
• It is taken from the Old Testament,
• The book of Isaiah chapter 22.
• In the days of Hezekiah the king,
• There was an official who was in charge of the palace,
• His name was Shebna.
• Shebna's story is marked by pride and self-exaltation.
• He sought to construct an elaborate tomb for himself,
• And as a result of his pride he was ejected from his office,
• And replaced by Eliakim the son of Hilkiah.
• Shebna's removal was very dramatic,
• Isaiah describes it this way (chapter 22 verse 18).
• NIV: “He will roll you up tightly like a ball and throw you.”
• ESV: “whirl you around and around, and throw you like a ball”
• GWT: “He will wrap you up tightly like a turban.”
• Shebna's end will be involve a forceful and humiliating removal,
• He will be bundled up and discarded.
• And replaced by a godly man named Eliakim, of whom God said,
"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."
• “The key to the house of David,” is representative of authority.
• And Jesus holds that key!
• That means Jesus alone,
• Opens and shuts doors of opportunity, ministry, and blessing.
• This is not wishful thinking; this is sovereign control.
• If Jesus opens a door,
• Not Rome, not culture, not even the devil himself can shut it.
That means your life as a Christian is safe in his hands!
• If you have you ever felt like your world,
• Was hanging by a thread,
• That life had pushed you to the edge of a cliff,
• And you are clinging on.
• Remember that this isn’t just poetic language,
• It’s a spiritual reality.
• Keep trusting because Jesus holds the important key!
Ill:
• When my kids were small,
• And we stood at the side of a busy road waiting to cross,
• They thought they were holding my hand,
• And although that was true,
• In reality I was holding on to theirs!
• Had they tried to let go of my hand,
• They would have discovered they could not,
• Because my grip was tighter than theirs!
• TRANSITION: In like manner,
• Our Heavenly Father has a grip on us that cannot be shaken.
• Whether we are walking through grief, battling anxiety,
• Or facing the unknown,
• Our spiritual security rests not in our strength,
• But in his faithfulness.
(3). The People (vs 8a).
“I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.”
Note:
• This church in Philadelphia is unique among the seven churches,
• Because it is the only church that Jesus has no complaint against it.
• No complaints only pleasure,
• This is the church that delights him!
Two reasons why Jesus found pleasure in this Church.
Reason #1: They Drew Strength from God.
• Jesus says, “You have a little strength.”
• That wasn’t a rebuke! It was a compliment, a recognition.
• In their weakness,
• They had learnt to rely on God and not themselves.
• And when they leaned on God, they discovered he was strong.
Ill:
• Do you remember the words of the apostle Paul,
• (2 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 9-10).
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Ill:
• Never do we insert our spiritual ATM card,
• Into the machine to make a grace withdrawal,
• Only to see the words flash up on the screen:
• “Insufficient funds!”
• God never has to make deposits into his grace bank!
• In the bank of God,
• There is abundant supply to meet your need!
• This Church learnt,
• “God’s grace is sufficient…”
• For when they were weak, then they were strong.”
• TRANSITION:
• This church trusted God with what little they had.
• Their strength wasn’t impressive, but it was real.
The world sees weakness as failure,
• But weakness is never failure in the Christian life.
• Weakness causes us to find strength in God,
• And this Church at Philadelphia did exactly that!
Reason #2: They Held Fast to God’s Word.
• Even when it cost them,
• They held tight to God’s word and honoured God’s name.
• That’s faith under pressure.
• They didn’t just believe truth they lived it out!
This church of Philadelphia was weak in some respects,
• But in a few minutes we will see that,
• They were strong in what counted ,
• They would remain faithful in the face of the toughest of trials
(4). The Promise (vs 8b-12).
God promises this Church five things.
Promise #1: A. He will open doors (vs 8a).
“I have set before you an open door.”
Ill:
• Many of the first Christians at Philadelphia were Jewish,
• Who came to believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah,
• Who would die and rise again.
• But this upset other Jews in the Synagogue,
• Who rejected Jesus as the Messiah.
• They did not see these Christians as Messianic (completed Jews),
• But instead, they saw them as infidels,
• Those who were now following another faith.
• And so, they closed the door to the Synagogue to the Christians.
That was bad for these Jewish Christians,
• Because the Synagogue was the heart of the community,
• Being excluded meant,
• You were socially cut off from your fellow Jews,
• Your business partners and maybe also family members.
But there was another, even bigger problem.
• Not being able to attend the Synagogue,
• Meant they were not on the role of the Synagogue
• And that role was very, very important!
Ill:
• The Roman emperor Domitian (remember him from earlier on?).
• He was the first Roman emperor,
• To demand that people worship him as a god.
• Statues of Domitian were sent all over the empire.
• And on certain appointed days,
• All of the people had to pass before the statue of Domitian,
• And say the words, Domitian was "God the Lord."
• If you did that then he was happy,
• And you could return home and worship any other god you wanted to,
• Just as long as you publicly declared that Domitian,
• Was the “Lord” above your god(s).
• As you can imagine, the Christians had a problem with that,
• To them, “Jesus is Lord”.
• Those Christians who would not deny Christ,
• Could be arrested, imprisoned, and even killed.
For a number of reasons,
• In the early times of the Roman Empire,
• The Jews were exempt from having to say, “Caesar is Lord.”
• But to escape punishment.
• They had to be registered at the Synagogue.
• But these Jewish Christians were locked out of the Synagogue.
• And their names erased from the official role,
• They were excluded from the book.
• Now into that situation Jesus says.
• “I have set before you an open door.”
• Question: Do you ever feel you are knocking on closed doors?
• Question: Do you ever feel you are trying to force open a closed?
• I love this verse, “He opens the door,”
• Our job is to simply walk faithfully through it.
Ill:
• Open doors in the New Testament,
• Often speak of gospel opportunities,
• Ministry assignments.
• e.g. Acts chapter 14 verse 27.
• “…reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles”.
• e.g. 1 Corinthians chapter 16 verse 9.
• “…a great door for effective work has opened to me,”
• e.g. 2 Corinthians chapter 2 verse 12.
• “Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me,”
• Open doors in the New Testament often speak of gospel opportunities,
• Ministry assignments.
• This church wasn’t strong, but God opened the way.
• Our job is to walk through those open doors!
Promise #2: He will vindicate them (vs 9-10 & 12)
“I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth…
…The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.”
• Vindication:
• Because Jesus promises that those who opposed the church,
• Will one day bow down before them,
• And recognise that they were loved by Christ.
• That’s divine vindication!
Question:
Does that remind you of anything in the Old Testament?
Answer:
• Think of the story of Joseph (him with the colourful coat).
• His dream and its fulfilment (Genesis chapter 37 & 50).
• The bowed before the brother they rejected and Jospeh said,
• "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good"
• (Genesis chapter 50 verse 20)
Promise #3: He Would Keep Them (vs 10)
“Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.”
• Jesus says to this Church,
• “I will keep you from the hour of trial.”
• That’s a powerful promise.
• Even though they would face severe pressure,
• He promised to preserve them through it.
• Note: He will not remove the trial or test,
• He will take them though the difficulty,
• So that they can stand strong in the middle of it.
Promise #4: He Would Strengthen Them (vs 12a)
“The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God.”
• Pillars represent strength, stability, and permanence.
• In this shaky world, Jesus builds lives that stand firm.
• He’s not just saving you;
• He’s shaping you into someone unshakable.
Ill:
• In ancient Philadelphia, earthquakes often toppled buildings.
• But Jesus says, “You won’t collapse. I’ll hold you firm.”
• He’ll make you a pillar, not a pebble.
• And if you visit the ruins of this city today,
• Question: What is that you see?
• Answer: Two very striking pillars!
Promise #5: He Would Name Them (3:12b)
“I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.”
• To put one’s name upon something.
• Was to give it the distinctive stamp or mark of ownership.
• ill: How many of you have your names written in the front of your Bibles?
• ill: Kids all have tags on their school jumpers and coats etc.
• TRANSITION: Identity and ownership and belonging.
• No Christian is nameless in God’s Kingdom.
• We are all known, marked, and sealed by Christ himself.
(5) The Plea (vs 11&13).
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
The plea is twofold.
FIRST: They were to hold on (vs 11)
• Jesus says, “Hold fast what you have.”
• The plea was not to gain more,
• But simply to guard what they’d been given.
• That’s faithfulness!
• They already had truth.
• They already had his name.
• So, Keep going. Keep believing and keep trusting.
• Your crown is waiting, don’t trade it for temporary comfort.
SECOND: They were to listen up (vs 13)
• Jesus ends every letter the same way:
• “He who has an ear, let him hear”.
• The Holy Spirit is speaking, the question is, are we listening?
• The message to Philadelphia wasn’t just for them.
• It’s for us. For now.
• We are called to persevere,
• Through our difficult times,
• Whatever they might be!
• Stay faithful,
• Listen, obey, and stay faithful to the very end.
Sermon Video:
https://youtu.be/LQLzy-k6S6s
