Revelation 3:7–13 (ESV)
To the Church in Philadelphia
7 “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.
8 “ ‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, that 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. 9 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. 10 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. 11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. 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 my God out of heaven, and my own new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
Dear fellow redeemed: A major purpose of the book of revelation is to comfort God’s people during the latter days, during which the cosmic war for our immortal souls is played out.
This is a time of grace, in which our Savior seeks out the lost to give life, while the Devil and the world seek death. During these latter days the faithful face deceit and temptation, if not overt persecution.
Last week we heard of the comfort Christ gives even to the spiritually dead and dying, assuring us that they are not beyond His reach as He gives life through the Holy Spirit working through the gospel. And too, in the other churches our Lord has had comfort for people in several different specific circumstances. The Ephesians could be renewed in their first love, the faithfulin Smyrna would be given grace to endure suffering, and their suffering would be shortened, in Pergamum the Lord gave them courage in the face of persecution, and in Thyatira He would give them protection and work powerfully through His word as they proclaimed it.
But here in Philadelphia things were more general; pretty much every church can find themselves in this picture. Jesus starts by hearkening back to how He was first pictured to John. …“Fear not, I am
the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.” (Revelation 1:17–18, ESV) Here he says these are ‘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.
This is a double allusion. It is an allusion to a prophecy in Isaiah 22, which uses the “key of David” image as a way of showing the Messiah’s position as the one who opens the storehouse of God’s gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation to the world. He is also the judge who will bar the unworthy from any good thing, because they have not believed the true word. To them the way of life is shut.
But when our Lord pours out His gifts, no one can stop it. Think of it. As we have mentioned so many times, wherever His word is, there Christ is pouring out forgiveness, and with it comes faith, life and salvation. When someone is upset because of his (or her) sins I will sometimes point out that you ARE forgiven, and nobody can stop it, because Christ is risen from the dead for our justification, for our being declared innocent.
Jesus develops this understanding in the next section: 8 “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.” We are powerless by ourselves to stop the devil’s advances in the world. The attacks on truth itself, the perversions of that which is good, like marriage and family, the brutality against the unborn, the blasphemy against all that is holy, and so on. But when Christ opens heaven to you, nobody can shut it.
Instead, you will be given victory over all those who have sown false doctrine and the lies that destroy faith. 9 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. The “Synagogue of Satan” is a catchall for all those who learn and peddle his lies, claiming to be the chosen people. I think of the woke mobs that pour out invective on those who are pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-fidelity, pro-truth. They call us “haters” and white supremacists, but they will find that we are beloved. Again, we are reminded, I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.
Our power is not in ourselves but in the fact that by faith we are kept and preserved by One who has power over even death itself. Look around us here. Who here is powerful in Southern Oregon, to stop the deceit in the schools, and to hinder the work of evil men and women to pursue their destructive agendas. Yet we will be victorious in Christ.
And because we are not strong, Jesus Himself will intervene. 10 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. 11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. Jesus foretold this, too: “For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” (Matthew 24:24, ESV) In spite of everything, we will prevail unto life everlasting.
In spite of the weakness of the congregation in Philadelphia, this is a congregation that, like Smyrna, has nothing against it; Jesus levies no criticism, but He goes on, 11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.
The one thing Jesus calls us to is that we be faithful. Now I am soon going away, and there is nothing that I want more for you than what Jesus, and only Jesus, can give you – the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. But you must remain faithful!!
How will you do that? By diligently growing in the word of God. Make use of the devotional aids from our synod. You can have a daily word from God on your phone, for goodness sake!
Don’t give up on being here 9in the divine service so as to receive God’s gifts. The word will be here so long as faithful men will read it.
Trust that God will provide you with a shepherd. Pray for such a gift. Remember the Creeds, the summaries of the Scriptures. Read the Catechism. It’s every Hymnary. It isn’t these works that save you, but these are the means by which God gives you His gifts, including faithfulness itself.
What awaits you as you remain faithful? Several things! 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 my God out of heaven, and my own new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
See? Several things.
You will have an everlasting place in the presence of God, like a pillar in the temple never moves, you will know the True and living God. His name will be on you, for you are His, and you belong in the New Jerusalem, the perfect place where everything is peace and joy. And then a new chapter will be written in your live – your eternal life, and Jesus will have a new name, that is, while everything now is about your salvation, saving you from death, in eternity it will all be about living the new life you have been given, and that is who Christ will be to you.
So then, be faithful, so that nobody can ever take your crown!
AMEN.