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Revelation 3:7-13 Philadelphia The Patiently enduring church · The TakeAway

• 0:01
  SPEAKER_00: Hello, and welcome to the Takeaway, where we teach through the Bible, chapter by chapter and verse by verse, to help you understand God's Word so that you can have a more intimate relationship with Jesus, our Lord and Savior.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_01: Hello, and welcome again to the takeaway.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_01: I'm your host, Pastor Harry Barns, and on today's episode, we'll be looking at Revelation chapter 3, verses 7 through 13, the Church of Philadelphia, the patiently enduring church, or as I like to say, the hot or on fire church.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_01: The last three churches of the seven show us that, show us what a cold, hot, and lukewarm church all look like.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_01: On our last episode, we looked at Sardis, the cold or dead church.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_01: This week we're going to look at what a healthy and on fire church looks like.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_01: Before we get started, I want to remind you again that there is a pattern that repeats to the letters of the seven churches that we need to see and to understand.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_01: To each church, Jesus identifies himself with the characteristic of himself that best fits their current situation.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_01: This is a reminder to us also that he meets us where we are.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_01: Second, he encourages them in their good works.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_01: Third, he points out their bad works and calls them to turn back or repent of them.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_01: Fourth, he tells them what their judgment will be if they don't repent.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_01: And fifth, he tells them what the reward will be if they endure till the end.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_01: This is God's promise to us also.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_01: Now, to every single church and believer, Jesus meets us where we are and offers promise to us if we endure.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_01: However, as we will see, not every church is doing something bad.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_01: Not every church is doing something good, and some are doing both good and bad.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_01: Our goal is to learn from these churches so that we can stay on the straight and narrow path, so that we can enter into God's promises and receive the reward He has for us.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_01: Now, as we look at the Church of Philadelphia, we we should try to understand what it is they are doing right and model ourselves after them.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_01: This is the second of only two churches that Jesus doesn't have anything bad to say about.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_01: What are they doing right?
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_01: And what does Jesus have in store for the church that gets it right?
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_01: Well, in verse 7, we read, and to the angel of the church in Philadelphia, right?
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_01: 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.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_01: So first Jesus is saying he's holy and he's true.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_01: He brings only truth.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_01: Now, the the key of David, some of you might not be familiar with this, but um, David was a man after God's own heart.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_01: He was the second king of Israel, the one that God had chosen um to be his king, and through him the Messiah would come.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_01: Now, Jesus holds this key, uh showing that he is the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant, the ruler of the New Jerusalem, and the Lord of the kingdom of heaven.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_01: In Matthew 1:1, uh, this is the genealogy of Jesus, the Messiah, the son of David, um the son of Abraham.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_01: So we can read that.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_01: Uh also he opens and closes.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_01: If Jesus opens a door, no one can shut it.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_01: In Isaiah chapter 22, verse 22, uh, it says, I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_01: What he opens, no one can shut, and what he shuts, no one can open.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_01: So this is in the Old Testament, and this is a prophetic um scripture speaking of Jesus coming, that he would be of the line of David, and that what he says basically is is what it is.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_01: So just like God, God speak, God can't lie, because what comes out of God's mouth happens.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, just like when Jesus quieted the storm and said, Be still, the storm had to be still uh because God can't lie.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_01: So therefore all creation obeys his voice.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_01: Now in verse eight, it says, I know your works.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_01: Behold, I have set before you an open door which no one is able to shut.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_01: I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_01: Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_01: Behold, I will make them come and bow before down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_01: Now, in short, the synagogue of Satan was a group of unbelieving Jews who were persecuting Christians.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_01: These groups were guilty of slandering the Church of Smyrna also and opposing the Church of Philadelphia in some way.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_01: What we need to recognize is that this church was enduring and unwavering in their faith.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_01: Their hearts were right before God, and they weren't pursuing deceitful gain or getting wrapped up in idolatry or false teachings.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_01: And in verse 10, we read, Because you have kept my word about 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.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_01: And trial on the whole world means this is speaking of the coming tribulation that we will be studying in the upcoming chapters.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_01: Jesus says here that he will keep them from the hour of trial that is coming.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_01: So it hasn't yet come yet, it's yet future.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_01: This is a guarantee that we can, we too can have uh this guarantee.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_01: We just have to stand our ground and have an unwavering faith.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_01: Now that's easier said than done, but I can tell you this if you pour yourself into your relationship with Jesus, it won't be nearly as hard as if you just kind of float through life, letting whatever happens happen.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_01: The reality is that none of us just let things happen however they do.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_01: We all make decisions every day that affects our lives in one way or another.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_01: I would suggest that before you make any decisions, that you consider first whether the outcome of that decision will glorify and please God.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_01: This would be a great starting point to getting you on the right path.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_01: And verse 11, it says, I am coming soon.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_01: And we covered this back in chapter one, that soon could mean quickly, like in the twinkling of an eye, or next in prophetic context, uh as in the next prophetic event that's coming.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_01: Um so coming soon helps us better understand that.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_01: Uh now, continuing on in verse 11, hold fast that you uh what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_01: The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_01: 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.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_01: And Jesus here basically is telling them that if they stay the course, that um they will be a pillar or a or a permanent resident in God's temple that will be found in New Jerusalem, and we will be forever marked with the name of Jesus.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_01: What he is saying is that we will be forever with him in God's house.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_01: It's important to note that this is a promise to all believers.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_01: But what Jesus is saying is that you can know that you have this guarantee if you endure till the end.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_01: There are many believers in this world who live on that line between the world and faith.
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_01: When you are consumed with the things of this world, it becomes a gray area where you stand, not only for people watching you, but for yourself as well.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_01: Don't you want that guarantee that beyond a shadow of a doubt, you have a place in eternity with God the Father in his house?
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_01: Jesus says in John 14, 3, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and I will take you to myself, that where I am, you may be also.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_01: It's his desire not only that we would be with him for eternity in perfect fellowship with him, but that we can have the confidence today, right here, right now, to know that we have a secured place with him in heaven.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_01: Once this sets into your mind and heart, you could begin living a true spirit-filled life.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_01: Like Paul said in Philippians chapter 1, verse 21, for to me to live is uh, I'm sorry, for to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain, he completely understood that it was total gain to die and be with the Lord.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_01: However, he didn't discredit his life here either.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_01: He knew that to live was Christ, meaning that as long as we are alive, living a surrendered life to him, he is he is working in us and through us.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_01: Now, have you surrendered your life to Jesus?
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_01: Every part of it, the good, the bad, the ugly.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_01: He wants it all.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_01: And it's not until you surrender to him that he will bless you with an abundant life filled with promise.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_01: Don't you want to live in the promises of God, of the God who created you, who created everything, who loves you and wants to be in a relationship with you?
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_01: You begin today just by believing Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, died on a cross as a perfect sacrifice to atone for your sin and rose three days later because death had no power over him.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_01: Death has no power over the one who puts their trust in Jesus either.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_01: We can be assured that just as Jesus rose from the dead, we will also to be with him for eternity.
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_01: If you would, let me pray for you now.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_01: Father God, thank you so much for your message, for your revelation and your truth.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_01: Jesus, thank you that not only do you show us all the bad works that these different churches have done in all the wrong ways, but also you've encouraged us in all the right ways.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_01: And I thank you for the Church of Philadelphia and how they were enduring patiently, waiting, steadfastly, uh not denying your name, holding their ground.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_01: And you even said that they they didn't even have much, that they weren't even rich, that they just didn't have a lot, um, a lot of tools and resources available to them to be a powerful church, but yet you told them they were rich, showing them that they were rich, that they were storing up for themselves treasures in heaven where raw moth and rust could not destroy, um, just as you had promised, God.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_01: I ask that you would help us, help our listeners today, that you would anoint them and bless them, God, to repent of any wrongdoings, to turn to you, um, to focus on their relationship with you, to glorify and to please you in all that they do so that they can have that guarantee that they will be with you in eternity.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_01: I thank you that you give us not only that promise, but you give us the assurance when we walk that walk, when we live that life, that it's not of our own doing, but it's the work that you are doing in us that assures us that we have a place with you forever.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_01: So we thank you and we love you for that work, Jesus.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_01: We pray in your name.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_01: Amen.
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you again for joining us today.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_01: I hope that today's message equipped you for the life you are living.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_01: Next week we will be looking at the last of the seven churches, the lukewarm church.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_01: I can promise you now that this is the last church you want to find yourself a part of.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_01: So God bless, and we hope to see you next time on the takeaway.