Philadelphia: The Church of Uncompromising Perseverance | Revelation 3:7-13

Charles Simeon was an Anglican minister who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Today he's remembered and honored in the evangelical community for his lifelong commitment to

expositional preaching, faithful leadership among evangelical Anglicans of his time,

other things he was responsible for helping found the missionary society in the early 1800s which

was very effective and noteworthy. He was a leader among those who were faithful to their gospel

convictions during his time but life and ministry if you know anything about Charles Simeon was

anything but easy. After graduating from King's College in Cambridge Simeon was appointed by the

local Anglican bishop to be the vicar or pastor of Trinity Church Cambridge. Now nothing about that

seems unusual until you learn that the church did not want Charles Simeon to be their pastor.

There was an assistant pastor there that they wanted more. Mr. Hammond, that's the one that they

really wanted as a church and they fought against this bishop because they did not want Charles Simeon

but Charles Simeon out of humility which was probably from what we understand historically

was probably not very natural to him especially at that point in his life in a humble statement went

to the bishop and says if the church doesn't want me it's probably not a good idea for me to be there.

The bishop responds even if you don't go I'm not putting Mr. Hammond in this place and Charles Simeon

feels at that point that there is a unique calling of God on his life to go to this church and so he

remains. Now here's what's interesting about it. The church didn't care that he wanted to be there.

In that this is a different world this is a different kind of framework for church life and church policy.

At that time the vicar of the church the pastor of the church was responsible and had authority for the

morning worship service. The congregation however and the church wardens had responsibility for their

afternoon service and so the church refuses to let Charles Simeon their pastor be the lecturer in the

afternoon service. He could do his thing on Sunday morning but they refused to let him speak on Sunday

afternoon. For his first five years the assistant pastor is the one that they gathered to hear speak

on Sunday afternoons. Well then Mr. Hammond decided to leave and he leaves the church and he goes on

to other things and the church still refuses to let Simeon be the afternoon lecturer. Instead they hire and

pay an independent preacher that does not belong to them in order to come and do the afternoon lecture

and he does that for the next seven years. So for the first 12 years of Charles Simeon's ministry at

Trinity Church Cambridge he was not even allowed by the congregation to preach in the evening service or the

afternoon service. He tried to discharge his duties as a pastor and to do pastoral calls and visits for

the people in the church and they refused to open the door and let him in. They scarcely attended the

morning worship service and the pew holders which is interesting if you've ever seen a picture of an old

church a congregational meeting house or something like that there were pews and the pews had doors on the

end so you had to be able to get in the door to get into the pew. Well you could rent or purchase your

pew. It's a completely different concept of somebody sitting in your seat at church. That was a reality.

There were certain things they were allowed to do whether it was to decorate or to put things in

their pew that they wanted to keep for themselves and they had locks on the doors of the pews. What the

pew holders would do is they would come in and they would lock the doors to the pews so that whoever came to

the morning worship service couldn't have a place to sit. So for 12 years Simeon preaches on Sunday

mornings to people who would have to sit or stand in the aisles or in the corners or the nooks of the

church building. At one point he personally purchases chairs for people to sit in. The church

wardens in protest to that come in take the chairs that he purchases and throws them into the church yard.

Simeon later would decide that he would give his own go at having his own evening service that would

take place after the afternoon service and in objection to that the church wardens came in and

locked the door so Simeon and no one else could even get in the building. 12 years of this. Now most of us

would have left this church very early if we would even win. Simeon out of a deep sense of calling from

God endured the opposition stayed faithful to discharge his duties as a pastor.

After 12 years the situation at Trinity Church gets better but life is still difficult for Simeon.

At this point he's a teaching fellow at King's College in Cambridge. He lived on the campus. He

never was married. He lived on the campus his entire ministry and he would preach in the church that was

nearby. He was a teacher there but he faced severe opposition for his gospel convictions.

Not only from the faculty but also from the students. Students would routinely interrupt his lectures.

They would gather on Sunday mornings in the streets and outside the church where he preached just to

disturb his preaching. His relationship with the other faculty was such that he writes in a journal how

overjoyed he was one day that one of his colleagues took the time to walk with him for 15 minutes around the college courtyard.

He was an outcast. Nobody wanted him. They didn't want to listen to him because of his stand for gospel truth.

Throughout his life Simeon endured occasional uprisings of disunity in the church.

Bouts with failing health for 13 years. He thought he was going to die every time he preached.

An intense opposition from those who did not appreciate his gospel preaching.

He had every human reason to quit but he continued faithfully for 54 years at Trinity Church and at King's College

until just before his death in 1836.

Later in his life one of his friends asked him how he had persevered through the opposition of his ministry

and Simeon responded this way. I think I have this quote for you if you want to read it on the screen.

Here's how he responded.

Brother, we must not mind a little suffering for Christ's sake.

Let us rejoice in the remembrance that Christ has surmounted all his suffering and triumphed over death.

Let us follow him patiently.

We shall soon be partakers of his victory.

In the sermon to the church of Philadelphia

we find a story that is similar to Charles Simeon's.

It was a congregation of little power

that persevered in uncompromising faith

amid severe opposition.

They trusted that Christ's suffering and triumph over death

guaranteed their sharing in his victory

and Jesus comes to them in this sermon with amazing comfort.

And if you've been with us through these now seven messages

through these two chapters or two and a half chapters

perhaps you will find with me that this text is a bit of fresh air.

While most of the other churches we've studied are failing

through either complacency or compromise

it's refreshing to read of a church

that was steadfast in the gospel.

But the overwhelming encouragement of this particular message from Jesus

comes from the fact that Jesus took notice of their faithfulness.

In fact it becomes abundantly clear

that Jesus' purpose in this message

this sermon to Philadelphia

is to reassure the beleaguered congregation.

He goes above and beyond to emphasize his divine power

for their good

because of their faithfulness.

So let's dive in

and see what Jesus has to say

to the church at Lake Norman

through his sermon

to the church of uncompromising perseverance.

Let's consider first the church identity

in Christ's title as always.

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 opens.

Philadelphia as you know

is the city of brotherly love

and it was so named

because of the

to honor a man of intense loyalty and love

for his brother

who was an ancient king of Pergamum.

But love and loyalty was not

the experience for the Christians in Philadelphia.

It's quite the opposite actually.

Like all the Christian churches

that we've studied at that time

the constant threat of persecution

from the Greco-Roman society

in which they lived

was a reality for these believers.

But like the church in Smyrna

which is its parallel

in the general structure

of these chapters

like the church in Smyrna

the opposition that Jesus addresses

in this sermon

is focused primarily on the Jewish community

what Jesus calls the synagogue of Satan.

The message to Smyrna

emphasized the slander that came from the Jews.

They were serving as informants

somewhat to the Romans.

Remember how we talked about

the slander and the shape that it would take?

They were taking common Christian doctrines

they were twisting them

and perverting them

and presenting them

as things that were a threat to Roman society.

Remember the Jews were taking

the doctrine of communion

the Lord's Supper

and they were accusing the Christians

of being cannibals

which was against Roman law.

They were thought of as atheists

not because they didn't believe there was a God

but because they denied all other gods

except for Jesus.

There were many other things

doctrines that were taken

and were twisted

and purported by the Jews

to be in violation of Roman law.

They were seeking to make a distinction

between themselves and the Christians

so that they wouldn't suffer

the same persecution

that the Christians were suffering.

So some of them became informants.

That's primarily what Smyrna was dealing with.

We would assume

though it's not listed explicitly

that that is very much the case

for the church in Philadelphia as well.

Now it will help us to understand too

which seems to be the focus

or the primary problem in Philadelphia

that some early Christians

continued their memberships

in the local synagogues

to take advantage of the fact

that many couldn't distinguish clearly

between Judaism and Christianity.

In the Greco-Roman world

Christianity was just

primarily considered a sect

within Judaism.

And so there wasn't a lot of

distinguishment that people could make

unless they were just very familiar

with the preaching of the Christians.

And so these early Christians

some of them would maintain

their memberships in the synagogue

as a form of protection.

The Jews had an agreement

with the Romans

that they could persist without problems

as long as the Jews

didn't create problems for Rome.

Christians were taking advantage of that

almost masking the fact

that they were Christians

to some extent

but it was something that was happening.

Eventually Jewish leaders realized

that Christians were enjoying protection

due to their political arrangement

so they closed the door

as it were

by kicking Christians out of their synagogues.

Something Jesus said to the disciples

clearly would happen.

Remember in John chapter 16

John 16 · chapter mention

Jesus tells his disciples

I have said all these things to you

to keep you from falling away.

He's warning them of what is to come.

They will put you out of the synagogues.

Indeed the hour is coming

when whoever kills you

will think he is offering service to God.

And they will do these things

because they have not known the Father nor me.

But I have said these things to you

that when their hour comes

you may remember

that I told them to you.

Now do you see the parallels

between what Jesus was saying in John 16

and what he's now saying

to the church in Philadelphia?

There will be these Jews.

They're going to kick you out of the synagogue.

They're going to cut you off.

And then they're going to try to kill you.

They're going to become informants

as we find out historically they become.

They're going to become informants

to the Roman authorities in Philadelphia

that are going to try to kill you.

And they're going to think they're doing that

in the name of God.

But they don't know me, Jesus says.

They don't know the Father.

And when their hour comes

you'll remember what I'm telling you.

Stay faithful.

And now he says it to the Philadelphians

who are experiencing that very thing.

They've been cut off by the Jews.

They're exposed.

They have no protection.

The Jews are actively trying to have them killed

by turning them into Roman authorities.

And now they must be reminded of Jesus's words.

This is what Jesus said would happen.

Our responsibility now is to be faithful.

And that's exactly what this church was.

Now let's think about these Christ titles

for just a minute.

It's against this backdrop

that we are to understand

Jesus's self-revelation here.

He uses three titles.

All that have significant Old Testament parallels.

And we'll try to spell that out.

That he is the Holy One.

A term that's used dozens of times

in the Old Testament to refer to God.

Is a not so subtle way

of Jesus declaring his own deity.

Jesus is God.

He is the Holy One.

One of the Jews' most significant issues

with Christianity still today

has always been Jesus's claims of divinity.

His claims of divinity.

That he claimed to be one with God

was unthinkable to them.

And it's a critical element

in their vehemence against Jesus.

Not only in ancient history

but also in modern history.

So this title would have come

as uniquely reassuring to this church.

Here's the Jews

who have had the scriptures

who have been the privileged people

as far as the scriptures are concerned.

And they're coming

and they're working against Christ

and against these Christians

saying that Jesus is an imposter.

Well now Jesus comes

and he reassures them.

It doesn't matter

what the Jews are saying.

They belong to the synagogue of Satan.

They're liars.

I am the Holy One.

I am God.

He's the Holy One.

That's a reassuring statement

for this church.

That he declares himself

to be the true one

is a polemic against these Jews

who he calls liars

in verse 9.

It speaks to his utter reliability.

He can be trusted.

But notice again

the declaration of deity here.

Jesus is the true one.

Meaning his trustworthiness

is perfect

and it's exclusive

in a way that can only belong to God.

It can only belong to God.

They are liars, Jesus says.

I'll never lie to you.

They're deceivers.

But I am the true one.

And someone might argue

they may push back against it

and they say

well don't all cult leaders

make similar statements?

Don't they all say

that they're the Holy One?

That they're the true one?

That they're the ones

that will not lie?

That everyone else is deceiving?

What's the difference

between them and Jesus?

Why would we listen to Jesus?

Do you know the answer?

Resurrection.

Resurrection.

Resurrection changes everything.

One other cult leader

has died and come back to life.

Sure there may have been

signs of power

and other things

that probably are initiated

from the evil one.

Jesus comes with divine power.

Ultimate power

that's proven finally

in his resurrection.

He is the true one.

He is the Holy One.

The third title.

He is the one

who has the key of David.

The key of David.

Now this is an interesting title.

To fully appreciate it

we need to go back

to its Old Testament counterpart.

In fact

if you can get there quickly

turn to Isaiah 22.

Isaiah chapter 22.

Isaiah 22 · chapter mention

You can read the whole passage later

if you'd like.

I want to point

out one verse

especially to you.

Isaiah chapter 22.

Isaiah 22 · chapter mention

Let me give you the background

of what's happening

before we read the verse.

Shebna

was the palace steward

in Jerusalem

which was a very

powerful position

akin to

the president's

chief of staff

we would say.

If anyone

wanted access

to the palace

or access

to the king

they had to go through

his chief executive

which was

the palace steward.

And at this point

in Isaiah's writing

it's King Hezekiah

and King Hezekiah's

palace steward

is a man named Shebna

but because of his arrogance

you can read in the chapter

because of his arrogance

God removes

Shebna from power

and he replaces him

with a man named

Eliakim.

And here's what God says

through Isaiah

would be true

of Eliakim.

Look at verse 22.

And I will place

on his shoulder

recognize the parallel

the key

of the house

of David

he shall open

and none

shall shut

he shall shut

and none

shall open.

Okay.

Almost certainly

Jesus

is using

this Old Testament

allusion

as he speaks

of himself

to the

Philadelphian church

in Revelation

Revelation 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3.

And when he says

that he is

the one

with the key

of David

who opens

and no one shuts

who shuts

and no one opens

what he means

is that he

is the only one

with absolute

authority

over who can

enter

the kingdom

of God.

That's his point.

The Jews

may have had

authority

over their synagogue

over who could

belong there

and who couldn't

belong there

but Jesus

is the one

who grants

entrance

to the

eternal

kingdom.

Only

Jesus.

Not your parents

not your church

not anyone else

Jesus

only.

And their

Jewish and Roman

oppressors

had no power

over their

heavenly citizenship.

That authority

belongs to Jesus

and he reminds

this church

right off the bat

just with

the self-revelation

of who he is

that no one

can shut

a door

that he opens.

He is the one

with the key.

And though this world

with devil's field

we'll sing later

should threaten

to undo us

we will not fear

for God has willed

his truth

to triumph

through us.

So let goods

and kindred

go

this mortal

life also

the body

they may kill

God's truth

abideth still

his kingdom

is forever.

Now what comfort

would this have come

to the church

in Philadelphia?

What comfort

it should bring

to you?

Our world

is just as broken

as theirs.

The severity

of our opposition

may not be

to the same level

not yet

but our world

is just as broken.

The threats

against us

will grow

more and more

severe.

What is it

that will give us

comfort and hope

but to acknowledge

that our Savior

our Lord

is the one

with the key

of David?

He's the one

with authority

over the kingdom.

They may have

authority

in this life

only he has

authority

in the next one

and those

who are faithful

to him

will have

an open door

that no one

can shut.

Let's look

at the commendation.

The churches

in Smyrna

and Philadelphia

as you probably

have already noticed

are the only ones

that are not

confronted by Jesus.

There's no correction

there's no threat

or call to repentance.

It's all

commendation

and exhortation

for them

and the commendation

for Philadelphia

extends from verses

8 to 10

but its structure

is unique

which is why

I'm pointing it out.

Jesus commends

them three

different times

and each time

he has

a promise

that he immediately

attaches

to the commendation.

So I want to

break it up

into those three

sections.

The first one

is in the first part

of verse 8.

Look at verse 8.

I know your works

that's the commendation.

Here's the immediate

promise that follows.

It's almost a

parenthetical statement.

Behold

I have set

before you

an open door

which no one

is able

to shut.

Now to every

single one

of these churches

Jesus says

I know.

Remember in chapter 1

he walks

among the golden

lampstands

those are the churches

he holds

the seven stars

in his right hand

those are the pastors.

In other words

Jesus knows

everything about

the churches

and he has

sovereignty

and authority

over them.

And for many

churches

if they are

to hear Jesus

say

I know

your works

it would induce

a measure

of anxiety

to be reminded

of the fact

that God

sees all

and he knows

the reality

of my heart

and the reality

of what

no one else

may know

is terrifying.

dying.

But for the church

in Philadelphia

this brought

great comfort.

Why?

Not because

they were perfect

but because

they were neither

complacent

nor were they

entertaining

compromise

and to be

reminded

that Jesus

is fully aware

of their

perseverance

had to have

brought

amazing joy.

I know

your works.

When Jesus

says that

to Sardis

it's a problem.

When he says

it to Philadelphia

it's a relief.

Relief.

He knows.

He sees

our faithfulness.

He knows

we're struggling

and toiling

for him

and for his

name.

He knows.

And what is

the promise?

The one

with the key

of David

opened for them

a door of heaven

that no one

would be able

to shut.

I know your

works.

I have the

key.

I've opened

the door.

Walk through.

No one

can shut it.

It's yours.

Right?

Second one.

Second part

of verse

eight.

Here's the

commendation.

I know

that you

have but

little power

and yet

you have

kept my

word

and have

not denied

my name.

Here's the

promise.

Behold

I will

make those

of the

synagogue

of Satan

who say

that they

are Jews

and are

not

but lie.

He doesn't

mean that

they're faking

their nationality.

That's not

what he means.

When he's

using Jew

here he

means he's

referring to

the true

people of

God.

They say

that they

are the

true people

of God

but they're

not.

They're

liars.

Behold

I will

make them

come and

bow down

before your

feet

and they

will learn

that I

have loved

you.

So both

the commendation

and the

promise

gets more

specific.

Despite

having little

power

the

Philadelphian

Christians

obeyed

Christ's

words

and refused

to deny

his name.

Now think

about their

context.

As much

as they

would have

wanted the

sense of

security

that came

with being

linked to

the synagogue

they would

not compromise

their faith

in and

obedience

to Christ

for comfort

in this

world.

For a

season

there was

a loophole.

They could

kind of sneak

along.

They had

this kind

of link

to Judaism

until the

Jews made

sure that

link no longer

existed.

Now they had

a choice

at that

moment.

We could

either just

kind of

diminish

all of this

Christian

stuff,

this Christ

stuff,

and just

seek comfort

and security

or we

can embrace

Christ knowing

that it will

cost us

everything.

And what did

the Philadelphian

church do?

They embraced

Christ.

They did

not deny

his words.

They did

not deny

his name.

They remained

faithful,

uncompromisingly

persevering.

And they

have little

power.

There's no

political or

cultural power

for this little

church to lean

on, yet

they publicly

remain faithful.

Now is that

not a word

for us?

We have

no power.

Nobody cares

about us.

We may think

of Christianity

like that in

general.

Let's just

think about it

in terms of

Lakeside Bible

Church for a

moment.

There's what,

30 of us here

this morning?

I know there's

more that belongs

to our church,

but this morning

there's about

30 of us here.

We have no

power.

We have no

influence in

this community.

If they all

turned on us

right now,

we'd have

nothing to

lean on.

We would

have to face

this same

dilemma.

Do we

diminish our

stand,

our gospel

convictions,

in order to

maintain some

type of

comfort and

peace with

the people

around us?

Or do we

embrace Christ

and proclaim

Christ,

knowing it's

going to cost

us everything?

Christians in

Philadelphia said

Christ is

worth it.

And what's

the promise

that they

received?

The promise

is not,

I'm going to

make things

better for

you right

now.

And I

think it's

important that

we recognize

that.

Because there

are some

people out

there that

will try to

tell you that

if you just

come to

Christ and

you just

join our

church,

and if you

do the

things and

you do your

best and

you try your

hardest,

what God's

going to

do for you

is going to

make you

happy,

and he's

going to

make things

easy,

and if your

life isn't

easy, it's

because you're

not believing

hard enough.

It's a problem

with your

faith.

But Jesus

comes to this

church that he

commends more

than any other

church with the

exception of

Smyrna.

And he says,

I realize your

faithfulness, I

know you're

faithful, I

know you're

more faithful than

these other

churches are.

But the

promise that he

gives them is

not, I'm going

to take care of

the Jews real

quick here for

you so that

you can be

more comfortable.

He doesn't do

that.

What's the

promise?

The promise

that they

received is

that they

would ultimately

be vindicated,

not now, but

at the

judgment.

You see, that's

the point here.

It's not about

the Jews bowing

down before

Christians.

That's not the

emphasis here.

That's metaphorical

language that

Jesus is using

to say, in the

end, in the

judgment, Christians

will be vindicated.

The ones who

deny Christ and

his followers will,

in the end, know

that they are

wrong.

The Jews who

wrongly believe

themselves to be

the true people of

God will learn

that God's love is

set on those who

believe and follow

Christ.

They will know,

Jesus says, that I

have loved you,

that you were

mine, that you

were the real,

true people of

God.

The vindication

comes in the end.

Can I ask you, is

that enough for

you?

Are you good with

Jesus so long as he

brings you some kind

of vindication now?

Or is it enough for

you that he promises

to vindicate you

then in the

judgment?

The third set

comes in verse

10.

Because you have

kept my word about

patient endurance,

that's the

commendation, here's

the promise,

I will keep you

from the hour of

trial that is

coming on the

whole world to

try those who

dwell on the

earth.

So here in the

final commendation,

Jesus restates that

these Christians have

kept his word

regarding patient

endurance.

Now, let's talk

about the word of

patient endurance.

Jesus specifically

and explicitly

taught this.

Several places,

I'll read it to you

from Matthew 10.

brother will

deliver brother

over to death,

Jesus says.

The father

his child.

Children will

rise against

parents and

have them put

to death.

All of this is

in the context

of the gospel.

That all of this

will be happening.

Our own families

will be turning

against us because

of our commitment

to Christ.

And then Jesus

says, you will

be hated

by all

for my

name's sake.

But the one

who endures

to the end

will be saved.

The one who

endures to the end

will be saved.

That's the word

about patient

endurance

that Jesus

preached.

And it would

have been taught

to these

Philadelphian

Christians through

the apostolic

teaching.

And Jesus

promises the

Philadelphian

church that

their faithful

endurance will

be met with

his divine

protection

when he returns

to judge

the earth.

Notice the

language.

There is this

hour of trial

that is coming

on the whole

world

to try those

who dwell on

the earth.

What is this

all about?

The hour of

trial, I

believe, to be

this period of

tribulation

leading to

Christ's second

coming.

That's going to

be described in

the subsequent

chapters of

Revelation beyond

this chapter.

And there

are all kinds

of suggestions

about what it

means to be

kept from that

hour of trial.

Some, and

maybe some of

you even would

believe this to

be a kind of

a secret

rapture that

Jesus will

remove his

people, literally

physically remove

them from the

earth.

Others believe

that they will

be protected,

untouched by

the judgment

though they

remain on the

earth.

It's not my

intention to get

into those

debates, at

least in the

sermon.

We can talk

about it after

the service

perhaps.

The bottom

line is this.

Those who

persevere in

the gospel will

not be in

danger of

Christ's judgment

on the earth.

That's the

bottom line.

Because of

their patient

endurance, because

they endure in

the faith all

the way to the

end, they will

be kept from

the hour of

trial.

Meaning, you

will not have

to stand before

Christ and give

account for

your sin, because

you belong to

him, and you

have stayed the

course.

The holy, true

one will keep his

people safe and

secure as he

ushers them into

eternity.

Isn't that a

wonderful promise?

It's amazing.

Remember, growing

up, people would

talk about the

book of Revelation

and all this

imagery, and to be

quite honest with

you, especially

as a kid, even

as an adult, it

is absolutely

terrifying.

I mean, you

got creatures

coming out of

the earth that

look like scorpions

and they have

stingers and

they're going to

sting people.

That's weird.

Let's be honest,

that's weird.

That's terrifying.

And I remember

even as a

Christian young

person, I would

read about those

things, or I

would think about

those things, or

people would teach

them, and I would

just be filled

with fear.

I don't want to

have to endure

that.

And then

Jesus comes and

he says, you

won't have to

endure that.

If you're mine, I

will keep you from

the hour of trial

that is to come on

the whore.

Now, considering

this commendation,

now we're

considering all

three parts of

it, what is it

that we can

discern that Jesus

desires from his

people?

What does he

desire from us?

Clearly, Jesus

is not concerned

with or impressed

by elaborate

ministries with

political influence,

dynamic metrics,

and buildings,

and staff, and

money, and all the

things that come

along with it.

Now, I'm not

disparaging those

things.

It is sometimes,

out of the faithful

blessing of Jesus,

that some churches

and some Christian

groups enjoy that

for a season.

I'm not taking

away from that.

What I'm saying

is that those

are not the

things that Jesus

intends for us to

pursue as our

focus.

What is it that

Jesus desires from

his churches?

Not that they try

to get as big as

they can get and

have all the

influence that they

can possibly have

in all those

things.

That can't be

our focus.

In fact, Jesus

doesn't commend in

these sermons any

of the things that

we tend to value in

contemporary

Christianity.

Jesus values

faithfulness.

He desires that we

keep his word and

glorify his name.

He commends

uncompromising

perseverance.

And if we're going

to be a

Philadelphian church,

we must focus on

what Jesus

commends.

Unwavering

faithfulness to

him.

That's what he

desires from us.

That's what we need

to focus on giving.

To him.

Let's consider the

charge now in verse

11.

Jesus says,

I am coming soon.

Hold fast what you

have so that no one

may seize your crown.

There's no correction

or call to repentance

here, but there is

this urgent

exhortation.

immediately following

immediately following

Jesus' reference to his

return to judge the

earth.

He affirms that he

is coming soon,

bringing urgency to the

charge that he's about

to deliver.

And what is this

charge?

Though the church was

not guilty of the

complacency and compromise

of others,

Jesus understands that as

they await his return,

both sins will only grow

in temptation.

That the longer Jesus

tarries his return,

the more tempting it

will be for us to grow

spiritually cold and to

spiritually compromise.

Think about Charles

Simeon for a moment.

How many of us would

have made it six months,

much less 54 years?

Over time, you weary.

the persecution, the

opposition, the problems,

and finally you just are

tempted to concede.

And the longer you have

to endure, the more the

temptation grows for you

to concede and to

compromise and to grow

cold.

The same is true for

churches.

The longer Jesus tarries

his return, the larger

the temptation grows for

us to be complacent, to

stop being persistent in

the things Jesus has

called us to be, and it

tempts us more and more

to compromise.

Out of the opposition

that we face, we just

grow weary.

Jesus understands that.

So he brings urgency to

this exhortation.

He says, I'm coming soon.

And here's what he tells

them to do.

Hold fast.

Hold fast what you have.

And what is it that they

have?

The gospel.

That's what they have.

Jesus simplifies what it

means to prepare for his

return.

By urging us to hold fast to

the gospel, to keep his

word, to glorify his name.

You say, how are we supposed

to wait?

How are we supposed to wait

with expectancy?

How are we supposed to look

for the return of Jesus?

He tells us plainly, hold fast

to the gospel.

Stay committed to the gospel

of Jesus.

Don't waver on it.

Don't waver from the word.

Don't grow cold in your

devotion to the truth of God.

Glorify his name even when

it comes at great cost.

Proclaim his name.

Declare his name.

Glorify his name.

Not only in the things that

you say, but in the life

that you live.

In other words, persevere

without compromise.

That's how we wait for the

return of Christ.

That's how we acknowledge

he's coming soon and I want

to be ready.

And for those tempted to give

in and give up, Jesus reminds

them of the consequence here

in verse 11.

That no one may seize your crown.

This crown is not the royal diadem.

It's the victory wreath awarded

to winners of athletic events.

In other words, to turn away

from Jesus as a result of false

teaching or fear of persecution.

is the equivalent of losing

the victory.

Of allowing someone to take

your crown.

Remember Jesus' word.

The one who endures to the end

will be saved.

That's not a threat for Jesus

to take away salvation from

someone to whom it truly belongs.

That's not what he means.

But we do know in the scripture

that those who persevere are the

true people of God.

Those who fall away never were.

And yet Jesus gives us these warnings

over and over in the New Testament

as a means of causing us to persevere.

Don't give up.

Don't turn back.

The one who endures will be saved.

The next time Jesus comes,

it will be for judgment.

And his coming is nearer than it's ever been.

So hold fast, church.

Hold fast.

Don't give up.

Don't give in.

Don't lose your crown.

Let's consider the final call

and conquer formula here.

Verses 12 and 13.

Just mention it briefly.

The one who conquers,

I will make him a pillar

in the temple of my God.

Never shall he go out of it.

I will write on him the name of my God,

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.

He who has an ear,

let him hear what the Spirit says

to the churches.

So in contrast to what will happen

to those who do not hold fast to the gospel,

the call and conquer formulas of this message

reiterate what will be true

for those who do persevere.

And wasn't it that Jesus says,

this is amazing.

I wish that I would have taken more time

to develop this more for this morning.

Jesus, the one with the key of David,

will give all who conquer

an honored and permanent place

in his kingdom,

like a pillar in the temple.

The one who has authority

over who is shut in

and who is shut out

will never kick us out

of our heavenly home.

He will put the mark of God,

the new Jerusalem,

and of himself on us.

A public display

that we belong to him.

Now think about that for a moment.

He says,

I'm going to write

the name of my God on you.

I'm going to write

the name of his city on you.

And I'm going to write

my name on you.

God says,

you're mine

and I want everybody to know it.

For those who continue,

that's what I'm going to do.

You're mine.

In other words,

everything that the world

denies us in this life

will be ours beyond measure

in eternity.

He who calls you is faithful,

Paul said.

He will surely do it.

Take heart, church.

The promise is good.

It's true.

There is a lesson

of perseverance

in this message.

There's no doubt about that.

But there's also

a necessary encouragement

from Jesus

that we need to take heart.

Like the Philadelphian congregation,

Lakeside Bible Church

is of little power.

To most people,

we are weak

and insignificant.

And this will inevitably

lead to discouragement.

It will lead to temptations

to quit or compromise

when facing opposition

for our gospel convictions.

Let's just be honest.

That's a reality.

That's coming.

Better not to deny

that that will be the case

in our future,

but to acknowledge it

and be prepared when it does.

This will be a temptation

we face as a church.

It won't be easy.

But we need to remember

that Jesus knows

our works.

He has set before us

a door

that no one can shut.

And we must hold fast

to the gospel.

And with Simeon

and the Philadelphian Christians,

follow Christ patiently,

for we will soon

be partakers

in His victory.

He who has an ear,

let him hear

what the Spirit says

to the churches.

Let us.

Let us.