The Church God Loves
(Rev 3:7-13)
The church in Philadelphia is called Gods beloved church. It was located in the most desolate area of the seven churches in Asia Minor, prone to earthquake and its people addicted to wine because of abundant products of grapes. Nevertheless, it became a model church as the last fortress of faith, which is still alive. Lets see how God loved this church.
1. He blessed the church with the key of David (v.7). The most holy and almighty God visited this small church with the key of David. He noticed the members of this church looking only to the Lord as they had no other choice but to rely on him as helpless sinners, crushed by the result of their sinful life. To this church of Philadelphia, God promised that he would open the door, which had been closed, with the key of David because they looked only to God. Jesus opened our closed door through his crucifixion. In short, the key of David is the cross. Now that God had opened our closed door, we have nothing to drag our feet about. When we focus on praying for evangelism, God will surely open all our closed doors.
2. He showed the church his mark of love (v9). God shows us his mark of love when he loves us and we love him. The Jews scheme was so terrible that Apostle Paul had to risk his life while carrying out his ministry. Some of those Jews signed up for membership in the church in Philadelphia and became Christians. What a miracle it was! Sometimes the toughest persecutors are our fellow Christians like the Jews. The only way to overcome the Jews scheme against us is to serve our Lord Jesus Christ, enduring the testing given to us. It was Pauls humbleness, his devotion, and tears that led those Jews to the gospel. The best mark of Jesus love for us is the conversion of our enemies. For this purpose,
3. He enables us do the practical deeds of love (v9). The little in verse 8 means the tiniest thing, ampmuampiotaampkappaamprhoampalphaampnu in Greek, or micro in English. Even though the members of the Philadelphia Church were small, having nothing to write home about, they constantly held on to the Word without betraying it. When we accept God as we are, we will witness his great work of salvation. The practical deeds of love in verse 10 was keeping Gods command to endure patiently, which God enables us to do. The little strength(v.8) is not about stooping low before people but about kneeling before God recognizing how small and sinful we are before Him. With this little strength, we need to weep before God, which God will account as our noblest deeds. When we are eager to spread the gospel, we do the deeds of love in spite of ourselves, which leads to patience and faith in God. Those who dont turn their back on God reveal their deeds of love inadvertently.
4. He helps us not to be deprived of our crown (v11). Overexcited that our Jewish persecutors accepted Jesus, we might possibly make the crown of life a trinket of pride. Gods beloved one is the person who has constant passion for salvation and the gospel. God wants us not to lose our crown by taking credit for bringing people to the Lord. Thanks to the key of David that God gave us and his mark of love, some of the Jews came back to us and accepted the Christ. Some people around us wont come back forever, which doesnt matter to the person whose life goal is the Lord. The Father sets the times or dates by his own authority. Therefore, we dont need to have despair or pride or sense of inferiority. We just need to look to God only. What is Gods blessing and reward to the church of Philadelphia?
1) God will help us escape the time of testing. However, its not that we wont have any testing, but we wont feel its weight when we pass through Gods refining testing. 2) The Lord will make us a pillar of his heavenly temple, watching our obedience. It we stand firm like a pillar in our desolate place without being disturbed, never again will our family leave us. Our family members also can be the same pillars. 3) God blesses us with our community. The new Jerusalem (v.12) refers to our new faith community. In this new community weve never experienced before, God will help us record our new name. He will lift us from despair to hope, from grief to consolation, from suffering to joy, and from foul to fair.
Schillar Welsh, a female talk show MC and a famous lecturer of the American Association of Christian Women consoled and helped many people to resolve their problems. However, she herself was not consoled by anyone. She was obsessed by her thought that she might end her life in a psychiatric ward just as her father did. One day, while worshiping God in a hospital, she heard Gods voice at the bottom of her heart, saying Youre my beloved one! In perfect tranquility, she felt how God loved her for the first time in her life. When she thought that God took away all her rights, she felt God held her tight in his arms. The thought that we dont deserve Gods love makes us spiritually desolate. Jesus visits us not to solve our problems, but to be with us till they are resolved. He allowed us an intimate relationship with him in our devastation. His reward for the church in Philadelphia is the ability to be satisfied with the intercourse with Him even in devastation. In any case, we should not let go of Gods hands. Just focus on our relationship with Him, not on the solution of our problems. May God bless us all to accept such profound love of God for us!
'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.' (Rev 3:7)
