Dear Philly, don’t skulk in the doorway

Background

• Philadelphia was a relatively new city founded in the 3^rd C BC by King Attalus from Pergamum. Who loved his bother his so much he was called Philidelphus – one who loves his brother.
• It was established intentionally on an important juncture of the great highway that led West to East, from Europe into Asia to act as a doorway to spread Greek Culture and language to the East. It was so effective, neighbouring country forgot native language and spoke Greek
• However, it was situated on the edge of a volcanic area, which provided great prosperity – most fertile region in the world. Famous grape growing area and hot springs. But it also brought danger. In 17AD a savage earthquake destroyed Philadelphia, and 10 other cities.
• Tiberius the Emperor at the time, was so generous in the rebuild, residents changed the name of the city for a year in honour of his generosity. Neo Caesurae – new city of Caesar.
• Typical for a Greek city, Philadelphia had numerous temples to numerous Gods whom citizens were expected worship as well as the practice of emperor worship. Everyone that is except the Jews. They had an exemption: they were a closed sect who didn’t impact society, they were also had a history of being troublesome, so authorities chose to give them a pass in this regard.
• However, when Christianity grew, they weren’t closed, and they did impact society. This put the Jew’s privilege in danger, so they kicked the Christians out of the Synagogues and reported them to the authorities.
• After this, the fledgling church had no help or support from anywhere or anyone.

Commendation

Last time we looked at the letter to Sardis who had nothing to commend them. The Church in Philadelphia, however, had nothing to condemn them. Jesus has no complaint against this little church.

⁸ “I know what you are doing. Look, I have put in front of you an open door, and no one can shut it. I know that you have but little power, yet you have obeyed my message and have not disowned me.  Revelation 3:8

Jesus acknowledges this little church is weak. He knows they have no power, and they had recently become even more isolated and vulnerable when they were expelled from the Synagogue.

Yet, they had obeyed the message (kept his word) and not disowned Jesus. They had not lost their first love, their eyes were set on Christ, not accepting false teaching within their church, nor did they or partner with the world or other religions. They were living out the gospel, being holy: set apart, faithfully proclaiming the name and hope of Jesus. 

And because of this the Christians in Philadelphia knew it was not an issue of “if” suffering arrives, but “when”. The great persecution was on its way.

The Key

Therefore, in this letter, Jesus introduced himself as the True One, the one who has the Key of David. Vs 7

⁷ “To the angel of the Messianic Community in Philadelphia, write: ‘Here is the message of HaKadosh (Holy One), the True One, the one who has the key of David, who, if he opens something, no one else can shut it, and if he closes something, no one else can open it. Revelation 3:7

This can also be found in Isaiah 22:22

²² I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. Isaiah 22:22

Christ is the ultimate fulfilment of this prophecy. He is the one who holds full authority over, and authorisation to rule, God’s house.

The Door

However, not only is Christ the gatekeeper of the house of God, He is also the doorway: any who want to come into God’s house have to enter through him. And, in Ancient Jewish Culture, the gates into the city was where the judges and authorities sat (Deu) 16:18-20 CJB

“You are to appoint judges and officers for all your gates [in the cities] Adonai your God is giving you… and they are to judge the people with righteous judgment. You are not to distort justice or show favouritism, and you are not to accept a bribe…. Justice, only justice, you must pursue; so that you will live and inherit the land Adonai your God is giving you.” Deuteronomy 16:18-20

Jesus holds the key to the door, is the door, and He is the judge who sits in power at the door.

The True, Holy and Fair Judge

Judges were to act with righteousness, equity, fairness and integrity. As the Key, The Door, and the Judge, Jesus encouraged the embattled church in Philadelphia. (paraphrase)

“You may have been shut out of the synagogue, but that is not my house. I don’t live there anymore. I am present in my body, the church. As the true and Holy One: the righteous, fair and just judge, I say who comes in through the door and who doesn’t. Not the Synagogue, not the authorities, me. And if I say, “you’re in,” You’re in.”  

How did they get access?

When the Heavenly Father opened their eyes, the Holy Spirit stirred, and the believers in Philadelphia recognised and accepted the Son, they died to the world and became citizens of heaven. Not just for some later date, or when they physically died, but right there and then. When they accepted Christ, they gained access through the door.

For when this happens, not only did they become one with Christ, but He was also one in them: they became part of the body of the Son. Another way to see this is: they were encased in the armour of God, equipped for the battle that raged around them.

Spiritual Warfare

Whilst the little Christian Community in Philadelphia were struggling against the Roman authorities, the Jewish community, and the local citizens, these weren’t their real enemy. Satan, sin and the world were. This is where the true battlelines were drawn. Would they stay faithful to their commitment to their Heavenly Father? Or would they stumble and fall back in with the Father of Lies?

Like we saw happening the Christian community in Smyrna, the community in Philadelphia were tested. Not because they were weak, or because God didn’t trust them, or that he was vindictive. No, they underwent testing in order to produce perseverance: Ya’akov (Jas) 1:2-3 CJB

“Regard it all as joy, my brothers, when you face various kinds of temptations; for you know that the testing of your trust produces perseverance.” Ya’akov (Jas) 1:2-3 CJB

It also produced encouragement and thanksgiving as Paul taught in his 2^nd letter to the church in Corinth: 2 Corinthians 1:8-11

⁸ For, brothers, we want you to know about the trials we have undergone in the province of Asia. The burden laid on us was so far beyond what we could bear that we even despaired of living through it. ⁹ In our hearts we felt we were under sentence of death. However, this was to get us to rely not on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead! ¹⁰ He rescued us from such deadly peril, and he will rescue us again! The one in whom we have placed our hope will indeed continue to rescue us. ¹¹ And you must add your help by praying for us; for the more people there are praying, the more people there will be to give thanks when their prayer for us is answered. 2 Corinthians 1:8-11

The True and Holy One

There was only one reason they suffered and faced persecution, and that was because of the name of Christ. All they had to do to be safe, was renounce the name of Jesus. And yet, every day they were tested. Every day they chose to rely more heavily on God. Because every day they lived in faith that he would fulfil his promises to them.

⁸ “I know what you are doing. Look, I have put in front of you an open door, and no one can shut it. I know that you have but little power, yet you have obeyed my message and have not disowned me.  Revelation 3:8

Jesus was saying, I know you are weak, betrayed and facing persecution and…

I promise:

⁹— … I will cause them to come and prostrate themselves at your feet, and they will know that I have loved you. ¹⁰ Because you did obey my message about persevering, I will keep you from the time of trial coming upon the whole world to put the people living on earth to the test.  Revelation 3:9

For all who obey and persevere, in the final judgement Jesus was saying I promise:

1. Vindication
2. Preservation
3. Protection

But wait, there’s more

The faithful in Philadelphia didn’t have to wait till the final coming of Christ

¹¹ I am coming soon; hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown. ¹² I will make him who wins the victory a pillar in the Temple of my God, and he will never leave it. Also I will write on him the name of my God and the name of my God’s city, the new Yerushalayim coming down out of heaven from my God, and my own new name. ¹³ Those who have ears, let them hear what the Spirit is saying to the Messianic communities.”’ Revelation 3:11-13

They were to hold on to what they had. Currently, what was in their hands, there and then. What had they already received?

• Reconciliation with their Heavenly Father
• Peace, joy and hope from the forgiveness of their sins
• The promised protection and the real presence of the Holy Spirit within them
• The full armour of God
• The supernatural gifting of the Holy Spirit
• The innumerable blessings of being a child of God
• Confidence of their security in the hands of the Living God
• The promise of permeance in God’s house for ever (pillar)
• A new identity (new name): Loved, forgiven, restored, victorious (crown) child of the Heavenly King, citizen of heaven: Now and for ever more.
• Their names permanently written in the book of life
• And access through the open door into God’s city, past the just judge, via the True and Holy One.

To receive all of this, all they had to do was to choose Christ and walk through the door.

Today in what remains of the ancient city of Philadelphia, modern day Alaşehir (ala sha here), there are many tumbled remnants from the savage earthquakes. The only things still standing, however, are a number of pillars. Symbolic possibly of the strong Christian church who thrived there until the early 20^th Century. It seems the small community who were betrayed, and persecuted not only survived, but thrived. A testimony to their faithfulness to God, and His to them.

So What?

In these rapidly changing times how do we live, as a church and as individuals. Perhaps, like the Philadelphian Christians we need to acknowledge we are at war. Not with other denominations, not with our human neighbours, or even other religions. Our enemy is not flesh and blood, our enemy is Spiritual.

Our warfare? Everyday making the choice: Christ, or the world; His law of love, or the world’s law of self; His glory, or our own. The father of Lies will tell us that we can fit in, fly under the radar, that we deserve freedom from suffering, our comfort, our way, our glory.

But we need to remember, when we became children of God, we died to self so that in Christ we may live. Through Christ we have chosen to be free from slavery to the law of sin and have accepted the freedom of grace and mercy.

And, like the Greeks used the city of Philadelphia to spread its culture, so too we’re challenged to invite others into the city of God by demonstrating the hope, joy and freedom we experience in Christ. We are challenged to live lives that are different, to offer an alternative, to provide salt and light, to share the Love of God. To make a positive difference in a lost and hurting world. This won’t always be welcomed. Or even tolerated. Because to those whose eyes haven’t been opened by God, it’s all foolishness. Ridiculous. A nonsensical fairytale. And not only that. When we cross that line and join God’s family, we instantly become enemies of the world and Satan. Every day he will tempt us to despair, walk away and deny Christ.

Currently the door is open

We sit under its lintel without persecution. But for how long? I am not the only one who suggests, not long. Sooner rather than later we may find ourselves in the same situation as the church in Philadelphia

1. Small and weak
2. Betrayed by family
3. Facing persecution.

And so, we too, every day, need to make the choice, whom shall we follow. Do we pick up our cross, or do we pursue our own comfort?

If we remain faithful and obey his word, we too will receive the same promises from Him who is faithful.

1. Vindication
2. Preservation
3. Protection

In these rapidly changing times as a church and as individuals we remember who the real enemy is, stay in the Holy and True One whom we can trust. And remember, we do not know how long we have our current political freedom, so make the most of what we have until it is taken away. The time is now, it may be the only time we have.

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