THE CHURCH OF THE OPEN DOOR
By
Jerry Falwell
“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. “Indeed I will make [those] of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie -- indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown” (Rev. 3:7-11, NKJV).
The church at Philadelphia was a church of awesome opportunity. Jesus comes to them and unveils to them a vision of what they could do. This church:
· Could influence people to enter an open door and worship the Lord, i.e., a revival church.
· Could influence people to know that God loves them, i.e., an influential church.
· Is a church where people recognize that the name of God is there, i.e., the presence of God is there.
The greatest thing that God gives to His church is a vision, i.e., an open door. The Philadelphia church is similar to the Thomas Road Baptist Church, in that God is giving us an opportunity to be that church to change the world. Therefore, like the Philadelphia church, we have a great vision of an open door. Those things about our vision:
· Our vision comes from God, i.e., we didn’t work the vision up. I believe God’s vision has become our vision.
· A vision of reaching those of the “synagogue of Satan” so they come and worship God. This is a vision of influencing those in a liberal church, a heretical church, a cult, a false religion, and the secular-humanist.
· It is a vision of continual revival because God’s presence is there (remember I said that revival is when God pours His presence out on His people).
Philadelphia is the church of the open door. The greatest thing about the Philadelphia church is its great opportunity. There have been many American churches that have had greater opportunities than us. Think of churches:
· In great metropolitan areas, but we’re in small Lynchburg.
· Filled with wealthy people, but we’re a church of average wage earners.
· With the support of denominations and other large mega ministries, but for years no one supported or recognized TRBC.
· Located in an area of influence, i.e., Washington, DC and politics; New York and media; Los Angeles and movies; or Nashville and music.
Thomas Road is a very unusual church because it is in a very unusual place. It’s a place that no one would select to build a great church, but God has done it. Therefore I say, God’s vision must become our vision, because God saw us long before we saw Him. And God saw what we could do long before we saw any “open door” of opportunity.
Why people can’t see open doors?
· Other churches have disappointed them.
· Parents or friends have disappointed them.
· Crises have hurt their families.
· Unfaithful preachers.
· The people refused to stop Satan by intercessory prayer and overcoming faith, so they gave in to sin and became spiritually blinded.
· Just living a normal American life and forgetting God.
As we read the passage today, there are several things we need to see in the Philadelphia church that apply to Thomas Road Baptist Church:
· Only God can open a door that no man can shut. We have the opportunity to change the world, only God can give us that opportunity.
· Only God can shut a door that no man can open. I think of the shut doors in my life. I didn’t go to Moody Memorial Church. I didn’t go on the road as an evangelist.
· I believe God has left me in Lynchburg for a divine purpose.
Notice the phrase, “I know your works.” The Philadelphia church came under the scrutiny of Jesus Christ, just as Thomas Road Baptist Church must come under His scrutiny. No one knows us like Jesus Christ. Only the head of the church, Jesus, can inspect every part of Thomas Road Baptist Church and correctly know our conditions.
· Jesus sees the internal life of TRBC.
· Jesus sees the external life of TRBC.
· Jesus sees the family life of TRBC.
· Jesus knows the “Ananiases and Sapphiras” living among us.
· Jesus knows our past successes.
· Jesus knows our past failures.
· Jesus knows our problems.
· Jesus knows our difficulties.
· Jesus knows where the money is coming from to build the church on the Mountain.
Of all the seven churches in the book of Revelation, Philadelphia was the ideal church, and the one against which Jesus had no accusations nor did he find any sin there. However, Philadelphia was not a perfect city.
Philadelphia was a city of many temples, and was called “the little Athens” because of its many idols/gods.
· Philadelphia was on the edge of a great plain which was called in the vernacular, “burned land,” because it was a volcanic plain bearing the marks of a great lava flow and ashes of volcanoes.
· The people in Philadelphia were constantly depressed after a massive earthquake in AD 17, because earthquakes continued on a regular yearly basis. Suppose your house were destroyed every year and you had to rebuild it? Would you get discouraged and give up? Every time there was a new earthquake, you would be reminded of the past destruction. It would seem to me that the people of Philadelphia would have seen a different door:
· A doorway of fear.
· A doorway of pessimism.
· A doorway of defeat.
Yet, in this city there was a church that had done more for God than any other of the seven church in the Revelation. They were living closer to the Lord, and He had no condemnation against them, i.e., no word about their sin. Their challenge was the future. Would they go through the open door that Jesus was holding open for them?
TRBC’S CHALLENGE IS THE FUTURE
Don’t be defeated by the atmosphere of a small town like Lynchburg and think that we can’t do anything or that God can’t do anything. Don’t become pessimistic because of your family or friends. Look to Jesus who holds the door open for you, and for Thomas Road. Do not allow men, spirits, or anyone to imprison your mind. If Thomas Road is going to be a world-changing church, it must have people with world-changing faith and people with world-changing attitudes.
WHAT CAN YOU KNOW ABOUT JESUS?
The passage says that there are four things that you can know about Jesus. FIRST, Jesus is walking in the middle of seven churches. Great scholars tell me that the word “middle” means the very center. Jesus was just as close to the sinning church of Thyatira as He was to the compromising church of Pergamos. He was no closer to Philadelphia, than He was to any other church. You know what that means? Jesus is just as close to Thomas Road as He is to any other church in the city or in America, or in the world. They all have the opportunity to do what He is challenging us to do. But which church will look to Jesus for its vision? And which church will become a world-changing church?
Notice how Jesus introduced Himself to the Philadelphia church.
· Jesus is holy (v. 7, “He that is holy”). We must see the holiness of Jesus and want to be like Him. We must understand the indwelling of Jesus in our lives, and be holy, for we are His Temple.
· Jesus is true (v. 7, “He that is true”). We must understand that what Jesus tells us is the truth, He would not mislead us. If He challenges us with an “open door of opportunity,” it means we can go through it and do exploits for God.
· He has the keys of David (v. 7, “He that hath the keys of David”). Remember, keys represent authority. In another place Jesus says, “I have the keys of death and Hell.” The next time you get a little discouraged, listen for the jingle of the keys, it may be Jesus coming.
Years ago we had a janitor named Robert King Creasy who had a key chain with almost 100 keys on it, a key for every door in the church before we purchased a master lock and a master key. Creasy lived here in the church, knew everything that was going on in church, and kept it spotlessly clean. Every once in awhile when Robert Creasy would sneak up on kids and catch them where they shouldn’t be, or catch them doing things they shouldn’t do, he’d always jingle his keys to let them know he was coming. That way the kids could straighten up before Mr. Creasy got there.
· I wonder if Jesus is jingling His keys to let us know that He’s coming? I wonder does He want us to straighten up because He is coming? Some of you are doing things that you shouldn’t be doing. Listen for the jingle of the keys.
CLAIM YOUR DOOR
Jesus tells us He has set before us an open door, but what does He know about us? What does He say about us that He said about the Philadelphia church? “You have a little strength, have kept my Word, and have not denied My name.”
· This means that we do not have to be great . . . powerful . . . or wealthy to be the church to change the world. According to Jesus, the church of Philadelphia only had a “little strength.” They did have something else, they “kept His Word.” They did not “deny His name.”
I think these three things describe Thomas Road Baptist Church. We have a little strength, we have tried to keep His Word, and we have not denied His name. So, now what must we do? Now we must step through the open door and become the church to change the world.
WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO MOVE
THROUGH THE DOOR?
I find that people usually make a decision to follow God when:
· They are fed up with the oppression of sin, so that they want to move forward.
· They are tired of mediocrity, so they want to do something with God.
· They have learned enough from the Word so they can begin to march forward through the door.
· They have been challenged by a preacher/man of God and they want to follow him through the door.
Suppose someone told you that there is a new house down at the end of the street. Suppose they said you could have it all. All you have to do is walk through the open front door, and it’s yours. What would you do? Some would say,
· “I don’t believe you.”
· “I don’t have the money.”
· “You don’t mean it.”
· “I just couldn’t accept it.”
If someone offers you a new house just for walking through an open door . . . don’t think about it . . . don’t pray about it . . . don’t analyze it . . . don’t even ask if it’s the right color. WALK THROUGH THE DOOR.
WHAT SHOULD CHARACTERIZE YOUR WALK?
· Immediately walk. Don’t procrastinate, but immediately do God’s will.
· Obediently walk. Don’t doubt the Lord, but follow Him expressively.
· Joyfully walk. If the Lord has opened the door, He has good things on the other side.
· Confidently walk. If God has opened the door, it won’t slam shut in your face.
· Expectantly walk. If God has opened the door, He will help you get through and show you what to do after you get on the other side.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God. Contact us and ask for a copy of The How To Book or use The How To Book Online (Falwell.com). It is a booklet that will answer many of the questions you are sure to have about living the Christian life. And when you contact us, tell us about your salvation experience so that we can rejoice with you.
