THE FAITHFUL CHURCH (part 3) Revelation 3:11-13 July 13, 2014 Dr. Danny Forshee

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1 1 THE FAITHFUL CHURCH (part 3) Revelation 3:11-13 July 13, 2014 Dr. Danny Forshee - This is the third message on the church at Philadelphia, the sixth of seven churches in Asia Minor in Revelation It is a wonderful church that serves as a stellar example of how to persevere and follow Jesus faithfully. - Thus far we have looked at this primary truth taken from our text I. PERSEVERANCE LEADS TO PRESERVATION. - Today we will look at two more truths from our text derived from the model church at Philadelphia. II. STRENGTH LEADS TO SATISFACTION (VS. 11) - Jesus commands the church at Philadelphia to hold fast what they have. The verb is kratei, from krateo. It is a present active imperative, the language of command. It means to seize or to fasten. They were to exercise spiritual strength, exert themselves as they held tenaciously to what they had. - The Christian faith is not to be lived with passivity and complacency. The word kratei connotes the idea of working, exerting strength, doing your best. Our exertions or works do not save us, but once Jesus saves us by His grace, then we are called upon to work, to serve, to give our best for our Lord. - Ephesians 2:10 states, 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Greek word for workmanship is poiema, from which we get the English word, poem. - The temptation to take shortcuts, and preempt God s plan with our own, does not leave us once we commit our lives to Christ. We have to strive constantly to resist the powerful urge to take shortcuts and disengage from the spiritual disciplines of the Christian life. - Notice Jesus told them to hold on to what they have. They were not to pursue new truths from various people, nor were they to let go of the reigns of truth to grasp other intriguing doctrines. Cultic groups clearly disobey Jesus words at this point. They invite you to come and explore the teachings of their holy man or woman or prophet. You should resist them. We have the truth and our great

2 2 goal is not to look for new truths, but to understand more fully the awesome truth that God has given us in His Holy Word! Read Jude 3. 3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. The Greek word translated contend earnestly is epagonizomai, from which we get the English word agony. - Oftentimes even as Christians we succumb to the temptation of the devil to hold loosely, and unfortunately, with contempt, what God has entrusted to us. - But when we hold tightly, exert strength, and maintain a firm grasp on what God has granted to us through Christ, then we will be utterly satisfied. Satisfied both now and eternity. - Mick Jagger, who will turn 71 this month, is the lead singer with the Rolling Stones and he bemoans the fact that he gets no satisfaction though he tries and tries. In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Brad Pitt reflected on a man who has the American dream and yet remains unsatisfied. (Pitt) Man, I know all these things are supposed to seem important to us the car, the condo, our version of success but if that s the case, why is the general feeling out there reflecting more impotence and isolation and desperation and loneliness? If you ask me, I say toss all this we gotta find something else. Because all I know is that at this point in time, we are heading for a dead end, a numbing of the soul, a complete atrophy of the spiritual being. And I don t want that. (Rolling Stone) So if we re heading toward this kind of existential dead end in society, what do you think should happen? (Pitt) Hey man, I don t have those answers yet. The emphasis now is on success and personal gain. [smiles] I m sitting in it, and I m telling you, once you ve got everything, then you re just left with yourself. I ve said it before and I ll say it again: it doesn t help you sleep any better, and you don t wake any better because of it. (Interview in Rolling Stones (October 28, 1999); s.v., Brad Pitt on the American Dream, Preaching Today Online; www. Preachingtoday.com.) - In the latter part of vs. 11 Jesus warns them against losing their crown. I interpret this to mean the crown of reward that awaits us when we go to heaven as believers. Our salvation is secure but our crowns or rewards are based on our works and consistent life. What complete joy and satisfaction await the child of God who holds fast to Jesus and His Word. He or she will receive eternal rewards and blessings for a life of faithful service here on earth. III. OVERCOMING LEADS TO BEING OVERJOYED (VS.12)

3 3 - In vs. 12 Jesus told the church in Philadelphia, and He tells the church today, that overcomers will be blessed. I like this word overjoyed; synonyms for this word are euphoric, ecstatic, elated, and on cloud nine. - The word translated overcomes is the Greek word nikon, where we get the word Nike. Those who overcome, who live for Jesus Christ in this crooked world, are the genuine followers of Christ who have heavenly joy as their final resting place. This is not a test for salvation. We cannot earn our salvation. Instead of a test I see it as a true testimony. Those who are genuinely saved demonstrate the sincerity and authenticity of their salvation by overcoming. - Notice these three blessings that Jesus promises to those who overcome. And take note of how Jesus Himself says He will personally do these things I will make him a pillar, I will write on him the name of My God, and My new name. - A. SETTLED - Obviously we are to interpret these words figuratively. We will not be a literal pillar made of stone but we will enjoy the stability and the blessing of being settled that a pillar in a temple connotes. Remember we are pilgrims passing through this world. This world is not our home. We are traveling to our heavenly destination where we will no longer be transients or pilgrims, but we will be settled squatters at home in heaven. - Remember when we studied the historical city of Philadelphia how in AD 17 the city suffered a horrible earthquake that struck fear in the hearts of the city s inhabitants. Many lived out in the open country in fear of aftershocks or another earthquake. Here Jesus tells them of a permanent home in heaven where they will go out no more. The words in the Greek read, and out not at all. The ou ma construction is used which was the strongest way to state a negation. They would by no means go out any more. - B. SAVED - By saying He will write on them the name of His God, I believe Jesus is assuring them of who they are. They are God s children; they are eternally saved. Robert Thomas says the significance of the threefold name points to an absolute assurance of eternal life. (p. 293) He also states with reference to the name of God, To have the name of My God was equivalent to belonging to God, being endowed with divine power. (Ibid.) - C. SECURE - Jesus tells them that He will also write on them the city of My God. He gives us the name of the city, the New Jerusalem, and He gives the origin of the city, it comes down out of heaven.

4 4 - The heavens and earth that we know now will pass away says Revelation 21:1, and there will be a new heaven and earth. And coming down out of heaven will be this New Jerusalem. Read Revelation 21:2. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. - The overcomers will be secure citizens in this heavenly city. Oh what joy will be ours in this eternal, heavenly abode! - Finally, Jesus tells His people that they will have written on them His new name. Revelation 22:4 says, They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. - MacArthur, p. 127, writes, Christ s name represents the fullness of His person. In heaven, believers will see Him just as He is (1 John 3:2), and whatever we may have known of Him will pale in the reality in which we will then see Him. The new name by which we will be privileged to call Him will reflect that glorious revelation of His person. - One of the truths we learned from our Systematic Theology class we studied last year was how Grudem pointed out that in heaven we will continue to learn and grow in our knowledge of God because God is so awesome. CONCLUSION - Please remember vs. 13. The promises and blessings that Jesus offered to the Philadelphian Christians are ours as well. Oh that you and I and all of GHBC would have the testimony and reputation of this church. May God help us work hard for Him, walk through the open doors He provides, serve Him with what strength we have, obey Him, and be faithful to Him (vs. 8). And may we persevere, hold fast and be strong, and overcome. And what awaits the child of God who overcomes? First Corinthians 2:9 states, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. By the way, this great verse is one of the verses I pray over one of my children; the other 2 verses are 1 Timothy 1:7 and Philippians 4:13, 19. Parents I encourage you to ask God to give you a verse for your children and when He does pray that verse over them every day. - Jerry Lucas led the Ohio State Buckeyes to the 1960 NCAA basketball championship. He went on to play basketball in the pros and in his last season in the NBA while he played for the New York Knicks in , he committed his life to Jesus Christ and was saved. A friend gave him a Bible and Lucas memorized the entire New Testament. Today he travels and speaks about 30

5 times a year sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. He also speaks about his Lucas Learning System, a system of memorization that he has developed. Lucas and his amazing story are featured in the June 30, 2003, edition of Sports Illustrated. The article closes this way, People ask, What s the greatest thing ever to happen to you? The answer, coming from an All American, a Hall of Famer, a Sportsman of the Year, tends to surprise people. I tell them it hasn t happened yet. (See attached article for bibliographic information.) - Bow your heads with me and close your eyes please. - Is heaven your final destination? Do you know for sure that when you die the best thing that has ever happened to you will take place you will be with Jesus in heaven? If not, I invite you to do what Jerry Lucas and billions of others have done and that is to commit your life to Jesus Christ; I mean really commit your life to Him. Ask the Lord to forgive you of your sins and save your soul. - Those who have committed to Christ, are you persevering, holding fast to what you have, and overcoming in a way pleasing to God: If not then make a fresh commitment to Christ right now. Ask Him to forgive you of your passivity and mediocrity, for not giving your best to Him. - Others that are looking for a church home, we invite you to come and join us here at GHBC and unite with us, helping us reach this city for Jesus Christ. - God continues to call men and women out of our church family to serve Him vocationally in ministry. If that is you let us know so we can encourage you. 5