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Jesus and His Message to the Church at Philadelphia
October 25, 2014

For the past several weeks we have been reviewing the message of Jesus to the churches in Revelation, most recently looking at the message to the church at Sardis. We found that it is possible to be a church in name only and not provide any benefit to members, and that churches that get caught up in this pattern will eventually cease to exist. Today, we are going to continue our review of the message of Jesus to the churches in Revelation and today will consider his message to the church that had limited capacity, was given an open door, and walked through that open door living a life of faith.

Revelation 3:7-8
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

The church at Philadelphia only had a little strength, yet was given an open door because it never denied Jesus. When given an open door by Jesus and God, no person will be able to stand against Jesus and God to close that open door. As a Christian, we must be careful to take no action that may result in our closing of the door; we must remain faithful and never deny the name of Jesus. Even when we have limited capacity, we still can be faithful to Jesus and God. By remaining faithful we show our love to Jesus and Jesus will show his love toward us.

Revelation 3:9-10
Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

By remaining faithful, a promise is given to to keep the faithful from the hour of temptation to come upon the entire world. This is a promise to be spared the evil of the great tribulation. While many speculate about the great tribulation, what is most important is keeping ourselves pure before Jesus and God to avoid this time of evil.

Revelation 3:11-13
Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

As we remain faithful to Jesus and God, we preserve our spiritual crown, we preserve our place in the the temple of God, and will be marked with God's name, our position with New Jerusalem, and even the new name for Jesus. So while the message to the church as Sardis showed it is possible to lose out on salvation, the message to the church at Philadelphia shows that by remaining pure and faithful, we preserve our crown and place in eternal life.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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