HOLDING FAST: Philadelphia
#233a HOLDING FAST
Philadelphia
Scripture Revelation 3:7-13 Orig. 2/20/1966
Rewr. 2-1982; 10/17/1986
Passage:
7 “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. 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. 9 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. 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them 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 them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Purpose: Continuing the series from the Revelation letters, calling attention to the church at Philadelphia, her faithfulness, how they “held fast,” and how God blessed and used them.
Keywords: Christ as Mediator Salvation Mission of the Church Grace
Timeline/Series: Revelation letters Philadelphia
Introduction
Our series on the Revelation letters began, you remember, on Patmos, an island off the coast of Asia Minor. It was to that place that John, the beloved apostle, had been banished. The city fathers at Ephesus, where John was pastor, resented some turn of phrase, or some spoken word of rebuke.
Little did those enemies of the faith know that God would still use His servant, even though he had been consigned by fellow creatures to an isolated existence. On that windswept, almost treeless island, covering 25 square miles, [while] living in a cave John received the vision of what was yet to be.
The initial recipients of this vision would be the people of the church on mainland Asia Minor, out of sight to John but not out of mind. The first church named was John’s own charge at Ephesus and the nearest to where John was exiled. From Ephesus, the road north goes through the next major city on the coast which is Smyrna, continuing north, and a few miles inland, the road leads to Pergamum. Taking the major road eastward, the next city of note is Thyatira. From there, it is perhaps 30-35 miles to Sardis. All of the aforementioned cities were built on braces of hills affording some protection from attack. You recall that the letter to Sardis calls attention to this protection. History tells it us that when trouble came to Sardis, it came because the citizens took their protection for granted, which, of course, the church at Sardis was doing spiritually.
From Sardis, the road turns east-southeast and runs to Philadelphia. But the people here know nothing of these protective barriers. But here we find a church to whom rebuke is spoken. Rather, they are set forth as a church with an “open door.” As they “hold fast” they will be “held fast.” As they “keep” they will be “kept.”
I. First, Let’s Examine the Open Door. V8 “Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.”
It is a door opened by God, Himself. Here is an example of the importance of verb forms—it is perfect passive participle—it is open, it will remain, like saying it has been removed from its hinges. Open doors are for trusted. Ours is the age of locked doors. Family members have keys. “Latchkey kids” AARP Seniors 10/86.
These doors are opened for the church’s ministry outside its walls. First, it is opportunity to serve God. Gibbon1, in his history of Roman Empire, says that Philadelphia is like a tall column in the midst of the rubble of a fallen city.
These doors are opened to launch an attack against entrenched evil. The church is not foremost a bastion of defense. There is defense—v11 “hold that fast which thou hast”; not the main thing, not the only thing; tragedy of churches and status quo. (I Corinthians 16:9, II Corinthians 2:12, Colossians 4:3)
We are to major on bold outspokenness. Where we are is where we are needed. In the midst of a “day of trouble” (Isaiah 22:5), God has Isaiah to say of Eliakim “And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so that he shall open and none shall shut and he shall shut and none shall open” (Isaiah 22:22). In this same context, the Holy Spirit responded to Peter’s outspoken faith (Matthew 16:18), “Upon this rock will I build my church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.”
Centuries ago Portuguese settlers built a great cathedral overlooking the harbor of Macao. Years later it was destroyed by a typhoon, except the façade with the cross still upstanding. Sometime later, John Bowring had been shipwrecked, and landfall finally brought him to this harbor where he saw the cross of the old church inspiring him to write a song we still sing.
In the cross of Christ I glory, towering o'er the wrecks of time;
All the light of sacred story gathers round its head sublime.
Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure, by the cross are sanctified;
Peace is there that knows no measure, joys that through all time abide.
II. Next, Consider Overpowering Love. V9 “Behold, I will make them (the world) to know that I have loved thee.”
First mark of overpowering love is forgiveness. It is inspiration for seeking such forgiveness: Some never find it, others cheapen it. There are those who say the harlot (Luke 7) whom Jesus forgave went home to resume her trade. [These don’t] understand repentance and forgiveness. Once true forgiveness is experienced sin is an abomination to be dealt with: repentance, restoration. It is to grasp the realm of crucifixion: Jesus did not die for impersonal “sins,” He died for “my” sins.
The second mark of overpowering love is faith unto salvation. Problem between church and synagogue—Jews stated they were the “Israel”; Romans 2:28f “He is not a Jew who is one outwardly, [no a person is a Jew who is one] inwardly.” Revelation 12:10 Satan “the accuser of our brethren.” Jesus in John 8:44 “You are of your father the devil.” Now this faith unto salvation produces an orderly life and depends upon the power of God.
The final mark of this overpowering love is eternal life. Deuteronomy 5:29 “O that they had such a heart in them that they would fear me and always keep all my commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever.” Galatians 6:8 “. . . He who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
III. And, Finally, Consider Overcoming Grace. V10 “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will also keep thee.” V11 . . . Hold fast what thou hast.”
It is grace in the hour of crises. Is it deliverance from period of trial? Is it safekeeping through trial? John Vandercook may be a name unknown to you. He has labored for years in Seamans’ Service (faith). Name not even listed by the Seamans’ Service in Book of Reports. She just had surgery to support arthritic spine. He had to carry her on board many ships. She had wanted to be missionary. Says, “People of 140 nations come to us.”
It means also grace in temptation. 2 Peter 3:17 “Beware lest ye also, being led away by the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.” Ephesians 6:13 “Take unto you the whole armor of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day.”
It means also grace on the day of judgment. V12 “He shall go out thence no more.” One of the serious problems in Philadelphia was a problem with earthquakes. Remember Mexico City, more recently, Nicaragua. People went back and aftershock hit.
Conclusion
Many pagan temples in Philadelphia. Customarily, important people would have their names written on pillars of temples. God’s name is the name of consequence, but believers will become pillars of His true temple through faith.
God’s name means we are His true children.
New Jerusalem means that we are citizens of [that] city.
Christ’s new name—“Now we see through a glass, dimly.”
1 Gibbon, E. (1996). The history of the decline and fall of the Roman empire (D. Womersley, Ed.). Penguin Classics.