Today we come to the letter from Jesus, to the church at Philadelphia. Jesus doesn’t point out any problems in this church. There were no threats of discipline. Instead, they were highly commended and given phenomenal promises. 

Paul said to the believers in Corinth, “Which do you choose? Should I come with a rod to punish you, or should I come with love and a gentle spirit?  The believers at Philadelphia CHOSE to live in a way that Jesus would come to them with love, gentleness and commendation.” 1 Cor.  4:21

The church at Philadelphia was probably fairly small, and the least impressive of the 7 churches. “They have only a little power.” Robert Thomas said this “must refer to the church’s limited influence because of it’s numerical smallness.” The church at Sardis had the reputation of being alive.  People were saying, “that church at Sardis is really a dynamic, active church!”  But Jesus said, “You are dead!” The church at Philadelphia was smaller, weaker, less impressive. But they had what mattered to Jesus!

“I know you have only a little power, BUT you have kept my word! The congregation at Sardis just 27 miles away have NOT kept His word. The believers at Philadelphia HAVE kept it.  Church congregations tend to develop a collective response to Jesus. That proves how profoundly we are influenced by those we associate with. Jesus said a little leaven leavens the whole lump.  And we see that here. 

Error and faults TEND to spread through a church. And faithfulness and fidelity TEND to spread to the whole church too.  That’s why these churches are commended, OR chastised AS a church family.  It’s not only about “how am I doing”. It is about “how WE are doing.”

Jesus said to THIS church “You have kept My word, AND (you) have not denied my name.”  There was enormous pressure on all the churches to deny Jesus IN ORDER TO avoid the stigma and persecution of His name. This church took up their cross and paid the price. It’s easy to SAY we want to please the Lord. But it will ALWAYS cost you something to do that. That’s why Jesus said, count the cost before you say you want to be my disciple.  

Oswald Chambers said, “Faith is a deliberate commitment to a person.” That’s why Jesus’ measure of a good church is essentially, “You have kept MY word and have not denied MY name.”  Faithful allegiance to Jesus is the test.  How often are churches evaluated on those terms today? The answer is, not very often.  We need to get to know the heart of Jesus and judge things by what matters to Him!    

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Jesus begins this letter, these are “the words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.

Jesus is “The Holy One” He is to be revered and treated as holy.  He is the Lord God. Our response is to fall at His feet. Jesus is your brother and your friend, he loves you! But we are to treat Him as Holy!  (individually and as a church!)

Jesus said, I am “The True One” He is completely true to His word, and worthy of our trust and obedience. Every word of Jesus and every promise by Jesus will be fulfilled.  

Jesus said, I am the One who “has the key of David, who opens, and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.”  What does that mean?  The promise of the prophets was that a future King would come and sit on David’s throne and establish a real Kingdom on earth that would never end.  

Jeremiah 23:5 Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land.” 500 years after David

More familiar is Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore.” 

Or the words of the angel to Mary, You’re going to bear a son, and “The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!”

Jesus was reminding the churches, I am that King.  I have the key to David’s kingdom.  I have complete authority to open or shut the door to that kingdom to anyone. The Jews, who rejected Jesus as the Messiah, claimed THEY were the ones who had the right to the coming Kingdom of David. Jesus was saying, I have that key. I alone have the authority to open or shut that door!    

Then He assures THIS church, that the door to that kingdom will be open to them!  8“‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut.”  

Of course Jesus can open any door and shut any door.  This promise is often applied to a business opportunity, or a greater ministry opportunity.  And Jesus does open and shut doors in our life. But in this context, Jesus was promising something MUCH greater.  He was promising them entrance to the New Jerusalem, the glorified, rebuilt City of God.. Rev. 22:14 Jesus said, “How Blessed are those who “have the right to... go through the gates INTO that city. 

If Jesus opens THAT door to you, you are extravagantly blessed.  An open door to the New Jerusalem means glory and honor, forever! And no matter what happens to you in this world, NOBODY can shut that door on you!   Someday entrance to that City will be ALL that matters to anyone.   

Jesus made that promise to this church because He knew and approved of their works, “I know your works, you have kept My words and have not denied My name”.

Everyone of us lives for the approval of Jesus or from somebody else. (I’m talking about ultimate approval, or whose approval matters)  You cannot do both.  Jesus demands an allegiance that is miles above our allegiance to anybody else. Jesus said, “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.”  

IE “You cannot be my disciple if you love the most precious people in your life more than me. The the approval of your friends at school, or approval of society, the people in your circle, cannot intrude on loyalty to Jesus. 

And that loyalty is ALWAYS tested! All the NT churches faced enormous pressure to deny Jesus by swearing allegiance to Caesar, or to compromise with the sexual immorality of the day and offering food to pagan gods. And they were persecuted relentlessly by the unbelieving Jews. That was  THEIR test!  What is your test? Obedience to Christ has to be lived out in whatever circumstances or pressures God has placed us in. 

Jesus goes on to make more magnificent promises to this church. Verse 9 “Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.” (NASB I will make them know that I have loved you.” 

A lot of these church’s affliction came from the Jews who rejected Jesus as Messiah. They went to the local synagogue and thought they were God’s special people. But Jesus called them the synagogue of Satan because they became tools of Satan to persecute His followers. They slandered believers to the governing authorities and helped put them in prison. 

“They say they are Jews but are not.”  The Jews ARE God’s chosen people. But not ALL Jews are Jews from the heart. 

But Jesus said, these people, who wish you the most harm, who hate you the most, the people, who want you in prison, or put to death, “I am going to make THOSE people come and bow down before you. And I will MAKE them see that I have loved you!  That is what you call total vindication! 

When will that happen? We aren’t told here, but for sure at the day of judgment. Every knee will bow and acknowledge that Christ IS the Lord. And so all people will also be forced to admit that believers in Jesus were right all along. 

And we are told that the Jews, as a people, will acknowledge Christ in the end and be saved.  When Christ appears He will “pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son.  Zachariah 12:10

John Gill said, “Convicted and converted Jews shall come to the church, and in the most lowly and contrite manner acknowledge their former blindness, furious zeal, and violent hatred of the Christians, and shall profess their faith in Christ; they shall join themselves to the church, and partake of the ordinances of the Gospel with them; and shall worship God and Jesus Christ, their Lord and King, in their presence, and at their feet.” 

The principle here is that Jesus Christ vindicates His people! You don’t have to worry about people that are hostile toward you, that want to see you fail, that have harmed you, or done or said bad things to you or about you, you don’t have to worry about that.  Jesus will take care of your vindication.  That’s what He did for this church.  “I going to make them come and bow before you.”   And I’m going to make them see that I have loved you.  God takes care of His people. And that’s what Jesus was saying, “I’m going to take care of you guys.” 

There’s another promise in verse10 “Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”  Jesus will keep them from this trial, because they have kept His command to persevere. 

The point is: Jesus values and rewards endurance! If we ENDURE, we will reign with Him!  William Barclay defined perseverance as “having the quality to stand, to face the storm, to struggle against difficulty and opposition.” If you are growing fainthearted, if you are shrinking back, if your faithfulness is faltering, then wake up! Hold fast! Keep going! 

What is this great future trial? This could refer to the final great end time tribulation and trauma described in later chapters in Revelation. This church would be guarded or kept from that. Or that Jesus would keep this church from suffering some wide-spread trouble that was coming soon. The point to remember is that Jesus does special things for those who faithfully endure.  He will guard them and give them the blessing of His own protection.  

Then Jesus urges them on with this final message. Verse 11 “I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” There’s a lot here! First: In the gospels, and in these letters, Jesus always gave his followers a heightened expectancy of His coming. He didn’t guarantee it in their lifetime or in ours. But we’re to expect it any day. Second: It is WHEN Jesus comes, that our lives are evaluated  and when rewards for faithful endurance are given out. 

Paul said, “To me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by any human court….It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes...At that time each will receive his praise from God.”  You must fix your hope on THAT day! And live for the reward of THAT day!

Third: You must endure to receive your full reward. “Hold fast what you have until I come so that no one will take your crown!” There IS a crown for perseverance.  There is a crown to be won in the afflictions you are going through. So be zealous for that crown!  Hold on!  Faithfully endure whatever Satan brings against you. Remain true to Jesus.  

The implication is that someone will try to take your crown from you! The devil himself and the people he works through, would love to see you lose your reward.  Whatever you do, DO NOT let anyone take your crown! 

Randy Alcorn wrote a blog on this verse titled: Can a Believer Lose a Crown.  His short answer is yes.  He said, “Scripture repeatedly uses the word "loss" in relation to reward.’    

John said, "Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully" (2 John 8). 

Paul said, “I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize" (1 Corinthians 9:27).
Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward." Mk. 9:41

Paul said our works will be tested with fire, “and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss.” NOT his salvation, but his reward. 1 Cor 3:14,15

The point is to CARE about the reward which comes from God. Guard your crown carefully! Hold on to what you have! Don’t let world or the devil, cause you to surrender one single reward! Let no one take your crown. This is a Powerful word! Put that up on your refrigerator or in your office. 

Verse 12 Jesus said, “The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. He shall never go out of it.” To conquer means to endure without compromise, to keep the words and works of Jesus to the end. Jesus said, to the one who conquers, I will give you a permanent and prominent place in the Father’s Kingdom.  Your position and glory there will endure forever like a pillar in God’s temple.  “And he or she will never go out of it.”

You go to Athens, or Egypt and see the temples that were.   built thousands of years ago and what is left? The pillars!  The roof is gone, the interior is gone, everything in and around the temples are gone!  But the pillars are still there. You will stand like a pillar in God’s temple when all else in this world has come crashing down.  Our life here is fragile, fleeting, like a vapor! In the coming Kingdom it will be solid, immortal, powerful, indestructible. 

And to the one who conquers, “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 from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.”  Jesus will write three new names on you: the name of my God, the name of the New Jerusalem, and His own new name.  The first name mean you belong to God. The second name means you have the right to enter the New Jerusalem, and the third name means you belong to Jesus.  

So much of our concept of heaven has been spoiled by Greek philosophy that says material is bad, spiritual is good. But God created a physical heaven and earth and gave us physical bodies.  The new heaven and earth will be just as real, we will be real people with new bodies which are powerful, immortal indestructible, glorious. The new earth and heaven will have a new City, a glorified rebuilt new Jerusalem. And the name of God, the new name of Jesus and the name of that New City will be written on you. And yes, I think it will actually be written on you, like a tattoo or permanently written on your heavenly garments. 

13He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. You can hear all this and yet not hear it!  So we need this admonishment, to hear what the Spirit says. 

I want you hear this letter. It’s purpose is to sober you and give you a backbone, to strengthen your resolve to live for Jesus to the end, to live for your eternal reward and to hold on to it. Jesus is coming and the rewards are phenomenal!   May we keep His command to persevere. 

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we want to be like the church at Philadelphia. We want to keep your word and not deny your name. We want to endure without compromise.  Father, please equip us to do that. Work in us that courage and strength. Amen. 

Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever, amen.