The Seven Churches - Philadelphia

Notes from our Wednesday night Bible Study...

Revelation 3:7-13

· Philadelphia – the city of brotherly love.

o Was called this because the king who founded the city loved his brother dearly.

o Philadelphia was a very strong fortress city situation along the paved imperial post road that helped to connect Rome to the east—like an interstate highway.

· Who was the leader of this church?

o Philip the Evangelist in the Book of Acts.

§ In Acts 21 we find out that Philip had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy.

§ One of them was named Ammia.

§ According to early church history, she was the pastor of the church in Philadelphia.

§ Under her ministry the church prospered and flourished.

o Compare Jesus’ words to this church in comparison with any of the others.

§ Jesus had some negative things to say even to the church in Thyatira.

§ But nothing negative at all to say to Philadelphia.

o Women in ministry…

· Jesus – Holy and True

o Holy

§ He is the Holy One of Israel—of the Church.

§ He is the one we are attaining to.

§ It’s that sense of God’s presence that he is not like us.

· He is God and not a man.

· Hosea 11:9 – “For I am God, and not a human being—the Holy One among you.”

o True

§ More than just in the sense of honesty.

§ He is the One True God.

§ Fully trustworthy in everything.

· He holds the Key of David

o This goes way back to the OT.

o King Hezekiah had a palace administrator—he didn’t want to burden himself with the daily business of the Kingdom.

o Hezekiah’s palace administrator’s name was Shebna.

§ Shebna let all of his power and authority go to his head.

§ God saw this and we see how he deals with it in Isaiah 22:19-22

§ Listen to how this applies to Jesus.

o This administrator was like a Prime Minister.

§ It was the highest position in the royal court.

§ He carried all the authority of the king as well as the keys to all the doors.

§ No one gained access to anything without his consent.

§ Details were his business.

o Jesus is not some divine being out there somewhere while we do our best to work out our lives.

§ He didn’t just give us the Bible and leave.

§ He is intimately concerned with the details of our lives.

§ He is as involved as we want him to be.

o When he said that he hold the key of David, it tells me that he is involved in our lives and he has the power to make things happen.

· He said, “I know your deeds.”

o Then as a part of his duties as the highest position in the Kingdom he says, “I have placed before you an open door.”

§ No one can shut it because Jesus is the only one who had the keys.

§ An open door to what?

· Opportunities of ministry?

· Escape from persecution?

· Is this the doorway to the Kingdom of God?

o The text doesn’t say what the door leads to.

§ But all I know for sure is they have a place to go.

§ This church is being led by God.

· I believe God is leading this church because of what is said next.

o Even though you have little strength you have kept my Word and have not denied my name.

§ You’re doing what I said to do.

§ You’re living your lives according to my Word.

§ Despite persecution you haven’t turned away from me.

o In a word…faithfulness.

§ Faithfulness to come to church—with the tithe.

§ Faithfulness at home.

§ Faithfulness on the job where it’s not a Christian atmosphere and it would be so easy to just go with the flow.

§ To keep God’s Word and live your life accordingly no matter where you are.

· Verse 9

o When a Jew accepted Christ he was still a Jew.

§ A true Jew now is one that has accepted Christ and received his salvation.

§ A false Jew is one that rejects Jesus as the Messiah and persecutes those who do.

o That’s who Jesus is talking about here.

§ But the old covenant of Judaism in obsolete now.

§ There is a new covenant in the blood of Jesus that fulfilled the old covenant.

· No longer are God’s chosen people made up of national Israel.

· Now it is anyone who calls on the name of the Lord.

o In the OT, it was foreign, pagan nations that would come to Israel and bow down and acknowledge that God is with them.

§ Here, Israel is the one that will bow down and acknowledge that God is with the Christians.

§ That God loves them.

o Philippians 2:10-11 – “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

§ Some will do that with joy and gladness.

§ Others will do it with remorse and regret.

· Verse 10

o Since you have been faithful, I will be faithful to you.

§ He will show his faithfulness by keeping them from the hour of trial coming upon the earth.

§ This is the first hint concerning what the rest of the book will talk about.

o As we study in coming weeks, keep in mind that there is a purpose for all of the prophecies we will look at.

§ Verse 10 says that the hour of trial is to test those who live on the earth.

§ Rapture…

· Verse 11

o They can only take it if you give it to them.

· Verse 12

o Earlier he said that this church had little strength.

§ They don’t have a lot of resources.

o But when I think about a pillar in the Temple, I see something quite strong.

§ A pillar holds up the building.

§ In the Temple they are very decorative.

o That’s something the Philadelphian church just can’t imagine.

o Jesus said that if you’re faithful in the little things I will make you ruler over much.

· Rest of passage…

o God rewards faithfulness.

o He’s taking them in his arms and saying, “You’re mine.”

§ I’m never going to let you go.

§ You’re a permanent pillar in my house.

§ I will inscribe my name on you and my address to show everyone where you belong.

o When we send our kids to school we put their names on everything.

§ Some things you put your address on.

§ If found please return to…

§ It’s where you belong.

· Tonight’s message is faithfulness.