To Philadelphia

Oh, thanks once again for inviting me to come and be with you this morning.

I've heard many great things about Brunsford Evangelical from John, from Graham, and for those who come here.

And it's a real joy, and I mean that sincerely, to actually be with you, worshipping God with you this morning.

Now, if you've got a Bible, why don't you grab one of these Bibles there?

Why don't you turn to Revelation 3?

Revelation 3, chapter 7. We're going to read this in a minute or so.

But before we do that, I'm sure it has not escaped your attention that right now, Edinburgh is part of the largest arts festival in the world.

We have the Edinburgh Fringe on our doorstep right now.

You cannot walk down the Royal Mile without getting flyers thrust in your face,

and people inviting you to come see improvised sketch comedy, and all sorts of stuff like that.

But as you walk down the Royal Mile, it's also very hard to escape your attention the kind of society that we today live in.

It's not very hard, when looking at the shows that are on the offer, to see just what this society praises,

what this society seeks, what this society desires, what this society affirms.

I don't know if this year I'm more aware of it or not, but the posters I've seen up in the Royal Mile and elsewhere in Edinburgh,

and the obscenities on these posters seem to have increased over the years.

You see, when you look at what the popular shows are at the Fringe today,

we become all too aware of the godless society in now which we live.

I've seen a few shows on the Fringe, and I can count, I think I've seen two shows

that have not included either swearing, nudity, or blasphemy.

It's very hard to find a good show that doesn't contain these three things.

But as we've seen these shows, as we've seen the different plays on the Fringe,

another thing struck me.

It's that everyone is desperate to try and find some answers.

People are desperate to find out what it is to be human.

What is this life really all about?

And people are trying to find the answers in the wrong places.

I went to see a play this week at the Traverse Theatre,

and it was dealing with issues of loneliness,

and humans seeking to find some form of connection with other people.

But yet they're chasing after that connection completely in the wrong places.

And this play offered absolutely no answers.

Because, you see, our godless society doesn't have the answers to the big questions

that we are seeking to find out.

Now, we might think, oh, that's great.

As a church, that's fantastic, because we now have the opportunity

to step in there and offer the answers we believe we find in Jesus Christ.

Great opportunity, and you're absolutely right.

We do have lots of opportunities to make Christ known in Edinburgh.

The more secular our society becomes,

the more opportunity the church has to point people to Christ.

But here's my question.

As a church,

do we not feel

like we're just not making that much of an impact upon our city?

We have 500,000 people on our doorstep.

I know that Charlotte Chapel, last year,

we saw about six people come to faith

for the whole year.

Praise the Lord for every one of these souls

that went from death to life,

but we want to see more, do we not?

We've got half a million people there

who are completely lost at this moment.

Do we not get tired?

People looking at you a bit weird

because you believe all this God stuff.

Do you not feel tired that people judge you

and look at you with disgust

because you believe in biblical marriage?

Do we not get tired feeling like our voices are not being heard,

or when they are heard,

they're mocked and ridiculed?

Do we not get tired that because

we're a church that holds to the Bible's teaching,

we're seen to be,

at best, irrelevant to society,

or at worst, a dangerous threat?

Does it not feel like sometimes

it's just easier to pack this all in?

To stop telling people about Christ

just to have that easy, quiet life?

I'm tempted by that.

And I'm sure many of us today

are also tempted by that.

Does it not feel like we are just too weak?

Too weak to make Christ known in Edinburgh and beyond.

So what should we do about this?

How should a Bible-centred church

in the 21st century Edinburgh

respond to our increasingly godless society?

What does God have to say about all this?

Well, to find out,

we're going to look at an ancient letter

to an ancient church

written in an ancient book.

Because we believe that this ancient book,

the Bible,

is God's living word.

That it's just as relevant to us today

in 21st century Edinburgh

as it was to those in the 1st century.

And because what we're experiencing today

is not all that different

to what the church has experienced

over the past 2,000 years.

Now, as has already been healthily said

throughout this series,

the key to the letters in the churches

in Revelation

is not to pick out which church

we are most like,

but it's to see

what Jesus commends about these churches

and what he condemns about these churches,

put that together,

and we get a bigger picture

of what Jesus thinks

is a healthy, faithful church.

Because after all,

the opinion that matters most about church

is the head of the church,

Jesus Christ.

So that mind,

go to Revelations 3, verse 7.

Revelation 3:7

Before we get to it,

I am going to come to this, by the way.

But I want to give you

a little bit more context first

before we come to this, okay?

Now this,

we've now reached in our series,

The Letter to Philadelphia.

Now a few things to say

about Philadelphia

before we read this letter.

First of all,

Philadelphia is not found

in the U.S. of A.

and it's not the hometown

of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,

nor is it a letter

written to a cream cheese factory.

Philadelphia is actually found

in Asia Minor,

what we now know today

as Turkey.

And you can still visit it today.

It's got a different name now.

It's called Alasihur,

I think.

Alasihur.

Something like that.

But you can still visit that

on the west coast of Turkey.

Now the surrounding area,

very fertile,

it was renowned for its grapes,

for its winemaking,

but it was also a city

that was known

for its pagan festivals.

The people of Philadelphia

were very much

into worshipping gods.

They worshipped the gods of Olympus

as well as their own local gods.

In fact,

the nickname for Philadelphia

was Little Athens

because of their many

worships of gods.

Now it's to the church

of Philadelphia

that's written a letter.

This letter is written

that the Philadelphian church

is the youngest

of our seven churches

and it's perhaps

the weakest

of our seven churches.

If you had a line-up

of all seven churches

of Philadelphia,

all the church of Revelation,

sorry,

Philadelphia would be

the last to get picked.

You know,

you'd have the more established

Ephesian church,

probably the team captain

with its great work ethic,

it doesn't get weary.

Then you've got Pergamum

with the vice-captain

because she has

a faithful witness.

And then you get down the line,

at the end of the line,

there's no one left to be picked

and you have little old Philadelphia,

the youngest and the weakest,

who are not really

all that much to look at.

Other churches

are more like the Royal Marines,

Philadelphia is more like

Dad's army.

Here is a small church

that's struggling

to make an impact

in a city.

A church that faced

great opposition

from the local people

as well as the local Jews.

This was a church

that was denied entry

into the local synagogue

by the Jews.

This was a church

lacking in strength,

a church that was all

to wear of its own weakness

and insecurity,

and a church

that needs to be strengthened.

So with that in mind,

let's finally read

Revelations chapter 3,

Revelation 3:7

verse 7.

To the angel of the church

in Philadelphia write,

These are the words of him

who is holy and true,

who holds the key of David.

What he opens,

no one can shut,

and what he shuts,

no one can open.

I know your deeds.

See, I have placed before you

an open door

that no one can shut.

I know that you have

little strength,

yet you have kept my word,

and have not denied my name.

I will make those

who are of the synagogue of Satan,

who claim to be Jews,

though they are not,

but are liars,

I will make them come

and fall down at your feet

and acknowledge

that I have loved you.

Since you have kept

my command to endure

patiently,

I will also keep you

from the hour of trial

that is going to come

upon the whole world

to test those

who live on the earth.

I am coming soon.

Hold on to what you have

so that no one

will take your crown.

Him who overcomes,

I will make a pillar

in the temple of my God.

Never again will he leave it.

I will write on him

the name of my God

and the name of the city

of my God,

the new Jerusalem,

which is coming down

out of heaven

from my God.

And I will also write on him

my new name.

He who has an ear,

let him hear

what the Spirit says

to the churches.

This is God's Word.

What a letter we have here.

What a wonderful letter

filled with encouragement

and wonderful promises

for this weak

yet faithful

little church.

See, unlike the other

letters we've seen,

this letter

does not contain

one single rebuke.

There's only two letters

that don't have a rebuke.

The other being

Sismarina

and this one here.

Not a single rebuke.

See,

to this church

Jesus says,

yes,

you are weak

but you are a faithful church

and I love you

and I will keep you.

So what was it

about Philadelphia

that made them

so faithful?

What is it about them

that we can learn

from them today?

Well,

the first thing

and perhaps the biggest thing

that we can learn

is that they have

a small view

of themselves

and a big view

of who Christ is.

a small view

of themselves

and a big view

of who the risen

Lord Savior

Jesus Christ is.

They, like Jesus,

knew they were weak.

They knew they were struggling

in the face of persecution,

suffering,

and discrimination.

But they also knew

who Jesus was.

They knew

that he was worth it

to stay faithful to him.

That is why

there's nothing but praise

and affirmation

towards this weak

yet faithful

little church.

You see,

I think the reason,

or one of the reasons

why we get so easily tired

when it comes to

reaching Edinburgh

for the gospel

is because we're trying

to do things on our own.

It's because we're trying

to do things

by our own efforts

and we've forgotten

just who it is

that we serve.

We've lost sight

of just how big he is.

We serve the almighty God.

We serve the almighty God

who's the creator

of all things.

We serve the risen

Lord Jesus Christ

who died on a cross

to take the punishment

for our sins

and yet rose,

three days later,

rose back to life.

We serve the living God

who defeated death itself.

Yet too often

we try and do things

by our own esteem.

Too often we depend

and rely upon ourselves

than lean upon

the almighty God

who can do all things.

But when we think

like that,

we fall into the trap

of thinking too much

of ourselves

and too little

of God.

we forget

what Paul says

in Corinthians.

Think of what you were

when you were called.

Not many of you

were wise

by human standards.

Not many influential.

Not many of you

were of noble birth

but God chose

the foolish things

of the world

to shame the wise.

God chose

the weak things

of the world

to shame the strong.

God chose

the lowly things

of this world

and the despised things

and the things

that are not

to nullify

the things that are

so that no one

may boast before him.

God has not chosen

the strongest.

God has not chosen

the coolest

or the most influential.

No, God has chosen

the weak,

the foolish,

those who lack

any kind of influence.

God has called

the low so that

no one may boast

except in the Lord.

Brothers and sisters,

we are weak.

We are foolish.

We do not hold

much influence.

No wonder we get tired

when we try to do

things by ourselves.

No wonder we struggle

to make an impact

on our city

for we have such

a warped view

of ourselves

and such a low view

of who the God

is that we serve.

And I think

it's very deliberate

that each

of these seven letters

all begin

with describing

the awesome

attributes

of Jesus Christ.

If you need

a bigger picture

of who Christ is,

then come with me

to verse seven.

Look with me

at the title

Jesus has given.

These are the words

of him who is

holy and true.

A more literal

translation would be

the holy one,

the true one.

See the term holy

used frequently

throughout the Bible

and it's a title

for God.

It's the title

of divinity.

In other words,

the risen Jesus

is being described

as divine.

The true one,

less common,

but it means

that Jesus is genuine.

His word is reliable,

which is quite crucial

for this church

to hear

considering the opposition

they face

from local Jews

who will deny

who Jesus Christ is.

Hear Jesus saying,

I am the risen Messiah

and my word

is reliable.

I am the holy one

and I am

the true one.

Let's keep going

to verse seven.

What else do we see

about Jesus?

Who holds

the key of David.

What he opens,

no one can shut.

What he shuts,

no one can open.

Jesus is holding

the key of David.

Now if you want

a background

on the key of David,

I'd encourage you

to go and check out

Isaiah 22.

We don't have time

this morning to go there,

but do do that

as homework later on.

But the key of David

opens the way

or the door

to the heavenly kingdom.

And whoever holds

this key

has the authority

to either let people in

or to deny them entry.

You heard of the phrase

the key to the city.

Edinburgh's got

two giant keys

to the city

that are given

to the queen

every time she comes

up to stay.

Whoever holds

this key

has the authority

to back in the day

used to be

to literally open

the door to the wall

to let people

come in and out

of the city.

Whoever holds

the key

has authority

to let people

in or out

of the city.

Now obviously

our keys to Edinburgh

are absolutely huge.

They're more symbolic.

There's not a giant

lock somewhere

that these keys open.

But it symbolises

when they're given

to the queen

that as monarch

she has absolute

royal authority

over the city

of Edinburgh.

She does then

actually hand them

back to Edinburgh

again trusting

in their care.

But it's the same idea

here in Revelation.

Jesus is holding

the key of David

as symbolic

of the fact

that the risen Jesus

the king of kings

has absolute authority

over who enters

the heavenly kingdom.

And his authority

cannot be overruled.

What he opens

no one can shut.

What he shut

no one can open.

Jesus possesses

undisputed

royal authority.

This is who we serve.

The risen Lord Jesus

the holy one

the true one

the keeper

of the key of David.

The Philadelphians

knew this

and we need

to know this too.

So what does a church

as a low view

of itself

and a high view

of Christ

look like?

Well I believe

we've got an example

here in this letter.

Jesus says

to this church

I know your deeds

I know that

verse 8

you have kept

my words.

Here we see

the first characteristics

of a faithful church

that thinks

low of itself

but yet

high

of God.

Unlike other churches

mentioned Revelation

this little church

had not been led

astray

by heretical teaching.

They had not

fallen into the trap

of compromising

the word

by adding extras

or removing parts

from it.

They had not

turned God's word

into a picking mix

but instead

they remained faithful

and they remained

true to the words.

Sadly in Edinburgh

you do not have to

look long

to see a church

that's turned

the Bible

into a picking mix.

You do not have

to look long

to see a church

in Edinburgh

that's watered

in the gospel

so that they

can appear

relevant to society.

So they speak

a lot about God

being a God

of love

but don't speak

much of the

judgment

and the sin

and hell.

They completely

ignore these realities

because they want

to be more palatable

to society.

But rather

ironically

by ignoring

such things

they're also

denying that

God is

a God

of love.

And tragically

you do not

have to look

long at these

churches

to see

their numbers

dwindle.

You see

if we want

to be relevant

to society

if we want

to draw

people to

Christ

we don't

do that

by watering

down

God's word.

We don't

do that

by turning

it into

a picking mix.

No we do

that by being

counter-cultural.

We do that

by holding fast

of what the

Bible teaches.

We do that

by staying

faithful and

true to

God's word

the Bible.

We do that

by keeping

God's word.

And we do

that by having

a big picture

of who Christ

is and not

being afraid

to be seen

as bigots.

Not being

afraid to be

persecuted,

to be discriminated

against because

we hold to

the Bible's

teaching.

The church

of Philadelphia

knew this.

We need to

know this too.

Second

characteristic of

a faithful

church,

Jesus says to

his church,

I know your

deeds, I know

that.

Verse 8,

you have

not denied

my name.

In the face

of persecution,

in the face

of suffering

and discrimination,

this weak

church never

denied the

name of

Christ.

They must

have been

under such

pressure,

such temptation,

especially from

the Jews,

to deny that

Jesus is the

Christ,

that he is

the risen

Lord,

that he is

the Son

of God.

But yet not

once did

they deny

his name.

So you

think there

are perhaps

three ways

in which we

today can

deny the

name of

Christ.

First of

all, we

can deny

who Jesus

is, that

he is the

Son of

God, that

he is the

promised Messiah,

that he was

without sin,

that he did

die on a

cross for

our sins,

that he

did raise

to life

three days

later, that

he is the

saviour of

the world,

that he is

the only way

to salvation.

I am the

way, the

truth, the

life.

In a

society where

absolute truth

must be

rejected,

uncertainty

seen as

arrogance,

these are

counter-cultural

claims.

But a

faithful follower

of Christ, a

faithful church,

will hold to

all these

claims.

To deny

any of

them is

deny who

Jesus is

and therefore

deny his

name.

I think

the second

way that

we can

perhaps deny

Jesus'

name is

to

not

acknowledge

Jesus

before

others.

Ashamed

of who

he is,

ashamed to

tell others

about Christ.

So maybe

we do

confess in

our hearts

that Jesus

is Lord,

but we

still deny

him by

not telling

other people

about him.

Now,

I'm speaking

as much to

myself here,

we're all

slow to

admit our

faith to

others,

we are.

We live

in a

culture that

is increasingly

hostile to

Christianity.

We're

painted as

ignorant

people who

believe in

harmful,

bigoted

fairy tales.

And that

can lead

us to

shrink

back.

But by

doing so,

we make

Jesus look

small.

We make

him look

like he

is not

worth living

our lives

for him.

And by

doing so,

we deny

who Jesus

is and

what he

has done

for us.

Jesus.

Jesus has

absolute

authority over

who passes

through the

door of

salvation.

And if

when we

get to

heaven,

Jesus

says,

you're

not with

me,

you're

not

getting

in.

There are

many people

outside our

doors who

do not know

Jesus, who

are not going

to get in

right now.

And yet,

we shrink

back and

tell them of

who Christ

is, of the

salvation that

can be found

in him

alone.

By doing

so, we

deny his

name.

We have a

lower opinion

of who

Christ is

and a

bigger opinion

of who

we, who

man is.

Again, it

must be so

tempting for

the Philadelphians

to just keep

quiet about

who Jesus

was, keep

their mouths

shut.

But they

didn't.

Why?

Because they

had a big

view of who

Christ was

and a small

view of who

they were.

But perhaps

the most

easily and

subtle way

that we can

deny who

Jesus is

is through

hypocrisy.

We may

shout from

the rooftops

Jesus

Lord, but

our messy

lives can

drown out

our words.

See, my

question for

you is, what

does your

life say?

What does

your life say

of who you

follow?

See, many

people profess

to know God

but deny him

with their

works, Titus

1, 16.

See, faith

in Jesus will

always change

the way we

live.

So if our

lives look

like nothing

has changed,

then maybe

something is

not quite

right.

See, your

words may

acknowledge

Jesus but

do your

works deny

him?

Are you

loving others?

Are you

obeying him?

Are you

bearing fruit?

Are you

sacrificially

giving yourself

and your

resources to

others?

Are you

seeking to

keep God's

words?

Are you

seeking to

not deny

his name?

Philadelphia

kept Jesus'

name, did

not deny it.

Why?

Because they had

a big view

of who Christ

was and a

small view of

who they

were.

And Jesus

promises to

this church

in verse 9

vindication

before their

foes.

This is very

interesting because

in Isaiah

60, 14 it

says this,

the children

of your

oppressors

will come

bowing before

you.

All who

despise you

will bow

down at

your feet.

And the

very people

who thought

that they

would be

standing there

with people

bowing before

them was the

Jews in

Philadelphia.

They thought

these Christians,

these Gentiles,

will one day

come before

them and bow

before them

in fulfillment of

this prophecy

in Isaiah

60.

But Jesus

says,

no, no, no,

no, no.

No.

The

Philadelphian

church are

the ones

who are

going to be

standing there

and the

Jews, the

synagogue of

Satan, the

liars, will

come down

and bow

before you

and they

will see

that I

love you.

Now when

I was studying

this passage

this week,

I was annotating

my script,

I printed out

the passage,

annotated it,

and I simply

wrote the one

word,

whoa,

next to

verse 9.

Whoa.

These people

who are

oppressed in

the

Philadelphian

church,

who are

barring them

for the

synagogue,

will one

day come

and bow

at their

feet and

see that

no,

Jesus loves

them.

Whoa.

I thought

it's amazing.

How long

for that

vindication,

how I

long to

see those

who oppress

us,

call us

bigots,

those who

discriminate

against us

come bow

at my

feet.

Then I

suddenly

realized,

I'm making

much of

myself here

and little

of Christ.

If I'm

longing for

myself to

be seen

as right,

then I

have forgotten

who I

serve.

And the

more I

studied this

passage,

the more I

thought,

whoa,

look at who

Christ is,

the holy

one,

the true

one,

the keeper

of the

key of

David,

the one

who is

going to

take these

enemies to

bow

to their

feet,

the one

who loves

me.

Whoa.

The

Savior loves

me.

Whoa,

I get

to serve

him.

That will

be a

glorious day

when Christ

comes again

and when

that does

happen.

Brothers and

sisters,

we are not

going to be

looking at

enemies bent

before feet,

we are

going to be

looking at

Jesus and

says,

I love

you.

We're

going to

have this

big,

real picture

of who

Christ is.

We are

going to

see him

face to

face.

Whoa.

Third

characteristic of

a faithful

church,

I think,

it's low

of itself

but much

of Christ.

Verse 10.

Jesus says,

I know

your deeds,

I know

that you

have endured

patiently.

You have

endured

patiently.

The

Philadelphian

church knew

about

suffering.

They knew

what it

was like

to be

ostracized

by your

community,

to be

opposed

by your

neighbors.

They knew

this and

yet they

still endured

patiently

through this.

Again,

it must

have been

so tempting

for them

to pack

it all

in.

It must

have been

so tempting

for them

to deny

Christ's

name,

to not

keep his

word,

and to

just forget

all about

it.

But they

endured.

And they

endured

patiently.

Why?

Because they

had a big

view of

who it

was they

served.

They

had a big

view of

who Christ

is.

Brothers and

sisters,

we have many

opportunities to

witness to our

non-Christian

society out

there.

But when

we do,

we will

face

persecution,

we will

face

discrimination,

there's

no two

ways about

it.

But we

are called

to endure

patiently.

And we

can do

that knowing

who it

is that we

serve.

Jesus

Christ,

the Holy

One,

the True

One,

the Keeper

of the

Key of

David,

the One

who will

keep us

through these

sufferings,

through these

times of

trials,

through these

times of

persecution.

That is

what's going

to make

us endure

patiently.

Not relying

upon ourselves,

but relying

leaning upon the

Almighty God

whom we

serve.

Philadelphian

church knew

this.

They kept

God's word.

They did not

deny Christ's

name.

They endured

patiently.

Why?

Because they

had a big

view of who

God was and

a low view

of who they

were.

And because

the Philadelphian

church was so

faithful to

Christ,

Christ would

show his

faithfulness to

them.

Read with me

in verse 10.

Let's read this

together.

Verse 10.

Since you have

kept my command

to endure

patiently,

I will also

keep you from

the hour of

trial that is

going to come

upon the

whole world

to test those

who live on

the earth.

Jesus will

show his

faithfulness to

his people by

protecting them,

by keeping

them through

the hour of

trial that

will one day

come.

We read about

this hour of

trial in

Mark 13 to

2 Thessalonians

2, but we

also read it in

Daniel 12,

Daniel 12:1–9

verse 1 to 9.

I believe you've

just been through a

season, Daniel,

so I thought we'd go

here.

Daniel 12,

Daniel 12:1–2

verses 1 to 2,

which says this,

there will be a

time of distress.

Such does not

happen from the

beginning of

nations until

then.

But at that

time your

people,

everyone whose

name is found

written in the

book, will be

delivered.

Multitudes

asleep in the

dust of the

earth will

awake, some to

everlasting life,

others to shame

and everlasting

contempt.

There is going to

be a terrible

time.

There is going to

be a terrible

time of great

testing.

But Christ

will keep and

protect those who

are faithful to

him through the

hour of trial.

Now maybe this

morning you're with

us and you

perhaps aren't a

Christian.

Maybe you're not a

believer or follower

of Christ and we

are so glad you're

here.

We really are.

We're delighted you

have come with us to

worship with us, to

be in church with us

this morning.

But can I just say

this to you?

Have you thought

about what happens

after death?

Where are you

trying to find your

answers right now

to the big

questions in life?

And are you

trying to find the

answers in the

right place?

Are they satisfying

you, these answers?

Or is there

something missing?

Is there something

just not quite right

with you?

Well can I encourage

you to come and

study who Jesus

Christ is?

To come see who

the Bible says he

is, see who we

say he is, and

explore further what

Jesus is offering to

us.

Salvation.

Eternal satisfaction.

Eternal peace.

Because this time is

coming, this hour of

trial is coming.

And if you're not

found in Christ, when

it comes to the final

judgment day, Jesus is

not going to say to

you, I know you.

And Jesus is not going

to let you into the

heavenly kingdom.

Rather, face eternal

shame and everlasting

contempt.

Speak to the person

who brought you, speak

to me, I'm kicking

about.

I'd be happy to talk

to you more about

that.

But let's go finally

to the fourth

characteristic of what

a faithful church

looks like.

That has a low view

of itself and a high

view of Christ.

Jesus says to this

church, I'm coming

soon, so hold on to

what you have.

Verse 11.

Hold on to what you

have and you will be

victorious.

Hold on to your

faith.

Hold on to my word.

Keep obeying my

commands.

Keep going.

Continue to remain

faithful and one

day you will take

the victor's crown.

But that's not

all.

That's not all.

That's amazing in

itself, isn't it?

But it keeps getting

better.

Because what is in

store for the one

who takes the

victor's crown?

Well, we keep

reading into verse

12.

We see guaranteed

entry into the

messianic kingdom.

Guaranteed entry

into the kingdom of

God, the new

creation.

Even if the synagogue

door was slammed

shut in the face of

the Philadelphian

church, they could be

assured that the

door to the kingdom

of heaven remains

wide open for them

to just walk

through because they

have remained

faithful.

Because remember

who holds the key

to the door?

Jesus Christ.

Who has the power

and authority to

open what he wants

to open, shut what

he wants to shut.

There is the Lord

Jesus Christ who

loves them and will

keep them.

But it goes even

further than that.

Come with me to

verse 12.

Let's read verse 12

together.

Him who overcomes,

I will make a pillar

in the temple of my

God.

Never again will

they leave it.

Here we see,

read of Christ's

promise to this

church that this

once weak band of

faithful people who

are barred from

entering the synagogue,

barred from the

temporary temple on

earth, will one day

become a strong

pillar in the

eternal heavenly

kingdom of the

living God.

That's amazing.

We sang Cornerstone

this morning.

That's the anthem

for this church I

think.

Christ alone,

Cornerstone,

weak made strong in

the Saviour's love.

Through all he is

Lord, Lord of all.

That is the anthem

of the Philadelphian

church, weak made

strong.

Now of course,

they're not actually

going to become a

physical pillar.

That's not much of an

incentive for us,

isn't it?

Stay faithful when you

become like that

pillar over there.

It's not much

least, is it?

But no, it's

symbolic here, okay?

It's symbolic.

It's symbolic of

something permanent,

something strong.

Okay?

Now we do read

later in Revelation,

there isn't actually

going to be a

physical temple in

the new creation.

The whole city is

going to be the

temple because that's

where God is going

to dwell with his

people.

But these images

emphasize the point

that those who

are victorious,

those who hold on

to what they have,

will dwell with God

permanently in the

new city of God.

This pillar is a

symbol of something

that's strong,

solid, heavy,

permanent.

Not like a peg of a

tent that's temporary

that can easily be

picked up again.

This is strong,

permanent structure.

This is an assurance

of their security in

Christ.

That those who are

victorious will come

into the presence of

God and dwell with

him there.

And they will never

leave his presence.

This once weak yet

faithful, this once

persecuted, suffering,

discriminated against

church, that the

last to get picked,

the dad's army of the

followers of Christ,

will one day dwell

with their God

forever.

What a glorious

picture we have here.

And just in case we

haven't quite got this

theme of assurance

and security, keep

reading in verse 12

where he says,

I will write on them

the name of my God,

the name of the city

of my God, the new

Jerusalem, which is

coming down out of

heaven from my God,

and I'll also write

on him my new name.

Three names, three

seals of assurance,

that those who are

victorious belong to God

and are citizens of

this new city, this

new Jerusalem.

Here we have the

faithful, victorious

Christian who's able

to say, I belong to

the God Almighty.

I am a citizen of the

city of God and I am a

follower of Jesus Christ

and I have his name on

my back.

Three names, thrice

sealed.

That is what awaits

this faithful yet weak

church.

So maybe we feel like

we're not making a dent

on our city.

Maybe we are struggling.

Maybe we're weak.

But remember that God

has not chosen the

strongest, the wisest,

the coolest, or the

influential.

God has chosen the

weak, the foolish,

those who lack

influence.

God has called the low

so that no one may boast

except in the Lord.

And God has called us

to remain faithful,

weak, yet faithful.

What does that look

like?

We keep God's word.

We do not deny

Christ's name.

We endure patiently

and we hold on to

what we have because

we know that he is

worth it.

And like I said at

the beginning, we live

in an increasingly

God-less society.

This means we have

increasing opportunities

to make Christ known

to the people of

Edinburgh.

Brothers and

sisters, the door of

opportunity is wide

open for us.

The less Christian

society's morals and

morals become, the more

we will stand out.

as we seek to live

holy and pure lives.

The more people

search for answers

in the wrong places,

the more chances we

have to point people

to Christ and whom

we find true

satisfaction, true

peace, true salvation.

But as we do so,

remember who we serve,

the holy one,

the true one,

the keeper of the

key of David,

he yields absolute

power and authority,

the king of kings,

the lord of lords.

Jesus Christ loves

his people,

who will make those

who persecute us,

fall down before

his people.

Jesus Christ will

keep his people

from the hour of

trial, who will

make his people a

pillar in the

temple of God.

Jesus Christ who

will seal his

people's identity

and citizenship in

the new Jerusalem.

That is a Jesus

Christ who we serve.

That is who we're

disciples of.

That is who we

should have the big

picture of who

Jesus Christ is.

Jesus says to his

disciples in Matthew

28,

all authority in

heaven and on

earth has been

given to me,

therefore go and

make disciples of

all nations,

baptizing them in

the name of the

Father and of the

Son and of the

Holy Spirit,

teaching them to be

everything I have

commanded you,

and surely I am

with you always to

the very end of the

age.

Whoever has

ears, let them

hear what the