The Seven Churches Of Revelation, Lesson 2 Series

NOTE: New Light Faith Ministries and Barry Johnson Ministries, founded by Rodney V. Johnson and Barry O. Johnson, respectively, are partnering to offer Bible studies for Christians who are seeking to grow in their relationship with Jesus. This is a Bible study lesson, not a sermon. The Bible studies teach foundational truths that are designed to challenge, encourage and, most importantly, flame the fire of hunger in the Christian who wants to learn more about who they have become in Christ Jesus. The Bible studies you find on this site contains the written version of the lesson. However, these lessons also include a video and an audio file of the study, a PDF version of the lesson and a sheet for note taking. If you would like any of the additional resources for these studies, please email us at newlightfaithministries@gmail.com or bjteachingltr@gmail.com for more information or contact us at the email provided on both of our Sermon Central pages. Be blessed.

Revelation 3:7-13 – The Church in Philadelphia

(Rev. Barry Johnson and Rev. Rodney Johnson)

Introduction

Hello everyone and welcome to lesson 2 of our study on the seven Churches of Asia from the book of Revelation. This morning, we will be studying the Church in Philadelphia, the second Church that Jesus did not find fault with. Before we begin, let’s pause for a word of prayer.

Let me give you a little history of the city and the Church that was in Philadelphia. The city of Philadelphia was located on a hillside 30 miles from Sardis and was founded in 190 B.C. by Attalus II, king of Pergamum. His unusual devotion to his brother earned the city its name, “brotherly love.” The city was an important commercial stop on a major trade route called the Imperial Post Road, a first century mail route. It was prosperous until 78 AD, the year an earthquake destroyed many cities in the region.

After this, Rome gave the city a five-year exemption from paying tribute. During this time, vineyards were the backbone of the city’s economy, but Rome made the city tear down their vineyards to give them exclusive rights over wine production. This of course affected the economy of the city. However, the Church in Philadelphia was the Church that was true to the Word of God. They understood the Word and kept it. The Lord Jesus commends the Church on several counts which we will talk about when we get into the verses. As I mentioned earlier, this is the second Church that Jesus did not find any fault with. Please listen and read closely what Jesus said to this Church. Barry, why don’t you begin with verses seven and eight.

(7) And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; ‘These things says He that is holy, He that is true, He that has the key of David, He that opens, and no man shuts; and shuts, and no man opens.

The first thing Jesus tells the pastor is “I’m holy.” The word holy means “set apart, sanctified, consecrated, saint.” Its fundamental idea is separation, consecration, devotion to the service of Deity, sharing God’s purity and abstaining from earth’s defilement.”

When Rodney gets into verses 9 through 11, we will see that Jesus makes the connection to His holiness with what the church in Philadelphia was doing. Holiness is a big deal to God, and we see this in 1 Peter 1:14-16.

(14) As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;

(15) but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,

(16) because as it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.

For those taking notes, the Lord said the same thing to the children of Israel in Leviticus 11:44-45. So, we see that the first thing Jesus looks for in His Church is holiness. And we are holy. It’s part of the nature that we received when we were born again. Here, the Christians in Philadelphia were living out their holiness. Too many in the Church today are not doing that.

The second thing Jesus says is “I am true.” Remember how Rome told the city that they would be exempt from paying tribute for five years and then had them destroy their #1 way of living? Jesus is letting the church know that He will never do this. And this reminds me of what Jesus says about the devil in John chapter eight verse 44. We’re not going to read all of the verse. I simply want to point out the one characteristic of the devil that we must never forget. “[He] does not stand in the truth, because there is not truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.”