THE EVIDENCE AND ASSURANCE OF SALVATION

1 JOHN 4:12-16

          No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Holy Spirit.

          We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him (NASB).

INTRODUCTION

          A little boy came running into the house after playing outside. His mother stopped him and asked what was on his hand. He replied, “Oh, just a little mud.” His mother then asked if he was planning on getting it off his hand. He thought for a moment and said, “Sure, Mom.

I’ll just wipe it off with my other hand.” There was only one problem with the plan, one dirty hand plus one clean hand equals two dirty hands.

          Many people are like that little boy; they see the evil and wrongs in their life and think they can make themselves clean by bringing the good in their life to bear on the problem. But it doesn’t work that way. We all need a way to be made morally and spiritually clean, and we will never succeed in doing it ourselves. The only solution is to be found in the blood of Jesus Christ, which cleanses us from all sins.

I.                  THE FUNCTION OF LOVE V. 12

          The kind of love the apostle John is discussing fulfills two functions in our lives as believers. First, it is the visible evidence that God dwells in us. As I shared with you from 1 John 4:7-11, agape is exclusively Christian word. It was not used in any other literature besides the New Testament. Agape is unconditional love; it is a self-giving love. It is loving a person without expecting anything in return. It is love demonstrated to a person regardless of the person’s behavior. In other words, it is a kind of love shown to a person whether he deserves it or not.

          What John is conveying to us is this; you and I have never seen God physically, but when we love one another unconditionally, and are thus in spiritual accord with God, then God is in us as really as if we have seen Him. Wherever His love is, God is present. In other words, when we show the selfless love of God to others we are proving that indeed we are the true children of God and genuine representatives of God. But if you suppose that you love God, but leave people aside, your love is a sheer delusion. “Our love for God reaches Him only when it is expressed through love for our neighbors” (Alexander Ramsey).

          The only way in which the people of this world can ever see God is as they see Him living in and through God’s people. And who are God’s people? Those who have been saved through the blood of Jesus Christ are God’s people. Christians are the people of God. Those who are born again of the Holy Spirit are the people of God. Now get this: in John 1:18, John teaches that it is Christ who has declared the invisible God. That is, Christ has made God visible. But here, to our amazement, John teaches that the unseen God, the invisible God, who was once revealed in His Son Jesus Christ, is now revealed in His people if and when we love one another.

          Second, when we practice love, God’s love is perfected in us (12b). This is what John is teaching: “When we as Christians practice love for one another it is evidence that the goal of God’s love has been reached in us. Brotherly love is God’s love fulfilling its end and bearing fruit.”

          Some Christians love to be with others. They befriend strangers easily and always are surrounded by many friends. Others are shy or reserved. They have a few friends, but they are uncomfortable talking to people they don’t know or mingling in crowds. Shy people don’t have to become extroverts in order to love others. John is not telling us how many people we are to love, but how much to love the people we already know. Our job is to love the people God has given to us faithfully, whether they are two or four hundred of them. If God sees that we are ready to love others, He will bring them to us. That is the best way a church can grow. Therefore open your eyes, mind, and heart and see the people God is bringing to you so that you can love them with the love of Christ.

          No matter how shy or bashful you are, you don’t have to be afraid of the commandment to love. God never leads you beyond the sufficiency of His love. No matter how bashful you are, God is willing to enable you love others into His kingdom. When you love others, God’s love is seen in you because your love is God’s love imparted to you by His Spirit.

II. THE EVIDENCE OF SALVATION V. 13

          Verse 13 begins with the phrase, “By this we know,” or “Hereby we know.” The phrase states, Here is the proof that, the proof of what? The proof that we abide in Christ and He in us. This verse says that the presence of the Holy Spirit within you certifies the indwelling of God. The gift of the Holy Spirit is an evidence of salvation (Rom. 8:9). Verse 13 is closely tied to verse 12. In verse 13, John is saying that the Holy Spirit, who abides in you, is a witness of God’s presence in your life. The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit in your heart is the seal and assurance of your union with God. It was St. Augustine of Hippo who said, “Do we want to know what Christ has given to us from His Spirit? Ask your heart. If it is full of love, you have the Spirit. Do you want to know that the Spirit dwells in you? Ask St. Paul." “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5). The simple truth is that the natural person can neither believe nor love. To put it in another way, if you have not given your life to Jesus, you can neither believe in Him nor love others. In your fallen and unredeemed state you are both blind and selfish. It is only by the grace of the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of truth and whose first fruit is love (Gal. 5:22), that you and I ever come to believe in Christ and to love others. The presence of the Holy Spirit in you is the assurance of salvation. He assures you that you are a child of God. When Satan comes with his accusation, and says look at you; how can you be a child of God? It is the Holy Spirit who assures you that you are the child of God.

III. THE CONFESSION OF CHRIST AS SON OF GOD VV. 14-15

          John and fellow apostles were eyewitnesses of Jesus Christ as God’s gift to the world. Here again John is saying, “We beheld,” or “we saw.” The pronoun “we” is emphatic. Not only did they see Jesus, they also bear witness that the heavenly Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. Jesus did not originate from Bethlehem. He originated from heaven. Jesus’ life did not begin on the planet earth; He existed with the Father before the foundation of the world. As a matter of fact, He was the Agent of creation. The world for whose sake the Father sent the Son was not righteous. The term “world” as used in this context means “sinful society, estranged from God and under the dominion of the evil one.” Jesus came to rescue the world from sin and Satan. Jesus came to redeem you and me from the power of sin and the tyranny of Satan who held us captive. You and I were pinned down by the force of sin and the stronghold of Satan, but Jesus has set us free. The moment you said yes to Jesus, the moment you opened your heart to Him, Jesus became your Lord and Savior. The verb “sent” is a perfect tense, which points not only to the historical event of the sending, but to the purpose and result of it, namely the salvation of the world. With this statement all three of the Apostle John’s tests are implied. The first test is the doctrinal test. It was the Son Himself whom the Father sent. Second, the social test: God’s love is seen, revealed, manifested in the sending of His Son, thus obliging or compelling us to love each other. The third test is ethical. If Christ came to be our Savior, we must forsake the sins from which He came to save us. Therefore, if you claim to be a Christian and you continue to practice the sins from which Christ has set you free, then you better evaluate your claim. Why? Because when the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:36). This is not just a platitude; it is a fact. You see, the historical mission of Jesus in the salvation of the world took place more than two thousand years ago and its influence and effects are still going on. Let me draw an analogy. Here in the United States when the Emancipation Proclamation document was signed into law many years ago, all the slaves were set free and its influence and results are still going on today. The same thing happened on the cross when Jesus said, “It is finished.” Jesus sealed the spiritual emancipation proclamation document not by the stroke of a pen, but rather by the shedding of His own precious blood for you and me. Therefore, anyone who receives Jesus as personal Lord and Savior becomes a child of God. You no longer belong to Satan if you have placed your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. You have traded places and you have changed masters. In verse 15 the news even gets better. John says, “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.”

          This is a doctrinal test, but let me explain something here before we continue. The word “confesses” is the Greek word homologese. That word is an aorist tense (like our English past tense). That word cannot be rendered precisely in English. John is referring neither to a future confession, but to a single and decisive public confession, the time of which is unspecified. In the Bible the word “confession” is used in two different ways. It is used in a negative way to indicate confession of sins, and it is used in a positive way to mean confession of Christ. To confess means, "To say the same thing." To confess means to agree with God about something or somebody. This is what John is saying: There was a defined moment and day in your life when you believed in your heart and confessed with your mouth that Jesus is the Son of God. At that moment and day, you may not be able to recall with precision, but when you made that confession, the Spirit of God came to abide in you and you in God. This is why I have problem with people who say, “I have been a Christian all of my life, but you don’t see any change in their life. You may have been born into a Christian family. Your parents might have carried you to church since you were an infant, but if you cannot recall a day in your life when you gave your life to Jesus Christ, then I submit to you that you are religious and a church-goer, but not a Christian. To confess Jesus as the Son of God is to be born again from above. For without the Holy Spirit’s initiative you cannot call Jesus, “Lord.” I don’t want to ruin your day, but that is the truth.

          When I attended a Presbyterian Church because I went to a Presbyterian school, I knew deep in my heart that I wasn’t saved. Why? Because I had not confessed Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Probably I would have asked Jesus to come into my heart, had somebody shared the gospel with me. In those days church attendance was obligatory and a formality. But later in my adult years when a couple came and shared Christ with me, I was reluctant, but finally I gave my life to Christ. I may not be able to give you the exact date, but I can go back to that day when I confessed Jesus as the Son of God. I would like for you to think about what John is saying, because the devil has duped and deceived many people who claim to be Christians, but in reality they are religious and churchgoers. You can be a faithful churchgoer and end up in hell, because you never gave your life to Christ.

It is the apostles who first preached or proclaimed that Jesus is the Son of God. They walked with Him. They saw Him. They held Him. They heard His profound teachings. They saw His miracles. Therefore, they were eyewitnesses to Christ. Their testimony is necessary, but it does not compel assent. It is the power of the Spirit of God who enables you to confess that Jesus is Christ who has come in the flesh (4:2). Potentially Jesus is the Savior of the world, but believing and confessing Him is a part of the plan of God by which Christ becomes your actual Savior. There are many people in churches today whom Jesus is their potential Savior and not their actual Savior, because they have not confessed Him in real sense.

          In the first century, to confess Christ as Lord was a costly price to pay. Even today in some parts of the world like China, Indonesia, Sudan, India, and others to confess Christ as Lord can cost your life. Some people pay a great price to follow Jesus Christ and that is worth it all because Jesus Himself paid the ultimate price. He died in your stead. He died for you and me. Therefore, if you live in the United States but take Jesus for granted, then you would have yourself to blame. Can you trace a day in your life when you confessed or acknowledged Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Do you have the witness of the Holy Spirit in your heart that you are a child of God? What about the social test? Do you love people unconditionally? Have you attached strings to your love? Are you a secret Christian? Do you live a double life? When you are with Christians you act like a Christian but when you are with unbelievers there is no difference between you and them.

IV. ABIDING IN LOVE V. 16

          John says we have come to know and still know; we have come to believe and still believe the love, which God has for us. The knowledge and the faith are both lasting experiences. It is one thing to know and believe the love that God has for us, it is another to learn to love and to abide in love ourselves. In other words, the love that is eternally in God and was historically manifested in Christ is to come to fruition in us. The only way you and I can love as the only way to believe (v. 15) is by dwelling or abiding in God and God in us. It is the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit that makes us the children of God. “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16). The Holy Spirit enables you and I to believe and to love others. Faith and love are the fruit of the indwelling Spirit. Faith and love are the evidence of the Spirit. Therefore, if you abide in love it is the evidence that God dwells in you. That is why Jesus sums up the Ten Commandments in love. Jesus also said that it is through our love for one another that the world will truly know that we are the children of God (John 13:34-35).

          A major part of the reason the common people were attracted to Jesus was His love. The world is dying for genuine love. If you and I would demonstrate unconditional love, we can gain an entrance into people’s life. When you show true love to people they begin to open up to you, because they feel at home with you. Without the Holy Spirit your mind is dark and your heart is cold. Only the Holy Spirit can enlighten your mind to believe in Jesus and warm your heart to love God and each other. So believing and loving are evidence that His Spirit is at work in you. So as a Christian you cannot have a cold heart. You are to be warm and affectionate. Christians are like magnets; we are to attract people to Christ. Only genuine Christians can truly love unconditionally.

          A soldier who went to war called his mother and said, mom can I come home? Is there a room in the house for me, the mother responded, “sure there is room for you so please come home.” The soldier said, "Could I bring a friend who has lost an eye, and a leg?" Is there a room for him? The mother replied, well, you can bring him to stay for a while, but later he must find a place to stay. The son who was a soldier hanged up the phone and took his own life. He was the one who had lost an eye and a leg. He knew his mother would not receive him back for what had happened to him. Do you love people unconditionally? Think and pray about it.

THANKING GOD FOR HIS TRIUMPHANT LEADERSHIP IN OUR LIVES

2 CORINTHIANS 2:14-17

          But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in    Christ, and manifest through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?

         For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as   from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God (NASB).

INTRODUCTION

          While on a short-term missionary trip, Pastor Jack Hinton was leading worship at a leper colony on the island of Tobago. A woman who had been facing away from the pulpit turned around.

          “It was the most hideous face I had ever seen,” Hinton said. “The woman’s nose and ears were entirely gone. She lifted a fingerless hand in the air and asked, ‘Can we sing Count Your Many Blessings?’”

          Overcome with emotion, Hinton left the service. He was followed by a team member who said, “I guess you’ll never be able to sing that song again.” “Yes I will,” he replied, “but I‘ll never sing it the same way.”

I.                  THANKING GOD FOR VICTORY IN CHRIST

          IN SPITE OF DIFFICULTIES VV. 14-16

          From chapters 1 to 2:13, the apostle Paul presents to us a rather depressing account of his ministry. He speaks of his affliction in Asia, criticisms of his integrity, the pain he experienced in Corinth because of the offender, and his inability to settle to missionary work in Troas. The Christian life is the victorious life, but it is not an easy life. The Christian life and ministry is bitter sweet. It involves trials, opposition, and temptations, but if you stay closer to Jesus Christ, victory will eventually become your portion, because Jesus has already won the victory for us. I can understand Jesus and Paul and identify with them. The call to follow Jesus is the noblest thing that can happen to anybody, but it involves endurance and suffering. That is why I always have a problem with those who preach prosperity and good health gospel. This year some of you have gone through afflictions. Some of you have lost loved ones, children, parents, a brother or sister, a son or daughter. Christina and I have had our share of trials, loss, and difficulties but God has proven to be faithful every step of the way. When I reflect on the Lord’s call upon my life in Munich, Germany in 1986, I can say without any regret that my surrender to His call and direction for our lives has been the best thing that has ever happened to us. There have been some bumps on the road (the loss of a daughter after a time of a successful revival in Oklahoma, and the encouraging tape that I received from my wife, Christina). I may not be able to understand what each Christian has gone through, but Christina and I have experienced similar losses in our lives. Therefore, I know how to minister to those who suffer because I have been there.

          Now reflecting on all the drawbacks of life, the apostle Paul could still praise and give thanks to the Lord. The genuineness of your Christian life is not dependent on whether you are exempted from suffering and problems in life. The testing of the authenticity of your Christian life is determined by how you respond to pain and suffering when they come. Therefore, in verse 14, the Apostle Paul makes a transition from troubles and trials to triumph in Christ. He makes the transition from sorrow to joy and from sullenness to sweetness in Christ. He is saying that in spite of these setbacks thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifest through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. Do you understand what Paul is saying here? Let me give you an illustration. When I was in College in Kentucky, I had a friend called Dennis Thomas, his family was among the first that I met when I arrived in the United States in 1987. That man wears a certain perfume or cologne. Therefore, if I went to the grocery store and he came to look for me and did not leave any note, the moment I returned I knew that Dennis had been in my room because of the aroma of the perfume. I would call him later and he would tell me that he came by but I wasn’t there. I know the smell of the perfume my wife wears. She has several. The truth is that every Christian wears an aroma. The question is, “What kind of aroma are you wearing?” Is it a sweet smelling aroma or a sour aroma? Is it a sweet smelling fragrance, or one that is repulsive to smell? When you visit people and leave do you leave them with the knowledge of Christ, or do you make them twice as hardened to the gospel? When people get closer to you do they smell the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ? What Paul is saying is that in spite of the trials, criticism, opposition, and suffering he experienced wherever he went he left the people with the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Christ. That is my ambition and goal in the ministry to which the Lord has called my wife and me. Wherever we go I want people to remember us that we left them with the knowledge of Christ. That is why I don’t major in Satan and demons. Don’t misunderstand me. I am not saying that they don’t exist. I am not saying that they don’t have power to harm and afflict people. What I am saying is that I am called to make Jesus known and glorify Him in my life. And when I do that He has me covered because Satan and his cohorts are defeated enemies. Some preachers put their emphasis on the teaching of Satan but I put my emphasis on the teaching of Christ. For He has said when I am lifted up I will draw all people unto Myself. Some preachers put more emphasis on Satan that they cannot thank God, who in Christ always leads us in triumph.

          The apostle Paul uses several word pictures in these verses. The phrase leads us in triumph carries the idea of soldiers in a triumphal procession. In a Roman triumphal procession, the Roman general would display his treasure and captives amidst a cloud of incense burned for the gods. To the victors, the aroma was sweet, but to the captives in the parade, it was a smell of slavery and death. This brings me to verse 15.

The apostle Paul gives us the reason for the aroma that we wear (v. 15). For the apostle Paul and those of us who preach the gospel without any embellishment and deceit, we are the fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. When the Lord was calling me to preach I never resisted the call but I wanted to be sure that it was He who was calling me to preach and teach His word. The reason is that I know the awesome responsibility of the word of God. I know what the word of God can do to people. You see any time we preach the word of God, God expects you to make a response. We preach the word of God, the Bible for a verdict. The gospel of God when preached in truth has ramifications and demands response. Whenever a Christian shares the gospel with an unbeliever, that person has a choice to make. The choices are just two, either to receive Christ, or to reject Him. There is no middle ground or indecision. Therefore, it is better not to hear the preaching or witnessing of Christ than to hear and remain the same way you are. When we preach the word of God or witness to others concerning Christ, we are spreading the aroma, or the fragrance of Christ. Therefore, the preaching of the gospel of Christ is the aroma from life to life for those who believe, but an aroma from death to death for those who refuse to believe and obey. When we preach or share our faith in Christ with you, the message of Christ is good news to some of you, but repulsive news to others. We recognize the life-giving aroma of the message. To those who have hardened their hearts, however, the gospel smells foul, like death, their own death. That is why I don’t take preaching or witnessing lightly, because it carries life and death consequences.

          The apostle Paul then asks a rhetorical question: And who is adequate for these things? Knowing the eternal implications of the preaching or teaching of the word of God, who is qualified for the task? The apostle answers the question in chapter 3:5. When I was saved I did not dream of becoming a preacher of the word of God. It is not a profession that I took upon myself. It is the Lord who called me and He used other believers to confirm it in my life. There are several ways of viewing the circumstances of life, but one thing I know is that in the African context when there is failure or reversal in our lives we begin to look for a scapegoat. But I want to challenge that premise, which many African Christians have embraced. Sometimes God allows failure or problems in your life to get your attention. Maybe you may be going in a wrong direction, but He wants you to follow His leading in your life. Maybe, you are just rebellious and He uses the circumstances to cause you to become obedient and submissive to Him. One of the best decisions I made was when I sought the counsel of my pastor in Munich when I was refused a visa and entry into London, England. But if it were some of you, you would have concluded that the witches and wizards of your family have followed you to Germany. That is why false prophets and prophetesses are deceiving many Africans today. They say things that your itching ears want to hear and not what God wants you to hear.

II. TRUTHFUL AND SINCERE PREACHING OF CHRIST V. 17

          In verse 17 the apostle Paul makes a scathing remark against his opponents, the false teachers and prophets. During the days of Paul there were many who were peddling the word of God. The word peddler means a hawker, trader. It carries the idea of someone who is corrupt in his dealings with others. Literally, it means to trade in or peddle. In those days some of the traders would adulterate their wine with water, others would use false scale to weigh their goods. For example, in Ghana some of those who sell palm wine would adulterate the wine with water so that they could make more money. Those who used to buy cocoa or grain from farmers would use false scale to cheat the farmers of their produce. Those who sold fruits such as oranges, pear and others would put the delicious one on top of the basket and put the bad and sour ones underneath. What was their intention? They did that to make more money at the expense of customers. Paul says there are many who do that with the word of God. They prey on vulnerable and naïve Christians. They tamper with and embellish the word of God for personal gain. Apostle Paul says that he refused to tamper with God’s word (4:2). Unlike those who peddle the word of God for personal gain, the apostle Paul refused to remove the offense of the word of God. Do you know what some of the offenses of the gospel are? One of them is the cross of Christ. Today there are many preachers and teachers who don’t preach and teach about the cross, because they say that it is offensive to the Jews and others. There are some who don’t want us to preach about the sufficiency and the finality of Christ. There are some who do not preach about the resurrection of Jesus Christ because they want to avoid persecution.

          There are some who preach an impotent gospel and because of that they have raised up Christians with a “victim mentality.” By victim mentality I mean Christians who cannot claim the victory of Christ for their lives, but think that someone is always after them. If she went to bed and dreamed about you she would go to see that prophet and the prophet would come up with a make-believe story and take money from her. That fabrication would strain or ruin your relationship with the person you saw in your dream. I pity such Christians. I like what George Whitefield said, “I am immortal until my work on earth is finished.” Many Christians are not doing anything that will last for eternity, because of that they are afraid that someone can harm, hurt, or kill them spiritually. However, if you are serving God with all your heart and you are doing what He has called you and chosen you to do His anointing and protection are over you (Romans 8:26-39). That is why I am not worried about Satan, demons, witches and wizards. I know the blood of Christ covers me and nothing can hurt me unless He allows it.

          Let me give you some biblical truths. If you are a true Christian you are adequate because your adequacy is from God in Christ. Christ has already commissioned and sent you (Matt. 28:18-20). He has given you the Holy Spirit to enable you to minister with the power of Christ. He keeps His eye on you, protecting as you work for Him. If you realize that God makes you competent and useful you can overcome your feelings of inadequacy. Here now is the secret I want you to know: Your service for Christ, therefore, requires that you focus on what Christ can do through you, not on what you can’t do by yourself.

          Finally, the Apostle states, "For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God." The word sincere has an interesting word picture. In the days of Paul there were many who were insincere in their trade. A typical example was the potters. When some of them worked on pottery and they noticed some cracks, they filled the cracked pot with wax and smoothed it over by applying the heat of the fire. But merchants who knew the deception of these potters would pick up the pot and expose it to the ray of the sun and the sun would reveal the wax and the deceit would be detected. So Paul unlike those who peddled or commercialized the gospel preached and taught the word of God with sincerity. I would like to be known as a person who preaches and teaches the word of God from a sincere heart. I don’t want to be identified with those who peddle, who commercialize, or wax the word of God for selfish gain. The Lord has promised to meet all our needs if we serve Him faithfully. I saw that in Paul’s life. I have seen that in the life of Dr. Billy Graham, Dr. Tony Evans, Chuck Swindoll, Dr. Ravi Zacharias, Dr. Russ Barksdale (my lead Pastor), and many others. The Lord has promised us that He will never leave us nor forsake us. King David said, I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor his children begging bread (Psalm 37:25). The Lord has you covered therefore enjoy your Christian life and serve Him sincerely and faithfully. And even as you join your family and reflect on the year 2014, approach God with an attitude of gratitude. Look at the positive side. Happy Thanksgiving.

A COMMUNITY OF CHRIST WITH AN OPEN DOOR

REVELATION 3:7-13

INTRODUCTION

A janitor would wait patiently each week for a group of seminarians to finish their basketball game. While he waited, he would study his Bible. One day, as the seminarians were leaving the gym, they noticed the janitor carefully reading the text in his lap. One young man asked which biblical book was the subject of the janitor’s study. The old man answered, “The Book of Revelation.” The ballplayer was surprised and asked the janitor if he understood the complicated book. “Oh, yes!” the man answered. I understand it. It means that Jesus is gonna win!” And that is a most accurate analysis of the book of Revelation!

BACKGROUND

          Philadelphia was the youngest of the seven churches of Asia. The city of Philadelphia was founded in the Second century B. C. by Attalus II, who was also called Philadelphos, and so gave the city its name. "Philadelphos" is the Greek word that means one who loves his brother. The city was known for earthquakes. It can be likened to San Francisco or one of the cities of California. Earth tremors were frequent and caused many of the residents to leave the city for a safer home in the surrounding countryside.

          The severe earthquake of A. D. 17, which had devastated Sardis, almost destroyed Philadelphia. However, by the 90s with the aid of imperial subsidy, Philadelphia was rebuilt. The city of Philadelphia supported the pagan cult of Dionysus, but the main problem the church faced was not the pagan cult, but the Jews. This has usually been the case throughout history. The Christian church has suffered more persecutions in the hands of religious people than pagans. The same thing is true today in many parts of the world. Attalus II founded Philadelphia as a center of missionary activity for the Hellenistic way of life. In other words, he founded the city as a center for people who would embrace the Greek culture, philosophy, and way of life. The city was prosperous; partly from its strategic position and partly from the grape growing that flourished in the vicinity.

I. THE LORD’S COMMENDATION OF THE CHURCH VV. 7-9

          If there were a church among the seven churches of Asia Minor that I would like us to emulate, it was the church of Philadelphia. These seven churches represent the universal church. The figure “seven” plays an important role in the Bible, especially in the Book of Revelation. Seven is the number of completion or perfection. These seven churches were actually in existence when Christ gave John this revelation at the Island of Patmos. Among the seven churches, Smyrna and Philadelphia were the only churches that Christ did not find any fault or complaint. Therefore, I would like us to pattern our church after the church of Philadelphia because we have many similarities. One essential virtue we need to work on is love. When you are strategically located like the church of Philadelphia, you have to cultivate the virtue of love. Our church is also strategically located in the city of Arlington, Texas, a Metroplex of diverse cultures. The church of Philadelphia did not have problem loving each other. There was no internal bickering and fighting. Christ commends the church of Philadelphia.

          In verse 7, the text reads, And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: The word angel, also means messenger. Angels are God’s messengers that is, why the NT teaches us not to worship them (Colossians 2:18). Here the word angel is a metaphor either for the elder or overseer of the church or the church. The person who is speaking here is the exalted Christ, hence the designations "he who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens." Here the word holy does not necessarily refer to Christ’s sinlessness, but rather His complete dedication to God the Father. The word true is not referring to genuine or which correspond to reality, but one who is faithful and trustworthy. So it is fair to say that the greeting is coming from the one who is completely dedicated to God the Father, the one who is faithful and trustworthy. This one has the key of David. The key of David is a metaphorical expression indicating complete control over the royal household. A key is a symbol of power. It is a symbol of authority and control. Keys are not given to everybody. When I give you a key to my house that means I have given you accessibility to my house. That means I trust you. Christ has the key to the messianic Kingdom. He is the only Person who can let you in the Kingdom. He is the same who can shut you out of the Kingdom. After the door to the Kingdom is opened, no one can close it, salvation is assured. Once it is closed, no one can open it—judgment is certain.

          The problem that the church was facing was that some of the Jews in Philadelphia said they were the true people of God who held the key to the Kingdom of God. But the truth is that when Israel rejected her Messiah, it forfeited the key of David. It is Christ alone and no longer Israel, who can give men and women entrance into the Messianic Kingdom. Christ has the absolute and exclusive power to give entrance and to exclude from the Kingdom of God. Christ shares this privilege with His church.  "And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Matt. 16:19).

          Christ commends the church of Philadelphia. First, he says, I know your deeds. Christ doesn’t reprove or reprimand the church of Philadelphia. In the sight of Christ, the church was beyond reproach. They were doing everything right. The members were living in unity. They were getting along with each other. They were reaching people for Christ. Every member had a sense of belonging in the fellowship. It is a sobering thought to realize that Christ knows the deeds of every church. He knows the deeds of every Christian. He knows your works, and there is nothing that is hidden from Him. Christ knows everything that goes on in every church. He knows the things that you do behind the scene. The church of Philadelphia was known for her good works. I would like Christ to say a similar thing about our church if we would follow what the Bible teaches. Everybody in the church was using his/her gift to serve the Lord in this church.

          Second, Christ says, I have put before you an open door. The church of Philadelphia, like ours was small in size, but Christ opened the door wide for her to reach people with the gospel. Today we have the opportunity to preach the gospel more than any time in history. We have the opportunity to share our faith in the market place today more than anytime. The global economic meltdown has opened the door wide for you and me to point and bring people to Christ. Many are asking spiritual questions. Many for the first time are trying to analyze what is essential in life. Our church needs to take advantage of this open door to minister to people and lead them to the saving knowledge of Christ. Christ has opened the door wide and we must utilize the opportunity to bring the lost to Him. I would like to see both spiritual and numerical growth. Take advantage of Sunday school so that you can really grow in your walk with Christ. Make time to attend Sunday school and Bible study and prayer meeting and see the growth that will take place in your life. The church of Philadelphia was not worried of its size because it had a big Savior and the Lord who held the key to the Kingdom. It is easy to underestimate our potential by focusing on the size of our church.

          Christ knew that the church of Philadelphia had little power. Our church has little power physically and financially, but if we remain faithful to Christ as the believers in Philadelphia did, He will keep the door open. Christ opened the door for the church of Philadelphia because she kept the word of the Lord. This church endured great opposition and persecution from both the pagans and the Jews, and yet did not succumb to pressure. The church held her head high and remained faithful to Christ. The church faces similar pressures today. We face pressure from cults, the hostile media, the gay agenda, and those who want to redefine the family. The Christian church faces opposition from religions that are hostile to Christ. However, it is good to know and admit your powerlessness and embrace the unlimited power of Christ. Christ commends the church of Philadelphia for not denying His name. When Christians go through difficult times, it is easy to deny the name of Christ. Many deny the name of Christ by the way they live their lives. Many deny the name of Christ by the things they say. Many deny the name of Christ by the things they do. In a time when the economy is bad, it is easy to be dishonest and deny Christ. It would have been easy for the believers in Philadelphia to abandon Christ and join the Jews but they didn’t. Let me ask you a question. How many of you have not been able to pay your rent? How many of you have missed a square meal? Yes, some of us have lost loved ones; some of us have experienced some reversals in the past year, but when we count our blessings we realize that the Lord has been good to us. Last year, you were worried whether you could meet your church budget. By the grace of God, you exceeded the budget. Who provided for you to give to the church? It is Christ, who provides for us financially. That is why Christ admonishes us "not to be anxious about what we will eat, drink, or wear. But to seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matt. 6:31-33). When the people of God are faithful to Him, He has promised to take from the unbelieving world and give it to us. We are to take advantage of the open door because the Lord is not going to open it forever. Now that He has opened the door, we must go through it. Now people are looking for answers to life’s ultimate questions. People are more receptive to the gospel now. God is working behind the scene in people’s lives. It is up to you and me to locate where the Spirit of God is at work and join Him. The church of Philadelphia did not use her little power as an excuse for doing nothing. The church knew that she had a great and powerful Lord who held the key of the Kingdom in His hand.

          In verse 9, Christ says that He will make the enemies of the church of Philadelphia to come and bow before her. The Lord is doing a similar thing today. Today many are seeking spiritual answers from believers. This is a great opportunity to bring seekers to Christ. Many are opened to the gospel because everything else has failed, except Christ.

II. THE LORD’S COMMITMENT TO THE CHURCH VV. 10-13

          Because the church of Philadelphia has obeyed Christ and emulated His example of perseverance, He promises to keep the church from the hour of testing that is coming upon the world. In Revelation 2:10, the tribulation of which the believers of Smyrna are warned is to test the church. Sometimes God allows His church to be tested. But in our present text, the hour of trial is to test or try "those who dwell upon the earth. Those who dwell upon the earth" is a term used to describe the non-Christian world, those who don’t believe in Jesus Christ (6:10; 8:13; 11:10). There is something I would like you to understand whereas the devil prompts the opponents of the church to persecute the believers of Smyrna it is God who tests the unregenerate world during the hour of trial by His own judgment. God is going to try the people that are outside of Christ not to destroy them, but to drive them to repentance. Could it be that what we are experiencing in the United States and the world is a wakeup call from God that Jesus Christ cannot be ignored? God’s hour of trial of the world is indicative of His disapproval of her ways. It is God’s compassion to drive the believing world to repentance and faith in Christ. The hour of testing is also indicative that the coming of Christ is approaching.

          Christ says that He will protect His church from this hour of trial because His church has been faithful and loyal to Him. Verse 11, Christ says that He is coming quickly. In the Book of Revelation, the coming of Christ is always in the present tense, not in the future. Christ then says, "Hold fast to what you have so that nobody takes your crown." You and I have different gifts, abilities, experiences, and maturity. God does not expect you and me to act the same, but He expects us to hold fast to what we have, to persevere in using our resources for Him. The term "hold fast" means "keep a firm grip on." You may be a new believer and feel that your faith and spiritual strength are little. Use what you have for Christ, and God will commend you. When Christ returns, only the things that you did in His name will count. When Christ returns only things that have eternal significance will matter. First and foremost, people are what have eternal value that is why Christ came to die for us. You are going to be crowned according to your service to Christ. You see, nobody can steal your crown but you can forfeit because of your attitude to Christ, the gifts He has given you, and the place He has put you. Disobedience and rebellion to Christ can cause you to forfeit your crown. Because of disobedience, Saul forfeited his crown to David. To serve God is high privilege that cannot be compared with anything in the world. But this privilege would be withdrawn if you fail to fulfill the task the Lord has given you. Christians who don’t want to get their hands dirty will lose their crowns. Christians who are selective in what they want to do for Christ will lose their rewards. The word “crown’ is "stephanos," which means a garland or wreath. It was often used of victory for athletes in the Greek world.

          Then Christ says that the overcomer will be made a pillar in the Temple of God. This is a figure of speech, which means permanent residence in the New Jerusalem. As I explained to you that the city of Philadelphia was known for earthquakes, God will honor the believers of this city who defied the earthquake and stayed to serve Him faithfully in spite of the opposition from the Jews. One great assurance that Christians have is that we are sojourners and pilgrims in this world. We are just passing through this word, therefore don’t plant all your feet in this world. Christ is preparing a permanent and better home for us. Christ will write on us the name of God the Father. This is a symbol of possession. All the followers of Christ will bear His mark on our forehead to show that we belong to Him. The followers of the beast will also bear his name (13:17). The mark that you and I will receive will protect us from God’s wrath that will come upon the world. All who bear the name of God belong to God (22:4). Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will be citizens of the New Jerusalem.

          In the consummation, the heavenly Jerusalem will descend to earth (21:2) and God will take up His residence with us. When Christ returns as the mighty Conqueror, He has a name inscribed, which nobody else knows except Himself (19:12). This is a symbolic way of suggesting the glory and majesty of Christ at His revelation, which will be shared by those of us who have placed our trust in Him.

          Some Christians serve Christ reluctantly as if they are doing it for the pastor. In reality, you serve Christ for yourself. This passage is an eye opener for you and me to give our best to Christ as His return is approaching. Make yourself available, unreserved, and totally committed to the service of Christ. In conclusion, Christ says, "He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." The question is, "Are you listening to what the Spirit is saying?" Is your local church listening to what the Spirit is saying to you?