Christ’s messages “to the Angel of the church in Penge”
WEAK BUT FAITHFUL –
THE CHURCH OF
PHILADELPHIA
Penge Baptist Church
1st December 2013
Revelation 3:7-13
“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.
Where was Philadelphia?
Now called
Alashehir
Trading city and
gateway to
plateau
Relatively recent
construction
Means “brotherly
love”
The eternal Christ
“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 am coming soon!”
Being faithful….
“I know that you have little strength,
yet you have kept my word and have
not denied my name.”
But he said to me, “My grace is
sufficient for you, for my power is made
perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians
12:9)
….under persecution
“Since you have kept my command to
endure patiently”
“those who are of the synagogue of
Satan, who claim to be Jews though
they are not, but are liars”
Christ’s promises to the weak
and faithful
His knowledge of their situation
“I know your deeds”
Enemies will be humbled
“I will make them come and fall down at your feet and
acknowledge that I have loved you “
An open door to the future
“See, I have placed before you an open door that no one
can shut”
“On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no
night there.” (Revelation 21:25)
A promise of resurrection
“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.”
“we who are still alive and are left will be
caught up together with them in the clouds to
meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be
with the Lord forever.” (1 Thessalonians 4:17)
A promise for eternity
“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.”
I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God
Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not
need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of
God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations
will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will
bring their splendor into it. (Revelation 21:22-24)
The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the
city, and his servants will serve him. They will see
his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
There will be no more night. They will not need
the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the
Lord God will give them light. And they will reign
for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:3-5)
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am
making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this
down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the
Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is
thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the
spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will
inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be
my son. (Revelation 21:5-7)
Christ’s urgent warning
“Hold on to what you have, so that no one will
take your crown.”
“Now there is in store for me the crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
Judge, will award to me on that day—and not
only to me, but also to all who have longed for
his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:8)
If what he has built survives, he will receive his
reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he
himself will be saved, but only as one escaping
through the flames. (1 Corinthians 3:14-15)
“How much more severely do you think
a man deserves to be punished who
has trampled the Son of God under
foot, who has treated as an unholy
thing the blood of the covenant that
sanctified him, and who has insulted
the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 10:29)
And us?
Would people call us “Philadelphians”?
Are we faithful like the Philadelphians?
Are we weak like them?
Does the door stand open for us?
Are we worthy of a crown and a new
name?
Are we listening to Christ’s warning?