The Lord's Message to Philadelphia

Thank you, Dave. You know, we've had people come to our church because they want to meet Dave because they get CDs And I always say thank you Dave. They don't know who Dave is So that's how when you get a CD usually that's on there. And so for those of you who don't know that's Dave, okay So anyway, we're here Dave He's fired Okay, let's turn to Revelation chapter 3 Revelation chapter 3 and we're going to look at the church at Philadelphia It truly is a marvelous church.

It is a church between a rose between two thorns really the church of Sardis and the church at Laodicea If you've been with us and you understand What we've been talking about when we look at the ministry and and the message of Christ to his church This really began in the first of the year when we we gave a series of messages called sanctify Christ as Lord in your heart What does it mean to sanctify Christ as Lord and that was supposed to be one week?

It ended up being five months and then we moved to the message in in the ministry of Christ to his church So you understand who he is and what he does in the life of his church every day and what he has to say about that We finish later to see you next week. We won't be done because then we go and we Want you to understand the question and the quest for today's church What is the question every church but at what must ask and what is the quest for every church that exists? And so we'll cover that and then we'll do the book of Hebrews.

That's probably gonna start in October sometime before Christmas That's the plan. That's where we're going so there is a method to our madness in terms of how we do the things that we do and We're looking at this this rose between two thorns the the corpse church Which was Sardis and the counterfeit church, which is Laodicea It's the counterfeit church because Christ isn't in that church How do we know that because he says he stands at the door of the church and knocks to get in So the church of Laodicea Christ is not a part of he's on the outside of the church looking in and that's what happens when you follow the Downgrade of the church looking to the Church of Ephesus how it became cold and callous Toward the things of God and when that's not rectified when you don't remember from where you have fallen Repent of your sins and repeat your first deeds.

What happens then is that you become Compromising and that was a church of Pergamon they compromised The Lord's Word and their stand on Scripture and truth And if you don't rectify that you then become the church of Thyatira Which is the corrupt church and they were certainly corrupt if that's not rectified and Christ kept saying I'm coming to you I'm coming to you quickly That's not rectified. You become a corpse. You become the dead church and the only Step further from the dead church is the counterfeit church the church at Laodicea So it's imperative that we we listen to the words of the Lord and we begin to apply the things that he said That we might live lives in light of what he has told us in his word.

And so here was the church at Philadelphia in between Sardis and Laodicea and it surely was a bright spot It was not a a perfect church, but the church of Laodicea is is the crowned church It's the crowned church It's the consecrated church. It's the committed church. It's not a perfect church Although there is no Warning given to it. There is no Rebuke given toward it. There is no condemnation of this church There is no warnings given to this church like the church at Smyrna Okay, it was a unique body But it wasn't a perfect church There are no perfect churches and if you find one don't join it because you'll ruin it Because there are no perfect people right and churches are filled with people So you have churches that aren't perfect filled with people that aren't perfect but yet the Lord Doesn't do anything to condemn this church to warn this church to threaten this church or tell them that he's coming to them To deal with them instead He commends them and he has nothing but good to say about them.

They are a healthy church They are a strong and vibrant church To church that we should aspire to be like as we understand what the Word of the Lord says So let's say you're in the Church of Philadelphia and you're going to read Or you hear this letter read to you and they were all read I mean all the angels or the pastors of these churches the leaders of the churches would read these letters But remember they're reading all the letters not just their letter. Okay, so they've already heard what the Lord said to Ephesus They've already heard what the Lord said to Smyrna and Pergamum and Thyatira and Sardis.

So they've already heard what God has said And so they're on the edge of their seats waiting to hear what God's going to say to them Because this whole book this whole book of Revelation was given to them written down by the Apostle John and Distributed to each of these men that they might be able to proclaim them to Their assembly and so they are listening and this is what they would hear Revelation 3 verse number 7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia, right? He was holy He was true Who has the key of David who opens and no one will shut and who shuts and no one opens says this I know your deeds Behold, I have put before you an open door Which no one can shut because you have a little power and have kept my word and have not denied my name Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not but lie I will make them come and bow down at your feet and make them know that I have loved you Because you have kept the word of my perseverance I also will keep you from the hour of testing that hour Which is about to come upon the whole world to test those who dwell on the earth I'm coming quickly.

Hold fast what you have said. No one will take your crown He overcomes I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God and he will not go out from it anymore And I will write on him the name of my God in the name of the city of my God the New Jerusalem Which comes down out of heaven? From my God in my new name He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches Our outline is the same except there is No accusation against this church There's the analyzation about the church and its correspondent and there's the affirmation given to the church See admonition to the church and then the application for the church And as you begin to analyze this church a small little assembly Located we don't know how it was birthed We know it came about because Acts 19 10 tells us that from Ephesus the Word of the Lord spread all throughout Asia Minor So we don't know who the first pastor was We don't know anybody prominent in this church But we do know that God had given to them an open door An open door to witness an open door to service and to be used by the Lord in a mighty way in Philadelphia and The city itself is called Philadelphia the city of brotherly love we have one of those in America not the same kind of city a different city In fact, if you ever been to Philadelphia on the East Coast, it's not the city of brotherly love Although that's what it's named.

I mean if you've been to a sporting event in Philadelphia, you know, you got to be careful You got a you got to bring armor because it's a dangerous place to be But this church truly was the city of brotherly love. It was it was started in 140 BC Under King Attalus the king of Pergamon Excuse me. He was the one who began the church and This church would be destroyed in 17 AD along with Sardis with her by an earthquake. They lived on a very unstable Ground because of volcanoes in the area and yet because the volcanic ash there was a great Agricultural product that was developed there and they would be able to export that and they would be used in a mighty way grapes Were huge in this area.

And so the city had erected a monument to Tiberius Caesar because like Like Sardis he rebuilt the city. He was concerned about the city It was important to him and so he would rebuild the city so they have a monument to Tiberius Caesar there in this city and yet This little church and it was little was right there in the midst Proclaiming the gospel and there they would sit hearing the letter read and they know the accusations that Christ has against the other churches and So they're waiting and wondering what is going to be said To them and yet Christ does not condemn them Nor does he threaten them?

Nor does he warn them? but What he does do is do something he hasn't done with the other churches He describes himself Without going back to chapter one Like he did the other churches and pulling from there So this is the first time of the six letters that we've covered that Christ doesn't use a Description of himself from chapter one, but he does say he Who is holy and he?

Who is true says this now if you're in the audience? And you know that Christ is holy and those words are given You've already heard what he said to the other churches You're waiting for for him to say or speak about your unholiness or your untruthfulness But he never does He never does And so they know he is the Holy God. He he introduced himself as the one who is holy. Okay, which is an Old Testament phrase Taken from Isaiah chapter 6 or the one who was holy. Holy. Holy the Lord God of hosts They know that the Messiah was the Holy One Who would not see corruption?

They knew that the Christ child was called the the Holy Offspring They knew that the disciples had said in John chapter 6 verse number 16 69. We know that you are the Holy One of God We know the demons even in Mark chapter 1 verse number 24 said of Jesus of Nazareth We know who you are. I know who you are. You are the Holy One of God So even the demons knew that he was the Holy One And over in Revelation chapter 4 verse number 8, you know that around the throne is that repeated phrase? Holy holy holy is the Lord God Almighty Who was and who is and who is to come and that's repeated over and over and over again because Christ is so holy.

He is so pure that you can't even begin to to digest it in heaven And so it's it's that ringing theme all throughout glory So Christ is that Holy One and that's how he introduces himself And then he says not only that but he is the one who was true a laythanos speaking not just of the words that he speaks That are true, but that he is true. He is genuine. He is authentic Okay, he is a true and authentic God John would say over in first John chapter 5 These words first John 5 verse number 20 and we know that the Son of God has come And has given us understanding so that we may know him who is true and we are in him who is true in his son Jesus Christ, this is the true God and eternal life So John would speak about the true essence the the authentic essence of the one God Jesus Christ our Lord and Christ says the one who was holy the one who is true is the one who was speaking specifically to every single one of you and we know that the martyrs in heaven in Revelation chapter 6 Appeal to the fact that God is holy and that he is true and because he is true and holy They appeal to that character of him that he might avenge their blood upon the earth And so if you're in the audience, you're thinking, you know, I know that there's so much that's untrue about me so much unholy Ness in me.

What is Christ going to say specifically to me or to this church? but Christ never Warns them or condemns them or threatens them for their unholiness or their untruthfulness That's amazing to me Because we know that they're not perfectly holy and we know they're not perfectly true But you see the point is is that they reflect this character of God and the church of all things is to reflect The purity the holiness the veracity the integrity the truthfulness of the Living God and when the church does that it pleases God and That's what they did They were a holy church.

They were a true church They were the real deal and so Christ is not going to condemn them. He knows they're not perfect But he knows they're progressing in Christ likeness And so they portray to the world the character and nature of Christ the one they say they serve So he says to them the one who was holy The one who was true. He says the one who has the key of David. Oh, what is that? The key of David is taken from Isaiah chapter 22 verse number 22 where Eliakim had had the key to the treasury Okay, that is the key to the to the riches of the king's palace And he is the one Christ is the one who is holy and true and has the key to the kingdom's palace In other words, that's why he says who opens and no one shuts and who shuts and no one opens It speaks of a sovereignty.

It speaks of his control. It speaks of his majesty Remember, he says he's given to them an open door. Well Christ we know is the door. He is the door He has the keys. He's in complete control And he opens to Ephesus a door because he has the key to the treasuries of heaven he opens that door to Philadelphia that they might introduce people to the riches and the blessings of the Living God What a what a great blessing this church experiences. He says I'm the one who was holy. I'm the one who is true I got the keys.

I hold the keys. That means I'm in charge. Remember Revelation 1 18 and 19 He has the keys to death in Hades, right? In other words, he's in complete control. He opens door. He shuts the door He's in charge of who dies when they die how they die. He's in charge of who goes to heaven and who doesn't go to heaven He's in complete charge of all that because he is a sovereign majestic God of the universe And so therefore he says the one who was true the one who was Holy the one who has the keys who is open to you Open to you the door.

He says I have opened before you and oh I have before you an open door, which no one can shut because you have a little power But he opens it. No one shuts. He's in charge This is who I am And so this is how he begins the letter and then he gives this affirmation You would begin to think that as they sit here. They're thinking. Okay, what's he gonna say? Is the hammer gonna fall on us like it did on Thyatira like it did on Pergamum like it didn't start us like it did On Ephesus, but it said as he affirms them.

He says I know your deeds. I Know your deeds. I Know them not because I read about them But I know them I've seen them He says I know your deeds Behold I have put before you an open door, which no one can shut. What a what a great blessing This is the blessing that God gives to the faithful church and they were faithful and So he says look I know Your deeds. I know you are determined in your service. I Know you have little power. I know that you are dependent upon the Spirit He says I know that you have kept my word You are dedicated to the scriptures and I know you have not denied my name.

You are devoted to the Savior. I know that He knows these things He knows that they Have deeds that are honoring because they've been given the open door you know When the Lord opens the door to the treasuries of his kingdom that are riches and blessings of his kingdom He expects those who've experienced those blessings to share those with others They didn't debate the door They didn't ignore the door No, they were involved in showing people the door Helping them understand the interest in the glory and the treasures and the riches of heaven and this phrase the open door is a Pauline phrase used over and over again by the Gospel remember over in 1st Corinthians 16 verse number 9 He says a wide and effectual door has been opened to me yet.

I know there are many adversaries Key point because when God opens a door for ministry, he also opens a door for there to be adversaries If you read over in Colossians 4 verse number 2, he's in prison. Remember that he says pray for me that God will open a door To speak the utterances of the mysteries of the kingdom of God So he's in prison He asks for prayer that the open door will be here in prison to speak forth the mysteries of God's kingdom and Then in Acts chapter 14 after he's been stoned and beaten in Lystra He says now we know that the door has been opened to the Gentiles to receive the gospel so you see the open door comes more in the realm of adversity than it does in prosperity and The Apostle Paul knows a lot about the open door policy and how God is the one who has the key to open that door so that people will be saved and come to Christ and Know the riches of his kingdom and the church at Philadelphia They were faithful to that They were Behold, I've set before you an open door and they knew that that that dealt with the proclamation of the gospel And I asked you this question, you know, Paul was in prison.

He prayed for An open door Paul was stoned and realized that there was an open door when you're in a difficult situation. What do you do? When you're in a hardship when you're in pain when you are going through a difficult time Do you ever sit back and say you know what Lord I pray for an open door opportunity. I Pray that this adversity will allow me the opportunity to speak to people about the gospel Because that's what Paul's emphasis was. That's what he did. He wasn't sitting back said Oh, whoa was me.

I'm in prison again because he lived his whole life in prison as he liked He said why I wish I could get out of prison. He never prayed get me out of prison When we go to prison we say get me out. We get sick. They make me well We don't pray for the open door the open opportunity See because we're more concerned about our physical than we are about the spiritual We're more concerned about us than we are about the kingdom of God Paul was consumed with the kingdom So he found himself in a hardship.

He prayed for an open door An open door to speak the gospel so people will come to saving faith Understand the riches that he himself experienced through a relationship with the Living God What a beautiful beautiful example to all of us And Christ says at Philadelphia, this is what you did this is what you did because there's a synagogue of Satan in Philadelphia like there was Like there was in Samarna remember that there was a synagogue of Satan in Samarna too, and they were persecuted in Samarna Severely, and I'm sure that those of Philadelphia experienced some kind of persecution as well But the door was open to them and they were able to proclaim the good news of the gospel So everybody in Philadelphia could hear Christ said I know your deeds.

I know your deeds and you are determined in your service I know that you have a little power That is you're dependent upon my spirit The little is not dealing with the power itself, but dealing with the size of the church itself because we know that if you have Faith as a grain of mustard seed you can move mountains, right? And the power resides with Christ in his spirit not with us as the people our job is to depend upon that spirit So the emphasis on the the fact that they were a little church and you have a little power because you're a little group of People but you had the power because you're dependent upon the Spirit of God you live on reliance upon me And so I know that you're dependent upon the spirit I know that you're determined in your service and I know you're dedicated to scriptures because you kept my word You've kept my word you have not Apostatized the faith you have not compromised the faith, but you've kept my word It isn't that the hallmark of every Christian read 1st John read 2nd John 3rd John read John 14 John 15.

It's all about if you love me, you're gonna do what I say You're gonna keep my word and they did So they demonstrated their love for God because they kept his word. They didn't want to compromise his word. They wanted to stand strong on The Word of God and so you are dedicated to the scriptures You are dependent upon the spirit You are determined in your service and on top of that on top of that You're devoted to the Savior because you've never denied my name You've never denied me and the essence of of Christianity is that we're not going to turn our backs on Christ We're gonna confess his name before others In fact over in in 1st John chapter 2 listen to what Christ says through the pen of the Apostle John 1st John 2 22 Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ?

Who's the liar? The one who says that Jesus isn't the Messiah of Israel. That's why in Philadelphia. You have a synagogue of Satan Because the Jewish people denied that Jesus is the Messiah If you deny as a Jew Jesus is the Messiah you are a part of the synagogue of Satan Now that doesn't go over well when you evangelize Jewish people, but that that really is the truth see So he says who is? Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist the one who denies the Father and the Son So it's not the Antichrist a big a big in big TV guy like the Antichrist is coming This is a little a little in little tea to life.

This is one who is Antichrist one who's against Christ So if you don't affirm the fact that Jesus is the Messiah you're against the Messiah you're against Jesus You're against Christ. You're against God He says this whoever denies his son does not have the father the one who confesses his son has the father Also, that's first 23 chapter 4 verse number 2 by this You know the Spirit of God every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God That is that Jesus the Messiah of Israel has come in the flesh He became man.

He dwelt among us and every spirit that does not confess. Jesus is not from God This is the spirit of the Antichrist in which you have heard that it's coming and now it is already in the world And so he says you have not denied my name You are so devoted to me that you confess me before everyone else you had not denied me He affirms them Christ knows all this he understands them And they're sitting there and they're listening to these words and they are true because Christ is speaking that to them but Christ is affirming the fact that they are faithful.

They are true That they are obedient to his name Then comes the admonition. This is priceless That's the way it says Behold stand amazed. I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not Why can you say you're a Jew and you're not a Jew? What does that mean? If you're the son of Abraham, okay, you're born into a Jewish family. You have a Jewish name You're Jew But they say they're Jews, but they're not he says There are liars It's a lie. I Will make them come and bow down at your feet and make them know that I have loved you.

This is a fascinating guarantee Christ says to them look behold. I want you to stay in the maze. I know that in your midst like there was in Smyrna a synagogue of Satan It's filled with Jews to say they're Jews, but they're not they really are living a lie You say wait a minute if I'm born a Jew, okay Then I must be a Jew. No Judaism is not About your physicality It's more so about your spirituality That's why over in Romans chapter 2 The Apostle Paul said these words for he is not a Jew who is one outwardly nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh, but he is a Jew has won inwardly and Circumcision is that which is of the heart by the Spirit not by the letter and his praise is not from men but from God Paul says the true Jew is not a true Jew because he is the descendant of Abraham a True Jew is a true Jew because of what has happened in his heart There's been a circumcision of the heart.

There's been a tearing away a Removal of the flesh that is he is a spiritual man a man who knows Christ and lives for Christ That's the true Jew So he says I know that there is a synagogue of Satan here in Philadelphia. So behold, I'm gonna do something. That's marvelous I'm going to make them Come and bow down before you So they will know that I have loved you Wow that speaks of their salvation That speaks of their humiliation To come and bow down before you is a military term It's used in Isaiah 45 Isaiah 49 Isaiah chapter 6 60 the speak of the nations around Israel That would come and bow down before them and recognize that their God is the one true God.

Okay So now the Lord is going to flip that on the Jewish people and say now look you're gonna come and you're gonna bow down before those in the church at Philadelphia to know that they serve the true and living God that I am the Holy one that I am the true one that I have the key to the household of David's treasury And therefore they will come about before you and they will know that I have loved you What amazing statement? This is a salvation of Jewish people Then coming to saving grace and that's what's going to happen all throughout the tribulation Because the tribulation is called the time of Jacob's trouble and the Bible tells us that all Israel will be saved at the end of the Tribulation that is those who are alive and remain will be born again.

They will be saved So there is a salvation of Israel in the future But this is speaking of the church in Philadelphia They will know that the open door before them because they've been faithful and true to proclaim the gospel And not deny his name and kept his word and even though they're little in stature. They're great in power Christ is I'm gonna reward you That's what's gonna happen That's synagogue of Satan That's filled with Jews who are not because they're liars. They're not true Jews I'm gonna cause him to come and bow down before you and They are gonna recognize that I love you It speaks of their salvation And this had to be a great encouragement to the Church of Philadelphia Because they would have been persecuted by the Jewish populace that was there And this is this he says Because you have kept the word of my perseverance I will also keep you from the hour of testing that hour which is about to come upon the whole world To test those who dwell on the earth now.

This is a very important a verse Because you have to ask yourself When did this happen? Okay If it happened it would have been recorded in history But there is no record of this verse ever happening anywhere in the history of Asia Minor Let alone Philadelphia Okay So you'd think that there'd be a record of this someplace, but there is not An hour a specific hour specific time a limited time that came upon the whole world Okay to test them Specifically those who dwell upon the earth and I'm gonna keep you out of that hour Okay, so if that's the case if it's not in the past It has to be in the future Hasn't happened yet, and they would read about that hour in the book of Revelation In Revelation 6 and 19 I believe it's futuristic.

I don't believe it's anything that happened to them then or Shortly after that because it there's no there's no record history of that ever happening And so there's only been two times where there's been a testing upon the whole world once was the flood And Philadelphia wasn't around during the flood. The other is the future in the tribulation and so we take it to mean the tribulation because We know that the church is mentioned in Revelation 2 and 3 the church is in heaven Revelation 4 and 5 That's a that's a no-brainer.

Okay, and so because the church is in heaven in Revelation 4 and 5 In Revelation 6 and 19, there's no mention of the church on earth The church won't be here That's why we know that there's a pre tribulational rapture On top of that, we know that there's a certain phrase that's used katoi kuntas Earth dwellers those who dwell upon the earth used 11 times in the book of Revelation Okay, every time it's used it specifically refers to the unbeliever Those who have made earth their permanent dwelling place.

Okay, they are earth dwellers Earth is their dwelling place. We are not earth dwellers We are heavenly dwellers because our citizenship is in heaven Okay, but the phrase those who dwell upon the earth is the phrase used consistently throughout the book of Revelation Only to deal with the unbeliever. It's used specifically 11 different times Okay So we know that whatever hour of testing is going to happen. It's going to happen upon the whole world Okay It's specifically designed for those who dwell upon the earth who are earth dwellers Okay, so when the rapture happens, all the believers are gone.

Only thing left on earth are Earth dwellers those who dwell upon the earth unbelievers. Okay on top of that the phrase tereo ek To keep you out from okay is specific and unique because if he wanted to take them Through the hour of tribulation he would have said tereo dia if you want to take them into the tribulation It would be tereo n but because it's tereo ek specific phraseology I will keep you out of the hour of testing that's going to come upon the entire world Those who dwell upon the earth and some will say well, he's gonna take him out, but he's gonna take him out in the middle Well, what good is that?

Because if you read Revelation 6 the believers are martyred in the tribulation They're killed So he's not gonna predict. What kind of protection is that? What kind of God protects his people by saying? Okay, you're gonna go into the hour testing. You're gonna die That's my protection on you. Well, that's not what God does. I'm gonna keep you out of the hour The hour of testing that's gonna come upon the whole world Specifically those who dwell upon the earth This is a promise given to them as they look in anticipation To the return of Christ because he says I am coming quickly.

That's next phrase, right? I am coming quickly, by the way, he said three times the three different churches. I am coming to you I am coming to you. I am coming to you That is a specific reference to Christ's coming down to your church to deal with you because you're in sin But here he says I am coming quickly a phrase used specifically in reference to the return of Jesus Christ our Lord So the context provides for us a futuristic Translation to understand that this church has promised that they will not go through the tribulation They will not go through the hour of testing That's going to come upon the whole world because that's designed for those who dwell upon the earth not for those who are Believers, it doesn't mean that believers won't get saved in tribulation.

They will They're gonna get say they may be headed Revelation chapter 20 talks about how they're gonna die. They're gonna be beheaded But they're gonna go to heaven see but the bottom line is is that this is a promise given to them a promise of a Protection preservation that they will not go through that hour that promise of Vindication and salvation of the Jewish nation that they might come to save me faith in that community and ultimately they will Well, it's all said and done anyway based on Romans chapter 11 Because God's not done with Israel, by the way, the church wasn't in the first 69 weeks of Daniel's prophecy Therefore it will not be in the 70th week of Daniel's prophecy Okay, it was not in the first 69.

Why would it be in the 70th week of Daniel's prophecy? Daniel knew nothing about the church Then you probably didn't even spell church let alone know about the church. Okay, so that had nothing to do with it So if the church isn't in the first 69 weeks of Daniel's prophecy Daniel chapter 9 The church will not be in the 70th week of Daniel's prophecy, which is the culmination of the book of Revelation Revelation 6 to 19 See that So we believe in a pre tribulational rapture not just based on this verse But there are a myriad of reasons as to why we don't believe the church will go through the tribulation in Revelation verses 6 through 19 And then he says this here's your here's their admonition.

He says Hold fast what you have said. No one will take your crown Hold fast Hold fast. Don't lose your reward because over in 2nd John Verse number 8 these words are are spoken watch yourselves that you do not lose what we have accomplished But that you may receive a full reward That's what Christ is talking about here that you don't lose that full reward that full blessing That I want to give to you persevere. Hold fast. Stay true. Don't quit They would need that encouragement. They would need that reminder that Christ wants to bless them immensely And then comes the application He says in verse number 10 He who overcomes who's that first John 5 4 and 5 the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God Right the one who loves the Lord who one who who serves the Lord who obeys the Lord who knows the Lord?

He is the overcomer. He is the victorious warrior He who is the victorious warrior I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God and he will not go out from it anymore There is no temple in heaven So why did he say that I will make you a pillar in the temple of my God? Why would Jesus say that the one who's holy and true? When there is no temple in the eternal heaven, how do we know that? Oh, we know that from Revelation chapter 20 Let me read it to you Revelation chapter 20 just to make sure you don't think I'm off my rocker Let me revelation 21.

I'm sorry It says these words Revelation 21 verse over 22. I saw no temple in it for the Lord God the Almighty in the lamb are its temple So there is no temple in the new city of God there is no temple in the heavenly Jerusalem There is no heaven. I mean no a temple in in heaven Why because the Lord God and the Lamb are its temple So why does Jesus say the one who is holy and true? I will make you a pillar in the temple of my God Remember where they live They live in Philadelphia They live in fear of earthquakes and tremors And that's why their city was destroyed So they never had any security at all in their city so Christ plays off that and says I will make you a pillar in the temple of my God and You won't be afraid to go in and out anymore because you will be established there.

It speaks of permanency It speaks of security the temple of my God's a figurative statement to speak of the fact that you will never be moved You will never be shaken and while you live in a city that's shaken constantly by earthquakes when you get to heaven you have this One ironclad security that you will never be moved What a powerful testimony to these people who need to hear that on top of that On top of that because the Lord God himself is the temple Okay, because the Lamb is the temple. All right, and you are a pillar in the temple of my God It speaks of the joy and the bliss of being with him Because psalm 1611 says in thy presence is fullness of joy So you're gonna be a temple in the presence of Almighty God You're never gonna be moved and you're gonna be in his presence.

You'll experience not just joy, but the fullness of joy the beauty and the glory of eternity And these people would hear this to him who overcomes This is what you receive And they says this he says 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 out of heaven? from my God and my new name Man he's gonna write all over you. I'm gonna give you the name of my God I'm gonna write the name of my God on you remember the hundred forty-four thousand.

They're branded by God, right? 144,000 Revelation chapter 7 they're branded by God why because the Antichrist has his brand right the mark of the beast He's gonna brand his people six six six So Christ is gonna brand here's the hundred forty-four thousand Jewish evangelists twelve thousand from every tribe that will not die By the way will live through the tribulation according to Revelation chapter 14 They're standing on top of Mount Zion. They are Preserved throughout the tribulation because God's branded them.

All right This speaks of ownership Complete and utter ownership listen when you go off to school here next week or in two weeks Whatever you go off to school your mom your dad are gonna write on all your paraphernalia Okay, they'll write your name on there Because it's yours You own it and you don't want anybody else to have it so if you put your name on your lunchbox your name on your backpack or your name in your book or Whatever years you write your name you put your name because you don't want him best to have it you own it Jesus puts his name on you.

I'll write on you the name of my God because I Own you Know that I'm gonna write on you the name the city of my God the New Jerusalem. Whoa. Wow So he's gonna somewhere on my body my glorified body Write the name of the city of his God that that speaks of citizenship, right? We have ownership and now we have citizenship Because we not only are owned by God. We live in the city of God and Then he says I'm gonna write on you my new name What is that I have no idea I Have no idea I do know this that in Revelation 19 when he returns he has a name written on him that no one knows Now, how could it be?

That the Lord has a name written on him that no one knows and we would have been in heaven with him for those seven years and those angels would have been in heaven with him since Genesis chapter 1 Okay, and no one knows The name written on him I'm gonna let you know something. I don't know what the name is, but I know you'll never know the name You'll spend all of eternity trying to figure out the name But you'll never know God. He is so infinite so eternal so unfathomable That when you get to heaven, it's all about the Christ and you will spend all of eternity Getting to know Christ and once you think you know him guess what you don't You don't know him completely nor, you know, I'm totally say wait a minute The Bible says when you see him, you'll be like him for you'll see him as he is.

That's right You'll have a glorified body like he has a glorified body. That's right But we're not God We're still the slaves and servants of God And we're gonna have a new name written on us. Don't know what the new name is I know I'm getting a new name and no one knows but me we study that earlier one of the churches I get a new name written that no one knows but me. Okay, I'm not sure what that name is yet, but it's it's it's coming but now I get another name I get the name of my God I get the name of the city of my God and I get a Christ new name.

What's that? I don't know what that is. Who cares that speaks of relationship It's a new name that no one knows but Christ himself and so not only is there ownership not only is there citizenship There's a relationship with the Living God that I will have that you will have that everybody will have That we've never ever experienced before If that doesn't want to make you die and go to heaven right now Something's wrong with you to be in glory the experience that Wow, Maria's there messy got that new name Get that name of the city of her God of his God written on there You got the name of my God written on a man.

She got it all she's there She's experiencing all of this stuff. She knows what a new name is She knows because she's there But that's the anticipation that the overcomer lives for you see We just aren't very heavenly minded. Are we? And that's why we're not earthly good Because we're not very heavenly minded You heard the phrase? They're so heavenly minded. They're no earthly good Well, listen, if you're heavenly minded you can only be earthly good because earth needs to know heaven's glory and We need to be heavenly minded people Always anticipating what God has for us And so he has he has he concludes and we always includes he who has ears to hear Let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Are you listening? Are you listening what I've said to Philadelphia? You've heard what I've said to Sardis You've heard what I've said to Thyatira and Pergamon and Smyrna and Ephesus But have you heard what I've said to Philadelphia the city of brotherly love? Have you heard it? He who has ears let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches You need to know The blessing of the overcomer. This is the church. We need to be like There is no Threat, no warning. No condemnation no accusation It's all affirmation It's all blessing.

It's all joy It's all in anticipation as to what's going to happen in the future And this is what we need to be like And may God give us the grace to accomplish that That we might be a church that truly is faithful to the Lord and pleasing to him in all our manner of life