Self-doubt

Well, good morning. It's great to be here with you again.

Many of us have moved to new cities.

We've just thought about Bobby and Joanna moving to Perth.

For some of you, that was very recent in the last few months.

For me, it was about 18 years ago.

For some of you, it was much longer ago.

But when you move to a new city, one of the important things is to find a good church to settle into.

But how do you choose a good church?

Maybe you look at their website.

Maybe you see what activities are listed there.

Are they active?

Are they reaching out to their community?

Are they growing?

Maybe you look at their statement of faith.

Does it tick all the key boxes?

Is their doctrine sound?

Maybe you listen to recordings of a couple of their sermons and see, are they giving good teaching?

Or maybe you ask around.

What are they known for?

What is their reputation?

Over the last few weeks, we've read time and time again of churches that seem to be doing really well.

That sound like the ideal place to call home.

And yet we've read again and again of the complaints that Jesus brings against them for major failings right at their core.

So what would the ideal church look like?

What would the church look like that got no criticism from Jesus?

Presumably we'd read accounts of wonderful acts of service.

Of growth.

Of the impact they're making in their community.

The letter to the church in Philadelphia is one of only two that has no complaint in it.

But despite the lack of complaint, this is not a church without its difficulties.

They're finding things tough.

Where some churches need rebuke, this church needs encouragement and reassurance.

Other than the lack of complaint, it follows the same pattern as others.

After an initial greeting, he gives a report on their condition.

Then he gives one or more commands.

And finally gives promises of hope or of judgment.

So, first of all, what is his diagnosis of their condition?

This is where we'll spend the majority of our time.

And we'll see that Jesus notes four truths.

Two of these are truths that they can see.

And two of them are unseen, but that they need to be reminded of.

The first truth that we see in verse 8 is that they are weak.

That they only have a little strength.

We don't know.

We're not told exactly how they were weak.

Were they weak in numbers?

Was there maybe only a handful of believers in that city?

Were they lacking in good teachers and leaders to build them up?

Were they marginalized, oppressed?

Were they struggling to have impact on their community?

Or were they just plain exhausted and at the end of their resources?

We're not told.

But we're told that they only have a little strength.

Some would see this as a complaint.

As a criticism against the church.

But I don't think that it is.

I think it is just a realistic assessment of their situation.

Unlike what much of the world would teach us,

the Bible does not teach us that weakness is wrong.

Instead, we see time and time again,

Jesus on the side of the weak, the poor, the downtrodden, the humble.

Isaiah would write a bruised reed he will not break.

A smouldering wick he will not snuff out.

So instead of criticism, this is comfort.

He knows them.

He knows their weakness.

But he knows that although they are weak,

they have been faithful.

They have kept to his word.

They have stayed true to what they have been taught.

In particular, they have stayed true to what they have been taught

about patience and endurance.

Because they have kept going.

Despite all the pressure from those around them,

they have not denied his name.

Whatever may be going on in their circumstances,

they are not ashamed to acknowledge

that they belong to Christ

and that they bear his name.

But then the second truth that we see in verse 9

is that they have opposition.

We're not told that they're facing direct persecution here.

There's no suggestion that their lives are in immediate danger,

unlike those in some of the other cities.

Instead, opposition seems to be far more subtle

and therefore potentially more deadly.

It's difficult for us to know

how we would act

in a situation of someone putting a gun against our head

and telling us to deny our faith

or they will pull the trigger.

We can hope that in that extreme black and white situation

where everything is put on the line,

that we would have courage

to remain faithful

as many around the world have done

and paid with their lives.

But what about the subtle whispers in our ear?

Did God really say?

Are you sure you really believe that?

How can you know that you are saved anyway?

These things can slowly eat away at our confidence,

slowly undermine our faith

until we get to the point that

we're not really sure what,

if anything,

we believe anymore.

That sort of opposition

is possibly far more difficult to resist.

And it seems that that

is what the Philadelphians

were facing here.

Because there is this group

that Jesus calls

the synagogue of Satan

who claim to be Jews

though they are not.

Archie dealt with this group

a few weeks ago

when covering the letter

to the church in Smyrna.

So I won't go into too much detail here.

Recommend you listen to that sermon.

But it's not clear exactly

whether these people are Gentiles

who are calling themselves Jews

to take advantage

of some of the freedoms

that Jews were given at that time.

Or whether these are ethnically Jews

who are taking their status before God

for granted

on the basis of their ancestry.

It's also not clear

whether these people

have become embedded in the church

or are just sniping at them

from the outside.

I would think probably

on the outside

or there might be

harsher words here.

But whoever exactly

they are

it seems that they are questioning

the status of these Christians.

they are questioning

whether they are truly

loved by God.

It seems that they think

that they have the privilege

of access to God

and that these Christians

have got it all wrong.

In John's Gospel

Jesus would confront

a similar group

who claimed Abraham

as their father.

but he tells them

you are of your father

the devil

and your will

is to do

your father's desires

for he is a liar

and a father of lies.

Here too

he says

that these people

are not really Jews

but that they belong

to Satan

and are liars.

They think

they know the truth

but they are only

telling lies

and these lies

are subtle

attacks

at the foundation

on which this church

is built.

So these first two truths

are clear to them.

They are very conscious

of the fact

that they are weak.

They are well aware

that they have opposition

but there are two

other unseen truths

that they need

to be reminded of.

The first

is that there is

a door open

before them.

People read this

in many different ways.

Some would see it

as a open door

for their ministry

with allusions

to Paul's request

for prayer

in Colossians

that God

may open a door

for our message.

Others would see it

as a more

generic opening

of opportunity.

one TV preacher

put it as

God has a plan

for our lives

and he has opened

the doors

needed to fulfill

our destiny

followed by a sales pitch

on his books

videos etc

which you needed

to buy

to help you

fulfill that destiny.

But I don't think

that either of these

is what has been

meant here.

to understand

that we need

to go back

and see

where is this

a reference from?

When walking

about on earth

Jesus filled

his teaching

with references

to the scriptures

to our Old Testament

and so when he is

speaking from heaven

he does the same.

this is not

just a cryptic

statement

for us

to make up

our own

best interpretation

of

but is an

almost word

for word

quote

from Isaiah 22.

In Isaiah 22

in verse 15

we read

this is what

the Lord

the Lord Almighty

says

go say

to this steward

to Shebna

the palace administrator

what are you

doing here?

And God

brings

various

accusations

against this

man

Shebna

who is described

as a steward

a palace

administrator

the man

who is in

charge of

the palace.

But then

down in verse

19

I will depose

you from

your office

you will be

ousted

from your

position.

In that day

I will summon

my servant

Eliakim

son of

Hilkiah

I will

clothe him

with your

robe

and fasten

your sash

around him

and hand

your authority

over him.

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.

This man

Eliakim

has been

given

power

and authority.

He now

holds the

keys

to the

palace.

He now

controls

who has

access

to the

king.

Who has

access

to all

the

treasuries

of the

king.

His

authority

is absolute.

No one

can override

his decisions.

So when

Jesus uses

these words

about himself

what does

he mean?

I think

he means

that he

is the

one

that provides

access

to the

throne of

God

and to

all the

blessings

that come

from it.

He

has the

keys

to the

door of

salvation.

More than

that,

that he

himself

is the

means

of access

to God.

as the

writer to

the

Hebrews

says,

we have

confidence

to enter

the most

holy place

by the

blood of

Jesus.

But why

should they

trust him?

Why should

they believe

what he

says against

what their

opponents

would say?

Let's

look back

at verse

7 at

how he

introduced

himself.

In each

of the

letters,

the greeting

is different.

In each

one,

he describes

himself in

a way

particularly

relevant to

the message

he has to

bring to

that church.

At the

start of

this letter,

he identified

himself with

two words,

holy and

true.

He describes

himself as

holy.

He is

perfect.

He is

pure.

He is

untainted

by evil.

And while

this is

glorious and

beautiful,

it is also

terrifying.

If there

was any

God who

would restrict

access to

his presence

to anyone

that was

impure,

anyone who

did not

live up to

his standards

of perfection,

it would be

a holy

God like

this.

But on

the flip

side of

that,

if you are

accepted by

a God

like this,

that acceptance

is absolutely

secure,

because who

can condemn

you?

And then he

describes himself

as true.

He doesn't

just speak

truth,

but he is

the embodiment

of truth

itself.

in this

world of

fake news

and alternative

facts,

his word

is the

standard

against which

everything else

can be

fact-checked.

What he

says can

absolutely,

without question,

be relied

upon for

both this

life and

the life to

come.

their

opponents

were denying

their

salvation.

Effectively,

they were

claiming that

they held

the keys,

that they

could determine

who was

in and

who was

out.

But here

Jesus is

saying,

no,

only I

have that

authority,

and I

have opened

that door

for you,

and no

one can

shut it.

Salvation

is not

in anything

else but

Jesus.

Nor is it

in anything

and Jesus.

Salvation

is by

grace alone,

through faith

alone,

in Christ

alone,

no more

and no

less.

This is

given as

reassurance

to them.

They may

be weak.

They may

face opposition

but their

salvation

stands

secure,

unquestionable

and unshakable.

They have

direct access

to the

throne of

God,

and that

door is

not going

to be

slammed in

their face.

But of

course,

while I

don't think

this is

directly

talking about

an open

door for

their

ministry,

this

truth

does

still

give

encouragement

for

evangelism.

Firstly,

because it

gives

confidence.

I think

that possibly

one of the

biggest

barriers

we face

today to

evangelism

is confidence

in what we

believe.

Confidence

that it is

not just

something that

as the world

would tell us

is true for

us,

but it's so

true that

it is truth

for everyone

that we come

in contact

with.

And along

with that

confidence in

what we

believe,

is the

truth that

if we

believe that

the door

is open

for us,

then it is

also open

for any

who would

accept that

call to

come to

him who

is the

way,

the truth,

and the

life.

truth.

The second

of these

unseen

truths

we see

at the

end of

verse 9,

and I

think this

is the

key to

it all.

I

have

loved

you.

They

are loved,

and it's

not just

that they

are loved,

but they

are loved

by the

glorious,

holy,

true

Son of

God.

This is

the key

to it

all.

This is

the basis

of their

salvation.

This is

why they

can endure

despite

being weak.

I remember

growing up

one of the

elders in

our church,

a passionate

man with

a young

family,

thriving

career,

and a

real gift

in Bible

teaching.

At one

point he

was probably

preaching at

least every

second week,

if not

far more,

while holding

down his

career.

And then he

burnt out.

He had a

complete

breakdown.

Everything

got too

much,

and he

just could

not cope.

But I

remember one

Sunday morning

at the

breaking of

bread service,

him asking

us to sing

a song,

one that

communicated

the one

thing that

he was

still sure

of,

the one

thing he

knew he

could depend

on.

You probably

know the

song.

Jesus

loves me,

this I

know,

for the

Bible tells

me so.

Little ones

to him

belong.

We are

weak,

but he

is strong.

when he

hit rock

bottom,

there he

found the

love of

Christ.

I don't

know where

you are

in your

lives right

now.

I don't

know how

you are

coping with

the challenges

that this

year has

thrown at

us.

I don't

know where

your faith

is.

possibly

some of

you feel

that you

are almost

at that

rock

bottom.

But you

can rest

secure in

this,

that even

then,

even when

everything else

gives way,

there you

can find

the love

of Jesus.

So,

having seen

how Jesus

sees their

condition,

what

commands

are they

given?

Are they

told they

need to

do better?

Are they

told of

greater works

that are

required of

them?

No.

There's only

one command

that's given.

Hold on.

They're not

being asked

to do

anything

heroic

here,

just to

hold on

to what

they have.

He knows

they are

weak.

He knows

he can't

ask anything

more of

them,

and so

he doesn't.

There are

many great

things that

we can do

for Christ,

but none

is more

important than

this.

We can do

great works

of charity.

we can

preach the

gospel to

millions,

but what

matters

most is

are we

holding on

to what

we have?

Are we

clinging to

Jesus?

Is he

all that we

are depending

on?

If not,

then we've

completely

missed the

point.

But it's

important to

clarify our

salvation is

not dependent

on the

strength of

our grip.

Back in

Hogmanay last

year, I

was at the

watch night

service at

Greenview,

and the

person there

giving the

epilogue just

before the

bells talked

about how a

baby clings

on to

their mother

with their

little clenched

fists.

They see

security there,

and so they

hold on with

all their

strength.

But their

safety is

not dependent

on how

tightly they

hold on,

but on the

strength of

their mother's

arms that are

holding them.

We are told

to hold on,

but it is

his hands

that hold

us secure.

I think it's

also important

that we don't

use weakness

as an excuse.

It would be

so easy for

us to say,

yes, I'm

weak, that's

okay, and

use it as an

excuse for the

things that the

other churches

are condemned

for, for

loss of love,

for compromise,

for lukewarmness,

even for

being dead.

We're not

told you're

weak.

That's fine.

We're told

you're weak,

so hold on

tight.

Holding on is

not a passive

thing, but

it's an active

thing.

It's something

we must choose

to do each

day, to fix

our eyes on

him, to

confess our

dependence on

him, to

fill our

minds with

his word, to

fill our

hearts with

his praise, to

surround ourselves

with his

people, so

that when the

challenges of

life come, as

they will, we

can stand.

And so

finally, having

given them the

command to

hold on, what

promises does

he give them?

There are at

least six given

in this passage,

and I'll rattle

through them

pretty quickly.

The first

promise in

verse 9 is

that they will

be vindicated,

that those who

oppose them will

acknowledge their

salvation.

They will

acknowledge that

they were loved

all along.

At the end

of the day,

their faith will

be seen to

be well

founded.

Those who

questioned it

will be seen

for what they

were.

Liars.

The second

promise is

that they

were kept

from the

hour of

trial.

This can be

interpreted in

all sorts of

ways, depending

on your

understanding of

the rest of

the book.

book.

And if you

were hoping

for some

grand eschatology

from me here,

I'm sorry to

disappoint.

But whatever

deeper cosmic

meaning it may

have, this was

originally written

to a particular

church in a

particular time in

history.

history, what

did it mean to

them?

It definitely

didn't mean that

life would be

easy, and that

none of them

would suffer or

die.

It's reported

that a living

Christians from

Philadelphia were

martyred alongside

Polycarp in

155 AD.

But I think

partly what it

means is that

God knows what

they can handle.

Sometimes he

will take his

people through

the middle of

suffering and

give them the

strength to

endure.

Sometimes he

will take them

out and keep

them safe from

suffering.

Sometimes he

will take them

through death to

be with him.

But he knows

us.

He will not

test us beyond

what we can

bear.

He knew them.

He knew their

faithfulness, but

he also knew

their weakness.

And so he

will keep them

safe and

secure from

what was to

come.

His third

promise is

that he is

coming soon.

This is the

whole focus of

the book of

Revelation.

The promise

that he will

return.

The promise

that this is

not all that

there is.

The promise

that evil will

not go on

forever

unchecked.

The injustice

will be dealt

with.

He has gone

to prepare a

place for them

and he will

come again

to take them

to be with

him forever

in his

father's

house.

The fourth

promise is

that they

will be made

pillars in

the temple.

The image of

the people of

God being the

stones of a

temple is

used elsewhere

in the Bible.

But what's

interesting here

is that they

will be the

pillars.

pillars.

Because the

pillars are

strong structural

elements that

hold the whole

building up.

Take them

away and the

whole thing

collapses.

And Jesus is

saying that this

church that has

little strength,

they will be the

key structural

elements in his

temple.

all throughout

the New

Testament, we

see how God

takes delight in

building his

church from an

unlikely group of

unqualified,

unsuitable, weak

failures.

Peter denied

him.

Paul persecuted

his people.

Others fled or

locked themselves in

an upper room in

terror.

God showed his

glory by building

his church with

such people.

And he still

does today.

I've probably

told this story

before, so

forgive me.

But I remember

when Tim was

applying to go to

the faith mission.

I had to fill out

a reference for

him.

The questions

they asked were

horrific.

They were

basically requiring

complete character

assassination.

But the one

question I

remember was the

last one, which

asked, do you

think this person

is suitable for

Christian service?

I'm not exactly

sure what answer

they were hoping

for.

But I answered

saying that all

Christians were

suitable for

Christian service.

in fact, that it

wasn't an

option, it was

an obligation.

That God has

always built his

church with

broken, weak

people.

And that the

only required

qualification was

being willing to

be used.

So we see here

that weakness is

not an excuse to

not let God use

you.

And then the

final couple of

promises relate

to names.

I'm sure we

all remember

going to school

with our names

written on

everything.

Pretty much

anything that

could move

would be

labelled.

Jumpers,

pencil cases,

lunch boxes,

jotters.

Don't know if

it was just our

family, but we

always took a

shaving of the

paint off a

pencil so that

you could write

our names on to

the side of our

pencils.

These labels were

not for decoration,

but to make it

clear who these

things belonged

to.

And it's the

same here.

He promises

that they will

have his name

written on

them.

He is claiming

ownership.

He is saying

to them,

you belong

to me.

You are

mine.

But he also

says that he

will write on

them the name

of the city

of God,

the new

Jerusalem.

He's not just

putting a name

label on them,

but also a

return address.

they have a

home.

And that

home is not

Philadelphia.

He's echoing

here the

promises that

would come in

Revelation 21,

which Graham

took us to

last week.

If you've not

listened to that

sermon, I

highly recommend

that you do.

But those

promises that

the dwelling of

God will be

with men,

that he will

be their God,

and that

they will

be his

people.

And so

that is

what the

ideal church

looks like.

The one

you should

get involved

with.

They may be

weak.

They may have

opposition,

but they are

faithful.

Their salvation

is secure,

and they

are loved,

and that

is all

they need.

He calls

them to

hold on,

and weak

as they

are,

he will

use them

to build

his church.

He tells

them that

they are

his,

and that

he will

take them

home.

back at

that service

in

Hogmanay,

we went

into the

new year

singing one

of the

songs that

we listened

to earlier.

At that

point,

we had no

idea what

2020 would

bring.

Yes,

we'd maybe

heard reports

of this new

virus over in

China,

but it

was distant

news of

something

at the other

side of the

world that

didn't really

affect us.

Little did

we know

that everything

was about

to change,

but these

are the words

that we

sang.

When I

fear my

faith will

fail,

Christ

will hold

me fast.

When the

tempter would

prevail,

he will

hold me

fast.

I could

never keep

my hold

through life's

fearful path,

for my

love is

often cold.

he must

hold me

fast.

Those he

saves are

his delight,

Christ

will hold

me fast.

Precious

in his

holy sight,

he will

hold me

fast.

He'll not

let my

soul be

lost.

His promises

shall last,

bought by

him at

such a

cost.

He will

hold me

fast.

So as we

head rapidly

to the

end of

this year

and into

the next

with a

mix of

hope and

trepidation,

that is

what matters.

Are we

clinging to

the one

who is

faithful,

to the one

who will

hold us

fast?

Amen.

Amen.