WHEN WE ARE FACED WITH NEW AND EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES FOR MINISTRY AND WE TELL OURSELVES "I CAN NEVER CHANGE, THAT’S NOT MY STYLE" OR SAY "THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN," WE PRESUME TOO MUCH AND BELIEVE TOO LITTLE.
IN JESUS CHRIST, GOD RENDERS ALL OF OUR FINAL CONCLUSIONS PREMATURE AND ALL OF OUR TALK OF DETERMINISM AS SIMPLY BAD FAITH.
IN CHRIST, GOD OPENS CLOSED DOORS, BRINGS RESURRECTION TO WHAT IS DEAD, AND REVEALS POSSIBILITIES IN WHAT OTHERS CALL IMPOSSIBLE.
IN CHRIST, GOD RECLAIMS THOSE WHO ARE LOST, LIBERATES THE CURSED AND POSSESSED, AND CHANGES WHAT SOME WOULD ASSUME IS UNCHANGEABLE.
WHILE JOHN WAS A PRISONER OF ROME ON THE ISLAND OF PATMOS JESUS COMMISSIONED HIM TO WRITE WHAT WE NOW CALL THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
PART OF JOHN’S COMMISSION WAS TO RECORD OUR LORD’S WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT, CORRECTION, EXHORTATION, AND PROMISE; AND THEN MAKE SURE THE LETTERS WERE DELIVERED TO HIS BRIDE, THE SEVEN CHURCHES WHICH IS NOW WESTERN TURKEY.
JESUS CHOSE THOSE SEVEN CHURCHES AS A SYMBOL OF COMPLETENESS. THAT IS, HIS SPIRITUAL EVALUATION OF THEM IS WHAT HE WANTED TO SAY TO EVERY CHURCH THEN AND TO EVERY CHURCH NOW.
SO FAR IN OUR STUDY WE HAVE SEEN THAT JESUS, THE LORD OF THE CHURCH, WARNED THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS TO GUARD THEIR FIRST LOVE FOR HIM.
CHRIST ENCOURAGED THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA TO REMAIN FAITHFUL TO HIM IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING. PERGAMUM WAS ENCOURAGED TO REMAIN FAITHFUL TO THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL.
THE CHURCH OF THYATIRA WAS WARNED TO DEAL WITH THE JEZEBEL IN THEIR MIDST AND REMAIN HOLY. SARDIS WAS EXHORTED THAT THEY NEEDED TO WAKE UP SPIRITUALLY.
NOW WE ARE LOOKING AT THE CHURCH IN PHILADELPHIA, FOR WHOM THE LORD HAD NOTHING BUT WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT, EXHORTATION, AND PROMISE AS HE PRESENTED TO THEM OPEN DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE HIM IN THE MIDST OF THEIR TRIALS.
PHILADELPHIA WAS SITUATED ON THE EDGE OF A GREAT VOLCANIC PLAIN THAT WAS VERY FERTILE. IT BECAME FAMOUS FOR THE GRAPES IT GREW AND THE WINE THEY MADE. AS MIGHT BE EXPECTED, THE CHIEF DEITY OF PHILADELPHIA WAS DIONYSIUS, THE GOD OF WINE.
PHILADELPHIA WHICH MEANS "CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE" WAS LOCATED ABOUT SIXTY MILES EAST OF SARDIS. THE CITY WAS A BORDER TOWN FOUNDED BY GREEK COLONISTS FROM PERGAMUM IN 160 BC.
THE GOVERNMENT OF PERGAMUM HAD GIVEN THOSE COLONISTS AN "OPEN DOOR" TO TEACH THE SURROUNDING POPULATION ABOUT THE GREEK CULTURE AND LANGUAGE.
THEY HAD BECOME SO SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR TEACHING THAT THE WHOLE REGION WAS PEACEFULLY CONVERTED TO A GREEK COLONY BY THE YEAR 19 A.D.
OPEN DOORS FOR OPEN OPPORTUNITIES SEEMED TO BE THE THEME OF PHILADELPHIA. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT JESUS IS SAYING TO THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE CHURCH IN PHILADELPHIA. "I HAVE PLACED BEFORE YOU AN OPEN DOOR...WALK THROUGH IT WITH MY GOSPEL AND THE GOODS WORKS THAT I HAVE PREPARED FOR YOU TO WALK IN."
OUR LORD JESUS CONTINUES TO OPEN DOORS FOR HIS CHURCH IN EVERY GENERATION. TOO MANY INADVERTENTLY CLOSE THOSE DOORS WITH THEIR PESSIMISM. FOR SOME THE GLASS WILL ALWAYS BE HALF EMPTY INSTEAD OF HALF FULL. THE DOOR IS NOT HALF-WAY OPEN, BUT IS HALF CLOSED.
IT’S TIME FOR GOD’S PEOPLE TO REALIZE HOW TRAGIC AND COSTLY PESSIMISM IS TO THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH. WE MUST WORK HARD TO KEEP PESSIMISM FROM REPLACING OUR OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK.
TODAY, THE DOORS TO EVANGELISM, WITNESS AND MINISTRY ARE NOT ONLY HALF-WAY OPEN, BUT ARE BECOMING WIDE OPEN TO SHARE THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. THIS IS OPTIMISM AT ITS FINEST HOUR!
WE CAN LEARN A VERY VALUABLE LESSON FROM THE CONGREGATION OF PHILADELPHIA OF WHAT IT MEANS TO "HANG IN THERE" AND NOT GIVE THE ENEMY AN INCH.
THESE PEOPLE STOOD THEIR GROUND EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE NOT VERY POWERFUL OR INFLUENTIAL AGAINST THE PAGAN FORCES THAT LAY HOLD OF THE CITY AND THE GOVERNMENT.
IN FACT, IT WASN’T MUCH BETTER IN THE AREA OF RELIGION. THEY FREQUENTLY HAD TROUBLE WITH THEIR JEWISH NEIGHBORS AS WELL AS THOSE CLOSE TO ROME WHO DEMANDED THAT EVERYONE WORSHIP CAESAR.
THEY SUFFERED SOCIALLY, ECONOMICALLY, AND POLITICALLY BECAUSE OF THEIR ALLEGIANCE TO JESUS CHRIST. BUT THEY HUNG IN THERE AND PUT UP WITH ALL THAT THEIR ENEMIES COULD THROW AT THEM. THEY VALIANTLY REMAINED STEADFAST IN THE FAITH.
IT HAS BEEN SAID, "LIFE IS A GRINDSTONE: WHETHER IT GRINDS YOU DOWN OR POLISHES YOU UP DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU ARE MADE OF." THE CHRISTIANS IN PHILADELPHIA WERE MADE OF THE BEST MATERIAL AROUND. THEY WERE ONE OF THOSE RARE CONGREGATIONS WHERE VIRTUALLY EVERYONE WOULD BE THOUGHT OF AS A PILLAR OF THE CHURCH.
JESUS KNEW THEY WERE ALL AS GOOD AS GOLD BUT WERE STILL STRUGGLING. HE SAID "I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BUT LITTLE POWER…."
JESUS KNEW THAT THE PHILADELPHIAN CHURCH WAS SMALL. THEY HAD LITTLE, IF ANY MONEY, NOT MUCH INFLUENCE, NOT A GREAT AMOUNT OF RESOURCES AT THEIR DISPOSAL, BUT THEY STILL HAD THE POWER OF THEIR CHRISTIAN WITNESS.
PHILADELPHIA WAS SIMPLY A GROUP OF ROCK-SOLID PILLARS. NOT VERY SURPRISING SINCE THESE ARE THE TYPE OF PEOPLE WE FIND IN OUR SMALL CHURCHES TODAY.
EVERY ONE OF US NEEDS TO REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT AND VALUABLE OUR PARTICIPATION REALLY IS IN THE OVERALL MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH.
THIS IS WHY EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW THAT IF THEY MISS WORSHIP, BIBLE STUDIES, OR OTHER SERVICES AND TIMES OF FELLOWSHIP, THEIR PLACE WILL BE NOTICEABLY EMPTY AND THEIR ABSENCE WILL BE FELT.
EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE A PILLAR OF THE CHURCH. IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT PART YOU PLAY IN THE ROLE OF CHURCH MINISTRY. WHAT DOES MATTER IS THAT YOU ARE PLAYING A ROLE.
WE ARE ONLY AS STRONG AS OUR WEAKEST LINK. SO IF ANY OF ONE OF US FAILS TO CARRY OUR PROPER LOAD, THINGS WILL NOT GET DONE AND THE OVERALL MINISTRY WILL SUFFER, COME UP SHORT, OR EVEN FAIL.
THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT WONDERFUL MINISTRIES CAN BE CARRIED ON IN VERY LARGE CHURCHES BECAUSE OF ALL THE HUMAN, MATERIAL, AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT.
BUT LET US NOT FORGET THE WONDERFUL AND POWERFUL THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN AND DO HAPPEN IN THE SMALLER CHURCHES! PHILADELPHIA PROVED THAT IT CAN HAPPEN.
PHILADELPHIA, ALTHOUGH FAR FROM BEING A TOTALLY PERFECT CHURCH, WAS A CONGREGATION THAT COULD HANDLE THE PRESSURES OF THEIR ENVIRONMENT IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY BECAME GENUINE MISSIONARIES FOR THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.
THE LORD HAD OPENED A DOOR FOR THEM, AND THEY HAD FAITHFULLY GONE THROUGH IT. CAN THE SAME BE SAID OF THE CHURCHES OF OUR DAY?
FOUR HUNDRED YEARS AGO THE LORD OFFERED A MISSION AND OPENED A DOOR OF OPPORTUNITY ON THIS CONTINENT JUST AS HE OPENED ONE IN ASIA MINOR FOR THE CHRISTIANS OF PHILADELPHIA.
WITH ALL THE TROUBLE WE’RE HAVING FIGHTING TO KEEP PRAYER IN SCHOOL, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS POSTED ON OUR WALLS, AND THE MENTION OF GOD IN A PUBLIC SETTING, WE CAN EASILY SEE THAT WE HAVEN’T BEEN DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB AS MISSIONARIES IN THE PAGAN SOCIETY IN WHICH WE LIVE AND WORK.
MY OWN FEELING IS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN TOO FEW PILLARS TO KEEP THINGS ADEQUATELY PROPPED UP. IT MAY EVEN BE FAIR TO SAY THAT, FOR TOO MANY, THE PREFERENCE IS NOT FOR PILLARS BUT PILLOWS.
I’VE HEARD IT SAID THAT THERE ARE TWO CLASSES OF PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH: THOSE WHO LIFT AND THOSE WHO LEAN, THOSE WHO SUPPORT AND THOSE WHO HAVE TO BE SUPPORTED - PILLARS AND PILLOWS.
THE CHOICE IS UP TO US. WE CAN BE A PILLAR OF THE CHURCH. MEMBERS WHO CHOOSE TO BE STRONG, SOLID, AND UTTERLY DEPENDABLE.
OR WE COULD JUST SIT BACK WITH EASE AND BECOME PILLOWS OF THE CHURCH. PEOPLE WHO ARE SPIRITUALLY WEAK, NEGLECTFUL OF THE CHURCH, AND PROVIDE LITTLE, IF ANY SUPPORT. PEOPLE THAT ARE EASILY FLUFFED AND EASILY FLATTENED.
THERE IS A CHOICE, AND THE RIGHT CHOICE MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THIS WORLD AND THE WORLD TO COME. THAT SMALL LITTLE BAND OF CHRISTIANS IN PHILADELPHIA MADE THE CHOICE, THE RIGHT CHOICE. PILLARS!
WHAT WILL YOUR CHOICE BE? WILL YOU MAKE THE MOST OF THE OPEN DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY THIS CHURCH HAS TO BECOME A PILLAR?
CAN WE WALK THROUGH THE DOOR OF OPPORTUNITY BY CHANGING OUR ATTITUDES TOWARDS ATTENDING SUNDAY SCHOOL? CAN WE RECOMMIT OURSELVES TO BECOME BETTER INVOLVED IN WORSHIP, BIBLE STUDIES, MISSIONS, EVANGELISM, AND DISCIPLESHIP?
CAN WE WALK THROUGH THE DOOR OF OPPORTUNITY BY DOING MORE THAN JUST GIVING MONEY TO THE CHURCH IN HOPES THAT SOMEONE ELSE WILL PUT IT TO GOOD USE? CAN WE CONSIDER GIVING BOTH OUR MONEY AND OURSELVES TO THE WORK OF THE CHURCH?
CAN WE WALK THROUGH THE DOOR OF OPPORTUNITY BY SUPPORTING THE EXTENSION MINISTRIES OF THE CHURCH BY GETTING INVOLVED WITH THE YOUTH, THE WOMEN’S GROUP, THE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM, OR SINGING IN THE CHOIR?
SO MANY DOORS, SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES CHRIST HAS GIVEN TO US. HE HAS DONE ALL THE HARD WORK FOR US BY OPENING THE DOOR. ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS WALK THROUGH IT! WILL YOU TAKE THE WALK TODAY?
