So this morning we're in the book of Revelation, chapter 3.
We're going to be taking a look at this letter to the church of Philadelphia.
For the last five weeks, we've been making our way through these seven letters
that Jesus commanded the Apostle John to send out in this circuit
around the territory of Asia Minor, which is modern-day Turkey,
so a little bit northwest of the country of Israel.
And John, of course, we know is on the island of Patmos,
not because he likes vacationing, but because of his faithful witness to the word.
He's been exiled there.
The testimony he has made about Jesus has not gone over well,
and he has been sent away.
And yet, his work is not over.
In fact, he is to continue bearing witness to the faithful witness, Jesus Christ.
So John has been writing these letters,
dictating the words of Jesus to these seven churches.
And as we've seen in the last five weeks, it's a mixed bag with these churches.
So far, all but one have been rebuked in some way,
chastised in some way by Jesus for their lack of faithfulness to him.
Some churches are tolerating false teaching,
the teaching of the Nicolaitans or the false prophetess Jezebel.
Others are compromising their holiness and befriending the world.
Ephesus, the first church we looked at, has lost its first love.
They've been doing all the right things,
but there's no love and affection for the risen King Jesus.
Smyrna is the only church so far that has been praised by Jesus without any sort of correction.
And Jesus says that they can expect in the near future imprisonment and death as a reward for their faithfulness.
Each letter concludes with Jesus' promise to each and every person who overcomes,
who remains faithful to him.
And these promises are incredible.
Eternal joy in the presence of God,
established as his people,
possessed by the Lord Jesus,
and on and on they go.
So all of these letters share this call by Jesus to overcome.
And they share the authoritative word of Jesus and his knowledge of the works of these churches.
And all of them come with a promise of some sort of conflict in this life.
For those churches being faithful to Jesus,
they can expect conflict with the world.
And for those churches who are compromising their loyalty to Jesus,
they can expect to be in conflict with him.
So today we look at the Church of Philadelphia.
Lucas, thank you, brother, for reading this for us today.
Because God's word is what's important,
I want to read it to us again,
not because of Lucas' poor job,
but because the word is sufficient for us.
I'd rather you hear it than me.
So follow along as I read for us again
the letter to the Church of Philadelphia.
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,
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.
I know your works.
Behold, I have set before you an open door
which no one is able to shut.
I know that you have but little power.
And yet you have kept my word
and have not denied my name.
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.
Because you have kept the word
about my patient endurance,
I will keep you from the hour of trial
that is coming on the whole world
to try those who dwell on the earth.
I am coming soon.
Hold fast what you have
so that no one may seize your crown.
The one who conquers,
I will make him a pillar
in the temple of my God.
Never shall he go out of it.
And 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.
He who has an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit says
to the churches.
In this letter,
we see Jesus
commending the church of Philadelphia
for their faithfulness to him.
It is this commendation
that leads us to the main point
of what Jesus is getting at
for us today.
Hear this, church.
Jesus is calling us
to exalt him
in word
and in deed
until the end.
Jesus is calling us
to exalt him,
to lift him high,
to glorify his name
here and now
in both our word
and in our deeds
until the end.
We're going to see this
worked out
by just walking
through this letter
like we would
any other letter.
Any good letter,
of course,
has a dear so-and-so,
I'm writing to you
and then
sort of the body
of the letter
with the main content.
So we're going to take a look
at the introduction
found in verse 7
and then we're going to walk
through the body
of the letter
found in verses 8 to 12.
So first the introduction.
The recipient of this letter
we read in verse 7
is to the angel
of the church
in Philadelphia.
So this is
a church
in the city of Philadelphia,
not Pennsylvania,
the one over
in the Middle East region.
A city that,
by God's grace,
has a local body
of believers.
People have heard
of the good news
of the life,
death,
and resurrection
of Jesus Christ
and have forsaken
the world
and allied themselves
with Him.
And it's a church
that Jesus loves
very much
and wants to speak to
for their benefit.
So a bit of background
about this city.
A couple things
to keep in mind
and we'll see them
worked out a little bit
in how Jesus
speaks to this church.
First,
there was a,
the region
was on a fault line
and there were
earthquakes
that regularly
unsettled this region
of the world.
In fact,
the last church
we looked at,
Sardis,
in AD 17,
there was an earthquake
that kind of hit
about right on top
of that city,
but it had this
lasting,
devastating effect
for the people
of Philadelphia.
Aftershock
after aftershock
after aftershock,
year after year
after year
to where a lot
of the city
crumbled.
And in fact,
the citizens
of Philadelphia
had to appeal
to the Roman Empire
for government
assistance to come
and rebuild
their land.
Fortunately for them,
Rome agreed to this.
In part,
probably because
of the nickname
this city was given.
Philadelphia was called
the Gateway
to the East.
It was a strategic city
in the eyes
of the Roman Empire
that would spread
their culture
and their philosophy
and their way of life
deep into the reaches
of Asia Minor.
It was a strategic city.
So that's who
is receiving the letter
and that's kind of
the city they live in.
And now we turn
and see who's writing
this letter.
In fact,
who's speaking this letter
that John records.
Of course,
it's Jesus himself
and we see in verse 7
how he describes himself.
And as with all
of these letters,
the way that Jesus
describes himself
matters to this
particular church
at this particular time.
He picks up
on the vision
that John sees
of him in chapter 1
and he's picking out
specific things
about that vision
to reveal about himself
to these individual churches.
Here Jesus leads out
the words of the Holy One.
This is a term
we instantly recognize
from the Old Testament
to be reserved
exclusively for God.
Jesus pulls no punches.
He self-identifies
as God.
He is the Holy One.
And he continues,
the true one
springs to our mind
things of faithfulness
and reliability
that Jesus
is claiming
to be trustworthy.
John calls him
the faithful witness
in chapter 1,
verse 5
and we know
that his faithful witness
to his father
cost him his life.
Jesus is telling
the truth
every single time
he opens his mouth.
This Jesus has,
we keep reading,
the key of David.
David.
Well we've seen
this key language
in the vision
of chapter 1
where Jesus says
in verse 18
I have the keys
of death
and Hades.
And here it's
the key of David.
Key is always
significant
speaking of authority.
So it says
essentially
that Jesus says
I have the key
of David
just like I have
the key
of death
and Hades.
I have authority
over life
and death.
I have authority
over eternity.
And David
specifically
is speaking
of the eternal
kingdom of God.
Jesus rules over it
as its exclusive
king.
He says
this authority
allows him
to open doors
that no one
can shut
and shut doors
that no one opens.
Jesus holds
exclusive rights
over matters
of life and death.
Friend,
if you want
into the kingdom
of heaven
Jesus alone
grants access.
In fact,
he himself
is the access
into the kingdom
of heaven.
He shed his blood
and died
for all who would
enter
by faith in him.
Even this introduction
it just continues
to speak
of his call
to us
to exalt
him
to the end.
So,
we know now
who this letter
is written to
and who is
writing the letter,
who is speaking
the letter.
Now,
we turn to the body
starting in verse 8
and what's he want
this church
to know.
Look at verse 8.
The first words
Jesus makes
is a claim.
Like every single letter,
all seven of them,
the first thing
he leads in
after the introduction
is I know
your works.
It's still true today.
Jesus is still
in the midst
of all of his churches
and he still knows
the works
of all of his churches.
So,
for us,
if before God
our conscience
is clear
and we
know
that we are
seeking to be faithful,
this brings joy
and gratitude
and a peace
that surpasses
understanding.
but if we are
compromising
in any way,
this should bring
terror
if we understand it,
that Jesus still
today knows
our works.
He's not far off.
He's not aloof.
He hasn't taken a nap.
He knows.
But his knowledge
is not here
intended to just
keep us in the dark.
It's intended
for us to come
in repentance
and bow before him
confessing
and finding the grace
of forgiveness.
He knows
our works
too,
church.
And we'll
jump over
this next
sentence
in verse 8
for a minute,
the behold,
to pick back up
on how Jesus
is going to
describe the works
of this church.
I know your works
and then he picks
back up,
I know,
and he gives
three little pieces
of knowledge
about this church
and their works.
first,
I know that you
have but little
power,
and yet you
have kept my word
and have not
denied my name.
Now this,
of course,
is not the kind
of church
that is going
to be praised
by man's wisdom.
They're weak.
They don't have
much ability.
Maybe it's because
there weren't
very many Christians
in Philadelphia.
Maybe it's an
intelligence thing
or a social
status thing,
but for whatever
reason,
this church is weak.
And Jesus just
moves right past it.
He doesn't bring
a hammer down.
He doesn't say,
how dare you,
you weaklings.
He commends them.
He praises them
because they've
kept his word
and not denied
his name.
They're being praised
for faithfulness
to Jesus
in spite of
their weakness.
In fact,
it probably
even contributed
to their being
able to praise
him and honor
him with their
lives.
Second Corinthians,
Jesus tells Paul,
my power is made
perfect in weakness.
It's not something
to be ashamed of.
Jesus does not
harass them over it.
He commends them
for their faithfulness.
And notice that
it's a specific
faithfulness.
Right?
There's this,
you've kept my word
and you have not
denied my name.
They've been lifting
high the name of
Jesus.
They've been exalting
their first love,
refusing to compromise
or tolerate any sort
of outside influences
other than the voice
and name and person
of Jesus,
their Lord.
There's no hint
of false teaching
that they are
welcoming into
their church.
Jesus commends
them,
well done.
In saying that
they've kept
his word,
he intends to say
that you've been
living for me,
you're living your
life for my
namesake.
And you've aligned
your life such
with my word.
You're obeying
my word.
And that second
half of their
faithfulness is,
you have not
denied my name.
They've been
identifying verbally
and audibly
to identifying
with Jesus.
us.
We should not
see in this
simply avoiding
denying him
as if,
if faced with
death or denial,
they choose
death.
But they're
active in this.
They're proclaiming
Jesus' name because
Jesus hasn't
mentioned anything
about death
in our letter,
and yet we see
in verse 9
that there's
opposition.
This is an
advancing of
Jesus' name,
friends,
not just avoiding
denying it.
Though they're
being opposed
by this group
from the synagogue
of Satan,
though they are
exalting Jesus'
name and trouble
is coming upon
them,
Jesus praises
their faithfulness.
And that's
pretty much all
he says about
their works.
It's so
interesting.
There's no
correction,
there's no
criticism,
there's no,
you're doing
pretty good,
but if you
just add
this thing,
you'll be
really good.
It's just,
good job,
you're being
faithful.
That's why in
verse 11 he
simply just says,
hold fast,
stay the course.
Church of
Philadelphia was
on the right
track.
They were doing
what they were
supposed to be
doing,
and Jesus
praises them
for their
faithfulness.
But obviously
we haven't
finished the
letter,
there's much
more text
in front of
us,
so what we
need to see
is that
after Jesus
says,
I know your
works,
the rest of
this letter
really brings
Jesus to
center stage.
And he says,
I know your
works,
and now I
want you to
know my
works.
What I've
already done,
and what I'm
about to do,
and what I
will do at
the end.
So that's how
we're going to
proceed through
the rest.
We're going to
focus on
Jesus and
his activity
that he
reveals to
this church,
and all of
it,
friends,
all of it
is meant to
encourage and
motivate all
of God's
people to
faithfulness to
Jesus, to
continue exalting
him in word and
deed with our
whole lives until
the very end.
So first,
back in verse
8, that behold
that we jumped
over earlier,
we go back
there to see
that Jesus has
done something
for this
church that's
quite remarkable.
He says,
Behold,
look,
see,
I've set
before you an
open door which
no one is able
to shut.
This immediately
should start
triggering the
introduction,
the person of
Jesus who has
the key of
David and
opens doors no
one can shut,
shuts doors no
one can open.
remember he's
the true one
so he's
trustworthy at
this word and
so we need to
ask, what's
this door?
There's some
reason to see it
as an opportunity
for ministry,
that Jesus is
opening this
door for the
Philadelphia
church, though
they're weak,
to advance the
gospel, to
somehow be on
mission and to
see that their
work is rewarded
in faithfulness.
The Apostle
Paul uses this
kind of language
at the end of
some of his
letters to
churches saying,
please pray for
us that God
would open a
door for the
advancement of
the gospel.
And Philadelphia
after all is the
gateway to the
east.
They're poised to
be a gospel
headquarters to
get this news
out throughout
Asia Minor,
not advancing
Greek culture but
advancing the good
news about Jesus.
So I think a
little bit of
what's going on
in this door
quite possibly is
this opportunity
that Jesus has
set before the
church.
We could point
to those kind of
opportunities in
our midst,
can't we church?
There are
faithful people of
our congregations
serving children,
both our own
children and those
of our communities.
Every Sunday,
a couple guys
make breakfast,
a couple more,
preach the word
of God to anyone
from the community
who comes in and
wants to be with
us.
These are doors that
God has opened for
us to advance his
name in the city.
And there are many
more, individual
after individual
after individual,
can testify to
this reality in our
lives because God
wants Jesus' name
exalted here in
Kenosha, in our
midst, and everywhere
in this city.
He wants this to
happen, church.
And he's entrusted
us with this good
news.
But there's also,
I think, an even
more significant
piece to this door
language that Jesus
uses here.
So, setting aside
the very real
reality that there
are doors of
opportunity in our
midst, let's
consider again
what he means.
In verse 7,
Jesus calls
himself the
true one.
And in verse 9,
he calls this,
the local Jews
in the city of
Philadelphia,
a synagogue of
Satan who are,
in fact,
liars.
the door language
is really
answering the
question, who
is it that
holds the key
to the kingdom
of God?
Is it the
ethnic Israelites
who have received
the law of God?
Or is it God's
son, Jesus
Christ?
Imagine this news
from Jesus if you
were among the
Christians in
Philadelphia.
You're being
harassed,
slandered,
perhaps even
violently persecuted
by the local Jews
who are zealous
for God,
but misplaced.
And you hear
from Jesus,
fellowship with
God in his
kingdom is
mine to
give,
and I have
opened the
door to you.
That's the
door.
Entry into
the kingdom
of heaven where
we will
fellowship with
the risen King
Jesus forever.
Jesus alone
holds the key
to that place,
and he himself
accomplishes the
work needed for
all of God's
people to
enter.
God's
love.
So this
open door is
referencing the
access that the
people of God
have to his
eternal kingdom.
Jesus has
opened it,
and remember,
no one
will shut it.
Jesus continues
from,
I want you to
know about my
past work,
to I want you to
know about this
future work,
and he's going to
kind of move in
stages from
near to far,
or soon to
down the road.
Verse 9,
we've already
looked at who
these people are
that are
persecuting the
church of
Philadelphia,
but we need to
see what Jesus
promises will
happen, what
will come of
them.
Notice the
repetition of
behold, I will
make, in
verse 9.
Second, behold,
I will make,
we see that I
will make them
come and bow
down before
your feet, and
they will learn
that I have
loved you.
Isn't that
remarkable?
The very enemies
of God's people
in this city will
come and bow
down at their
feet.
That's an
incredible promise
for people facing
such opposition.
confession.
I imagine that
Jesus is
particularly excited
about these
words, not
because of the
eventual end
times triumph of
God over all of
his enemies, but
because of what
he's been getting
at throughout this
letter that I want
us to see so
clearly.
He might be
speaking about the
last judgment,
when all of God's
enemies and God's
people will be
vindicated, when
God's people will
be shown to be
true and all of
God's enemies shown
to be false.
Maybe.
There's reason to
think that Jesus
has a much more
glorious image
on his mind.
Jesus is saying
that the fruit of
faithful witness
will be salvation
for the enemies
of God.
You will see
your enemies
come to faith,
not all of them,
but some of them,
because you're
remaining faithful
to the name
of Jesus.
The reward of
the church of
Philadelphia's
faithfulness to
Jesus is new
believers from
old enemies.
Jesus.
It's a church
not tolerating
falsehood.
It's a church
not befriending
the world.
And once again,
right, once again
we see that the
foolishness of
God triumphs over
the wisdom of
men at every
single turn.
This weak
church, this
unable church,
by their
faithfulness, is
winning converts
to Jesus.
It's glorious.
Does anybody
need that today?
Friends, it is
always, always
wholehearted,
fiery faithfulness
to Jesus that
bears fruit.
We ought to
praise God for
the fruit of the
faithful witness of
our brothers and
sisters in
Philadelphia.
But Jesus isn't
done.
He's just kind of
getting started
actually.
He's going to go
in verse 10 and
share his promise
for this church.
If you look there,
you'll notice this
connection.
It's because you
have kept, I will
keep you.
Jesus foretells an
hour of trial that
is coming upon the
whole world.
And just a quick
note that when
Revelation uses
those who dwell on
the earth,
thanks Billy,
he always is
referring to the
non-believers.
But Jesus here is
not focused primarily
on the non-believers.
He's focused on his
promise to the
church and he says,
because you have
kept my word,
I will guard you
in the hour of
trial.
Jesus protects,
keeps, guards
those who keep
his word.
period.
It's why he says in
verse 11,
hold fast,
that no one may
take your crown.
This is a matter of
life and death.
The victory crowned at
the end of this race is
eternal life in the
presence and glory of
God.
So hold fast.
Christ.
And then Jesus moves
us way out into the
end of all things
future in verse 12.
He arrives at the
time when future just
moves right into
eternity.
The time when the
need of endurance
ceases to exist.
The time when those
who have conquered
rest forever.
And it's because
Jesus has conquered
and there remain no
enemies for him to
defeat.
There's two elements
to the promise to the
one who conquers in
verse 12.
A permanent residence
in God's house and
being possessed by
Jesus forever.
forever.
This would be
particularly sweet
news for a city
being pummeled by
earthquakes.
This infrastructure
is shaken.
Requiring frequent
evacuation of the
very city that they
call home for safety
reasons.
And Jesus says,
I will make the one
who overcomes a
pillar in the temple
of my God.
Pillars do not
move.
They're unshakable.
And never shall he
go out of it again.
It's permanent.
A permanent fixture,
permanent place of
prominence in the
unshakable house of
God for the one who
overcomes.
And for a church
likely having been
shut out of the
city synagogues and
shut out of
family and friends
who've disowned
them, Jesus says,
you'll be mine
forever.
You belong to me.
The ultimate end for
all those who exalt
Jesus now will be
everlasting joy then.
Named by the Lord
Jesus and possessed
by him.
I hope you're seeing
that throughout this
letter, Jesus is
calling us,
Christ the King
Church in Kenosha,
Wisconsin in 2018,
Jesus is calling us
to exalt him in word
and in deed until the
end.
to lift his name
high, to speak with
affection for him, to
do good to others.
So how do we do
this?
In the last, in the
remaining time, I want
to try and answer this
question for us.
How do we do this?
The simple answer is we
open our mouths and we
live for him.
We speak with joy about
the testimonies of God's
grace that he has
gifted to us in Christ.
We share with others
that Jesus is the King
of Kings and the Lord
of Lords.
That he shed his blood
for sinners like us.
That he is risen and
radiant and reigning now
and forever.
forever.
And we live for him.
We follow his example.
We show compassion to
our neighbors.
We seek the well-being
and the interest of
others.
Those in life groups
studying 1 Peter, you'll
recognize this one.
We don't repay evil for
evil or reviling for
reviling.
But on the contrary, we
bless.
For to this we've been
called.
It's clear, right?
It's simple.
But it's nowhere near
easy.
Jesus is so clear what
he's calling us to.
And yet this is really
hard work, church, isn't
it?
We know this.
And there are many ways
that we can talk ourselves
out of this and that we
can shrink back from this.
And our text gives us
three traps that we must
avoid.
Three traps that we must
avoid.
There's one in verse 8,
one in verse 9, and one
in verse 10.
When Jesus says in verse
8, I know your works, you
have but little power.
There's a trap that we all
face of focusing on our
own abilities or lack
thereof.
The risen Jesus
identifies this in the
church of Philadelphia that
you don't have much
strength and yet what does
he say?
He's not bothered by it.
Because the salvation of
sinners is not in human
ability.
It requires someone to
open a door that is
beyond us and our
human
abilities.
So we must not fall into
the trap of focusing on
ourselves as we seek to
exalt Jesus in word and
deed until the end.
We won't get very far if we
fall into that trap.
Second trap from verse 9 is
the trap of focusing on our
current opposition.
opposition.
There were Jewish citizens in
Philadelphia that were
opposing the church of God.
And it's easy to shrink back in
the midst of opposition.
We know this.
The devil who prowls around like a
roaring lion loves to knock the
church of Jesus off course.
He's well equipped.
He's seeking to harm and
unsettle God's people at every
turn.
He wants the opposition that we
face here in Kenosha and
wherever our relationships are
found.
He wants that opposition to
silence us.
Or to get us on the defensive.
Shrinking back from faithfulness
to Jesus.
He wants to quiet our witness
and perhaps produce compromise
and blending in with the world
that's against our Lord.
There are many enemies.
Many who oppose the kingdom of
God and his righteousness.
But we must not focus on the
opposition.
It's a trap that will be our
undoing.
There's one more trap from verse
10 and it's the trap of focusing
out into the future.
The worry about what's ahead.
The opposition that maybe we
aren't facing right now but you
can see the storm clouds kind of
gathering and moving in on the
horizon.
Jesus knows about that too,
doesn't he?
Verse 10, we see that there's an
hour of trial that's coming upon
the whole world.
We cannot let future trials,
concerns about what might be,
become a trap to us.
We all know about how it is,
right, to fear the immediate
fallout from opening our mouth
to share Jesus with somebody.
We can go, oh, I just read
something from the Psalms this
morning that's so relevant to
what this person is sharing and I
just, God, help me remember it so
I can share it with my non-believing
co-worker.
And then it's like this default
switch that just flips in us,
isn't it?
It's like, but if you do that,
what will they say?
How will they respond to that?
How will that go over with your
boss and your employers and your
other friends in the office?
And now you're risking so much
here.
It's this immediate future we can
get scared off by but we also,
if we look out beyond, I mean,
what is to come of us in the next
five or ten or fifteen years?
Does any of us really know?
Maybe things will start looking
up, but it might be just as
reasonable to expect things are
getting worse.
And if we focus out there on the
potential dangers that await us,
we've been snared yet again.
Jesus helps us, friends, in this
text see where our focus must be,
on Him.
He opens doors that no one can
shut.
He grants salvation to enemies like
you and me and wants to grant it to
more and more and more.
He uses the faithful church to
glorify and exalt His name.
He always has and He always will.
Our eyes must be on Him if we are to
exalt Him.
We cannot focus on the traps of
inability or circumstances, present or
future, because they will always throw
us off course.
So let us fix our eyes on Jesus,
today and always.
Brothers and sisters serving in King's
place, you fix your eyes on Jesus.
You stand fast.
Stay the course.
Breakfast team,
same.
Stay the course.
Exalt Jesus.
For all of us,
Mike has invited us to pray for 10 new
believers this year,
that before the end of our ministry
year in June,
we would have 10 new people in this
room with arms raised,
praising God.
If we don't bear witness to Jesus,
how will that happen?
Teachers,
you who are in what seems like hopeless
situations,
do not focus on the circumstances.
Fix your eyes on Jesus and press on.
Press on.
Friends,
there's one last thing I want to share
with us.
It's found in verse 10.
I've been really excited about this
all week.
It's both
convicting
and so encouraging.
John calls Jesus
the faithful witness
back in chapter 1.
And this text
is telling us today,
our text from Philadelphia,
that we need to let Jesus
lead us.
We need to let Jesus
define faithfulness
for us.
If you look at verse 10,
this phrase,
my word about
patient endurance.
See that phrase there?
If you're one that marks up your Bible,
I'd invite you to circle the my
and draw an arrow
in front of the word
patient endurance.
The my that Jesus
is talking about here
is not
you've kept my word.
The my that Jesus
is speaking about here
is about
his own
patient endurance.
Church of Philadelphia,
Jesus says,
you have kept
the word
about
my
endurance.
That's how it should read.
Because you have kept
the word
about
my
patient endurance.
And in that,
we see the example
of our king,
don't we?
His patient
endurance
defines
how we
understand
our own
patient
endurance.
Jesus'
patient
endurance,
perhaps,
we're,
we realize
this is unfortunate
because it's scary
as we start talking
about what
he's getting at,
but he was not
patiently enduring
like somebody
who prepares
to board up
their house
because the
hurricane's coming.
no one
would
think that
about Jesus
when we read
of his life.
This is not
an endurance
that says,
well,
let's hunker down,
just kind of
ride out
the storm.
Jesus'
patient
endurance
was a day
after day
proclaiming
of the kingdom
of God.
See,
the
Philadelphian
church
keeping
the word
about his
faithful
endurance
is keeping
the gospel
of a suffering
crucified
Messiah.
You can't
keep that
to yourself
and be
faithfully
enduring
in light
of this
passage.
We can't.
The
faithful
endurance
of Jesus
is a
see,
we're
going up
to Jerusalem
kind of
patient
endurance.
We know
what happened
there.
Jesus says,
the Son of
Man will
be handed
over,
betrayed
into the
hands of
men,
mocked
and flogged
and crucified.
And then
three days
later,
he will
be raised.
His
patient
endurance
was a
life of
opposition
from the
world.
From the
synagogue
of Satan
on a
large
scale.
It's no
wonder,
right,
church,
that he
says to
his people
over and
over again
things like,
do not be
surprised if
the world
hates you,
hated me
first,
or a
servant is
not above
his master.
If they
persecute you,
it's only
because they've
persecuted me.
It's why the
Apostle Paul
understands suffering
so clearly
and can
say,
all who
desire to
live a
godly life
in Christ
Jesus will
be persecuted
because Jesus'
patient endurance
was to the
cross.
Friends,
we endure
patiently the
opposition of
the world by
exalting
Jesus in
spite of
inability,
opposition,
whether it's
current or
future.
not by
boarding
things up
and hunkering
down for
the storm.
This is not
a passive
patient
endurance.
This is an
advancing of
the kingdom
patient
endurance
met with
opposition at
every side.
Jesus
leaves us an
example and
then says,
if anyone
would come
after me,
let him
deny himself,
take up his
cross,
and follow
me.
That's our
example,
church.
The
faithful,
patient
endurance
of our
crucified
king.
And just
so we're
clear,
his example
is also
our
salvation.
Jesus
patiently
endured the
cross,
despising
its shame
so that he
might win
sons and
daughters for
his father.
The innocent
dying for the
guilty so that
the guilty may
go free and
find the open
door into the
kingdom of
heaven forever
for them.
Sinners
deserving of
wrath,
welcomed into
the household
of God,
established as
pillars forever,
conquerors,
not because of
our merit,
but because of
Christ and
his grace
forever.
He is the
author and
perfecter of
our faith.
So church,
let us exalt
him in word
and deed until
the very,
very end.
let the one
who has an
ear hear what
the spirit
says to the
churches.
Amen.