Oh, thanks once again for inviting me to come and be with you this morning.
I've heard many great things about Brunsford Evangelical from John, from Graham, and for those who come here.
And it's a real joy, and I mean that sincerely, to actually be with you, worshipping God with you this morning.
Now, if you've got a Bible, why don't you grab one of these Bibles there?
Why don't you turn to Revelation 3?
Revelation 3, chapter 7. We're going to read this in a minute or so.
But before we do that, I'm sure it has not escaped your attention that right now, Edinburgh is part of the largest arts festival in the world.
We have the Edinburgh Fringe on our doorstep right now.
You cannot walk down the Royal Mile without getting flyers thrust in your face,
and people inviting you to come see improvised sketch comedy, and all sorts of stuff like that.
But as you walk down the Royal Mile, it's also very hard to escape your attention the kind of society that we today live in.
It's not very hard, when looking at the shows that are on the offer, to see just what this society praises,
what this society seeks, what this society desires, what this society affirms.
I don't know if this year I'm more aware of it or not, but the posters I've seen up in the Royal Mile and elsewhere in Edinburgh,
and the obscenities on these posters seem to have increased over the years.
You see, when you look at what the popular shows are at the Fringe today,
we become all too aware of the godless society in now which we live.
I've seen a few shows on the Fringe, and I can count, I think I've seen two shows
that have not included either swearing, nudity, or blasphemy.
It's very hard to find a good show that doesn't contain these three things.
But as we've seen these shows, as we've seen the different plays on the Fringe,
another thing struck me.
It's that everyone is desperate to try and find some answers.
People are desperate to find out what it is to be human.
What is this life really all about?
And people are trying to find the answers in the wrong places.
I went to see a play this week at the Traverse Theatre,
and it was dealing with issues of loneliness,
and humans seeking to find some form of connection with other people.
But yet they're chasing after that connection completely in the wrong places.
And this play offered absolutely no answers.
Because, you see, our godless society doesn't have the answers to the big questions
that we are seeking to find out.
Now, we might think, oh, that's great.
As a church, that's fantastic, because we now have the opportunity
to step in there and offer the answers we believe we find in Jesus Christ.
Great opportunity, and you're absolutely right.
We do have lots of opportunities to make Christ known in Edinburgh.
The more secular our society becomes,
the more opportunity the church has to point people to Christ.
But here's my question.
As a church,
do we not feel
like we're just not making that much of an impact upon our city?
We have 500,000 people on our doorstep.
I know that Charlotte Chapel, last year,
we saw about six people come to faith
for the whole year.
Praise the Lord for every one of these souls
that went from death to life,
but we want to see more, do we not?
We've got half a million people there
who are completely lost at this moment.
Do we not get tired?
People looking at you a bit weird
because you believe all this God stuff.
Do you not feel tired that people judge you
and look at you with disgust
because you believe in biblical marriage?
Do we not get tired feeling like our voices are not being heard,
or when they are heard,
they're mocked and ridiculed?
Do we not get tired that because
we're a church that holds to the Bible's teaching,
we're seen to be,
at best, irrelevant to society,
or at worst, a dangerous threat?
Does it not feel like sometimes
it's just easier to pack this all in?
To stop telling people about Christ
just to have that easy, quiet life?
I'm tempted by that.
And I'm sure many of us today
are also tempted by that.
Does it not feel like we are just too weak?
Too weak to make Christ known in Edinburgh and beyond.
So what should we do about this?
How should a Bible-centred church
in the 21st century Edinburgh
respond to our increasingly godless society?
What does God have to say about all this?
Well, to find out,
we're going to look at an ancient letter
to an ancient church
written in an ancient book.
Because we believe that this ancient book,
the Bible,
is God's living word.
That it's just as relevant to us today
in 21st century Edinburgh
as it was to those in the 1st century.
And because what we're experiencing today
is not all that different
to what the church has experienced
over the past 2,000 years.
Now, as has already been healthily said
throughout this series,
the key to the letters in the churches
in Revelation
is not to pick out which church
we are most like,
but it's to see
what Jesus commends about these churches
and what he condemns about these churches,
put that together,
and we get a bigger picture
of what Jesus thinks
is a healthy, faithful church.
Because after all,
the opinion that matters most about church
is the head of the church,
Jesus Christ.
So that mind,
go to Revelations 3, verse 7.
Before we get to it,
I am going to come to this, by the way.
But I want to give you
a little bit more context first
before we come to this, okay?
Now this,
we've now reached in our series,
The Letter to Philadelphia.
Now a few things to say
about Philadelphia
before we read this letter.
First of all,
Philadelphia is not found
in the U.S. of A.
and it's not the hometown
of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,
nor is it a letter
written to a cream cheese factory.
Philadelphia is actually found
in Asia Minor,
what we now know today
as Turkey.
And you can still visit it today.
It's got a different name now.
It's called Alasihur,
I think.
Alasihur.
Something like that.
But you can still visit that
on the west coast of Turkey.
Now the surrounding area,
very fertile,
it was renowned for its grapes,
for its winemaking,
but it was also a city
that was known
for its pagan festivals.
The people of Philadelphia
were very much
into worshipping gods.
They worshipped the gods of Olympus
as well as their own local gods.
In fact,
the nickname for Philadelphia
was Little Athens
because of their many
worships of gods.
Now it's to the church
of Philadelphia
that's written a letter.
This letter is written
that the Philadelphian church
is the youngest
of our seven churches
and it's perhaps
the weakest
of our seven churches.
If you had a line-up
of all seven churches
of Philadelphia,
all the church of Revelation,
sorry,
Philadelphia would be
the last to get picked.
You know,
you'd have the more established
Ephesian church,
probably the team captain
with its great work ethic,
it doesn't get weary.
Then you've got Pergamum
with the vice-captain
because she has
a faithful witness.
And then you get down the line,
at the end of the line,
there's no one left to be picked
and you have little old Philadelphia,
the youngest and the weakest,
who are not really
all that much to look at.
Other churches
are more like the Royal Marines,
Philadelphia is more like
Dad's army.
Here is a small church
that's struggling
to make an impact
in a city.
A church that faced
great opposition
from the local people
as well as the local Jews.
This was a church
that was denied entry
into the local synagogue
by the Jews.
This was a church
lacking in strength,
a church that was all
to wear of its own weakness
and insecurity,
and a church
that needs to be strengthened.
So with that in mind,
let's finally read
Revelations chapter 3,
verse 7.
To the angel of the church
in Philadelphia write,
These are the words of him
who is holy and true,
who holds the key of David.
What he opens,
no one can shut,
and what he shuts,
no one can open.
I know your deeds.
See, I have placed before you
an open door
that no one can shut.
I know that you have
little strength,
yet you have kept my word,
and have not denied my name.
I will make those
who are of the synagogue of Satan,
who claim to be Jews,
though they are not,
but are liars,
I will make them come
and fall down at your feet
and acknowledge
that I have loved you.
Since you have kept
my command to endure
patiently,
I will also keep you
from the hour of trial
that is going to come
upon the whole world
to test those
who live on the earth.
I am coming soon.
Hold on to what you have
so that no one
will take your crown.
Him who overcomes,
I will make a pillar
in the temple of my God.
Never again will he leave it.
I will write on him
the name of my God
and the name of the city
of my God,
the new Jerusalem,
which is coming down
out of heaven
from my God.
And I will also write on him
my new name.
He who has an ear,
let him hear
what the Spirit says
to the churches.
This is God's Word.
What a letter we have here.
What a wonderful letter
filled with encouragement
and wonderful promises
for this weak
yet faithful
little church.
See, unlike the other
letters we've seen,
this letter
does not contain
one single rebuke.
There's only two letters
that don't have a rebuke.
The other being
Sismarina
and this one here.
Not a single rebuke.
See,
to this church
Jesus says,
yes,
you are weak
but you are a faithful church
and I love you
and I will keep you.
So what was it
about Philadelphia
that made them
so faithful?
What is it about them
that we can learn
from them today?
Well,
the first thing
and perhaps the biggest thing
that we can learn
is that they have
a small view
of themselves
and a big view
of who Christ is.
a small view
of themselves
and a big view
of who the risen
Lord Savior
Jesus Christ is.
They, like Jesus,
knew they were weak.
They knew they were struggling
in the face of persecution,
suffering,
and discrimination.
But they also knew
who Jesus was.
They knew
that he was worth it
to stay faithful to him.
That is why
there's nothing but praise
and affirmation
towards this weak
yet faithful
little church.
You see,
I think the reason,
or one of the reasons
why we get so easily tired
when it comes to
reaching Edinburgh
for the gospel
is because we're trying
to do things on our own.
It's because we're trying
to do things
by our own efforts
and we've forgotten
just who it is
that we serve.
We've lost sight
of just how big he is.
We serve the almighty God.
We serve the almighty God
who's the creator
of all things.
We serve the risen
Lord Jesus Christ
who died on a cross
to take the punishment
for our sins
and yet rose,
three days later,
rose back to life.
We serve the living God
who defeated death itself.
Yet too often
we try and do things
by our own esteem.
Too often we depend
and rely upon ourselves
than lean upon
the almighty God
who can do all things.
But when we think
like that,
we fall into the trap
of thinking too much
of ourselves
and too little
of God.
we forget
what Paul says
in Corinthians.
Think of what you were
when you were called.
Not many of you
were wise
by human standards.
Not many influential.
Not many of you
were of noble birth
but God chose
the foolish things
of the world
to shame the wise.
God chose
the weak things
of the world
to shame the strong.
God chose
the lowly things
of this world
and the despised things
and the things
that are not
to nullify
the things that are
so that no one
may boast before him.
God has not chosen
the strongest.
God has not chosen
the coolest
or the most influential.
No, God has chosen
the weak,
the foolish,
those who lack
any kind of influence.
God has called
the low so that
no one may boast
except in the Lord.
Brothers and sisters,
we are weak.
We are foolish.
We do not hold
much influence.
No wonder we get tired
when we try to do
things by ourselves.
No wonder we struggle
to make an impact
on our city
for we have such
a warped view
of ourselves
and such a low view
of who the God
is that we serve.
And I think
it's very deliberate
that each
of these seven letters
all begin
with describing
the awesome
attributes
of Jesus Christ.
If you need
a bigger picture
of who Christ is,
then come with me
to verse seven.
Look with me
at the title
Jesus has given.
These are the words
of him who is
holy and true.
A more literal
translation would be
the holy one,
the true one.
See the term holy
used frequently
throughout the Bible
and it's a title
for God.
It's the title
of divinity.
In other words,
the risen Jesus
is being described
as divine.
The true one,
less common,
but it means
that Jesus is genuine.
His word is reliable,
which is quite crucial
for this church
to hear
considering the opposition
they face
from local Jews
who will deny
who Jesus Christ is.
Hear Jesus saying,
I am the risen Messiah
and my word
is reliable.
I am the holy one
and I am
the true one.
Let's keep going
to verse seven.
What else do we see
about Jesus?
Who holds
the key of David.
What he opens,
no one can shut.
What he shuts,
no one can open.
Jesus is holding
the key of David.
Now if you want
a background
on the key of David,
I'd encourage you
to go and check out
Isaiah 22.
We don't have time
this morning to go there,
but do do that
as homework later on.
But the key of David
opens the way
or the door
to the heavenly kingdom.
And whoever holds
this key
has the authority
to either let people in
or to deny them entry.
You heard of the phrase
the key to the city.
Edinburgh's got
two giant keys
to the city
that are given
to the queen
every time she comes
up to stay.
Whoever holds
this key
has the authority
to back in the day
used to be
to literally open
the door to the wall
to let people
come in and out
of the city.
Whoever holds
the key
has authority
to let people
in or out
of the city.
Now obviously
our keys to Edinburgh
are absolutely huge.
They're more symbolic.
There's not a giant
lock somewhere
that these keys open.
But it symbolises
when they're given
to the queen
that as monarch
she has absolute
royal authority
over the city
of Edinburgh.
She does then
actually hand them
back to Edinburgh
again trusting
in their care.
But it's the same idea
here in Revelation.
Jesus is holding
the key of David
as symbolic
of the fact
that the risen Jesus
the king of kings
has absolute authority
over who enters
the heavenly kingdom.
And his authority
cannot be overruled.
What he opens
no one can shut.
What he shut
no one can open.
Jesus possesses
undisputed
royal authority.
This is who we serve.
The risen Lord Jesus
the holy one
the true one
the keeper
of the key of David.
The Philadelphians
knew this
and we need
to know this too.
So what does a church
as a low view
of itself
and a high view
of Christ
look like?
Well I believe
we've got an example
here in this letter.
Jesus says
to this church
I know your deeds
I know that
verse 8
you have kept
my words.
Here we see
the first characteristics
of a faithful church
that thinks
low of itself
but yet
high
of God.
Unlike other churches
mentioned Revelation
this little church
had not been led
astray
by heretical teaching.
They had not
fallen into the trap
of compromising
the word
by adding extras
or removing parts
from it.
They had not
turned God's word
into a picking mix
but instead
they remained faithful
and they remained
true to the words.
Sadly in Edinburgh
you do not have to
look long
to see a church
that's turned
the Bible
into a picking mix.
You do not have
to look long
to see a church
in Edinburgh
that's watered
in the gospel
so that they
can appear
relevant to society.
So they speak
a lot about God
being a God
of love
but don't speak
much of the
judgment
and the sin
and hell.
They completely
ignore these realities
because they want
to be more palatable
to society.
But rather
ironically
by ignoring
such things
they're also
denying that
God is
a God
of love.
And tragically
you do not
have to look
long at these
churches
to see
their numbers
dwindle.
You see
if we want
to be relevant
to society
if we want
to draw
people to
Christ
we don't
do that
by watering
down
God's word.
We don't
do that
by turning
it into
a picking mix.
No we do
that by being
counter-cultural.
We do that
by holding fast
of what the
Bible teaches.
We do that
by staying
faithful and
true to
God's word
the Bible.
We do that
by keeping
God's word.
And we do
that by having
a big picture
of who Christ
is and not
being afraid
to be seen
as bigots.
Not being
afraid to be
persecuted,
to be discriminated
against because
we hold to
the Bible's
teaching.
The church
of Philadelphia
knew this.
We need to
know this too.
Second
characteristic of
a faithful
church,
Jesus says to
his church,
I know your
deeds, I know
that.
Verse 8,
you have
not denied
my name.
In the face
of persecution,
in the face
of suffering
and discrimination,
this weak
church never
denied the
name of
Christ.
They must
have been
under such
pressure,
such temptation,
especially from
the Jews,
to deny that
Jesus is the
Christ,
that he is
the risen
Lord,
that he is
the Son
of God.
But yet not
once did
they deny
his name.
So you
think there
are perhaps
three ways
in which we
today can
deny the
name of
Christ.
First of
all, we
can deny
who Jesus
is, that
he is the
Son of
God, that
he is the
promised Messiah,
that he was
without sin,
that he did
die on a
cross for
our sins,
that he
did raise
to life
three days
later, that
he is the
saviour of
the world,
that he is
the only way
to salvation.
I am the
way, the
truth, the
life.
In a
society where
absolute truth
must be
rejected,
uncertainty
seen as
arrogance,
these are
counter-cultural
claims.
But a
faithful follower
of Christ, a
faithful church,
will hold to
all these
claims.
To deny
any of
them is
deny who
Jesus is
and therefore
deny his
name.
I think
the second
way that
we can
perhaps deny
Jesus'
name is
to
not
acknowledge
Jesus
before
others.
Ashamed
of who
he is,
ashamed to
tell others
about Christ.
So maybe
we do
confess in
our hearts
that Jesus
is Lord,
but we
still deny
him by
not telling
other people
about him.
Now,
I'm speaking
as much to
myself here,
we're all
slow to
admit our
faith to
others,
we are.
We live
in a
culture that
is increasingly
hostile to
Christianity.
We're
painted as
ignorant
people who
believe in
harmful,
bigoted
fairy tales.
And that
can lead
us to
shrink
back.
But by
doing so,
we make
Jesus look
small.
We make
him look
like he
is not
worth living
our lives
for him.
And by
doing so,
we deny
who Jesus
is and
what he
has done
for us.
Jesus.
Jesus has
absolute
authority over
who passes
through the
door of
salvation.
And if
when we
get to
heaven,
Jesus
says,
you're
not with
me,
you're
not
getting
in.
There are
many people
outside our
doors who
do not know
Jesus, who
are not going
to get in
right now.
And yet,
we shrink
back and
tell them of
who Christ
is, of the
salvation that
can be found
in him
alone.
By doing
so, we
deny his
name.
We have a
lower opinion
of who
Christ is
and a
bigger opinion
of who
we, who
man is.
Again, it
must be so
tempting for
the Philadelphians
to just keep
quiet about
who Jesus
was, keep
their mouths
shut.
But they
didn't.
Why?
Because they
had a big
view of who
Christ was
and a small
view of who
they were.
But perhaps
the most
easily and
subtle way
that we can
deny who
Jesus is
is through
hypocrisy.
We may
shout from
the rooftops
Jesus
Lord, but
our messy
lives can
drown out
our words.
See, my
question for
you is, what
does your
life say?
What does
your life say
of who you
follow?
See, many
people profess
to know God
but deny him
with their
works, Titus
1, 16.
See, faith
in Jesus will
always change
the way we
live.
So if our
lives look
like nothing
has changed,
then maybe
something is
not quite
right.
See, your
words may
acknowledge
Jesus but
do your
works deny
him?
Are you
loving others?
Are you
obeying him?
Are you
bearing fruit?
Are you
sacrificially
giving yourself
and your
resources to
others?
Are you
seeking to
keep God's
words?
Are you
seeking to
not deny
his name?
Philadelphia
kept Jesus'
name, did
not deny it.
Why?
Because they had
a big view
of who Christ
was and a
small view of
who they
were.
And Jesus
promises to
this church
in verse 9
vindication
before their
foes.
This is very
interesting because
in Isaiah
60, 14 it
says this,
the children
of your
oppressors
will come
bowing before
you.
All who
despise you
will bow
down at
your feet.
And the
very people
who thought
that they
would be
standing there
with people
bowing before
them was the
Jews in
Philadelphia.
They thought
these Christians,
these Gentiles,
will one day
come before
them and bow
before them
in fulfillment of
this prophecy
in Isaiah
60.
But Jesus
says,
no, no, no,
no, no.
No.
The
Philadelphian
church are
the ones
who are
going to be
standing there
and the
Jews, the
synagogue of
Satan, the
liars, will
come down
and bow
before you
and they
will see
that I
love you.
Now when
I was studying
this passage
this week,
I was annotating
my script,
I printed out
the passage,
annotated it,
and I simply
wrote the one
word,
whoa,
next to
verse 9.
Whoa.
These people
who are
oppressed in
the
Philadelphian
church,
who are
barring them
for the
synagogue,
will one
day come
and bow
at their
feet and
see that
no,
Jesus loves
them.
Whoa.
I thought
it's amazing.
How long
for that
vindication,
how I
long to
see those
who oppress
us,
call us
bigots,
those who
discriminate
against us
come bow
at my
feet.
Then I
suddenly
realized,
I'm making
much of
myself here
and little
of Christ.
If I'm
longing for
myself to
be seen
as right,
then I
have forgotten
who I
serve.
And the
more I
studied this
passage,
the more I
thought,
whoa,
look at who
Christ is,
the holy
one,
the true
one,
the keeper
of the
key of
David,
the one
who is
going to
take these
enemies to
bow
to their
feet,
the one
who loves
me.
Whoa.
The
Savior loves
me.
Whoa,
I get
to serve
him.
That will
be a
glorious day
when Christ
comes again
and when
that does
happen.
Brothers and
sisters,
we are not
going to be
looking at
enemies bent
before feet,
we are
going to be
looking at
Jesus and
says,
I love
you.
We're
going to
have this
big,
real picture
of who
Christ is.
We are
going to
see him
face to
face.
Whoa.
Third
characteristic of
a faithful
church,
I think,
it's low
of itself
but much
of Christ.
Verse 10.
Jesus says,
I know
your deeds,
I know
that you
have endured
patiently.
You have
endured
patiently.
The
Philadelphian
church knew
about
suffering.
They knew
what it
was like
to be
ostracized
by your
community,
to be
opposed
by your
neighbors.
They knew
this and
yet they
still endured
patiently
through this.
Again,
it must
have been
so tempting
for them
to pack
it all
in.
It must
have been
so tempting
for them
to deny
Christ's
name,
to not
keep his
word,
and to
just forget
all about
it.
But they
endured.
And they
endured
patiently.
Why?
Because they
had a big
view of
who it
was they
served.
They
had a big
view of
who Christ
is.
Brothers and
sisters,
we have many
opportunities to
witness to our
non-Christian
society out
there.
But when
we do,
we will
face
persecution,
we will
face
discrimination,
there's
no two
ways about
it.
But we
are called
to endure
patiently.
And we
can do
that knowing
who it
is that we
serve.
Jesus
Christ,
the Holy
One,
the True
One,
the Keeper
of the
Key of
David,
the One
who will
keep us
through these
sufferings,
through these
times of
trials,
through these
times of
persecution.
That is
what's going
to make
us endure
patiently.
Not relying
upon ourselves,
but relying
leaning upon the
Almighty God
whom we
serve.
Philadelphian
church knew
this.
They kept
God's word.
They did not
deny Christ's
name.
They endured
patiently.
Why?
Because they
had a big
view of who
God was and
a low view
of who they
were.
And because
the Philadelphian
church was so
faithful to
Christ,
Christ would
show his
faithfulness to
them.
Read with me
in verse 10.
Let's read this
together.
Verse 10.
Since you have
kept my command
to endure
patiently,
I will also
keep you from
the hour of
trial that is
going to come
upon the
whole world
to test those
who live on
the earth.
Jesus will
show his
faithfulness to
his people by
protecting them,
by keeping
them through
the hour of
trial that
will one day
come.
We read about
this hour of
trial in
Mark 13 to
2 Thessalonians
2, but we
also read it in
Daniel 12,
verse 1 to 9.
I believe you've
just been through a
season, Daniel,
so I thought we'd go
here.
Daniel 12,
verses 1 to 2,
which says this,
there will be a
time of distress.
Such does not
happen from the
beginning of
nations until
then.
But at that
time your
people,
everyone whose
name is found
written in the
book, will be
delivered.
Multitudes
asleep in the
dust of the
earth will
awake, some to
everlasting life,
others to shame
and everlasting
contempt.
There is going to
be a terrible
time.
There is going to
be a terrible
time of great
testing.
But Christ
will keep and
protect those who
are faithful to
him through the
hour of trial.
Now maybe this
morning you're with
us and you
perhaps aren't a
Christian.
Maybe you're not a
believer or follower
of Christ and we
are so glad you're
here.
We really are.
We're delighted you
have come with us to
worship with us, to
be in church with us
this morning.
But can I just say
this to you?
Have you thought
about what happens
after death?
Where are you
trying to find your
answers right now
to the big
questions in life?
And are you
trying to find the
answers in the
right place?
Are they satisfying
you, these answers?
Or is there
something missing?
Is there something
just not quite right
with you?
Well can I encourage
you to come and
study who Jesus
Christ is?
To come see who
the Bible says he
is, see who we
say he is, and
explore further what
Jesus is offering to
us.
Salvation.
Eternal satisfaction.
Eternal peace.
Because this time is
coming, this hour of
trial is coming.
And if you're not
found in Christ, when
it comes to the final
judgment day, Jesus is
not going to say to
you, I know you.
And Jesus is not going
to let you into the
heavenly kingdom.
Rather, face eternal
shame and everlasting
contempt.
Speak to the person
who brought you, speak
to me, I'm kicking
about.
I'd be happy to talk
to you more about
that.
But let's go finally
to the fourth
characteristic of what
a faithful church
looks like.
That has a low view
of itself and a high
view of Christ.
Jesus says to this
church, I'm coming
soon, so hold on to
what you have.
Verse 11.
Hold on to what you
have and you will be
victorious.
Hold on to your
faith.
Hold on to my word.
Keep obeying my
commands.
Keep going.
Continue to remain
faithful and one
day you will take
the victor's crown.
But that's not
all.
That's not all.
That's amazing in
itself, isn't it?
But it keeps getting
better.
Because what is in
store for the one
who takes the
victor's crown?
Well, we keep
reading into verse
12.
We see guaranteed
entry into the
messianic kingdom.
Guaranteed entry
into the kingdom of
God, the new
creation.
Even if the synagogue
door was slammed
shut in the face of
the Philadelphian
church, they could be
assured that the
door to the kingdom
of heaven remains
wide open for them
to just walk
through because they
have remained
faithful.
Because remember
who holds the key
to the door?
Jesus Christ.
Who has the power
and authority to
open what he wants
to open, shut what
he wants to shut.
There is the Lord
Jesus Christ who
loves them and will
keep them.
But it goes even
further than that.
Come with me to
verse 12.
Let's read verse 12
together.
Him who overcomes,
I will make a pillar
in the temple of my
God.
Never again will
they leave it.
Here we see,
read of Christ's
promise to this
church that this
once weak band of
faithful people who
are barred from
entering the synagogue,
barred from the
temporary temple on
earth, will one day
become a strong
pillar in the
eternal heavenly
kingdom of the
living God.
That's amazing.
We sang Cornerstone
this morning.
That's the anthem
for this church I
think.
Christ alone,
Cornerstone,
weak made strong in
the Saviour's love.
Through all he is
Lord, Lord of all.
That is the anthem
of the Philadelphian
church, weak made
strong.
Now of course,
they're not actually
going to become a
physical pillar.
That's not much of an
incentive for us,
isn't it?
Stay faithful when you
become like that
pillar over there.
It's not much
least, is it?
But no, it's
symbolic here, okay?
It's symbolic.
It's symbolic of
something permanent,
something strong.
Okay?
Now we do read
later in Revelation,
there isn't actually
going to be a
physical temple in
the new creation.
The whole city is
going to be the
temple because that's
where God is going
to dwell with his
people.
But these images
emphasize the point
that those who
are victorious,
those who hold on
to what they have,
will dwell with God
permanently in the
new city of God.
This pillar is a
symbol of something
that's strong,
solid, heavy,
permanent.
Not like a peg of a
tent that's temporary
that can easily be
picked up again.
This is strong,
permanent structure.
This is an assurance
of their security in
Christ.
That those who are
victorious will come
into the presence of
God and dwell with
him there.
And they will never
leave his presence.
This once weak yet
faithful, this once
persecuted, suffering,
discriminated against
church, that the
last to get picked,
the dad's army of the
followers of Christ,
will one day dwell
with their God
forever.
What a glorious
picture we have here.
And just in case we
haven't quite got this
theme of assurance
and security, keep
reading in verse 12
where he says,
I will write on them
the name of my God,
the name of the city
of my God, the new
Jerusalem, which is
coming down out of
heaven from my God,
and I'll also write
on him my new name.
Three names, three
seals of assurance,
that those who are
victorious belong to God
and are citizens of
this new city, this
new Jerusalem.
Here we have the
faithful, victorious
Christian who's able
to say, I belong to
the God Almighty.
I am a citizen of the
city of God and I am a
follower of Jesus Christ
and I have his name on
my back.
Three names, thrice
sealed.
That is what awaits
this faithful yet weak
church.
So maybe we feel like
we're not making a dent
on our city.
Maybe we are struggling.
Maybe we're weak.
But remember that God
has not chosen the
strongest, the wisest,
the coolest, or the
influential.
God has chosen the
weak, the foolish,
those who lack
influence.
God has called the low
so that no one may boast
except in the Lord.
And God has called us
to remain faithful,
weak, yet faithful.
What does that look
like?
We keep God's word.
We do not deny
Christ's name.
We endure patiently
and we hold on to
what we have because
we know that he is
worth it.
And like I said at
the beginning, we live
in an increasingly
God-less society.
This means we have
increasing opportunities
to make Christ known
to the people of
Edinburgh.
Brothers and
sisters, the door of
opportunity is wide
open for us.
The less Christian
society's morals and
morals become, the more
we will stand out.
as we seek to live
holy and pure lives.
The more people
search for answers
in the wrong places,
the more chances we
have to point people
to Christ and whom
we find true
satisfaction, true
peace, true salvation.
But as we do so,
remember who we serve,
the holy one,
the true one,
the keeper of the
key of David,
he yields absolute
power and authority,
the king of kings,
the lord of lords.
Jesus Christ loves
his people,
who will make those
who persecute us,
fall down before
his people.
Jesus Christ will
keep his people
from the hour of
trial, who will
make his people a
pillar in the
temple of God.
Jesus Christ who
will seal his
people's identity
and citizenship in
the new Jerusalem.
That is a Jesus
Christ who we serve.
That is who we're
disciples of.
That is who we
should have the big
picture of who
Jesus Christ is.
Jesus says to his
disciples in Matthew
28,
all authority in
heaven and on
earth has been
given to me,
therefore go and
make disciples of
all nations,
baptizing them in
the name of the
Father and of the
Son and of the
Holy Spirit,
teaching them to be
everything I have
commanded you,
and surely I am
with you always to
the very end of the
age.
Whoever has
ears, let them
hear what the
Spirit says to the
churches.
Let's pray together.
Let's pray.
Our mighty
heavenly Father,
Father, what an
awesome picture of
Christ we read in
Revelation.
What an awesome
picture we see of
him as the holy
one, the true one,
the one whose
absolute authority,
the one whose
authority cannot be
overruled.
Father, we pray
that as we study
the revelation,
that as we look at
just who Jesus is,
we will be more,
we have more desire
to lean upon him,
to not lean upon
our own efforts as
we seek to go and
make disciples of all
nations, but to
rather to trust in
him who has
absolute authority,
to trust in our
Lord and Saviour,
Jesus Christ.
Father, forgive us
for the times when
we do make this
about us.
Forgive us for the
times when we do
make a big view of
ourselves, but a low
view of you, who you
are.
And Father, we do
pray that through the
preaching of your
word, Lord, that you
would help us to have
a bigger view of who
you are and a lower
view of who we are,
so that we can be a
faithful church who
goes out there, makes
Christ known, and
glorifies you with our
ministry and with our
lives.
Lord, we need your
help for this, and we
pray that you give it
to us.
In Christ's precious
name.
Amen.