TEXT: Revelation 3:7-13

SUBJECT: The Seven Churches #6: Philadelphia

Today with God’s blessing, we’ll move on in our study of The Seven Churches of Asia. When I was a boy, I thought the churches of Asia were in places like Japan, China, and Korea. Of course they were not. The Asia referred to in the New Testament, is Asia Minor, the western third (or so) of what we now call Turkey. These were Greek cities, part of the Roman Empire, mostly pagan, and with a substantial number of Jews.

Thus, Asia Minor was not a mission field easy to work. But not looking for easy work, Paul and others worked it, and the work they did was amply rewarded. Pagans and Jews became disciples of Christ and formed churches all over that part of the world.

Some of the churches were not doing very well at the time, but a couple of them were. They didn’t seem successful, and their pastors were not publishing best selling-books on Dynamic Leadership, but they were successful in the most basic and important way: they were loyal to Jesus Christ.

And none more so than the church in Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia in this letter is not Philadelphia, Pennsylvania! It’s the other one, the one smack-dab in the middle of Asia, about 100 miles east of the Aegean Sea and 150 miles up from the Mediterranean.

At the time the Letter was sent, Philadelphia was a broken city. Back in 17 AD, it was devastated by an earthquake, and for many years it suffered one aftershock after another. The unstable ground, it seems, had gotten into the heads of the people, who were known for their insecurity and fear. Philadelphia was not a heroic town—and neither was its church!

The fear made the people overly dependent on Rome. The city fathers, in fact, renamed the place in honor of Tiberius Caesar, who help rebuild it. The city, therefore, were loyal to Rome and thankful for what its divine Emperor had done for them. If other pagans smiled when they recited the formula, Caesar is Lord, the people of this town spoke the words with conviction. Philadelphia, then, was a pagan city seriously committed to Rome and the worship of Caesar.

Except for the Jews, who made up a sizable minority and exercised a real influence over the common people and their politicians. More on the character of that influence later.

There’s a church in Philadelphia, and all we know about it is what we have here, in the middle of Revelation 3. We don’t know who founded it or when or under what circumstances. We don’t know who the leaders are or how many are following them. All we know about the church is that it is a church, a band of disciples who mean to follow their Lord, Jesus Christ.

Our Lord identifies Himself in v.7, first by telling us what He is, and then, by telling us what He has. What kind of Lord is He?

We have a Savior who can be counted on—not most of the time (like the best of men)--but always and without exception. He doesn’t say, I used to be holy and true—or I will be some day, but He is ever holy and true, and so,

If that’s what our Lord is, what’s that He’s got in His hands?

What’s the key of David? It is royal authority. The keys are both a symbol of that authority (like a signet ring) and much more than a symbol because they get the Prime Minister into the king’s chambers, and anywhere else he wants to go in the kingdom. The keys stand for authority, power, and access.

If our Lord has the keys, it means He is at God’s Right Hand, and that He’s been given All authority in heaven and earth.

What’s He going to do with that authority? The details come later, but for now, let me say, He’s going to use it for the good of the church. Ephesians 1:22-23 is often mis-read. Referring to the authority God has given His Son, it says,

Sloppy reading tells us that Christ is ‘head of the church’. Of course He is that, but this is not what the verses say. They say God has made Him head of all things—principalities, powers, mights, dominions, every name in all worlds and for all time. His headship over all things—including the Roman Empire, the synagogue, and devil who is inspiring them both to persecute His church—is working for the Church and not against it. As hot as things are in Philadelphia, the fire is going to refine the church and not consume it. Because, without excusing the enemies of the Gospel, Jesus Christ is ruling them for the good of His People.

The Lord has taken a long and hard at the church in Philadelphia—and He likes what He sees.

The church is weak, but their weakness makes them dependent on Christ—and that’s where their strength lies. They have retained His Word, which I take for the Gospel. While some were threatening and others were seducing, they held on to the Word of their Salvation! They never denied His Name, making Christ ‘one God or Savior among many’ or by saying ‘If Caesar works for you, fine, but Jesus works for me!’ Confessing Christ demands narrow-mindedness and intolerance of the worst kind. It means—without being obnoxious—telling people,

The church has been doing all this from the start. Without being flashy, they were consistent; they were loyal to Christ. Even when it wasn’t easy.

This is the judgment our Lord passes on the church in Philadelphia. He was entirely pleased with them—not because they were perfect—but because they were loyal. What Paul said of ministers applies to all churches and Christians—

This loyalty applies across the board. Ephesus was every bit as loyal in its doctrine as the church in Philadelphia, but the members’ commitment to each other was lacking. Today, many churches are warm and supportive, while drifting away from solid teaching. Other churches excel inwardly while turning their backs on a world that is perishing.

We need to be faithful to what Christ wants us to be, to believe, and to do. Disciples don’t pick and choose; they learn and they follow.

If the church is doing well, it’s not because the devil isn’t working hard against them. He is working against them. By way of the Jews. There’s a synagogue in Philadelphia and the members are proud of their heritage.

But our Lord says they’re not Jews at all—no matter how carefully they can trace their bloodlines back to Abraham. The word, ‘Jew’ means ‘the Praise of God’, but the Jews are not praising God; they’re denying His Son and oppressing His People.

Because of what they’re doing, the Lord is about to call down judgments from heaven against the Jews and the pagans who are conniving with them against the church.

At the moment, the enemies of the Gospel look down on the church and take them for heretics and followers of a madman who got what He deserved at the hands of Pontius Pilate.

But one day—our Lord says—He’s going to make these same men look up to the church and realize that they were the special objects of God’s love. If ‘Jew’ means ‘the praise of God’, then

Is this judgment the Last Judgment or some other judgment, one that fell in the next few years, perhaps? Without being dogmatic, I think it points to a nearer judgment, one that fell on the enemies of the Gospel then alive. But whether I’m right or not on this detail, the fact remains: The enemies of the Gospel will soon wish they were its friends.

It is never easy to be loyal to Christ, especially when Satan and his servants are pushing you to deny Him or to make compromises that dishonor Him. So far, the church in Philadelphia is holding firm, but they won’t for much longer unless the Lord gives them significant help.

Which is what He does. The help He gives comes by way of promise.

The first promise will come to them in this life—

What is this hour of trial? I was brought up to believe it is the Tribulation or the Great Tribulation, which I was taught would occur near the end of time—either seven years from the end or three-and-a-half. For years I believed this without question. Until one day it hit me: How would this help the church in Philadelphia? By the time this relief came to them, they wouldn’t need it, because they’d be with the Lord!

I don’t know what this hour of trial was, but it must have come in the First Century. While others were hurt or destroyed by it, the church was spared. Because Jesus Christ kept them from it. There’s a Psalm that speaks to this, Psalm 19. After praising the Law, testimonies, statutes, judgments of the Lord, it goes on to say,

Both in heaven. And on earth.

If some rewards come in the present world, the better ones come in the future world.

Several blessings are named, but they’re only different ways of saying the same thing. What they’re saying is this: Those who are loyal to Christ for a short time will belong to Christ forever.

Some things in the Temple were movable and replaceable. But a pillar wasn’t one of them! As long as the Temple was there, the pillar would be too. Now the earthly temples fell in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, and later, in 70 AD. When it was put to the torch, the pillars burned with it. But the Temple our Lord has in mind is the Heavenly Temple, which will stand forever. And so will everyone who overcomes! They’ll be as fixed in heaven as the Throne and the One who sits on it!

When I was in school, we had P.E. uniforms which looked exactly the same. To keep them separate we wrote our names on them. If it said, Phillips, it was mine; if it said, King, it belonged to someone else. Now, what do you suppose God writing His name on us means? It means we belong to Him and not to someone else! Just to be sure we don’t get mixed up, He adds His own name and the name of His hometown, the New Jerusalem.

How much more secure could you be? Three names written on you, and all of them taking you to God! To change the figure of speech, think of a letter addressed to

There could be no mix up on this letter because its address is sure. And that address is where we are going…when we persevere.

There are reasons not to persevere—the cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, the pleasures of this life; our weakness, our weariness, the wishes of other people, the difficulty of living by faith, unanswered prayers, disappointments, bad examples, bad memories, bad jobs, bad children, bad parents, bad friends, bad pastors, bad churches.

But in light of the Promises, the reasons to give in are exposed for the petty things they really are. Remain loyal to Christ, overcome the world, and you’ll have your crown. And your Christ. And your God. Forever.