When Gabriel announced to Mary that she was to give birth He said in Luke 1:31-33, And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. Hold on to what you have, so that no one takes your crown. LaHabra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995, [3]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. I will make those from the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews and are not, but are lyingnote thisI will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know that I have loved you. (Revelation 3:89, HCSB), One of the important doctrinal features of this sixth letter is found in its very basic and forthright theology of evangelism. Second, the testing is for a limited time, Jesus calls it the hour of testing. Third, this test will expose people for what they really are. Philadelphia: The Church of Persevering Witness Or youve tried to push a door open which was supposed to be pulled? Behold, I have set before you an open door, whichno one is able to shut. Jesus says, Don't let anyone discourage you by encouraging you to drop out of the race. read more, Scripture: Take note! The fact that the church is not mentioned by name throughout the entire period of tribulation described in Revelation 4:1-19:10. But He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christs power may reside in me. The Faithful Church. This is yet another promise of security, safety, and glory. The crown, the winner's wreath is yours. INTRODUCTION read more. DOORS OF DESTINY They are in some sense powerless against the forces which oppose them. When the door shut, the opportunity for salvation from the flood was over. You're Preaching, But Do You Know Who's Listening? Well the language of verse 7 comes right out of Isaiah 22:22, talking about a man named Eliakim And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. We need to know He is coming back soon! This little church is commended by the Holy and True One. No amount of banging or weeping could get the door to open. The analysis of Christ's message to Philadelphia in Revelation 3:7-13 teaches us that a church may be feeble but faithful. 108 --- YES 108 WHAT IS THE ENEMY OF BETTER? We're on a mission to change that. The Philadelphian church is the recipient of this letter. In the 2006 movie Rocky Balboa, Rocky tells his son Robert: to succeed in life, it aint about how hard you hit; its about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward., Philadelphia was situated on a major Roman road that led from Troas in the west through Pergamum, Thyatira, and Sardis, and then to Philadelphia in the east. Revelation 3:7-13 We'll look at this under four headings: Two things you need to know, and then two results, two condsequences of what you know. The primary purpose for the founding of Philadelphia was that it would be a center of Greek culture and language reaching out and Hellenizing the region around it. Philadelphia played an instrumental role in the American Revolution as a meeting place for the Founding Fathers of the United States, who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the Constitution in 1787. read more, Scripture: But it's either suffer for Jesus now, or suffer without Jesus then. The church was named after a nickname of it read more. Lessons teach principles of love, humbleness, repentance, trust in God's word, and not compromising with the world. The analysis of Christ's message to Philadelphia in Revelation 3:7-13 teaches us that a church may be feeble but faithful. A continuation of the bible study on the seven churches. They claim, falsely, to be the holy people of God. read more, Scripture: January 1, 2023; by Jordan Massey; God Meant it for Good- Genesis 50. read more, Scripture: He tells them plainly who he is and what he does. This church lasted for centuries, even after the region was overrun by the Muslims they remained a witness for Christ, finally the church disappeared during the fourteenth century. In this study of Revelation 3, Dr. J. Vernon McGee tells us about a church that was true to the Word of God. Revelation 3:7. More important than this reward is the eternal life in the presence of God that belongs to those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection. I. Normally when that happens you kind of walk into the door and its embarrassing. Eliakim is a type of Jesus, Eliakim decided who would be allowed access to the king. I can choose to take these opportunities or not. The book itself begins and ends with this assurance. Revelation 3:7-13 Previous 1 Corinthians 1:1-26, Enriched Next Daniel 6:1-28, Prayer and the Lions Den Next Events Tomorrow Sunday Worship Services 10:30 am and 2:00 pm Jan 4 Cornerstone Christian Women 9:45 am - 11:30 am Jan 4 Wednesday Night Service 7:00 pm Latest Sermons "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Thesis: We need to receive a fresh revelation of Jesus Christ daily so we do not fall asleep at our assigned mission. Hebrews 10:23-25, Revelation 3:5-16, James 2:14-24. They are going to be greatly rewarded in heaven for staying faithful and not denying his name when persecuted. The message is from the Lord Jesus Christ through an angel . What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. And because they have patiently endured in the face of this suffering, Jesus assures them that they will be protected from a more intense and larger scale time of suffering that is coming. Other. I have set before YOU and OPEN door. If you are faithful to death it will be proof of your salvation and no one can take that from you, no one can take the reward of your victors wreath. Exhortation Take Note! - Revelation 3:7 Life can be a maze of options, choices, decisions and goals. Why? These seven letters represent the types of churches that have existed throughout history. INTRODUCTION Revelation 3:7-13 To the Church in Philadelphia 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. The Passage: The Church in Philadelphia (3:7-13). In particular, since Jesus has the power over death, He also has the power over opportunities in my life. The Church That Pleased God - Revelation 3:7-13 January 15, 2023; Pastor Rodney Morrison; The Return Of Christ; Revelation; The Church at Philadelphia shows us that we can walk in a way that pleases God and that it is important that we do so because rewards are . What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. Zombie Christians 22:22 is substituted for of death and of Hades: the one having the key of David, who opens and no one shuts, and who shuts and no one opens. The substitution is meant to amplify the idea of the original phrase in 1:18b by underscoring the sovereignty that Christ holds over the sphere of death and Hades. Thus, Eliakims temporary control of the kingdom as prime minister to the king of Israel was a prophetic historical pattern pointing forward to Jesus Christs greater and eternal sovereignty over a greater kingdom.2. First, He says that He knows their deeds and that they have a little power. But for me, the town will always remind me of Rocky Balboa. Contact Us. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in., But remember what Jesus is stating here. I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown. This has importance in decisions about my life: where I will work, where I will live, who I will associate, and who I will share the Gospel. The main THE PROMISE AND THE COUNSEL (Revelation 3:12-13). A. The rapture of the church is the subject of three passages in the New Testament: John 14:1-3, 1 Corinthians 15:51-54, and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 our scripture reading for this morning, none of these passages speak of judgment, but instead speak of the church being taken up to heaven. And if there wasn't already enough encouragement for this struggling church, Jesus heaps on the promises in verses 12 and 13. Rev. In contrast, Christ speaks as the true Holy One (verses 9, 7).5 The point here is that if you are going to persevere, you have to real. THEY cannot shut itbehold, I will make THEM come and bow down before YOUR feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.. Thus, vv. Keep going! - Revelation 3:7 The word in both letters translated crown is the word that refers to the victors wreath. Introduction: There are more than a few scholars who view the seven churches in Revelation as representative of church ages. (Revelation 3:8-9), look, I have placed before you an open door that no one is able to close. Throughout the New Testament numerous crowns are mentioned as rewards for different things, Jesus had promised the church in Smyrna that if they were faithful until death that they would receive the crown or wreath of life. The hour of testing is also called Daniels Seventieth Week, the time of Jacobs trouble, the seven-year tribulation period. Unlike the other gods that the people trusted, Jesus is not made of stone or wood. What door is God opening in my life? Not only was this church the last in the Revelation churches but it was the worst of the churches. One of the important doctrinal features of this sixth letter is found in its very basic and forthright theology of evangelism. Daily devotional with John Piper Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. And when we do that, we realize that near the end of this book, God will tell these disciples even more about His temple and about His city, the New Jerusalem. The Lukewarm Church of Laodicea This description is the only one of the seven letters not to be drawn from chapter one. You may recall Jesus similarly encourged the faithful in Thyatira: Only hold fast what you have until I come. You go into a post-Christian era when you get to Europe. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My Godthe new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My Godand My new name. (Revelation 3:1012, HCSB). Mark L. Strauss and John H. Walton, Teach the Text Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2014), 7071. What you know you need? 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