The Seven Churches of Asia: Sermon #06:
The Church in Philadelphia:
The Faithful Church With an Open Door Anointing
Introduction:
Our text brings us to the 6th of the 7 local churches that Jesus send a "personal Messsage" unto.
The Town of Philadelphia:
Known as "The City of Brotherly Love" Named by a king that greatly loved his brother, the brother’s name was Philadelphia.
Located on a major sea coast route.
However there was a major problem with the town of Philadelphia. It was also located upon an earthquake fault line. In the year A.D. 17 a major earthquake almost completely destroyed this city.
So most people moved outside of the town.
Because many people were afraid to reside in Philadelphia, there was not much work to be found.
The Church in Philadelphia:
One of the things I have noticed as I have studied these churches of Asia Minor, is that they seem to take on the same spirit of their enviroment.
The church in Philadelphia was a "LOVING CHURCH." They loved Christ and they loved one another.
Their love was more than just "words." What was it Jesus said we would do "IF" we really loved Him? He tels us:"If ye love Me, Keep My Commandments." That is the fruit that we can look for and expect to find in people who really love Jesus!
The church in Philadelphia not only "Talked the Talk", they also "Walked the Walk." And Jesus recognized the difference about this congregation of believers. This was A FAITHFUL CHURCH. One of the two local churches that Jesus found FAITHFUL. The other was the church at Smyrna. The 2nd church Jesus wrote to. Jesus found NOTHING CONDEMNING about them.
We need to also be REAL and GENUINE in our walk with Christ.
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FAITHFUL CHURCHES ARE MADE UP OF FAITHFUL PEOPLE:
It is IMPOSSIBLE to have a FAITFHUL CHURCH--- IF --- the people who make up the church --- are not daily living FAITHFUL LIVES! You and I cannot behave like the lost world throughout the week and then come to church on Sunday and expect Christ to consider us "faithful."
What we will find out in this sermon is Jesus Honors Faithfulness! He Rewards Faithfulness!
Good things --- Miraclous things --- are in store for the faithful.
Verse #7 ----- Once again Jesus lets the local church know that He is aware of their lifestyles and their works and deeds. He tells this church in Philadelphia that He knows how that they have HUNG ON!
We do not really know the extent of another’s faithfulness. We see one another mostly at church for a few minutes each week. But Jesus sees us wherever we are. He alone is aware of our faithfulness. At work, at home, at community gatherings. He declares unto this church: "Well done!" You have been faithful servants!
While much of their faithfulness was done "in secret" He was about to reward them for all to see.
There is only "one thing" required for each one of us to serve Christ "faithfully." That is: "A desire to live faithfully." If we have the desire to live faithfully Christ will give us the strength to hang on!
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Verse #8
Jesus tells them: "I know that you have little strength."
Philadelphia was the smallest of the seven churches. They had struggled to keep the work going.
They were weak in #’s: Most people want to go to churches with large crowds. So this church wouldn’t be very popular today.It wasn’t even large enough for a soft ball team. What a shame!
They were weak in finances:
They were weak in body and in mind:
They were pressed and burdened.
The possibility of another major earthquake could come at any time. It was common for them to experience daily tremors. These dear saints were afraid "Not" to be faithful. Tragedy could happen anytime.
Dottie Rambo wrote a song several years ago entitled: "Don’t Take My Burden or My Cross Away." In her song she speaks of how our valleys and our burdens play a part in keeping us on our knees in prayer and seking daily strength from Christ.
I believe that each one of us will admit that when life is not going exactly as we think it ought, when hardships come, when pains and sufferings come, we pray more! So these earthly trials are blessings in disquise. They keep us from growing weary!
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Although this church in Philadelphia had "little strength" physically they had "great strength" spiritually.
They had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that was REAL!
Verse #8:
Jesus tells them: "You have kept My word."
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Church take note to this this morning. There is nothing as important as FAITHFULNESS. Faithfully Keeping Christ’s Commands!
"You have PATIENTLY ENDURED!"
We live in a society today that is "IMPATIENT."
They Demand Instant Gratification and Satisfaction. Instant Results.
Always in a hurry. In a hurry for God to come to the rescue, or for God to supply the need, or for God to heal us, or for God to deliver from the trials. Like David when he prayed, "Make haste o God to deliver me."
There are many commercials on television that advertise their products with the assurance if you are not 100% satisfied send it back within 30 days for a complete refund. And if we are not careful we carry that same feeling over into the spiritual realm.
Many professing Christians do not know how to WAIT UPON GOD today! How to wait upon God for answered prayers. How to patiently endure. Many people may be forced to endure but they do not endure patiently!
If they do not recieve INSTANT DELIVERENCE they throw in the spiritual towel. They do not know what it is to "Hang On!"
SONG: "Living By Faith"
I care not today what tomorrow may bring
If shadow or sunshine or rain
The Lord I know ruleth over everything
And all of my worry is vain.
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Satan will send many battles and trials and tests to see if we will patiently endure or throw in the towel. He will test our faith in Christ.
That’s why the apostle Paul encourages us to "Put on the whole armour of God that we might be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."
Pentecost made Peter a different man of God!
Sometimes we pray to be used by God. God doesn’t always use us by singing a song or preaching a sermon. Sometimes God uses us by placing us in the fire, so that we can trust Him until He delivers, letting our light shine to those about us looking on.
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JESUS’ MESSAGE TO THIS FAITHFUL CHURCH:
VERSE #8: "Because you have faithfully endured and patiently kept My word I have set before you an open door." This was an open door that no man had the power to shut.
What is an OPEN DOOR?
It is an holy anointing --- a divine covering ---it means answered prayers--- miracles and wonders and blessings from above. It means a Divine Rebuking of those things that have been working against us! Praise God!
God is a God of Supreme Abundance:
"El Shaddia" -- The God of More Than Enough:
Think about it: Open doors of healing for the body, healing for finances, healing for lost loved ones, healing for broken homes. Jesus even declares that He would bring those who have worked against us to our feet. An anoninted "turn around." That’s what I see in my heart as I read this letter. An Anointed Turn Around For The Better!
I get so upset with many television preachers who tell people to write for a green prayer cloth or a red prayer cloth. Then pledge a vow of $500 or a $1000 and sew a seed of faith and God will bring healing and prosperity to the people. However divine Anointing upon our lives doesn’t come that way. It comes to us the same way it came to the church at Philadelphia: By FAITHULLY ENDURING AND KEEPING HIS WORD!
The apostle Paul was an example of FAITHFULLY KEEPING ON! He had been beaten with 39 stripes three times, stoned, ship wrecked, left for dead, and so forth. But he did not allow his circumstances to defeat him. And because of his faithfulness when he was in Ephesus the Lord gave him an open door of divine anointing in his ministry. He stayed in Ephesus longer than any other place. He had great success there as Satan’s stronghold came down. All because Christ sent that "open door" of anointing.
Satan cannot compete with Jesus’ open door swung wide in our behalf!
That is what we need so desperately today in our churches and in our individual lives. So many Christians are seasonal, fair weather Christians. And they survive without Jesus’ divine anointing. I pray that this morning we gather around the altar and seek God for more of a desire to faitfhully keep on serving Him regardless of our circumstances. For if we will keep holding on and listening to the word of God and faithfully obeying His word .... there will come as a reward: An Open Door of God’s Blessings in Our Lives.
The Old Testament prophet Ezekiel had a vision of a valley full of bones and lo they were very dry. But he began to prophesy unto them: "Hear ye the word of the Lord." And the dry bones heard and obeyed. And step by step through their obedience to the word of God, an open door anointing came upon them until they stood tall as a mighty army of God. That is what the Lord wants to do for us this very day. I urge you to hold on, Keeping Christ’s commands and He will reward your labor of love for Him by giving you and open door revival.
Christ Still Rewards Faithful Living! Righteous Living. Living By The Word of God!
