PONDERING... Unshaken Faith: A Lesson From Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7-13)

Unshaken Faith: A Lesson From Philadelphia

GIST: Don't be distracted by your weaknesses; be faithful despite them, and walk through the doors God opens.

SCRIPTURE: Revelation 3:7-13

7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.

8 “‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. 12 The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

BACKGROUND: A Tiny Bit of Context for A Tiny Town

As always, I will not go too far into the background here, but there are a few points that stood out as I was studying the historical city of Philadelphia (not the Pennsylvania one...). It was a relatively small city named after a leader from Pergamum who was deeply devoted to his brother (Hence the name, 'brotherly love'). However, its real claim to fame was the result of devastation. It seems to have been built on a fault line, and for years was plagued by earthquakes. After one destroyed much of the town, the Roman empire sent relief, and in gratitude the city attempted to rename itself Neocaesarea (basically, New Caesar Town). It didn't stick, but it's allegiance to Rome did. Like the other cities we've discussed, it was steeped in pagan worship. In addition to worshipping Caesar, it took particular interest in Dionysus, the god of wine and festivities.

As far as the church in Philadelphia goes, we know very little. However, history does tell us that into the 14th century it remained "an island of Christian civilization in the Turkish sea" (Encyclopedia of the Bible).

MESSAGE: Encouragement to the Faithful

Again, this message really resonates with me. There are only two churches of these seven who receive no condemnation. Philadelphia is one of them. This is a letter of encouragement. We should take it as such. However, it is also highly instructive. They are commended and encouraged because they were faithfully following Christ. We, too, can and should follow Him faithfully. I think the danger of reading a letter like this is in our tendency to want to live like a Sardis or Laodicea, but apply to ourselves the encouragements of Philadelphia. As always, may we study God's Word prayerfully.

"O to grace how great a debtor

Daily I’m constrained to be!

Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,

Bind my wandering heart to Thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,

Prone to leave the God I love;

Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,

Seal it for Thy courts above."

- Robert Robinson

Let's walk through this message, then take a few points of application.


1. From: Holy, True, Key

7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.

Again, how Jesus addresses Himself to the churches tells us a lot about what He is going to say. Here He starts by reminding Philadelphia He is Holy and True. Perfect, just, righteous, all that is real, all that is right, all that should be. This is the language of God. He alone is Holy. He alone is true.

He then tells them He has the key of David, and we are given our first opening and shutting imagery. The "key of David" is a reference to Isaiah 22:22-25, "22 And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.23 And I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father's house. 24 And they will hang on him the whole honor of his father's house, the offspring and issue, every small vessel, from the cups to all the flagons."

There has been much speculation made here, and there are many neat parallels which can be drawn. Nonetheless, the most important implication is that the key symbolizes authority over the house of David--the people of God. Ultimately, this authority belongs to Jesus alone and forever. That is what Philadelphia is being reminded of in this opening greeting.


2. To: Faithful and Used

8 “‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 

Now, a greeting that points to God's divinity and authority is often followed by rebuke. Here, however, we see something quite different. The Holy God of Truth who has all authority over the church sees their works, and he opened an unshutable door for them. This, I believe, has a twofold application: 1) their salvation and 2) their opportunities of ministry. He has saved them and provided them with opportunities to serve Him (witness for Him), and they have been faithful...despite their little power.

Likewise, there are a few things going on with this little power statement, as well. Either way you slice it, this congregation seems to have been small. Yet, they are still active and still influencing (they have a little power, but it's still there). They are not impressive in the eyes of the world, but they are faithful, and God is using them.


3. Promises

More than any of the other letters, this church gets many encouraging promises.

9 Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. 

We have encountered this phrase before in the letter to Smyrna. Jesus is making it clear that His people are those who follow Him. In Philadelphia, there were evidently Jews who were persecuting the Christians, or at the very least scorning the validity of their position--which means they were rejecting Jesus. Here, Jesus reminds them, and us, of His justice. In the end, wrongs will be made right. We may not see it in our life times, but justice is coming. We are called to faithfully endure. He will see to the details.

Now, I believe there are two likely implications to this promise. First and foremost, for Philadelphia and us, there is the spiritual side to this. Those who discredit Christianity and belittle the faithful, will ultimately see that Jesus indeed, though unmerited, loves us. When He returns in Glory, King of Kings, we will be with Him. There will be irrefutable evidence of His love.

Likewise, I think it can be said that some of the Jews in Philadelphia will also come to know the truth and experience His love themselves--they will be saved. This is not a promise of the wholesale saving of all Jews (though, that of course, would be awesome), but rather a testimony to how Jesus works. Remember, they have an open door here. The Holy Spirit is moving in the midst of them. Jesus is going to save people--and it doesn't matter what misperceptions and sins they've been trapped by; the Gospel will free any who come. And, He's telling them, people will come. (And, by the way, this is still true today!)

10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. 

This verse is frequently debated. I don't want to do that. Some people see this as evidence of what is called a "pre-tribulation rapture", meaning Jesus will take the believers still living on earth to Heaven before a time of serious tribulation. I am willing to be wrong on this, of course :D, but am not of that opinion. I think primarily we have a spiritual promise here. They have kept His word faithfully, and He will keep them faithful admist great trials to come. Much like Jesus prayed in John 17:

"11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth." (Emphasis added)

The church in Philadelphia stayed in Philadelphia despite persecution, and God used them there. I truly believe this is the promise. See, the point of the trial mentioned is to try/test the whole world. Philadelphia has already been proven faithful. He will keep them so through this trial. Remember, He just told them He would make those who called them false realize the truth. I think these thoughts are connected. Because of their faithful, continual witness--letting their light shine before men--the world will see and know.

And yet, there is another promise here. He is coming soon. As I said last week, this isn't a warning; it's a fact. He's coming. For the church in Sardis, it came with implications of urgency ("don't wait to wake up!"). For Philadelphia, it's a call to hope. He told them He will keep them, then He tells them to "hold fast" so no one will "take their crown", which is their reward in Heaven. No one can take their salvation if it's true, and if it's true, it will remain. So in essence He's saying: "I am keeping you; be kept; I'm on my way!"

Oh, the love of the Father! I can't help but picture my kids when I think about this. If they were struggling, I would want nothing more than to sweep in and carry them through. Jesus wants the same, but as a good Father knows when to do it. Remember James 1? "2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." 

The difference, then, between this promise for a church like Sardis and a church like Philadelphia is this (on a much greater scale, of course): Imagine I give two people (we'll call them Hannah and Haley) large, heavy boxes to hold. I then leave the room and tell them to hold the boxes until I return. It is their responsibility. There will be consequences for not doing so and rewards for holding on. Hannah doesn't really want to hold the box, so she puts it down when I leave the room, but Haley holds on. It's heavy, so she's struggling, but she doesn't put it down. I'm gone for a very long time, and then they receive notice that I'm on my way back. In fact, I could be there any second. Hannah and Haley will respond to this news differently. If Hannah cares about the consequences, she will scramble to pick up that box. But, Haley has been faithful. She's tired. Her arms are shaking. Sweat is pouring down her body. She hears the same truth (I'm coming), but it fills her with nothing but joy. It's almost over. Soon, she will be able to put down the box knowing she has been faithful.

"O soul, are you weary and troubled?

No light in the darkness you see?

There’s light for a look at the Savior,

And life more abundant and free!"

- Lemmel

We need to persevere. Yet, we do so knowing that a day is coming when He will sweep in and wrap us up in His arms. And that's what we see in the last promise.

12 The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Remember, these promises of Heaven always mirror the circumstance of the church. They are weak and live admist a physically shaken land, but God will make them a pillar. Now, this is not a physical promise. There is no physical temple in Heaven (Revelation 21:22). Jesus is the temple. The picture here is one of their, and our, security in Him. "Never shall he go out of it". Likewise, the pillar is said to have the name of "my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name." Remember when the city had been so grateful to Rome they wanted to rename themselves Neocaesarea? This name is SO much greater. They have been doubted, but there will be no doubting now. They are and will forever be His.

APPLICATION

Maybe I did this all backwards this week and should have just outlined the application points as we went. However, if by some chance you have actually made it this far, I will be mercifully brief.


1. Don't be distracted by your weaknesses

Do you have little power? I can't help but think of the size of my own church, or most of the churches all across this world. Many are small and seem to lack "significant influence". We do not have an excuse. This church was insignificant in the eyes of the world, but served the all-significant God who used them. I could go on here with examples, but I promised brevity, so here's the gist: We can be distracted by everything we're not, or remember the One who does all the work anyway. Distracted people accomplish little (if anything at all).


2. Be faithful despite them

You're weak? Be faithful. You struggle with temptations? Be faithful. You can't see how God could possible use you because (fill in the blank)? Be faithful. You're in the midst of a financial, medical, emotional, or relational crisis? Be faithful. You may never see the ways God uses you, but He assures us in His Word-->He uses the faithful.


3. And walk through the doors God opens.

I love this. God opened doors for this body of believers and they were walking through them. God gives us opportunities, as well. He also closes doors (which no one can open). We need to be in His Word, faithfully growing in our walk with Him. Then, when we see Him moving--we need to join Him there. There are so many ways this happens in life. Sometimes, He sends you to the ends of the earth. Sometimes, He moves in a conversation you'll having with an unsaved colleague or peer. Either way, when you see Him giving you a chance to be His witness (which should be happening everyday)--do it.

Ponder. Pray. Promulgate.