Successful's Best Series

Series: Are You Prepared? (Revelation) [#7]

SUCCESSFUL’S BEST

Revelation 3:7-13

Introduction:

[Have 4 “lawn chairs” set up on the stage. Have 1 facing the baptistery, 1 facing the clavinova, 1 facing the congregation, and have the other one not unfolded.]

In a Peanuts comic strip, there was a conversation between Lucy and Charlie Brown. Lucy said that life is like a deck chair. Some place it so they can see where they are going; some place it so they can see where they have been; and some place it so they can see where they are at present. Charlie Brown’s reply: "I can’t even get mine unfolded."

I have the privilege everyday of coaching beginning swimmers on the Caprock Swim Team. As the new swimmers practice everyday to become competitive, they have to learn many new techniques and rules. Almost everyday 1 of these swimmers will say these words, “Coach, I can’t…” to which I reply, “We don’t use that 4 letter word at this pool”.

This 4 letter word is not only an enemy of Charlie Brown and swimmers; but it is also the enemy of Christians and the Church. Repeat after me: “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).

Revelation 3:7-10

The Church of Philadelphia was successful. This Church received a good report from the Savior. The first thing we must notice this morning is the…

I. Doors

As we go through life there are many doors that we come to; but not every door is intended for us to go through at that time. Jesus Christ is the One who opens and closes those doors. If Jesus opens it, no one can close it and if Jesus closes it, no one can open it.

This is where we run into problems as Christians and in our Churches. Sometimes we find ourselves standing and looking at someone else’s door, trying to figure out how to get into what they have. We stand there complaining about how good that “big Church” has it and how bad we have it. Or, we watch “brother so-and-so” succeed in something and so we want to do what that brother is doing. The problem here is, if you are focused on trying to get into a place that Jesus isn’t going to let you go into anyhow; then you aren’t going to be walking through the door He has intended for you.

Your brother may be a medical doctor; but in your life God has opened the door of working as a janitor. This doesn’t mean God hates you or you are less important to God. God just wants you to be the best you can be at where He has placed you. If you are a janitor, then be the best janitor God has ever placed on this earth. If you are a cook, then be the best cook you can be. If you are a lawyer, then be the best lawyer you can be.

Church, we need to stop trying to be like other churches and go through the doors that Jesus has opened for us. This brings us to our 2nd point. When we come to an open door, we must make a…

Decision

Please notice in our text that Jesus placed an open door before them. He did not make them walk through it. If you just stand at an open door and look in, but never walk into that place, it will do you no good. It is like my wife when she goes “window shopping”. There have been times when we were in Lubbock at the Mall when Kim and Kaitlyn would walk through the Mall and they would stop and look in the windows or the open door, but not go in. Now in the case of shopping, this is good for me; because that kind of shopping never cost me any money. See they have to go inside to purchase something.

Christians, we must stop window shopping for God’s direction in our lives. Do you want joy? Do you want peace? Do you want spiritual growth? Then you must walk through the door.

What is keeping you from walking through the door?

Is it fear…

1.of failure because of your past? You are sitting in the chair that is looking back at the past failures in your life and you figure that if you go through that door that you will just fail again.

2.of failure because of your present? You are sitting in the chair that is looking at all of your problems and schedules of the present and you are saying, “God I can’t do this right now, maybe later”. Maybe you just feel weak. (Don’t forget that it is in our weakness when Jesus is made strong!)