Are You an Authentic Believer in Christ?

Jesus is inviting us to be an authentic church or an authentic Christian, and the world is waiting to see just what that looks like. The more you get to know Jesus, the more authentic He becomes and the more substances there is to Him. The more you know a real believer, there is an authenticity you come to respect, not become upset with. So if we want to be real witnesses, we need to be authentic. We need to be real. When we do something right, we need to give God the glory and when we do something wrong, we need to ask those around us to forgive us.

We need to be a real witness, but sometimes we blow our witness in our life and think we have disappointed God, but there is one way that God allows us to redeem that, is when we go to them and tell them we were wrong. We tell them I shouldn't have said or did that, it's not what the Bible teaches or what Jesus would want. I was wrong and I ask you to forgive me. Please don't judge Christianity based on my poor performance. It doesn't matter who you say this to, you will have gained their respect of those you offended. The only reason you won't do it is pride. It's amazing. Jesus is Holy and True and that is why we are following Him.

John 8:32 ~ "Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free."

Lets take a look at the pastor of the Church of Philadelphia. We know that he must have been a pastor that loved the Lord, because the church was grounded in the Bible. He cared for the church, who tended to it in its generalities and its specifics.

1 John 4:8 ~ "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."

The pastor at the Church of Philadelphia had a passion for the world, to spread the simple gospel, simply. He was the kind of pastor who had a tenacity toward his calling. He could not, would not, deny what God had done is his life, church and the world.

Jeremiah 23:4 ~ "I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, no will any be missing, declares the LORD."

It is my personal opinion that if there is ever going to be any true revival today, there will be a revival of Biblical holiness and Biblical truth. God will begin that with faithful men and women of God.

When Jesus calls you to follow Him, He calls attention to His lordship, His kingdom.

Revelation 3:7 ~ "To the angel of the church of Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open."

As we match this attribute of Jesus to previous scriptures, we see here a slight variation. Before you could see those comparisons in verbatim. The Book of Revelation demands us to know more of the Old Testament than any other book of the Bible.

Revelation 1:17-18 ~ "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he place his right hand on me and said: ' Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades."

Isaiah 22:22 offers us a Messianic prophecy, ~ "I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open."

Hebrews 3:6 ~ But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast."

God, the Father, is giving the keys to the heaven treasury to His Son. These are the keys of opportunity to fund a war against hell, and to wage a campaign of death.

Revelation 3:7b ~ "What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open."

These are the keys of opportunity to communicate holiness or to tell the truth. Jesus is LORD, and these open and closed doors are God-given opportunities custom made for you - it's called ministry.

Luke 6:46 ~ "Why do you call me, "Lord, Lord," and do not do what I say?"

Do you know what an oxymoron is? Like jumbo shrimp! Oxymorons don't fit. To say Lord, Lord but you don't do that things He calls us to do. We can't call Him Lord. The church at Philadelphia did what God called them to do. We need to ask our ourselves this question, are we faithful to obey when Jesus calls? Only here and in the Church of Smyrna are commendations , no judgments, no rebukes, no corrections. Just praise! They were a faithful church!

When Jesus calls you to follow Him, He calls through opportunities to obey, prepared by Him. When the church asks for opportunities to help us, it is Jesus calling you to fill those needs, if the church that is asking you is your home church. You are there to serve Jesus, get involved in prayer meetings. You will obey the Lord, you will be blessed in ways you won't believe. You might grow the church by what you are called to do. God is never at work when everything is covered and there is nothing for you to do. When an opportunity comes, Jesus is opening a door. Jesus knows what you did last summer! He knows what we have done all of our lives as a Christian, in His glory or for your glory. I know everything.

Revelation 3:8 ~ "I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name."

Commendation 1 of 5: "I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door," Jesus is the one who is responsible for opening and closing opportunities or doors. They could claim this if judgment came to them at that moment. He doesn't elaborate on it. What is an open door for? To go through them. You have to remember don't try to force a door that Jesus has shut. When Jesus opens a door, you better go through it. When He closes it, you better stay out. What is an open door?

1 Corinthians 16:8-9 ~ " But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me."

Whenever there is an open door, plan on being attacked. This church corporately could literally take stock of their ministry efforts and view the fruit of their labors.

2 Corinthians 2:12 ~ "Now I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me,"

Colossians 4:3 ~ "And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains."

An opportunity to witness was commendation 2 of 5:  "that no one can shut." Revelation 3:8b.

John 10:9 ~ "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture."

Remember the introduction to this letter? Attalus Philadelphius was the cities founder, and it was his intention to create a city that could broadcast the Greek language and Roman culture to the world. Scholars have referred to the city of Philadelphia as the Mission city or Missionary city. We need to understand it's geography. "Philadelphia the Door." Ramsey states that the physical location fully explains the words of Jesus here...Philadelphia was located at the upper end of a long valley, that makes its way to the Sea. From Philadelphia as it was situated on the Roman Imperial Highway, that great trade and travel route of the empire (aka The Post Way), you had to travel through the city of Philadelphia to reach the interior of the Asiatic peoples. It was located on a freeway, the Pony Express of that day. Any city you had to go to, you had to go through Philadelphia. You've heard of the Appian Way? It means opportunities to obey! Jesus has the keys to any door of opportunity. Wait for the opportunity to obey Christ, and when it comes around don't sit around and wonder if this is it! Go through the door! You understand that mystery that Jesus is using in this letter?

If you are a Christian, God has placed you in a sphere of opportunity to be an influence for Him in where He has placed you.

Commendation 3 of 5:

Revelation 3:8b ~ "I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name."

They had very little of their own strength. This was not an insult to the church. They were not self-reliant as a church, but rather God dependent. It means they didn't rely much on itself. When it does, it goes arrogant and becomes prideful.


2 Corinthians 12:9 ~ "But he said to me, ' My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 

It is not the talents of the worship team or the shouts of the choir. It's not the seating or the window or the eloquence of the speaker, it is Jesus Christ opening doors. May we all be believers of little strength.

Commendation 4 of 5: "You have kept my word." - Revelation 3:8b.

They had not left God's Word behind, and they didn't replaced it with something else. The Word was authoritative. They didn't leave their Bibles behind. Are you a Christian who goes through the Bible? Are you in a church that does not go through the Bible?

Commendation 5 of 5: "You have not denied My name." ` Revelation 3:8b.

They haven't tried to hide my authority and deity and they prayed in Jesus' name. The biggest opposition to praying in Jesus' name has been from other churches, not atheists. Organized religions are the greatest proponents to not praying in Jesus name so as not to offend the community. If you don't pray in Jesus name,  it will not be heard based on Jesus' Word and His teachings.

They stayed faithful to Jesus' Word, Bible doctrine and didn't deny His name. They worshiped the Jesus of the Bible. Because of that opportunities abounded!

We will finish up this study on the church of Philadelphia tomorrow! 

How Do You Measure Up as a Believer in Christ?

We all want to be like the Church of Philadelphia. We are people who are designed to hear things, like bumps in the night or a car driving down the street. We hear it even though we are not listening for it. God is announcing to us in those words, "he who has an ear, let him hear" that they are simply not words, but a question to us, "Are you listening?" Are you listening to what God is saying to you about your life?

Jesus is writing to the Church of Philadelphia, in a letter that applies not only to the seven real churches of that day in Asia Minor, but also to where we stand in our lives as Christian believers. It is interesting to note that Jesus' final words are not found in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, but in the Book of Revelation, where He writes seven letters to the churches in that region, just east of the Mediterranean Sea, in what is now modern day Turkey. Even though there were many more churches in that region at that time, but it is an elongated area that makes up the region of the churches that occupied that territory with seven very specific personalities. Just like there are pastors in leadership at the church, they had their own personalities and their own problems. They had challenges, specific locations, that had characteristics that through a chronological folding of time, you can see the progression of the church from its establishments to modern day.

Revelation 3:7-13 ~ "To the angel of the Church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars - I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him, who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

Proverbs 25:25 ~ "Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land."

This letter to the Church of Philadelphia was the best letter written to the seven churches. Why? First of all there is no correction given by Jesus. There is no rebuke, only praise. Was it a flawless church? No, there is no such thing as a flawless church, because the moment we step in the door, we are flawed. But when God, the Father, looks at you who believe in Jesus Christ, is our Lord and Savior, God puts on glasses as it were and sees you dipped in the blood of Jesus. God takes our life, completely immerses us in the blood of Christ, and when we come up, all He sees is Jesus, not on what we do, but what He has done.

It's a letter of praise to this church. Imagine what your position is in Christ, if you are like this church. It determines what kind of Christian you are. Each of these letters applies to some aspect in your life of where you are at as a Christian. People attend various churches not because their is division among the groups, but it is because each church serves up a different flavor in the way they teach the Word of God that appeals to each person, kind of like your preference for In and Out Burgers over McDonald's burgers. One is not greater than the other, because Jesus loves them all.

John, the apostle, the postmaster of Patmos, brings us this letter addressed to the church of Philadelphia. Remember Jesus is still speaking to all of us through these letters we read. He is speaking right now by the power of the Holy Spirit. Whenever the Bible is taught, the Holy Spirit moves in our lives. This is the letter any pastor at church would love to receive from Jesus Christ, because, if the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is the chief Shepherd of His church, and if it is also true that the church is made up of believers around the world through faith in Jesus Christ, then it is also true, that Jesus must still be speaking to His churches, His pastors and to all of us!

Hebrews 1:1-2 ~ "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, who he appointed here of all things, and through whom he made the universe."

Hebrews 13:8 ~ "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever."

The city went by the name, Philadelphia. Today it is a Muslim city, Alasawart. It is what is left of the Roman Empire and is a small city under Muslim control. Politically by the city was named Philadelphia, which we know what it means, brotherly love, based on the same city we have in our country today. It was founded by Attalus Philadelphus and was commissioned as the "City of vision or the Mission City of the Empire. That mission given to it by Rome was to spread the Greek language and the Roman influence toward the east. Philadelphia became Rome's cultural mission outpost to the world on behalf of Caesar. Philadelphia as a city existed longer than any of the seven churches.  So Rome nicknamed it the "missionary city." It was an outreach by which Rome pumped money into it to spread the Roman influence of paganism to the world.

The physical church at Philadelphia was the typological forerunner to church chronologically, that brings us out to the 19th century, into what is known as the "revived church age."This the period when the church on the heels of the Reformation period moved out into the world with a great missionary movement. From the 14th to the 18th century, there was a turning back to the Bible, a teaching of the world through Europe and early America. From the 19th century until now, there has been the greatest global effort to communicate the gospel - The Revived Church or Missionary Age Church. Remember when we were in school, most of us hated history, but now as Christians, we love it! When a movement takes back the Bible, it can only hold some much and then it has to put that to work. Did you know that Billy Graham in one night reached 2.3 billion people? It has never happened before in human history.

And right now there are billions of people around the world, with the opportunity to hear the gospel message through modern technology, Sir Isaac Newton, Keplar, all Christian men who loved God, international churches, and personal missionary efforts. Look at the number of Bible Studies or messages from pastors that are being broadcasted quite literally all over the world, for people to hear the message in their own language and know Jesus. In the wake of the great missionary movement, hospitals, schools, universities, human rights and scientific breakthroughs, have accelerated in a way never before known to mankind. All of this is important background information for where we are headed in this portion of our study. Now you can see how all of this applies to our study into the Church of Philadelphia.

The Church of Philadelphia is a church that every single pastor would pray to receive from Jesus and something we need to make sure our life mirrors in every way as a Christian. Can you apply your personal life to this? How do you measure up? If you want to know the truth about someone, ask those that live with them. Are you excited about God's Bible? About knowing Him? About His return? You just might be a Philadelphian believer if you can answer yes to all of these questions.

What kind of church are you, when Jesus calls you to follow Him.

Revelation 3:7-8 ~ " To the angel of the Church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name."

When Jesus calls you to follow Him, He calls us to be His example, His witness.

Revelation 3:7a ~ "To the angel of the Church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true," 

The structure of this is comforting. Here is our challenge. He calls us to be His example and His witness. This is not contrary to the other letters, it's not a rebuke but an encouragement. He is saying because I am Holy and I am true, and so are you. He wasn't calling them out in any way. Jesus says, He who is holy and He is true. We are blessed by Him by being guilty through association.

Leviticus 20:7 ~ "Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your God."

1 Peter 1:15-16 ~ "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

How do you hear that? Do you hear a judgmental God or a loving God? When you begin to study the Bible you have to realize that it is by our faith in Him, that we can become holy like Him. He has commissioned us to be holy and true and not be defiled by the things of this world.

We should try and live our life in the witness of what this church has been called and commissioned by Jesus to do. Our number one goal in life is to be like a Philadelphian church. Sold out body, mind and spirit to Jesus. We will pick this up tomorrow. Hope you will join me!

Jesus Promises to Deliver the Church from His Wrath!

Replacement theology,  is when people believe that God is not going to keep His promises to Israel and the church is now the modern day Israel with the church members being the Jews. Jesus is saying in the Letter to the Church of Philadelphia, that is not what I am saying.

Jews = worshipers of God , the Jewish people are indeed God's chosen people and Israel is God's chosen place where He will dwell one day, but for now it is the promised land of the new Jerusalem and falls under the divine protection of God.

The Phildelphian people weren't PC. They weren't concerned with what the world thought of them. Jesus reminded us that the world hated Him, so they will hate His church as well. This church was also dedicated, they weren't holding to the position of what the world believed. They were dedicated as well to communicating the Word of God. They were not afraid. They were alive and doing it for God. They were fearless. Living for God.

In this study we have been asking ourselves the question as we look into the letters of each of the seven churches from the Book of Revelation, "What kind of church am I? Because each of these letters referred to a real church in the region of Asia Minor, now modern day Turkey but also refers to a stage in the life of a Christian believer. 

What kind of church are we, when the world comes against you for believing in the gospel truth.

Revelation 3:9 ~ "I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews through they are not, but are liars - I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you."

Jesus is referring to two things. (1) These were Jews that were masquerading themselves as believers in the Messiah but they crept into the churches to get people away from the grace of God and back into ritualistic law keeping. They professed to know Jesus but when they got into the church, they got into small groups or home gatherings and they began to say, "That's really cool, I just love this church but if you really want to grow deeper, you need to keep the Sabbath, (that's wrong by the way), you need to keep the Sabbath and be circumcised." Jesus delivered us from those things. The law was only to bring us to Christ says the Bible, to pointing us as an unerring law. Whenever there is not a personal relationship with Jesus, legalism will creep in.

The word "Jew" comes from Judah, and it means a "praiser of God". There are those that praise God, but they don't, they are liars, Jesus says. The word also means that there are those that will cloak themselves in legalistic ritualism and declare they are now, the new Jew! It's not Israel, it's us! It's this group of people, we are the new Jews! We are the new Israelites!

Jesus says they are Jews, but they are not. They lie. You don't mess with that. The truth is, the world will come against you and I, if we hold to and preach the gospel truth. Very powerful words from Jesus. He says in Revelation 3:9b " I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you."  to worship us and fall down at our feet is not that they will worship us as the true believer, it means they will make confession that they were wrong and we were right. Jesus is saying that one day, He will make it where they come before Him and confess it and we will be around to see it. That their worship system was wrong, and by doing so, they will be attesting that you were right.

Jesus put this another way, "Let your works so shine before the world, that they will glorify your Father which is in heaven."

The world will come against you and I, for continuing on "with Who" you know.

Revelation 3:10a ~ "Since you have kept my command to endure patiently,"

What does it mean to persevere?  Hupomone, in the Greek,  which means to stay cheerful or hopeful, to keep enduring, a constancy, being patient at continuance (at waiting).

1. The Philadelphians cared more for what the Bible had to say, then men.
2. The Philadelphians dedicated themselves to obeying the Bible, not traditions.
3. The Philadelphians communicated their faith to others, anything but sterile!

When the world comes against you, for trusting in the blessed hope of Jesus return.

Revelation 3:10b ~ "I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is to come upon the whole world to test those who live in the earth." 

Now again - remember their "shaky" history. Earthquakes ravaged the cities Sardis, Thyatira, and Laodicea, but no city was hit by earthquakes like Philadelphia. They were built on an earthquake fault. In 17AD, the city was devastated by an earthquake, they lived in tents instead of the city so buildings could not fall upon them. It was the aftershocks that took its toil on the people. Jesus himself is saying, I will also keep you (1) from the hour of trial, (2) which shall come upon the whole world, (3) to test those who dwell upon the earth.

It's not a localized trial. This is a reference to the rapture of the church.

1 Thessalonians 1:10 ~ " and to wait for His Son from heaven, who he raised from the dead, Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath."

The wrath to come it's not hell.  The term wrath to come is referring to the Tribulation period, not hell.

1 Thessalonians 2:19 ~ "For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you?"

1 Thessalonians 3:13 ~ "May he strengthen your hearts to that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones."

Those that have died now are currently with Jesus as believers. 


1 Thessalonians 4:17 ~ "After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 

It's the rapture of the church. It is a great promise that the church will NOT go through the Tribulation period. The word here is not through. He did not say, "I will keep you through the Tribulation Period." The word in Greek is "From" you will be extracted, taken away, yanked out of the hour that will come upon the whole world. It is a very powerful world. He will take us from this hour of trial which will come upon the whole world. His church. His people. Believers in Jesus Christ.  

1 Thessalonians 5:9 ~ "For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ."

All of these five verses from 1 Thessalonians have to do with the rapture of the church. Write this down and never forget it. It's mentioned in no other gospel pertaining to the rapture. Jesus put His first mention of the rapture this way...

John 14:1-3 ~ ""Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms (that's in heaven) ; if it were not so, I would have told you (that's the truth). I am going there to prepare a place for you (where is that? Heaven). And if I go (He did) and prepare a place for you (heaven) , I will come back and take you to be with me (where is He, Heaven!) that you also may be where I am. (where is He, in heaven preparing a place!)" 

You can only have John 14:1-3 true if you have what is called a Pre-Tribulation Rapture view, all the others don't fit. You can entertain all the other views but the right view is the Pre-Tribulation Rapture view. What about Old Testament Scriptures to validate that?

Isaiah 26:20 ~ "Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by. See, the LORD is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. "

"Come my people" in Hebrew means carried away or taken away my people. So this is not a regional issue here. This is a full blown promise of Jesus Christ. That from chapters 1-3, the church is mentioned 19 times. From chapters 4-19, there is no longer a mention of the church on earth, at all. It's not until chapter 19, when the church is seen again, but it is in heaven with Jesus, returning to earth with Him in the Second Coming. The church will NOT see the great Tribulation Period, but will be kept from it in heaven with Jesus Christ.

Finally, what kind of church are you, with all that He has give us.

Revelation 3:11-13 ~ "I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

The city of Philadelphia and the church at Philadelphia shared four interesting parallels. (1) They were both "mission minded." Information (2) They both lived under the constant threat of disaster. Earthquakes. (3) They both desired to live outside the city, than to live in it. Pilgrims. (4) Philadelphia took on a new name, Neoceserea, in honor of Caesar. Christians get a new name.

With all that He has given us, we need to be Philadelphian about our readiness.  Jesus warns us that He will come upon us quickly like an earthquake comes. You think an earthquake is quick, I am faster than that. Jesus is applicable to our daily lives. Get serious and make a commitment. Grab onto Him and don't let go. When He comes, it will happen instantly. Don't live for the world. Live for Jesus.

With all that He has given us, we need to be Philadelphian about our holiness. He who overcomes (conquers, gains control of = fear). I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out no more. What happens to pillars when earthquakes come? They fall, pointing towards the direction of the quake. When he comes, Jesus will protect us and we will never fall down. After the earthquake in 17 A.D., many people lived in fear and would work inside the city during the day but would retreat outside the city walls and away from the pillars of the pagan temples because it was in those places that most of the people were killed.

Jesus is saying, "Dear Church of Philadelphia, don't let fears rob you anymore. I am so firm of a foundation for you, that I will make you a pillar in the Temple of Almighty God, and you will never need to run outside again anymore looking for safety. You will never flee in fear and your salvation is assured forever with Him.

With all that He has given us, we need to be Philadelphian about our future.

Revelation 3:12-13 ~ "Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

This is fantastic for history and for the future. After the great earthquake of 17 A.D., the Roman Emperor, ordered Philadelphia to be "tax free from Rome," for five years so that it could regain its footing in the empires economy. The city was so grateful for the tax break, that it declared its new name to be Neoceasera or Caesar's city. In gratitude, many people in Philadelphia tattooed Caesar's name and the cities name. Neoceasera on their bodies.

Jesus promises one more name in addition, His own name!

Revelation 3:12b-13 ~ I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

This is Jesus' tax free ownership upon my life!

Ignatius, the bishop of Antioch, stopped in the city on his way to martyrdom (beheaded for Christianity)  in Rome (107 A.D.) He comments how the Church in Philadelphia had become a center for eschatology, the study of prophecies of Scripture, during the post-apostolic age. "Philadelphia" was a place where Christians were fearless in their worship, and aggressive in their witness for the faith, as they looked to the return of their Savior.


As a church, if we do not go through the doors Christ has opened, we will grow timid, fearful and unbelieving.

An opportunity neglected is a nail in the coffin for any church that fails to obey Jesus. As a Christian, if I do not go through the doors Christ has opened, I will grow timid, fearful and unbelieving. An opportunity neglected is the first step to backsliding as a Christian. When we study the aspects of this church, we can see that Jesus is coming soon and it gives us stability in life to know that God's Word is never broken. Jesus never addresses our failures in our life, when we ask Him into our life, hanging on to My Word, don't give up and He will keep us from the hour that will come upon the whole world to try them. He will make us a pillar in His temple and we don't have to live in fear for He will give us a new name and a new city to dwell with Him forever.

The church will be raptured before the Tribulation Period. The 7-year Tribulation is the wrath that will be poured down upon the whole earth.  The church has nothing to do with the God's wrath. The church does experience persecution, but that comes from man. It comes from Satan. It comes from the world. We will NEVER be beat up by God, smacked down by God, no, Jesus took our punishment on the cross, that is why Jesus says here to the Church of Philadelphia, "I will keep you from that hour", in fact, in John 14, he said remember," I will come again and take you to myself where I am you may be also."

So live for Jesus now, the Lord is coming back, you don't know when, could be today, because he is going to deliver us from the wrath that is going to come. Jesus promises that He is going to keep us "from" that hour, not through the hour, not going to bottle you up and ship you through it, I'm not going to somehow galvanize you against it, I'm not going to somehow build a bubble around you.so that you make it through, No, He said He is going to keep us FROM it. That is an awesome promise.

Is Your Life Filled With Opportunities or Closed Doors?

Jesus is inviting us to be an authentic church or an authentic Christian, and the world is waiting to see just what that looks like. The more you get to know Jesus, the more authentic He becomes and the more substances there is to Him. The more you know a real believer, there is an authenticity you come to respect, not become upset with. So if we want to be real witnesses, we need to be authentic. We need to be real. When we do something right, we need to give God the glory and when we do something wrong, we need to ask those around us to forgive us.

We need to be a real witness, but sometimes we blow our witness in our life and think we have disappointed God, but there is one way that God allows us to redeem that, is when we go to them and tell them we were wrong. We tell them I shouldn't have said or did that, it's not what the Bible teaches or what Jesus would want. I was wrong and I ask you to forgive me. Please don't judge Christianity based on my poor performance. It doesn't matter who you say this to, you will have gained their respect of those you offended. The only reason you won't do it is pride. It's amazing. Jesus is Holy and True and that is why we are following Him.

John 8:32 ~ "Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free."

Lets take a look at the pastor of the Church of Philadelphia. We know that he must have been a pastor that loved the Lord, because the church was grounded in the Bible. He cared for the church, who tended to it in its generalities and its specifics.

1 John 4:8 ~ "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."

The pastor at the Church of Philadelphia had a passion for the world, to spread the simple gospel, simply. He was the kind of pastor who had a tenacity toward his calling. He could not, would not, deny what God had done is his life, church and the world.

Jeremiah 23:4 ~ "I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, no will any be missing, declares the LORD."

It is my personal opinion that if there is ever going to be any true revival today, there will be a revival of Biblical holiness and Biblical truth. God will begin that with faithful men and women of God.

When Jesus calls you to follow Him, He calls attention to His lordship, His kingdom.

Revelation 3:7 ~ "To the angel of the church of Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open."

As we match this attribute of Jesus to previous scriptures, we see here a slight variation. Before you could see those comparisons in verbatim. The Book of Revelation demands us to know more of the Old Testament than any other book of the Bible.

Revelation 1:17-18 ~ "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he place his right hand on me and said: ' Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades."

Isaiah 22:22 offers us a Messianic prophecy, ~ "I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open."

Hebrews 3:6 ~ But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast."

God, the Father, is giving the keys to the heaven treasury to His Son. These are the keys of opportunity to fund a war against hell, and to wage a campaign of death.

Revelation 3:7b ~ "What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open."

These are the keys of opportunity to communicate holiness or to tell the truth. Jesus is LORD, and these open and closed doors are God-given opportunities custom made for you - it's called ministry.

Luke 6:46 ~ "Why do you call me, "Lord, Lord," and do not do what I say?"

Do you know what an oxymoron is? Like jumbo shrimp! Oxymorons don't fit. To say Lord, Lord but you don't do that things He calls us to do. We can't call Him Lord. The church at Philadelphia did what God called them to do. We need to ask our ourselves this question, are we faithful to obey when Jesus calls? Only here and in the Church of Smyrna are commendations , no judgments, no rebukes, no corrections. Just praise! They were a faithful church!

When Jesus calls you to follow Him, He calls through opportunities to obey, prepared by Him. When the church asks for opportunities to help us, it is Jesus calling you to fill those needs, if the church that is asking you is your home church. You are there to serve Jesus, get involved in prayer meetings. You will obey the Lord, you will be blessed in ways you won't believe. You might grow the church by what you are called to do. God is never at work when everything is covered and there is nothing for you to do. When an opportunity comes, Jesus is opening a door. Jesus knows what you did last summer! He knows what we have done all of our lives as a Christian, in His glory or for your glory. I know everything.

Revelation 3:8 ~ "I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name."

Commendation 1 of 5: "I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door," Jesus is the one who is responsible for opening and closing opportunities or doors. They could claim this if judgment came to them at that moment. He doesn't elaborate on it. What is an open door for? To go through them. You have to remember don't try to force a door that Jesus has shut. When Jesus opens a door, you better go through it. When He closes it, you better stay out. What is an open door?

1 Corinthians 16:8-9 ~ " But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me."

Whenever there is an open door, plan on being attacked. This church corporately could literally take stock of their ministry efforts and view the fruit of their labors.

2 Corinthians 2:12 ~ "Now I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me,"

Colossians 4:3 ~ "And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains."

An opportunity to witness was commendation 2 of 5:  "that no one can shut." Revelation 3:8b.

John 10:9 ~ "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture."

Remember the introduction to this letter? Attalus Philadelphius was the cities founder, and it was his intention to create a city that could broadcast the Greek language and Roman culture to the world. Scholars have referred to the city of Philadelphia as the Mission city or Missionary city. We need to understand it's geography. "Philadelphia the Door." Ramsey states that the physical location fully explains the words of Jesus here...Philadelphia was located at the upper end of a long valley, that makes its way to the Sea. From Philadelphia as it was situated on the Roman Imperial Highway, that great trade and travel route of the empire (aka The Post Way), you had to travel through the city of Philadelphia to reach the interior of the Asiatic peoples. It was located on a freeway, the Pony Express of that day. Any city you had to go to, you had to go through Philadelphia. You've heard of the Appian Way? It means opportunities to obey! Jesus has the keys to any door of opportunity. Wait for the opportunity to obey Christ, and when it comes around don't sit around and wonder if this is it! Go through the door! You understand that mystery that Jesus is using in this letter?

If you are a Christian, God has placed you in a sphere of opportunity to be an influence for Him in where He has placed you.

Commendation 3 of 5:

Revelation 3:8b ~ "I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name."

They had very little of their own strength. This was not an insult to the church. They were not self-reliant as a church, but rather God dependent. It means they didn't rely much on itself. When it does, it goes arrogant and becomes prideful.

2 Corinthians 12:9 ~ "But he said to me, ' My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 

It is not the talents of the worship team or the shouts of the choir. It's not the seating or the window or the eloquence of the speaker, it is Jesus Christ opening doors. May we all be believers of little strength.

Commendation 4 of 5: "You have kept my word." - Revelation 3:8b.

They had not left God's Word behind, and they didn't replaced it with something else. The Word was authoritative. They didn't leave their Bibles behind. Are you a Christian who goes through the Bible? Are you in a church that does not go through the Bible?

Commendation 5 of 5: "You have not denied My name." ` Revelation 3:8b.

They haven't tried to hide my authority and deity and they prayed in Jesus' name. The biggest opposition to praying in Jesus' name has been from other churches, not atheists. Organized religions are the greatest proponents to not praying in Jesus name so as not to offend the community. If you don't pray in Jesus name,  it will not be heard based on Jesus' Word and His teachings.

They stayed faithful to Jesus' Word, Bible doctrine and didn't deny His name. They worshiped the Jesus of the Bible. Because of that opportunities abounded!

We will finish up this study on the church of Philadelphia on Monday! 





 

The One Church You Want to Be Like!!!

We all want to be like the Church of Philadelphia. We are people who are designed to hear things, like bumps in the night or a car driving down the street. We hear it even though we are not listening for it. God is announcing to us in those words, "he who has an ear, let him hear" that they are simply not words, but a question to us, "Are you listening?" Are you listening to what God is saying to you about your life?

Jesus is writing to the Church of Philadelphia, in a letter that applies not only to the seven real churches of that day in Asia Minor, but also to where we stand in our lives as Christian believers. It is interesting to note that Jesus' final words are not found in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, but in the Book of Revelation, where He writes seven letters to the churches in that region, just east of the Mediterranean Sea, in what is now modern day Turkey. Even though there were many more churches in that region at that time, but it is an elongated area that makes up the region of the churches that occupied that territory with seven very specific personalities. Just like there are pastors in leadership at the church, they had their own personalities and their own problems. They had challenges, specific locations, that had characteristics that through a chronological folding of time, you can see the progression of the church from its establishments to modern day.

Revelation 3:7-13 ~ "To the angel of the Church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars - I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him, who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

Proverbs 25:25 ~ "Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land."

This letter to the Church of Philadelphia was the best letter written to the seven churches. Why? First of all there is no correction given by Jesus. There is no rebuke, only praise. Was it a flawless church? No, there is no such thing as a flawless church, because the moment we step in the door, we are flawed. But when God, the Father, looks at you who believe in Jesus Christ, is our Lord and Savior, God puts on glasses as it were and sees you dipped in the blood of Jesus. God takes our life, completely immerses us in the blood of Christ, and when we come up, all He sees is Jesus, not on what we do, but what He has done.

It's a letter of praise to this church. Imagine what your position is in Christ, if you are like this church. It determines what kind of Christian you are. Each of these letters applies to some aspect in your life of where you are at as a Christian. People attend various churches not because their is division among the groups, but it is because each church serves up a different flavor in the way they teach the Word of God that appeals to each person, kind of like your preference for In and Out Burgers over McDonald's burgers. One is not greater than the other, because Jesus loves them all.

John, the apostle, the postmaster of Patmos, brings us this letter addressed to the church of Philadelphia. Remember Jesus is still speaking to all of us through these letters we read. He is speaking right now by the power of the Holy Spirit. Whenever the Bible is taught, the Holy Spirit moves in our lives. This is the letter any pastor at church would love to receive from Jesus Christ, because, if the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is the chief Shepherd of His church, and if it is also true that the church is made up of believers around the world through faith in Jesus Christ, then it is also true, that Jesus must still be speaking to His churches, His pastors and to all of us!

Hebrews 1:1-2 ~ "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, who he appointed here of all things, and through whom he made the universe."

Hebrews 13:8 ~ "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever."

The city went by the name, Philadelphia. Today it is a Muslim city, Alasawart. It is what is left of the Roman Empire and is a small city under Muslim control. Politically by the city was named Philadelphia, which we know what it means, brotherly love, based on the same city we have in our country today. It was founded by Attalus Philadelphus and was commissioned as the "City of vision or the Mission City of the Empire. That mission given to it by Rome was to spread the Greek language and the Roman influence toward the east. Philadelphia became Rome's cultural mission outpost to the world on behalf of Caesar. Philadelphia as a city existed longer than any of the seven churches.  So Rome nicknamed it the "missionary city." It was an outreach by which Rome pumped money into it to spread the Roman influence of paganism to the world.

The physical church at Philadelphia was the typological forerunner to church chronologically, that brings us out to the 19th century, into what is known as the "revived church age."This the period when the church on the heels of the Reformation period moved out into the world with a great missionary movement. From the 14th to the 18th century, there was a turning back to the Bible, a teaching of the world through Europe and early America. From the 19th century until now, there has been the greatest global effort to communicate the gospel - The Revived Church or Missionary Age Church. Remember when we were in school, most of us hated history, but now as Christians, we love it! When a movement takes back the Bible, it can only hold so much and then it has to put that to work. Did you know that Billy Graham in one night reached 2.3 billion people? It has never happened before in human history.

And right now there are billions of people around the world, with the opportunity to hear the gospel message through modern technology, Sir Isaac Newton, Keplar, all Christian men who loved God, international churches, and personal missionary efforts. Look at the number of Bible Studies or messages from pastors that are being broadcasted quite literally all over the world, for people to hear the message in their own language and know Jesus. In the wake of the great missionary movement, hospitals, schools, universities, human rights and scientific breakthroughs, have accelerated in a way never before known to mankind. All of this is important background information for where we are headed in this portion of our study. Now you can see how all of this applies to our study into the Church of Philadelphia.

The Church of Philadelphia is a church that every single pastor would pray to receive from Jesus and something we need to make sure our life mirrors in every way as a Christian. Can you apply your personal life to this? How do you measure up? If you want to know the truth about someone, ask those that live with them. Are you excited about God's Bible? About knowing Him? About His return? You just might be a Philadelphian believer if you can answer yes to all of these questions.

What kind of church are you, when Jesus calls you to follow Him.

Revelation 3:7-8 ~ " To the angel of the Church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name."

When Jesus calls you to follow Him, He calls us to be His example, His witness.

Revelation 3:7a ~ "To the angel of the Church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true," 

The structure of this is comforting. Here is our challenge. He calls us to be His example and His witness. This is not contrary to the other letters, it's not a rebuke but an encouragement. He is saying because I am Holy and I am true, and so are you. He wasn't calling them out in any way. Jesus says, He who is holy and He is true. We are blessed by Him by being guilty through association.

Leviticus 20:7 ~ "Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your God."

1 Peter 1:15-16 ~ "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

How do you hear that? Do you hear a judgmental God or a loving God? When you begin to study the Bible you have to realize that it is by our faith in Him, that we can become holy like Him. He has commissioned us to be holy and true and not be defiled by the things of this world.

We should try and live our life in the witness of what this church has been called and commissioned by Jesus to do. Our number one goal in life is to be like a Philadelphian church. Sold out body, mind and spirit to Jesus. We will pick this up tomorrow. Hope you will join me!