Revelations 3:7-13 November 16, 2003
The Message To the Church in Philadelphia
International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church
God’s Economy is not like ours – in his economy big is not always good, and small is beautiful. Last week we looked at the church in Sardis who had a great reputation for life – a really alive church! – But Jesus said in actual fact they were dead. This week we are looking at the church in Philadelphia, a small struggling community, but Jesus lifts them up.
God does this over and over – he chooses the smallest, most struggling person and raises them up and makes them great
The Nation of Israel – “The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.” Deuteronomy 7:7
Hannah – 1 Samuel 1&2
David – 1 Samuel 16
Mary – Luke 1:46-55
Mary’s Song
46And Mary said:
"My soul glorifies the Lord
47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49for the Mighty One has done great things for me--
holy is his name.
50His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
54He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55to Abraham and his descendants forever,
even as he said to our fathers."
"God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble." – James 4:6
Philadelphia the City
7"To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
“Gateway to the East”
- meant as a “missionary city” to bring the Greek culture to the region
- Many temples and festivals – “little Athens”
In this Pagan city that is lit by the darkness of pagan festivals, there is this little struggling light of a believing community that Jesus comes too to encourage
The Image of Jesus
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.
Key = complete control over the royal household
Contrast with the local synagogue excommunicating Christian Jews
The Good News
8I 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. 9I 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. 10Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.
Perseverance
It appears that the church was suffering persecution, not from the governing authorities, but from Jewish people who did not believe in Christ.
Even today, much of the persecution that happens is not from government forces, but from other faiths who feel threatened by the presence of Christianity. The Governments are not persecuting, but often they are complicent as they turn a blind eye to the violence.
In Sri Lanka, Christianity seems to be having great inroads through independent charismatic and Pentecostal churches, and they are suffering a great deal of violence.
A November 9 news release from the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka clearly demonstrates the continuing challenges that Sri Lankan churches face from Buddhist militants. We urge your prayers for these and other churches throughout Sri Lanka.
On October 26, the Philadelphia Church Rajagiriya branch, celebrated their seventh anniversary. They rented a community hall to accommodate the guests for this special occasion and other 150 people attended. At 6:30 p.m., a large crowd arrived, including a few Buddhist monks, disrupting the service. The mob accused the pastor of showing
disrespect for Buddha by putting a statue of Buddha on the floor, when, in actuality, the mob placed the statue on the floor and demanded that the pastor worship it. When he refused, he was beaten. Chairs were broken, banners destroyed, and musical instruments damaged. The pastor and another member were held hostage by the mob until the police arrived and took them to the station for their safety. Speaking to the police, some of the monks demanded that the church stop all Christian activity in the area.
(from Voice of the Martyrs Email Newsletter)
The really discouraging thing is it is not just Buddhist militants who are persecuting the newer churches – there have been reports of people from Catholic churches causing similar problems.
Jesus uses very strong words to describe the people who were persecuting his church in Philadelphia – he calls them the synagogue of Satan. It is strong words that remind us that Jesus teaches that he is the only way to God for all people. Those who say that God is their Father but do not accept Jesus do not have God as their Father, but the devil.
Assurance of Truth
You can imagine that their persecution would not be just physical, but the Christian would have been excommunicated from the synagogue, and they would have been argued against constantly.
Jesus encourages them by saying that there will be a day when everyone will recognize that Jesus is the Son of God.
We sing,
“One day everyone will confess You are God,
One day every knee will bow,
Still, the greatest pleasure remains for those who gladly choose you now.”
There will come a day, Jesus says when these people who persecute you now will come and fall at your feet and acknowledge that he loved them. It is the ultimate in eating of crow. These people who were the persecutors will fall at their feet and say “you were right, we were wrong, you were obedient, we were disobedient.”
While the doors of the Synagogue had been closed to the Christians, Jesus says that he has opened a door that no one could shut.
The institution that was supposed to hold the key to heaven had closed the door, but Jesus had opened the door for them, and no-one could shut this one. This time of persecution probably brought a lot of questions with it: “Am I really on the right track, am I doing the right thing, is this really the way to heaven?” Jesus assures them that yes, they have taken the right path.
In the very next chapter, John writes “After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven.” I think that this is the door of entrance that Jesus presented to the church in Philadelphia.
There is another way that you could take this open door – not as a heavenly hope, but as an earthly reality, an opportunity for mission in the region.
It is an amazing thing that where Christianity is growing the most is in the places where there is greatest persecution. One of the countries that IDOP is highlighting this year is China. When the Western missionaries were kicked out of China after the revolution, there was a great worry that the church would be squashed, but it grew faster than it ever did through the work of Western missionaries.
Even in the midst of persecution, The church in Philadelphia would fulfill the call of the city of Philadelphia and be a great missionary force in the region, not for Greek language and culture, but for the Gospel
The Bad News
- no bad news
The Call
11I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
The Promise
12Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him 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 him my new name. 13He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
This quiet, persevering church that has little strength left was to ,made the very pillar of the spiritual temple of God.
It is also thought that by accepting Christ, people would have their name stricken from the record of citizenship of the city, Jesus say that not only is their name written in the book of citizenship of the city of God, but that God’s name and the name of the city will be written on them.
It is amazing top read the high regard that Jesus has for this small struggling little church, especially in contrast with the anger that he has for the big; flashy church in Sardis.
As we observe the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, it would be good for us to remember that Jesus’ economy is different than ours – while we might look at a western church in our city with great resources, programs, teaching and commitment and think “what a great church, Jesus may well point to the church that meets in a hovel in mountains of Nepal with great affection.
The theme for this year’s Day is found in 2Thessalonians 3:1-3 that says , Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honoured, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”
So we are going to pray for the churches in the highlighted countries right now.
The countries are:
China were the Government is against faith of any kind
Ethiopia where Christian can be persecuted by non-government groups
Iran where Christians are a protected minority, but to convert to Christianity is punishable by death.
Nepal where it is illegal to evangelize or convert, and were pastors have been killed by local police.
I’d like you to take a moment and think about which country that you’d like to pray for – I’ve set up 4 stations – one for each country, at each station there is a leader who will talk a bit about the country, talk about ways we can pray and lead into an open time of prayer.
