Well, good morning. It's great to be here with you again.
Many of us have moved to new cities.
We've just thought about Bobby and Joanna moving to Perth.
For some of you, that was very recent in the last few months.
For me, it was about 18 years ago.
For some of you, it was much longer ago.
But when you move to a new city, one of the important things is to find a good church to settle into.
But how do you choose a good church?
Maybe you look at their website.
Maybe you see what activities are listed there.
Are they active?
Are they reaching out to their community?
Are they growing?
Maybe you look at their statement of faith.
Does it tick all the key boxes?
Is their doctrine sound?
Maybe you listen to recordings of a couple of their sermons and see, are they giving good teaching?
Or maybe you ask around.
What are they known for?
What is their reputation?
Over the last few weeks, we've read time and time again of churches that seem to be doing really well.
That sound like the ideal place to call home.
And yet we've read again and again of the complaints that Jesus brings against them for major failings right at their core.
So what would the ideal church look like?
What would the church look like that got no criticism from Jesus?
Presumably we'd read accounts of wonderful acts of service.
Of growth.
Of the impact they're making in their community.
The letter to the church in Philadelphia is one of only two that has no complaint in it.
But despite the lack of complaint, this is not a church without its difficulties.
They're finding things tough.
Where some churches need rebuke, this church needs encouragement and reassurance.
Other than the lack of complaint, it follows the same pattern as others.
After an initial greeting, he gives a report on their condition.
Then he gives one or more commands.
And finally gives promises of hope or of judgment.
So, first of all, what is his diagnosis of their condition?
This is where we'll spend the majority of our time.
And we'll see that Jesus notes four truths.
Two of these are truths that they can see.
And two of them are unseen, but that they need to be reminded of.
The first truth that we see in verse 8 is that they are weak.
That they only have a little strength.
We don't know.
We're not told exactly how they were weak.
Were they weak in numbers?
Was there maybe only a handful of believers in that city?
Were they lacking in good teachers and leaders to build them up?
Were they marginalized, oppressed?
Were they struggling to have impact on their community?
Or were they just plain exhausted and at the end of their resources?
We're not told.
But we're told that they only have a little strength.
Some would see this as a complaint.
As a criticism against the church.
But I don't think that it is.
I think it is just a realistic assessment of their situation.
Unlike what much of the world would teach us,
the Bible does not teach us that weakness is wrong.
Instead, we see time and time again,
Jesus on the side of the weak, the poor, the downtrodden, the humble.
Isaiah would write a bruised reed he will not break.
A smouldering wick he will not snuff out.
So instead of criticism, this is comfort.
He knows them.
He knows their weakness.
But he knows that although they are weak,
they have been faithful.
They have kept to his word.
They have stayed true to what they have been taught.
In particular, they have stayed true to what they have been taught
about patience and endurance.
Because they have kept going.
Despite all the pressure from those around them,
they have not denied his name.
Whatever may be going on in their circumstances,
they are not ashamed to acknowledge
that they belong to Christ
and that they bear his name.
But then the second truth that we see in verse 9
is that they have opposition.
We're not told that they're facing direct persecution here.
There's no suggestion that their lives are in immediate danger,
unlike those in some of the other cities.
Instead, opposition seems to be far more subtle
and therefore potentially more deadly.
It's difficult for us to know
how we would act
in a situation of someone putting a gun against our head
and telling us to deny our faith
or they will pull the trigger.
We can hope that in that extreme black and white situation
where everything is put on the line,
that we would have courage
to remain faithful
as many around the world have done
and paid with their lives.
But what about the subtle whispers in our ear?
Did God really say?
Are you sure you really believe that?
How can you know that you are saved anyway?
These things can slowly eat away at our confidence,
slowly undermine our faith
until we get to the point that
we're not really sure what,
if anything,
we believe anymore.
That sort of opposition
is possibly far more difficult to resist.
And it seems that that
is what the Philadelphians
were facing here.
Because there is this group
that Jesus calls
the synagogue of Satan
who claim to be Jews
though they are not.
Archie dealt with this group
a few weeks ago
when covering the letter
to the church in Smyrna.
So I won't go into too much detail here.
Recommend you listen to that sermon.
But it's not clear exactly
whether these people are Gentiles
who are calling themselves Jews
to take advantage
of some of the freedoms
that Jews were given at that time.
Or whether these are ethnically Jews
who are taking their status before God
for granted
on the basis of their ancestry.
It's also not clear
whether these people
have become embedded in the church
or are just sniping at them
from the outside.
I would think probably
on the outside
or there might be
harsher words here.
But whoever exactly
they are
it seems that they are questioning
the status of these Christians.
they are questioning
whether they are truly
loved by God.
It seems that they think
that they have the privilege
of access to God
and that these Christians
have got it all wrong.
In John's Gospel
Jesus would confront
a similar group
who claimed Abraham
as their father.
but he tells them
you are of your father
the devil
and your will
is to do
your father's desires
for he is a liar
and a father of lies.
Here too
he says
that these people
are not really Jews
but that they belong
to Satan
and are liars.
They think
they know the truth
but they are only
telling lies
and these lies
are subtle
attacks
at the foundation
on which this church
is built.
So these first two truths
are clear to them.
They are very conscious
of the fact
that they are weak.
They are well aware
that they have opposition
but there are two
other unseen truths
that they need
to be reminded of.
The first
is that there is
a door open
before them.
People read this
in many different ways.
Some would see it
as a open door
for their ministry
with allusions
to Paul's request
for prayer
in Colossians
that God
may open a door
for our message.
Others would see it
as a more
generic opening
of opportunity.
one TV preacher
put it as
God has a plan
for our lives
and he has opened
the doors
needed to fulfill
our destiny
followed by a sales pitch
on his books
videos etc
which you needed
to buy
to help you
fulfill that destiny.
But I don't think
that either of these
is what has been
meant here.
to understand
that we need
to go back
and see
where is this
a reference from?
When walking
about on earth
Jesus filled
his teaching
with references
to the scriptures
to our Old Testament
and so when he is
speaking from heaven
he does the same.
this is not
just a cryptic
statement
for us
to make up
our own
best interpretation
of
but is an
almost word
for word
quote
from Isaiah 22.
In Isaiah 22
in verse 15
we read
this is what
the Lord
the Lord Almighty
says
go say
to this steward
to Shebna
the palace administrator
what are you
doing here?
And God
brings
various
accusations
against this
man
Shebna
who is described
as a steward
a palace
administrator
the man
who is in
charge of
the palace.
But then
down in verse
19
I will depose
you from
your office
you will be
ousted
from your
position.
In that day
I will summon
my servant
Eliakim
son of
Hilkiah
I will
clothe him
with your
robe
and fasten
your sash
around him
and hand
your authority
over him.
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.
This man
Eliakim
has been
given
power
and authority.
He now
holds the
keys
to the
palace.
He now
controls
who has
access
to the
king.
Who has
access
to all
the
treasuries
of the
king.
His
authority
is absolute.
No one
can override
his decisions.
So when
Jesus uses
these words
about himself
what does
he mean?
I think
he means
that he
is the
one
that provides
access
to the
throne of
God
and to
all the
blessings
that come
from it.
He
has the
keys
to the
door of
salvation.
More than
that,
that he
himself
is the
means
of access
to God.
as the
writer to
the
Hebrews
says,
we have
confidence
to enter
the most
holy place
by the
blood of
Jesus.
But why
should they
trust him?
Why should
they believe
what he
says against
what their
opponents
would say?
Let's
look back
at verse
7 at
how he
introduced
himself.
In each
of the
letters,
the greeting
is different.
In each
one,
he describes
himself in
a way
particularly
relevant to
the message
he has to
bring to
that church.
At the
start of
this letter,
he identified
himself with
two words,
holy and
true.
He describes
himself as
holy.
He is
perfect.
He is
pure.
He is
untainted
by evil.
And while
this is
glorious and
beautiful,
it is also
terrifying.
If there
was any
God who
would restrict
access to
his presence
to anyone
that was
impure,
anyone who
did not
live up to
his standards
of perfection,
it would be
a holy
God like
this.
But on
the flip
side of
that,
if you are
accepted by
a God
like this,
that acceptance
is absolutely
secure,
because who
can condemn
you?
And then he
describes himself
as true.
He doesn't
just speak
truth,
but he is
the embodiment
of truth
itself.
in this
world of
fake news
and alternative
facts,
his word
is the
standard
against which
everything else
can be
fact-checked.
What he
says can
absolutely,
without question,
be relied
upon for
both this
life and
the life to
come.
their
opponents
were denying
their
salvation.
Effectively,
they were
claiming that
they held
the keys,
that they
could determine
who was
in and
who was
out.
But here
Jesus is
saying,
no,
only I
have that
authority,
and I
have opened
that door
for you,
and no
one can
shut it.
Salvation
is not
in anything
else but
Jesus.
Nor is it
in anything
and Jesus.
Salvation
is by
grace alone,
through faith
alone,
in Christ
alone,
no more
and no
less.
This is
given as
reassurance
to them.
They may
be weak.
They may
face opposition
but their
salvation
stands
secure,
unquestionable
and unshakable.
They have
direct access
to the
throne of
God,
and that
door is
not going
to be
slammed in
their face.
But of
course,
while I
don't think
this is
directly
talking about
an open
door for
their
ministry,
this
truth
does
still
give
encouragement
for
evangelism.
Firstly,
because it
gives
confidence.
I think
that possibly
one of the
biggest
barriers
we face
today to
evangelism
is confidence
in what we
believe.
Confidence
that it is
not just
something that
as the world
would tell us
is true for
us,
but it's so
true that
it is truth
for everyone
that we come
in contact
with.
And along
with that
confidence in
what we
believe,
is the
truth that
if we
believe that
the door
is open
for us,
then it is
also open
for any
who would
accept that
call to
come to
him who
is the
way,
the truth,
and the
life.
truth.
The second
of these
unseen
truths
we see
at the
end of
verse 9,
and I
think this
is the
key to
it all.
I
have
loved
you.
They
are loved,
and it's
not just
that they
are loved,
but they
are loved
by the
glorious,
holy,
true
Son of
God.
This is
the key
to it
all.
This is
the basis
of their
salvation.
This is
why they
can endure
despite
being weak.
I remember
growing up
one of the
elders in
our church,
a passionate
man with
a young
family,
thriving
career,
and a
real gift
in Bible
teaching.
At one
point he
was probably
preaching at
least every
second week,
if not
far more,
while holding
down his
career.
And then he
burnt out.
He had a
complete
breakdown.
Everything
got too
much,
and he
just could
not cope.
But I
remember one
Sunday morning
at the
breaking of
bread service,
him asking
us to sing
a song,
one that
communicated
the one
thing that
he was
still sure
of,
the one
thing he
knew he
could depend
on.
You probably
know the
song.
Jesus
loves me,
this I
know,
for the
Bible tells
me so.
Little ones
to him
belong.
We are
weak,
but he
is strong.
when he
hit rock
bottom,
there he
found the
love of
Christ.
I don't
know where
you are
in your
lives right
now.
I don't
know how
you are
coping with
the challenges
that this
year has
thrown at
us.
I don't
know where
your faith
is.
possibly
some of
you feel
that you
are almost
at that
rock
bottom.
But you
can rest
secure in
this,
that even
then,
even when
everything else
gives way,
there you
can find
the love
of Jesus.
So,
having seen
how Jesus
sees their
condition,
what
commands
are they
given?
Are they
told they
need to
do better?
Are they
told of
greater works
that are
required of
them?
No.
There's only
one command
that's given.
Hold on.
They're not
being asked
to do
anything
heroic
here,
just to
hold on
to what
they have.
He knows
they are
weak.
He knows
he can't
ask anything
more of
them,
and so
he doesn't.
There are
many great
things that
we can do
for Christ,
but none
is more
important than
this.
We can do
great works
of charity.
we can
preach the
gospel to
millions,
but what
matters
most is
are we
holding on
to what
we have?
Are we
clinging to
Jesus?
Is he
all that we
are depending
on?
If not,
then we've
completely
missed the
point.
But it's
important to
clarify our
salvation is
not dependent
on the
strength of
our grip.
Back in
Hogmanay last
year, I
was at the
watch night
service at
Greenview,
and the
person there
giving the
epilogue just
before the
bells talked
about how a
baby clings
on to
their mother
with their
little clenched
fists.
They see
security there,
and so they
hold on with
all their
strength.
But their
safety is
not dependent
on how
tightly they
hold on,
but on the
strength of
their mother's
arms that are
holding them.
We are told
to hold on,
but it is
his hands
that hold
us secure.
I think it's
also important
that we don't
use weakness
as an excuse.
It would be
so easy for
us to say,
yes, I'm
weak, that's
okay, and
use it as an
excuse for the
things that the
other churches
are condemned
for, for
loss of love,
for compromise,
for lukewarmness,
even for
being dead.
We're not
told you're
weak.
That's fine.
We're told
you're weak,
so hold on
tight.
Holding on is
not a passive
thing, but
it's an active
thing.
It's something
we must choose
to do each
day, to fix
our eyes on
him, to
confess our
dependence on
him, to
fill our
minds with
his word, to
fill our
hearts with
his praise, to
surround ourselves
with his
people, so
that when the
challenges of
life come, as
they will, we
can stand.
And so
finally, having
given them the
command to
hold on, what
promises does
he give them?
There are at
least six given
in this passage,
and I'll rattle
through them
pretty quickly.
The first
promise in
verse 9 is
that they will
be vindicated,
that those who
oppose them will
acknowledge their
salvation.
They will
acknowledge that
they were loved
all along.
At the end
of the day,
their faith will
be seen to
be well
founded.
Those who
questioned it
will be seen
for what they
were.
Liars.
The second
promise is
that they
were kept
from the
hour of
trial.
This can be
interpreted in
all sorts of
ways, depending
on your
understanding of
the rest of
the book.
book.
And if you
were hoping
for some
grand eschatology
from me here,
I'm sorry to
disappoint.
But whatever
deeper cosmic
meaning it may
have, this was
originally written
to a particular
church in a
particular time in
history.
history, what
did it mean to
them?
It definitely
didn't mean that
life would be
easy, and that
none of them
would suffer or
die.
It's reported
that a living
Christians from
Philadelphia were
martyred alongside
Polycarp in
155 AD.
But I think
partly what it
means is that
God knows what
they can handle.
Sometimes he
will take his
people through
the middle of
suffering and
give them the
strength to
endure.
Sometimes he
will take them
out and keep
them safe from
suffering.
Sometimes he
will take them
through death to
be with him.
But he knows
us.
He will not
test us beyond
what we can
bear.
He knew them.
He knew their
faithfulness, but
he also knew
their weakness.
And so he
will keep them
safe and
secure from
what was to
come.
His third
promise is
that he is
coming soon.
This is the
whole focus of
the book of
Revelation.
The promise
that he will
return.
The promise
that this is
not all that
there is.
The promise
that evil will
not go on
forever
unchecked.
The injustice
will be dealt
with.
He has gone
to prepare a
place for them
and he will
come again
to take them
to be with
him forever
in his
father's
house.
The fourth
promise is
that they
will be made
pillars in
the temple.
The image of
the people of
God being the
stones of a
temple is
used elsewhere
in the Bible.
But what's
interesting here
is that they
will be the
pillars.
Because the
pillars are
strong structural
elements that
hold the whole
building up.
Take them
away and the
whole thing
collapses.
And Jesus is
saying that this
church that has
little strength,
they will be the
key structural
elements in his
temple.
all throughout
the New
Testament, we
see how God
takes delight in
building his
church from an
unlikely group of
unqualified,
unsuitable, weak
failures.
Peter denied
him.
Paul persecuted
his people.
Others fled or
locked themselves in
an upper room in
terror.
God showed his
glory by building
his church with
such people.
And he still
does today.
I've probably
told this story
before, so
forgive me.
But I remember
when Tim was
applying to go to
the faith mission.
I had to fill out
a reference for
him.
The questions
they asked were
horrific.
They were
basically requiring
complete character
assassination.
But the one
question I
remember was the
last one, which
asked, do you
think this person
is suitable for
Christian service?
I'm not exactly
sure what answer
they were hoping
for.
But I answered
saying that all
Christians were
suitable for
Christian service.
in fact, that it
wasn't an
option, it was
an obligation.
That God has
always built his
church with
broken, weak
people.
And that the
only required
qualification was
being willing to
be used.
So we see here
that weakness is
not an excuse to
not let God use
you.
And then the
final couple of
promises relate
to names.
I'm sure we
all remember
going to school
with our names
written on
everything.
Pretty much
anything that
could move
would be
labelled.
Jumpers,
pencil cases,
lunch boxes,
jotters.
Don't know if
it was just our
family, but we
always took a
shaving of the
paint off a
pencil so that
you could write
our names on to
the side of our
pencils.
These labels were
not for decoration,
but to make it
clear who these
things belonged
to.
And it's the
same here.
He promises
that they will
have his name
written on
them.
He is claiming
ownership.
He is saying
to them,
you belong
to me.
You are
mine.
But he also
says that he
will write on
them the name
of the city
of God,
the new
Jerusalem.
He's not just
putting a name
label on them,
but also a
return address.
they have a
home.
And that
home is not
Philadelphia.
He's echoing
here the
promises that
would come in
Revelation 21,
which Graham
took us to
last week.
If you've not
listened to that
sermon, I
highly recommend
that you do.
But those
promises that
the dwelling of
God will be
with men,
that he will
be their God,
and that
they will
be his
people.
And so
that is
what the
ideal church
looks like.
The one
you should
get involved
with.
They may be
weak.
They may have
opposition,
but they are
faithful.
Their salvation
is secure,
and they
are loved,
and that
is all
they need.
He calls
them to
hold on,
and weak
as they
are,
he will
use them
to build
his church.
He tells
them that
they are
his,
and that
he will
take them
home.
back at
that service
in
Hogmanay,
we went
into the
new year
singing one
of the
songs that
we listened
to earlier.
At that
point,
we had no
idea what
2020 would
bring.
Yes,
we'd maybe
heard reports
of this new
virus over in
China,
but it
was distant
news of
something
at the other
side of the
world that
didn't really
affect us.
Little did
we know
that everything
was about
to change,
but these
are the words
that we
sang.
When I
fear my
faith will
fail,
Christ
will hold
me fast.
When the
tempter would
prevail,
he will
hold me
fast.
I could
never keep
my hold
through life's
fearful path,
for my
love is
often cold.
he must
hold me
fast.
Those he
saves are
his delight,
Christ
will hold
me fast.
Precious
in his
holy sight,
he will
hold me
fast.
He'll not
let my
soul be
lost.
His promises
shall last,
bought by
him at
such a
cost.
He will
hold me
fast.
So as we
head rapidly
to the
end of
this year
and into
the next
with a
mix of
hope and
trepidation,
that is
what matters.
Are we
clinging to
the one
who is
faithful,
to the one
who will
hold us
fast?
Amen.