To those who are afraid

So we're reading from Revelation chapter 3, verses 7 to 13,

Revelation 3:7–13

to the church in Philadelphia.

And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,

the words of the Holy One, the true one, who has the key of David,

who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.

I know your works.

Behold, I have set before you an open door,

which no one is able to shut.

I know that you have but little power,

and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan,

who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie.

Behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet,

and they will learn that I have loved you.

Because you have kept my word about patient endurance,

I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world.

to try those who dwell on the earth.

I am coming soon.

Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.

The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God.

Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God,

and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem,

which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.

Here who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Good morning, everyone.

Now, I've just connected the microphone.

So, Ian and Beck Mathias, I can see you.

Thumbs up?

Yep, okay, you can hear me.

Fantastic.

Okay, well, we're going to be looking at Revelation 3, verses 7 to 13.

Revelation 3:7–13

Now, it is tough being on the outside.

I remember the experience some years ago of sitting in a room with about six colleagues,

those I'd worked with for about three or four years,

and sharing my side of the story,

and realising that none of them believed me,

none of them would support me,

and that within that team,

I was now completely and utterly marginalised.

Well, maybe you've had an experience like that in the workplace or another scenario.

I think all of us, at some time or another,

have had an experience like that.

Perhaps in a social situation,

where you've felt awkward and uninvited,

and people have avoided speaking to you.

Perhaps it's in the playground.

Everyone else is involved in a game,

but you were all alone.

Sorry, here we go.

Perhaps at work,

shut out from the decision-making process.

Perhaps it's an experience to do with your family situation,

living in a broken family,

or an experience of singleness or infertility,

where you feel excluded.

You're excluded from the joy that you see others experiencing.

Perhaps it's at church.

You feel like everyone else at church has close relationships,

except for you.

You know the hurt,

and the loneliness,

and the powerlessness,

and the fear of being on the outside.

One of the most painful experiences in life

is simply to be left outside.

In the world's eyes,

the Christians in Philadelphia were on the outside.

Now, we're not told what was going on in the Philadelphian church,

but of the seven churches that John addresses in Revelation,

that Jesus addresses in Revelation chapters two to three,

Philadelphia is one of only two,

which receives no criticism,

no rebuke.

The other Smyrna.

Jesus finds no fault with them.

Instead,

he commends them repeatedly for their faithfulness.

In verse eight,

Jesus says,

you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

Verse 10,

you have kept my word about patient endurance.

That is,

they had endured patiently,

just as Jesus commanded.

However,

this faithfulness had come in the face of struggles.

Verse eight,

they were weak.

Jesus says to them,

I know that you have but little power.

Verse nine,

they were persecuted by those Jesus calls the synagogue of Satan.

That is by the Jewish community in Philadelphia.

Now,

again,

we're not told what form this persecution took,

but I think there are two possibilities and it may have involved either or

both of these.

The first of the possibilities is that the persecution involved exclusion from

the synagogue.

We know that many first century Christians were Jews or were God fearing Gentiles who had

previously associated with a synagogue and faith in Jesus frequently led to

exclusion from this community that they had formerly been part of.

But it may have been even more serious than that because within the Roman Empire,

Jews had some legal protections to practice the exclusive worship of Yahweh.

And it's possible,

perhaps even likely that some Jews in Philadelphia had brought accusations about the

Christians to the Roman authorities,

exposed them to prosecution for refusing to worship the Roman Emperor.

Whatever the precise nature of the persecution they faced,

here was a small struggling church.

It was a minority fringe,

minority on the fringe of society,

a church on the outside.

Now,

perhaps you personally are going through something like the Philadelphians.

You feel the pressure of being a small minority.

You're battered and weary in your Christian life.

Your strength is flagging and it feels like you're just barely hanging on by your

fingernails.

Well,

there's an important encouragement for you in these verses.

Of course,

that won't be everyone here.

Some may be new Christians in the full flush of enthusiasm thinking,

what's fantastic to be a Christian?

Well,

if that's you,

that's great.

But I think these words will still encourage you.

But for others,

for who are facing,

who are finding the Christian life,

a real uphill battle,

these words of Jesus today should have special significance for you.

Jesus speaks to those who are on the outside in the world to assure them that they are on the inside with God.

You see,

a far greater tragedy than being on the outside in the world,

much worse is to be shut outside of the city of God.

You know,

that the glorious city of John's vision in Revelation chapter 21,

Revelation 21 · chapter mention

the new Jerusalem,

where there'll be no more death and mourning and crying or pain because we'll be with God and God will be with us.

Far worse,

far more terrible,

indeed terrifying is to be shut out of that city.

But for the faithful Philadelphian church and for all who keep Jesus' word,

Jesus speaks in Revelation chapter 3,

Revelation 3 · chapter mention

not to terrify,

but to strengthen and to encourage and fill with hope.

Now,

we won't be able to look at everything in Revelation chapter 3 and Jesus' words to the Philadelphian church.

Revelation 3 · chapter mention

But in particular,

we're going to look at four striking images,

four striking images,

the key,

the door,

the crown,

and the pillar.

Now,

none of these images is particularly unusual for us.

They basically mean what we expect them to.

But I want to suggest,

perhaps if you're one of our younger members listening along this morning,

these are the four things to listen out for,

the key,

the door,

the crown,

the pillar.

And maybe if you're in,

you know,

in primary school or,

it might,

it'll help you remember,

why not draw a picture of each one

and try and write down a few words

about what each of them means.

They're the four things.

So let's look at each in turn.

First,

the key,

the key.

Jesus says in verse 7,

and to the angel of the church in Philadelphia,

write,

the words of the Holy One,

the true one.

Now,

we'll get to the key in a moment,

but first,

holy and true.

These are Old Testament descriptions of God.

God is the Holy One.

God is the true one.

Here,

Jesus addresses the Philadelphian church

as the second person of the Trinity,

as the one who,

together with the Father and the Spirit,

shares all the perfections of the divine nature.

He speaks to us as the Holy One.

He speaks to us as the true one.

And so every word from his mouth

is likewise holy and true.

No word of Jesus is unworthy.

No word of Jesus can fail.

With that in mind,

let's consider what Jesus says

in the second half of verse 7.

To the angel of the church in Philadelphia,

write,

the words of the Holy One,

the true one,

who has the key of David,

who opens and no one will shut,

who shuts and no one will open.

Jesus has the key of David.

Now,

what does this mean?

Well,

a key is a symbol of authority.

So there's a 21st birthday custom.

I don't know if it's practiced as much now,

but it was when I was younger.

21st birthday custom

where parents will give their 21-year-old son or daughter

a key.

And it symbolizes that

now they've come to maturity.

Now they hold new authority.

Traditionally,

it was the key to the family home.

But now they hold a new authority

in the family home.

The key to the front door.

They may come and go as they please.

Well,

the biblical symbolism is similar.

The specific metaphor,

the key of David,

comes from Isaiah chapter 22.

Isaiah 22 · chapter mention

And in Isaiah chapter 22,

Isaiah 22 · chapter mention

the one who holds the key to the house of David

is the steward who's in charge of the palace.

He controls access to the royal city.

He controls access to the royal house.

He opens to let people in.

He shuts to keep people out.

Here in Revelation chapter 3,

Revelation 3 · chapter mention

Jesus says,

I hold the key.

Jesus is the one who can let you in,

into the city of God,

into the royal house,

into the presence of God

and God's king.

He has the authority.

When he opens,

no one can shut.

And what he shuts,

no one can open.

Now,

the pluralism of our day

tells us that there are many keys

and many doors.

As long as you sincerely believe,

you'll enter the eternal city.

But Jesus says,

there's only one key

and he has it.

If he shuts the door,

no one else can let you in.

Muhammad does not have the key.

Buddha does not have the key.

Krishna does not have the key.

The key called living a decent life

will not open this door.

Only one person holds the key

and that is Jesus.

Do you know the one

who holds the key of David?

Well,

there's our first image,

the key of authority.

The second image

is related to the first

and that is the door.

Verse eight.

Verse eight.

I know your works.

Behold,

I have set before you

an open door

which no one is able to shut.

I know that you have

but little power

and yet you have kept my word

and have not denied my name.

To the person

who has kept his word,

Jesus says,

I have set before you

an open door

which no one is able to shut.

Perhaps like the Philadelphians,

you feel that you

have little strength,

little power.

You feel overwhelmed

by the forces

that are stacked against you.

The might of this world,

the frustrations

and disappointments of life,

the merciless busyness

that just seems out of control,

the relentless pressure

of temptation.

If Jesus has set before you

the open door,

then no one

can close it.

This door is

non-shuttable.

If Jesus

has allowed you

to enter the city of God,

then no one else

can keep you from it.

It is simply

not in their power

to do so.

And indeed,

the way

has been opened

once and for all.

Jesus' death

on the cross

has burst open

the door to paradise.

Through him,

we're invited in,

invited to enter

the presence of God

as one of his

forgiven children.

And you remember,

of course,

that dramatic demonstration

of this

as Jesus died

on the cross.

That moment

when the curtain

in the temple

was torn in two

from top to bottom.

That curtain

that had symbolically

separated

the holy God

from sinful people.

It was ripped apart.

The way opened

for us

to enter

the most holy place

into the presence

of God.

Jesus,

forsaken

on the cross

outside,

we invited

inside

into the family

of God.

Jesus says,

I have set

before you

an open door

which no one

is able to shut.

And notice

how in verse 8,

actually,

Jesus interrupts

what he'd started

to say

to give this

assurance

about the open door.

Verse 8,

I know your works,

it starts,

but then

it's the latter

part of the verse

that tells us

what those works were.

I know your works

down to the second

half of the verse.

I know that you

have but little power

and you have

kept my word

and have not

denied my name.

There's the works

that Jesus says

he knows.

But before

Jesus lists

their works,

their works,

he reminds them

of his work.

Behold,

I've set

before you

an open door

which no one

is able to shut.

The door

to paradise

has not

been opened

by our works

but by

Jesus' blood.

So when

you're weak,

remember,

Jesus holds

the key.

And when

you're weak,

remember,

Jesus has

opened the door.

and this door

that Jesus

has opened,

neither man

nor demon

nor anything

else in all

creation

is able to

shut.

They may

shut you

out of the

synagogue.

They may

shut you

out of the

workplace.

They may

shut you

out of the

halls of

earthly power.

Let them

do their

worst.

The door

to the city

of God

stands open

before you.

What have

we seen

so far?

We've seen

the key

of authority

and we've

seen the

door of

salvation.

The third

image we're

going to

consider is

the crown.

The crown.

It's down

in verse

11.

Jesus

says in

verse 11,

I am

coming soon.

Hold

fast what

you have

so that

no one

may seize

your crown.

The promise

that Jesus

is coming

soon is

further

motivation

for us

to hold

fast what

we have.

Hold on.

Persevere.

Don't give

up.

Don't give

up on

Jesus.

Just a

little while

and we

will receive

our crown.

Now for

us,

in how we

think about

crowns,

crowns are

worn by

rulers.

And so

the crown

is a

symbol of

rule and

power and

authority.

crowns are

more

and

in the

ancient

world,

other

shades of

meaning

were

more

prominent.

One of

those was

victory,

because the

winner of

a contest

would be

awarded a

crown,

would be

crowned.

Now it

could be an

athletic contest

like a race,

or it could be

another kind of

contest, like a

contest between

performers, between

actors or public

speakers or so on.

And so the

crown symbolises

victory, or

that the crown

is the prize

that can only

be attained

through winning

that contest.

And we see

that motif,

that shades of

meaning there in

the New Testament.

But even

victory, I want to

suggest, wasn't

the primary

symbolism of

the crown.

Primarily in

the ancient

Mediterranean, the

crown is a

symbol of

honour, a

symbol of

glory.

Now examples

of this

abound, including

in Asia Minor

where these

letters are

addressed to

churches in

various cities

in Asia Minor.

And examples

of this, they're

all over the

place.

So I'm going

to give you

a couple, but

they're so

numerous.

A city or

an association

would honour

someone for

some significant

achievement by

crowning them,

by awarding

them a crown.

It could be a

crown of gold

or a precious

medal, or it

could be just

a laurel

wreath.

So I think

we've got a

couple of

texts that are

going to come

up on the

screen.

So here's the

first one.

This is a

late first

century inscription.

It was found

on a white

marble altar in

Kibera in

southern Asia Minor.

And here's what

it reads, this

inscription.

The people and

those engaged in

business here

honoured Menepus,

son of Eutychus,

also known as

Chrysorus, who

served as

overseer of the

market in the

57th year with

a beautiful gold

memorial crown.

Artemidorus set

this up for his

father Chrysorus as

a memorial.

So what's

happened here?

This man

named Menepus,

who's also

called Chrysorus,

has served as

an overseer of

the market and

those engaged in

business in the

market have

honoured him.

How have they

honoured him?

By presenting

him with a

beautiful gold

memorial crown.

And then

Chrysorus' son

has kind of

made a

permanent record

of that by

setting up this

inscription on a

white marble

altar as a sign

of how his

father was

honoured.

Or another

example, here's

a second

example.

This is from

second century

description from

Thyatira.

The Dyers

honoured Marcus,

Julius, Dionysius,

Acleanos,

twice crown

bearer, who

pursued glory

since childhood.

So he'd been

a crown bearer,

given a crown

twice.

But notice that

those other

themes are there

in this text.

Honour, glory,

and you can

see there,

this one we've

got actually

in the slide

a facsimile

of the inscription

and it's the

fourth line

there,

de stephanouphoron,

twice crown

bearer.

You know,

that's our key.

But you see

what a crown,

a crown is

a symbol of honour.

You present

someone a crown

to honour

them because

of something

significant they've

done,

some service

they've done

to the community

or to an

association

or to a

particular group

or because

of their

position.

It's a symbol

of honour

and glory.

The material

value,

whether gold

or whether it's

a laurel

wreath,

that mattered

less than the

symbolism of

the act

itself.

In the honour

shame culture

of the ancient

Mediterranean,

the supreme

value was honour

and to be

crowned was

to be honoured.

The crown

was a crown

of glory.

Well,

in first

century

Philadelphia,

there were

no crowns

for those

who followed

Jesus.

Their deeds

were not

inscribed on

marble.

Their names

would not be

remembered.

These first

century believers

shared in the

shame of their

crucified master.

shame,

I think,

is the most

painful dimension

of exclusion.

It's easier

to live without

money than

to live without

at least some

sense that you

are known and

valued and

esteemed by

others.

Some sense

that you

matter.

Does that

ring true of

your experience?

Perhaps

God's

particular

calling on

your life

is

exposes

you to

shame.

I don't

want to

make a

big deal

of this

in my

own

experience,

but in

God's

wisdom,

he's

called me

to a

form of

service in

an inter-church

ministry on

campus with

AFES.

Some would

use the

label

para-church

for that,

although I

don't

particularly

like that

label.

But at

times,

fellow

believers,

other

Christians,

shame me

for that.

Now,

thankfully,

I can

say,

with all

honesty,

I've never

experienced

that in

this

congregation

as part

of

Grace

Evangelical.

In fact,

I've found

that my

wife and

I've received

much

encouragement

here in

this

ministry,

and a

patient

acceptance

that on

my part,

much of

my ministry

lies outside

this particular

congregation of

Grace

Evangelical.

God's

God's

God's

kingdom.

In that

view,

all that

matters is

the local

church,

and inter-church

ministry is

insignificant.

Well,

that's one

form of

shame that

God's

particular

calling on

my life

exposes

to me

too at

times.

And,

you know,

it might

not seem

like much,

but there

are times

that it

stings.

Well,

perhaps God's

calling on

your life

exposes

you to

shame.

You know,

where God

has placed

you,

the gifts

God has

given you,

the opportunities

God has

given you,

what God

has called

on you

to do.

You know,

maybe it

just doesn't

seem like

much in

the eyes

of the

world.

Maybe it

doesn't even

seem like

much in

your own

eyes.

Whether or

not that's

the case,

for all

of us

who follow

Jesus,

many times

the world

will shame

us.

I was

speaking with

someone this

week who's,

they were

catching up

with a

non-Christian

friend,

and,

you know,

the non-Christian

friend was a

bit surprised

to find that

this,

my friend,

was still

someone who

follows Jesus,

and loves

Jesus,

and this

non-Christian

friend called

her Christian

friend,

called her

Christian friend's

love for

Jesus,

cute.

So,

Noah,

you still

love Jesus?

Oh,

that's cute.

What a

backhanded

compliment if

ever there

was one.

Cute.

In other

words,

infantile,

naive,

charming,

but childish.

You know,

like a

toddler waving

excitedly at

a puppy.

so that

the world,

our world

doesn't award

crowns for

faith in

Jesus Christ.

But what is

of little

value in

the world's

eyes is

of great

value in

God's

eyes.

So the

crown in

verse 11,

I don't think

it's the only

place in

this passage

where we

see shame

and honour

alluded to.

You see it

also in

verse 9.

Have a look

at verse 9.

Behold,

I will

make those

of the

synagogue

of Satan

who say

they are

Jews and

are not

but lie.

Behold,

I will

make them

come and

bow down

before your

feet and

they will

learn that

I have

loved

you.

That I

have loved

you.

You.

You.

Now,

there are

further

allusions

to

Isaiah

here.

Isaiah

49,

60,

where

there's

the

promise

of the

nations

coming

and

bowing

down

before

God's

people.

This

moment of

vindication.

Vindication.

Jesus

himself

gives

this

promise.

Jesus

himself

will see

to it

that all

who are

shamed

for

following

him

will

be

honoured

and that

all who

despise

Jesus

people in

this

present

age

must

one day

acknowledge

that the

very

people,

the very

ones they

despised

are the

ones Jesus

has loved.

So bear

the shame

for the

honour

awaits.

The

I am

coming

soon.

Hold

fast

what you

have

so that

no one

may seize

your

crown.

And if

you fear

you lack

the strength

to hold

fast,

well,

remember

you know

that the

one who

holds the

key and

the one

who opens

the door

and the

one who

grants the

crown is

the same

one who

will protect

you and

shield you

from any

trial or

test that

would be

too great

for you

to bear.

That at

least is how

I understand

Jesus'

promise in

verse 10

to keep

us from

the hour

of trial

ahead,

but we

don't have

much time

to dwell

on that

now.

So what

have we

seen so

far?

We've

seen the

key of

authority,

the door

of salvation

and the

crown of

glory.

Fourthly

and finally

the pillar

of security.

Look at

verse 12.

The one

who conquers,

I will

make him

a pillar

in the

temple of

my God.

Never

shall he

go out

of it.

And I

will write

on him

the name

of my

God and

the name

of the

city of

my God,

the new

Jerusalem,

which comes

down from

God out

of heaven

and my

own new

name.

This

pillar of

security is

a particularly

apt image for

the

Philadelphian

Christians.

The city

of

Philadelphia

was built

on a

fault line

and it

was at

times

devastated

by

earthquakes.

When

tremors

were felt,

people would

flee the

city for

safety.

But in

the city

of God,

his people

would be

solid,

sturdy,

unshakable.

These

pillars would

never need

leave the

temple.

A pillar

in the

temple of

my God,

never shall

he go out

of it.

The Jews

in Philadelphia

may have

driven

Jewish

Christians

from the

synagogue,

but in

God's city

they would

have a

permanent

place in

his temple.

They would

dwell with

God and

God would

dwell with

them.

In the

world they

are excluded,

welcomed neither

by the Jewish

community with

their synagogue,

nor the Roman

community with

their worship

of Caesar.

But in the

new Jerusalem

they would

be at

last where

they belonged,

in the city

of God,

with the

Father and

the Son

whose names

they bore.

Now,

friends,

Christians may

look numerically

insignificant.

we may not

have political

clout,

we may be

laughed at

by the

world,

or worse,

just ignored.

We may

seem weak,

fragile.

Perhaps you

feel that way

now.

But inside the

city of God

you will be

strong and

stable as a

pillar.

Jesus will

make you

eternally

secure.

Inside that

city is where

you,

Christian,

finally come

home.

There's a

place for you

there.

When you

arrive,

Jesus will

welcome you.

He will

mark you

with his

name and

with the

name of

God and

the name of

the city,

the new

Jerusalem.

Jerusalem.

You have

arrived where

you belong

and you

will never

again have

to leave.

And to

this weak

despised

church,

this weak

church despised

in the world,

Jesus made

these incredible

promises.

Jesus holds

the key of

authority.

Jesus has

opened the

door of

salvation.

Jesus will

adorn you

with the

crown of

glory and

Jesus will

make you a

pillar of

security.

The

outsiders in

the world

have a

place inside

the eternal

city and

the temple

of God.

There,

they have

honour and

security and

protection and

fellowship with

God.

And Jesus

promises spur

us on so

that we may

continue patiently

to endure.

Do not

look within

yourself.

Jesus says,

I know

you're weak.

Do not

look at the

opposition.

Jesus says,

I know it's

relentless.

But look to

our risen

Lord Jesus,

to the

door he has

opened for

us and

to the

welcome that

awaits.

Look to

him who has

given us his

wonderful promises.

I have

placed before

you an

open door.

I have

loved you.

I will

keep you.

I am

coming soon.

Amen.

Come,

Lord Jesus.