Havasu Christian Church
February 25, 2024
The letter to Philadelphia
Revelation 3:7-13
“The Church with the Open Door.”
INTRO: An open door. It’s nice when someone holds a door open for you…. Years ago in a hospital elevator, lady on crutches, heading for the door. I put my hand out to keep it open, it kept closing… I put my shoulder against the door and shoved it open.
A closed door can be a blessing or a curse, depending on what’s on the other side….
We encounter open and closed doors all the time, but I suspect that we seldom regard them as God’s leading. Maybe we should think more about that as we go through our lives?
Revelation 3:7–13 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:
8 ‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
9 ‘Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.
10 ‘Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
11 ‘I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
12 ‘He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; 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 out of heaven from My God, and My new name.
13 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
(I) Jesus shows us some things about Himself.
a. He is HOLY!
i. We use the word, but what does it really mean?
1. From Mirriam-Webster dictionary:
* exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness
* DIVINE
* devoted entirely to the deity or the work of the deity, “a holy temple.” “holy prophets.”
2. What does Scripture say about God’s Holiness?
Psalm 99:1–9 The LORD reigns, let the peoples tremble;
He is enthroned above the cherubim, let the earth shake!
2 The LORD is great in Zion,
And He is exalted above all the peoples.
3 Let them praise Your great and awesome name;
Holy is He.
4 The strength of the King loves justice;
You have established equity;
You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.
5 Exalt the LORD our God
And worship at His footstool;
Holy is He.
6 Moses and Aaron were among His priests,
And Samuel was among those who called on His name; They called upon the LORD and He answered them.
7 He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud;
They kept His testimonies
And the statute that He gave them.
8 O LORD our God, You answered them;
You were a forgiving God to them,
And yet an avenger of their evil deeds.
9 Exalt the LORD our God
And worship at His holy hill,
For holy is the LORD our God.
b. Jesus is True!
i. No deceit.
1. Pure honesty!
a. This goes hand in hand with His Holiness!
i. You cannot be Holy if you aren’t honest!
c. Jesus has “the key of David.”
i. This statement would have brought Old Testament Scripture to mind for the Jewish hearers.
Isaiah 22:22 Then I will set the key of the house of David on his shoulder,
When he opens no one will shut,
When he shuts no one will open.
ii. Jesus opens and closes doors that no one can shut, and shut doors that no one can open.
(II) Jesus talks about them.
a. Jesus tells them “I Know your deeds!”
i. That can be comforting, or scary.
1. “WHAT DID YOU DO?”
a. You are liable to confess to things the person didn’t know about!
b. Jesus, the One who opens and shuts doors tells them “, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut,”
i. This could have many meanings, Jesus is speaking to a church.
a. Jesus has certainly has opened up a doorway for them to do something that He wants done!
2. I think they have an open door to reach out to the community in which they live!
i. Whatever the job is, they had better get busy doing it!
c. Jesus tells them why He has given them this “open door.”
i. because you have a little power
1. They have some life left in them!
a. Power = Dunimas… Dynamite!
i. A little bit goes a long way!
b. Jesus is giving them a job that He knows that they have the power to do.
i. With His help!
ii. You have kept My word
1. They have learned the teachings of Jesus and the Church He created.
2. They are FOLLOWING the teachings of Jesus and the Church He created.
iii. They have not denied His name.
1. There are some reasons that it would have been tempting to “deny His name.”
a. The Synagogue of Satan” People who say they are Jews, but are not really Jews.
i. Wow! That’s quite a bomb to drop!
ii. Jewish by birth, but not following Jesus?
1. Faithful Jews were looking for the Messiah… When they found out about Jesus, they followed Him!
2. What would keep a Jew from following Jesus?
a. The influence of Satan.
i. Not wanting to change… Hard heartedness!
ii. I have a “vested interest” in keeping things the way they are. (like the Priests & Pharisees)
iii. I’m afraid I’ll be treated badly!
(III) Jesus makes some amazing Promises to these faithful Christians!
a. “I’ll protect you from the testing that’s coming!
i. Other Christians will suffer, but I’ll protect you!
1. This will give them the opportunity to fulfill whatever mission the Lord has given them.
b. I am coming quickly!
i. Jesus’ idea of quick, and ours may differ!
1. Perhaps this “coming quickly” means that He was going to be there to help!
2. I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore
a. They will be in God’s presence continually!
3. 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 out of heaven from My God, and My new name.
a. The name of God will be written on Him!
i. In the “Toy Story” movies, Andy wrote his name on the sole of his toy’s foot. This way, it was known who they belonged to.
b. The name of “the city of My God” would be written as well.
i. If lost, please return to….. It’s where they belong!
ii. Jesus’ new name.
1. We see a reference to this in Revelation 19:12
Revelation 19:12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself.
(IV) These promises are Conditional promises.
a. Hold fast! Don’t let go!
i. You can throw someone a rope, but if they don’t hang on, it won’t do them any good!
b. Overcome!
i. Don’t just hide. Get after it!
1. Overcome has the idea of continually fighting to win.
Wrestlers can lose a match by stalling.
First a warning. Opponent is awarded a point. Opponent is awarded another point. Opponent is awarded a 3rd point. Finally, Disqualification!
In all the time I watched the boys wrestle, I never saw more than a 2nd point given for stalling. It was humiliating to get called once for stalling.
2. An overcomer doesn’t quit!
a. But that’s what many Christians did. They went away and hid.
i. They took “The light of the world” out of the world.
Conclusion: As we look at the letter to the Church in Philadelphia, what should we learn from it?
· Jesus is Awesome!
o He is Holy, He is True, and He is always in control!
§ He’s not “the man upstairs…”
· He is the righteous God of the universe!
§ He has not and will not lie to us!
· What He said in His Word is accurate!
· His promises always come true!
§ His plans will NEVER fail!
· When Jesus opens a door, it will STAY OPEN!
· When Jesus shuts a door, it will STAY CLOSED!
o Don’t fight Jesus when He opens or shuts a door! TRUST HIM!
· Use the power Jesus gives!
o He’ll make sure it’s enough to do the job!
· Be faithful!
o Keep His Word!
§ Know it, LIVE IT!
o Do not deny Him!
§ Denying Him means we don’t trust Him to care for us!
· The promises Jesus gave to Philadelphia are also promises for us!
o He is going to always be with us, whatever comes!
o We’ll be in God’s presence forever!
o We’ll be marked as HIS!
· There’s also a caution to remember…..
o These promises are conditional…
§ Keep His Word
§ Don’t deny Him!
§ Trust Him to take care of us!
