Another Two-Way Street

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This is a sermon based on Revelation 3:7-13 regarding the church at Philadelphia. It emphasizes the faithfulness of God and the faithfulness of the believers in the church of Philadelphia.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

There is an idiom or euphemism that is common in our language that most of us would immediately recognize and understand its meaning. That is the phrase, “a two-way street.” The phrase has been defined as: “an arrangement or a situation involving reciprocal obligation or mutual action. This is a two-way street, you know. You will have to help me someday in return.

There are a number of situations in life that we may have heard someone describe as a “two-way street.” Friendship is a two-way street. Marriage is a two-way street. Respect is a two-way street. These are some of the phrases that we have been accustomed to hearing. And, we could probably add many more examples if we took the time to go around the room this morning and give each of you an opportunity to share the one that has come to your mind.

As I read over the passage of Scripture that we will be looking at today, I immediately thought that Jesus was describing to John another “two-way street” scenario that we can relate to.

What is the two-way street that Jesus describes? It is faithfulness.

In this passage (Rev. 3:7-13), Jesus talks about His faithfulness to believers, and he talks about the believers’ faithfulness to Him.

We have been following a prescribed outline in each of the messages regarding the seven churches that Jesus talks about. We will plan to continue that same outline today as we talk about the Lord’s message to be delivered to the church in Philadelphia. However, before we get into the main outline, let us talk a little bit about the city and its significance.

(Reasoner) “Twenty-eight miles southeast of Sardis we come to Philadelphia. Philadelphia was a border town where three [ancient] countries met [Mysia, Lydia & Phrygia]. The highway which connected Europe and Asia also passed through it. The church there was strategically located and had an open door of opportunity for missionary work.

“It was a missionary city, founded to promote unity of spirit, customs, and loyalty between Greek and Asian culture. Its people always lived in dread of a disaster. It had been destroyed by earthquake in A.D. 17 and Jesus spoke about the “hour of trial” (v 10).

(Barclay) “It was founded with the deliberate intention that it might be a missionary of Greek culture and language to Lydia and Phrygia…. “Three centuries before, Philadelphia had been given an open door to spread Greek ideas in the lands beyond; and now there has come to it another great missionary opportunity, to carry to men who never knew it the message of the love of Jesus Christ.”

The city suffered a devastating earthquake in AD 17 but the tremors went on for many years, causing many of the residents to abandon the city. It was rebuilt and over the years had its name changed 2 or 3 times. One writer (Reasoner) says Philadelphia is now the modern Muslim town of Alasehir. Another author (Barclay) says that even in modern times, there is a Christian Bishop and a core group of faithful believers that still live in “Philadelphia.”

Let us now look into the message from the Risen Christ to the Christians in Philadelphia.

I. A Word of Revelation (v. 7)

Christ did not prescribe the same solution to any two of [the churches]. Yet the common need of them all was to see Christ. A fresh revelation of Christ produces revival among his people. Such a revelation would convict us of our sin, correct our imbalances, invigorate our love, and ignite our evangelism. (Reasoner)

A. He is holy. Holiness is one of the attributes of God as repeatedly affirmed in Scripture throughout both the Old and New Testaments. Holiness is the quality of character that refers to absolute moral perfection and the absolute abhorrence of anything and everything evil.

It also involves the quality of being totally set apart or separated from everything ordinary. It emphasizes the fact that God is completely set apart / different from humanity. Jesus possesses those same moral perfections as God the Father.

B. He is true. (Barclay) In Greek there are two words for true. [One] means true in the sense that a true statement is different from a false statement. [The other word] means real as opposed to that which is unreal. It is the second word that is used here in regards to Jesus. Jesus Christ is real, genuine, and authentic. He is the true Savior. He is the true friend. He is the true perfectly sinless human, yet divine Son of God.

The description “holy” and “true” is used of God the Father in Rev. 6:10 "…How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"

C. He is sovereign.

"He who has the key of David…" The key represents authority; the description that follows (which is based on Isaiah 22) signifies sovereign authority. Although they have little authority or influence, Christ holds the key, or authority, of David. Therefore, he is sovereign.

The reference is based on Isaiah 22 which talks about King Hezekiah’s steward Eliakim. God had taken away the position and authority of the previous steward because of his unfaithfulness and given it to Eliakim. He would have the power or authority to admit people into the presence of the king. So Christ has the privilege and authority to admit anyone into the kingdom of God.

II. A Word of Commendation (v. 8)

“I know your works…” Here again, as with all the other churches, the Lord reminds them that He intimately knows their efforts. He not only knows their accomplishments, but he knows their efforts, their motives, their desires, etc.

A. They have wide open opportunities.

There is some disagreement about what the significance of this phrase is for the church, but it appears that Christ is reminding them that he has granted them missionary opportunities because of their strategic location.

B. They have little strength.

The word used here for “little” is the word that our English word “micro” comes from. The idea seems to be that there really wasn’t much strength left at all, but they were still holding on to their faith and hadn’t given up.

There may not be much strength left, but the Lord is praising them for what they had. (Reasoner) “We probably would not have been impressed with this church, but the Lord does not rebuke them.” He tells a congregation with little strength that he holds the key and can open and close doors of opportunity as he sees fit.

C. They have maintained faithfulness and loyalty to Christ.

“have not denied my name”

Apparently whenever the Christians at Philadelphia had been persecuted and pressured to renounce their faith in Jesus, they had remained steadfast and faithful to the Lord. Some suggest that the Jews (referred to here as the synagogue of Satan) were the ones who brought persecution upon them.

(III. A Word of Accusation)

 (Reasoner) All [the other churches] except Smyrna and Philadelphia were reprimanded. While these two [certainly] had imperfections, Christ knew they were doing their best. It is possible to please God.

IV. A Word of Exhortation (vv. 9-11)

The word of exhortation includes a couple of promises that the Lord would do for them, followed by one command they were to obey.

 A. “I will turn your opposition into support. The Jews were once God’s chosen people, but they rejected their Messiah. For the second time Jesus called them the “synagogue of Satan” (2:9). Christians were locked out of the Jewish synagogue, but Christ said not to worry. Since he holds the keys, they were only banned from the synagogue of Satan. He holds open the door of salvation and even the Jews will be drawn to Christ and will acknowledge that this little congregation is the true Israel of God….(Reasoner)

B. I will protect my own; “I will keep you from the hour of trial coming upon the whole world.”

The word for “world” is not the usual “kosmos” but it is oikoumene, which in certain passages, according to the context implies the whole Roman Empire or a defined region of Greeks, etc.

The Lord implies that His faithfulness to protect them is reciprocal to the fact that they have obeyed His command to endure.

C. In v 11 Jesus gave his only command to them, encouraging them to keep on doing what they are doing; “hold on (krateo) to what you have.” (Reasoner)

…(krateo) means to hold on or be strong. Although it was used in 2:1 where Christ holds the pastors, now the congregation is admonished to hold to Christ. While he is able to keep us, we must keep ourselves in his love (Jude 21, 24).

“… that no one may take your crown.”

This seems to be an obvious metaphor referring to the winner’s crown given to the athletes in the ancient games.

(Barclay) It is not a question of someone stealing their crown, but of God giving it to someone else more worthy.

Conclusion:

In bringing this message to a close, I want to stress that there are two main points that have caught my attention in this passage we’ve been discussing today: One, the Philadelphian Christians had been loyal and faithful to the Lord and had not denied him even when the opposition had been severe. Two, the Lord had remained loyal and faithful to the believers and promised to continue His faithful protection and support.

This matter of faithfulness is a “two-way street.”

God will be faithful to us when we are faithful to him and we can remain faithful and loyal to him because of his faithfulness to us.

In his commentary on Revelation, Dr. Vic Reasoner told that the great preacher, Charles Spurgeon, put a sign above the doorway of his Pastor’s College that read, “Holding, I am held”.

My friends, God will not abandon you, nor let you down. And He has provided all the grace that is necessary for you and I to remain faithful to Him through every circumstance and trial. Perhaps you have not been very faithful up to this point. I’ve got good news for you. The Lord is here to give you a new start and a new resolve to be faithful to Him from now on.

Our closing song today is one that may be new to some, but it is a simple tune with a great message.

The Greatest Thing in all my life is loving God.