7 Churches: Philadelphia, the loving assembly; the porter and his fondness — A.J. Higgins

So thank you again in the Lord's name for your kindness and welcome Amongst you now Revelation chapter 3 and verse number 7 to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. Right these things saith he that is holy He that is true.

He that hath the key of David he that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth. I know thy works behold. I have set before thee an open door and no man can shut it. For thou hast a little strength and has kept my word and has not denied my name.

Behold I will make them of the synagogue of Satan which say they are Jews and are not but do lie. Behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee. Because because thou has kept the word of my patience I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth.

Behold I come quickly hold that fast which thou hast that no man take thy crown Him that overcome with what I make a pillar in a temple of my God and he shall go no more out. I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God Which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God and I will write upon him my New name.

He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. We come now to the letter to the church at Philadelphia and like the assembly at Smyrna interestingly enough, there's a balance here the second and the sixth assemblies just as the first and fifth had some similarities and the third and the seventh will so the Second and the sixth assemblies have this similarity and that the Lord has no censure.

There is no Correction given. There's nothing pointed to that in some way needs to be addressed. Here is an assembly that was bringing pleasure to the Lord. An assembly that was delighting the Lord's heart and delighting him in light of its Functioning in light of its faithfulness in light of the character of the assembly.

Interesting. We don't read of great exploits. We don't read of great numbers. We don't read of great movements. What we read about is a company marked by a little strength keeping the Word of God and honoring his name.

Philadelphia as the City of Brotherly Love

Just looking then at the letter that is before us just to notice the recipients. The city of Philadelphia the city of brotherly love. The city that was known in history as A city that was built and established for the purpose of Promoting what was known as Hellenism now that doesn't have anything to do with Helen.

What it has to do with is the? Promoting of Greek culture and Greek thinking in Non-greek parts of the world. So it was a city established by the Greeks In a foreign country here in Asia for the purpose of promoting Hellenism for in their mind bringing culture to the barbarous races.

So in that sense it was a missionary city. It was a city that had a mission to accomplish that from it would spread culture and From it would spread knowledge and from it would spread that which would take people who were in their minds barbarians and give them culture and education and learning.

So by nature it was a City marked by a missionary zeal. It was a city really that stood at the junction of some of the great Roman roads into Missy and Lydia and Phrygia and so on and a gateway to the great central plateau with What was viewed as an open door into those regions from from this city?

So the the background of a city is helpful in terms of understanding some of the Terminology and some of the expressions used if we were looking at this in its dispensational out that outlook looking at the seven churches as The picture of churches through the ages.

Of course when we come to Philadelphia we like to pat ourselves on the back and to say that this is the recovery of truth and the Believers gathering to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ as we know today.

But I think in a measure God has had his testimonies through the ages. I think there has always been testimony for God. Certainly it revived about a hundred and fifty years ago in Great Britain and in many places simultaneously.

But rather than trying to fit ourselves into this I think we should measure ourselves by what is here and seek to learn from it what we can look at the Revelation of Christ that is given to us here. How is the Lord Jesus represented to us here?

Christ’s Holiness, Truth, and Administrative Authority

There are two things. There is what he is Essentially and what he does Administratively what he is essentially thus say if he could say here these things say he that is holy He that is true. So it's what he is That is presented to this church He that is holy He that is true.

Now it may well be that the reason he presents himself to this assembly Is not so much because of a of a need that he saw as with all the other assemblies. But rather because of qualities that he saw.

That he found that he could identify with and appreciate. Here is what marked the assembly at philadelphia. It was true. Now that is not so much true in contrast to uh to error, but true. Meaning genuine the real thing.

This is really what brings the light and pleasure to his heart. Here is what is real here is what is true? Here is what here is what is conforming to divine standards and divine pattern. And so it is an assembly that is marked by being real by being true.

And also in its character it is suggested. It was an assembly that sought to maintain holy standards the compromises that marked Pergamos and marked thiatira. They were not there the error that had marked pergamos and thiatira.

It was not there the lifeless condition. The entrance of unsaved into the assembly and the toleration of evil that marked sardis. It was not there here was an assembly that Repudiated all of that and was marked by being holy and by being true.

What he is essentially but He also speaks of himself as the one that has the key of david. He that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth. So it is not now what he is essentially in himself, but it is what he is what he does administratively now.

We don't have time to go back to it and look at it. So i'm just going to have to mention it and hope young christians have an interest in looking at it. Go back to a book in the old testament the book of isaiah and chapter 22.

And you would find there. Um, it's one of those tremendous things the spirit of god takes a we would call them a few obscure verses uh seemingly, you know, you'd read over it and hardly even give it a second thought and the spirit of god goes back and takes it and Begins to unfold.

Tremendous truth tells us about a man named a scribe who was whose name was shebna and he was treasurer. He held the keys to the treasure house of david. He was david's treasurer and he uh built himself a sepulcher to be remembered in jerusalem.

And uh in defiance of god's word and what god was said was going to happen. And god displaces him and gives the key of david to another man named eliakim. And so on but the important thing we have there is The key of david really relates to the one that had the key to the treasure house of all the wealth of the king.

So here is the one that possesses the key to the treasure house of all the wealth of god. In a sense he is moving in this chapter. He is moving in a in an administrative sense. I would suggest to you he is moving Administrating for god and I would think that that is heightened that is underlined by the fact that four times over as you come to the end of the letter he speaks of my god the city of my god the name of my god.

Out of heaven from my god. So he is the one in relationship to his god and he is administrating the wealth of god to an assembly who is being faithful. So there is then what he does administratively. Having the key of david he opens.

No man can shut it and he shuts it and no man can open it. But then I want you to see the record of of what he values there was recognized weakness. In philadelphia thou hast a little strength. It's going to be tremendously Different when we come to the next letter of people who thought they They had it all.

Here was a company and they recognized in ourselves. We are very very weak. In ourselves, we Could accomplish nothing. So the first thing that he points to that he values Is recognized weakness now this may or may not relate to numbers.

It may have been a small company, but however large the company we are still marked by Absolute dependence upon god in our service and in our carrying out of the word of god so there was. There was weakness that marked this company.

This is the last thing we would think that He would actually find pleasure in that he would actually value now just back up a minute because We've got to really measure ourselves by this. We have bought in.

We have bought in so much To business principles that we begin to think that size is the mark of value. The bigger the assembly the better the assembly. The louder you shout the better you are, you know bigness numbers size.

And yet the first thing the lord points to when he is pointing to what he values is Is weakness that was recognized. So there's nothing that is um. What would I say. Nothing really that is commendable about smallness.

It's not a matter that we should pat ourselves on the back because we're small but we never should buy into the Success mania of the world that numbers are what indicate that we are right and that god is on our side.

No he says little weakness. Then he says to them not only did they recognize their weakness, but they were marked by obedience to the word of god. So that their weakness did not hinder obedience to the word of god.

Their weakness did not hinder carrying out the word of god. It wasn't a matter that you know, we're weak. We're small. We're we're really not a big presence here in the community. So maybe if we compromise truth.

Maybe if we set certain things aside, maybe if we're just not so strict about this then perhaps Maybe we'll get bigger. No, no. Numbers weakness did not in any way compromise faithfulness to the word of god thou hast a little strength.

He tells them and he says as well You've kept my word and you have not denied my name. Now keeping his word, I guess we could look at that in many different ways and we could consider it in many different ways.

I would take it from the context and from the letter and the character of the letter that has to do with keeping his word relative to the Assembly order and assembly character and assembly obedience, but certainly it would be a broad thing as well we'd be a strange group to uh, just carry out the word of god relative to assembly order and Put it aside as far as other things but I would think especially here in light of what we are looking at it is carrying out the word of god as to assembly order.

And as to the ordering of god's assembly the control of behavior in the house of god. But what I want to come to especially is the honoring Of his name thou hast a little strength. Thou has kept my word.

Thou hast not denied my name just uh. Come back with me for a minute. If you go back to the old testament to the book of deuteronomy. And it's around chapter 12. Check it out in that chapter. I forget how many times it is six times.

Is it you can correct me? Where the lord speaks about the place where he would place his name place his name there place his name there. What does it mean that god placed his name in a place. What does it mean when we come to the new testament where three two or three are gathered together in my name there am I?

Does it just mean that well, you know, we say That we're gathered to his name and that's what it means. No, that's not what it means coming into the old testament there's the Story of moses. The children of israel have sinned moses is up on the mountaintop.

He has interceded. He is crying to god to Accompany the people of god through the wilderness. And moses Pleads show me thy way and then he pleads show me thy glory and it says then that God did indeed show moses his glory.

But when it tells us that he showed moses his glory it says that he declared the name of the lord. So that the name of the lord Is linked with the display of all that god is in himself. So that when god said here is where I am going to place my name.

What it meant was here is where god was going to be displayed that tabernacle. You see an altar that a rival altar set up by a jeroboam or by someone else a rival altar was Was too small and too petty to begin to display all that god was in his greatness and in his glory.

It took a tabernacle to give the comers an idea of the greatness and glory of god. That's where god's glory was displayed. But now fast forward to the new testament where two or three are gathered together in my name.

There am I. So that an assembly Functioning according to new testament pattern. Carrying out the word of god to the best of its ability without a sense of pride or a sense of we are the people. But seeking in weakness to carry out the word of god.

An assembly is where the glory of god is displayed. We passed a number of buildings today on the way to meetings. Religious edifices churches there's people people would call them. And a couple of them were pretty huge.

But they are too small to display all the glory of god. They might say well that sounds awfully cocky and awfully proud. No, no, no. Listen to what i'm saying for just a moment. You cannot take any truth away Relative to the way a local church functions without diminishing the glory of god.

Now get that. Because if you can grasp that If you can begin to appreciate that You will realize that I have no business going anywhere else. That's not for me. Yeah, they're good christians good preachers wonderful gift.

God blesses that's his business. But I am responsible to uphold where all the glory of god can be displayed. The glory of headship the glory of priesthood the glory of sufficiency. The glory of the spirit of god's Sufficiency.

Down you can go all the way down the line. The plurality of elders of overseers. The development of gift. The silence of sisters the head coverings. Everything that is done Is not some arbitrary truth that has been somehow pulled out of scripture.

And somehow just imposed on people every truth is linked with the person of christ. You cannot Take away any of those truths without somehow Denying something about the lord jesus. And so an assembly whatever its size.

Whatever its weakness. If it is functioning according to new testament pattern Is a place where all the glory of god is displayed. And all the all the name of christ is declared. Everything else is just too small coming short compromising.

Finding unessential truth concerning the lord. Jesus think i'm exaggerating. Ask some of your evangelical friends about what happens where they meet. Sisters don't have to wear head coverings. That's obsolete.

That's just paul's uh prejudice against women and you know sisters can preach and You know one man alone is the minister. There's not a plurality of gift development there and on and on and on it goes.

Everything set aside as non-essential. We have much of which. To confess as failure before god as assemblies. But yet we have much to thank god for that to us has been committed to us has been revealed a pattern of truth relative to local church testimony.

That is the highest privilege we can have collectively as believers. So having said that let me just um Back up a minute. And let me just impress every young believer here If I can with god's help. With something of the honor of what it means to be linked with a local testimony not just a matter that someday you decide to come into fellowship and you take your place because parents have and Grandparents have and friends are in and you know, you're getting to the age now when you go to conferences.

It's uh kind of awkward to sit back and you know, that's no no think of the honor. Think of the honor bestowed upon you and upon me. That we can be linked with a testimony that has the privilege of displaying on earth All that god is In his fullness and in his glory.

You're part of that testimony. Are you a part of that which bears witness to the honor of the lord jesus? Honoring his name. Let me just talk about the result then of their faithfulness. I have set before thee an open door.

Faithfulness, Open Doors, and Further Revelation

Now Perhaps the interpretation of this verse has been somewhat colored by the fact that normally it is looked at dispensationally. What I mean by that is this is the recovery of truth in the 1800s when in both England and in dublin and in scotland and in several other places even on the continent simultaneously Unknown to each other there were groups of christians who rediscovered what we call assembly principals and began meeting together.

Just as we met this morning unknown to each other thinking that there were no other such companies throughout the world they began meeting that way and soon as the assemblies began to function in that way.

They realized a responsibility with the gospel and began sending missionaries out throughout the world. And so you have read or heard or at least I hope you have if you're young and if you haven't. Read this instead of some of the other things you read books about men like anthony narus groves and hudson taylor Adonai rajah a man that went out and sought to Further the gospel and further the work of god on other lands.

And so the open door here frequently has been referred to as missionary doors. I don't want to limit that in any way. But I think there's something more involved something even wider and greater than that that is involved.

Here was an assembly who was seeking that was seeking by divine help. To obey the truth that was revealed to it. To carry out the truth that god had revealed to them to carry out. And as a result because of their faithfulness this one who is the steward the The treasurer of the treasure house of god says I am going to open the doors of god's treasure house to you.

And i'm going to open a door that no one can shut because I open and none can shut and I shut and none can open. So what am I saying is here? What I see here really is this tremendous truth of encouragement.

That when truth is obeyed He guarantees more truth. And the ability to obey it. You've obeyed what I have revealed. I am going to reveal more and enable you to obey that as well because he says Thou hast a little strength.

I'm, sorry. I know thy works behold. I have set before thee an open door that no man can shut thou hast a little strength so that the preservation the perpetuation the continuity of testimony. Because you're obeying.

I am going to keep that door open and truth and the ability to obey it will be yours now. That's a tremendously encouraging and comforting thing when it comes to the Furthering of assembly testimony and the carrying out of assembly testimony.

Let me just go back up and make it personal for a moment. Because the very same principle applies when it comes to personal obedience to the word of god. As I obey the word of god god reveals more of his truth to me for me to obey.

And if I see truth and refuse to obey it then it is very likely that that is going to be a Roadblock in my christian progress now. It's not that god can't reveal more. I'm just saying If I am refusing to obey truth that has been made clear to my conscience.

Then it may well be that god will not reveal more truth because Divine truth comes from the treasure house. It's something that is valuable. It's not just something to be cast. You know needlessly before people who think little of it.

So then maybe it's time for an examination. Let's start at the very bottom. First rung you're saved. You've seen the truth of baptism, but Not yet. And your christian life seems to be getting nowhere.

Well, you're baptized and you've seen that your place that god intends you as a believer to. Be part of a group who are seeking to be a help one to another and you've seen the assembly as the right place but You're either afraid.

You're just not sure that you could really be what you're supposed to be or you know. And you could begin listing the excuses. That's all they are. If god has revealed truth God expects you to obey it.

That's what he says to the assembly here. Not because you're confident that you can take the next step. Recognized weakness even in obeying truth. Recognized weakness consciousness that I am so frail and so prone to fall.

Yet he says that's the very reason I've set before you an open door because you realize how weak you are you realize how failing You are. And you've obeyed what I have given you now. I'm sitting before you a door and so the first step is baptism, then there's the step of Linking yourself with a testimony to the honor of the lord.

Jesus. And from there you can go all the way can't you you can be in thinking of all the things that god has brought before us of truth. That we should be Obedient to and bowing to as we seek to serve him.

The word of god is actually replete with Illustrations that would confirm what we are talking about. For example If you go back to the days of a king by the name of josiah Josiah came to the throne as a boy of eight and perhaps eight years later.

He begins moving for god and cleansing the temple and setting things right in the land seeking to obey the word of god. And when they go into the temple they found there a book turned out to be the the law of moses.

And the book is opened and it's read. And More truth is revealed. So that josiah who was moving on the basis of truth that he had. It is then revealed to him even further. About the passover and they kept the passover and so on and other reforms that came in.

He moved in light of what god had revealed to him. And as a result of that god revealed more to him. Come with me to a number of years later captivity and post-captivity. And a small group have come up and there's been comings and goings and now we're into the days of nehemiah.

And in nehemiah chapter 8 They the people are gathered together to hear the word of god read and the first day the word of god is read and the people are weeping and Ezra and the others comfort the people not a day for weeping the joy of the lord is your strength and so on.

And they return the second day to hear the word of god again. And it's revealed to them through that word that they should keep something called the feast of booze and they kept it so that every step of obedience God revealed more truth.

That's a principle of christian living. Someone has said the best commentary on the bible is to obey it. As we obey it more truth is open to us. As we obey what god shows us. He gives us something more to obey.

And I think that's what's in view here in in what he is saying to this assembly in their weakness. In their sense of dependence upon god. They had obeyed what he had given them to carry out. And he was guaranteeing more truth and more ability to carry out that truth.

Tremendous thing to think that this door of truth was open to them. But but I don't want to limit also, um the idea of a door not just of truth, but a door of service. Paul uses the expression doesn't he on several occasions in both corinthians and in colossians.

Of open doors in the gospel a great door and effectual is open to me. Here's a tremendous opportunity for the gospel. So that an assembly that is functioning as god intensive to function seeking in simplicity.

And in humility and independence to carry out the word of god. There will be doors open for service. Doors opened. Through which the assembly can move and seek to move for god in outreach work and in gospel work and in contacts with others.

It's all what is here. I think in this tremendous teaching of what is before us in the assembly in the church at at philadelphia. But the assembly knew resistance. It wasn't just an easy go. He says I will make them who are of the synagogue of satan.

So there was opposition there were jews at philadelphia who opposed Jews who claimed I would gather from the wording here and from what is suggested jews who claim that this is really not the real thing.

These people are just imposters. They are not the real testimony for god we are. So there was opposition there was resistance that they knew from the those who claim to be. As we are told here who say they are jews but do lie they are of the synagogue of satan.

Faithfulness Without Compromise

What was going to happen. I want you to see. Not just that they had to face resistance. But I want you to see the radical change divine sovereignty was going to make. I will make them to come. And to worship at thy feet now.

It does not mean don't misunderstand this. It doesn't mean they were going to worship. The church at philadelphia. That's not the idea, but rather. Through the faithfulness of this company. Through the faithfulness of a small company carrying out the word of god.

God would see to it that others would be saved they will come and recognize. That the god you worship is the god they should worship. Now there's a very very vital principle again. I'm underlining some things especially with a view to young christians.

Somewhere sometime somehow There is going to come to your mind this suggestion. I really would like to see my friend get saved. I really would like to see that person hear the gospel. I really would like to somehow See that person be willing to come listen to the gospel.

But to do it you have to compromise something. Well. If you're a girl and he's a guy. Well I'll go ahead and i'll go out on a date with him because then maybe I can get him to come to a meeting. And he'll get saved.

Or if if it's A guy and a bunch of guys. Well, you know, maybe if I go along with them to where they go. Then maybe I can invite him to where I go. Or maybe if I you know. Just pal around with the guys more go to the games with them do the things they do.

Maybe then they'll just kind of accept me and I can get them to come to hear the gospel. So that I will compromise my principles. I will compromise what god wants for my life. Because really what I what I have is a good good motive.

I want to see this person get saved. And that's the way that i'm going to get them to come in and hear the gospel. Is by just you know, just this once. Okay, maybe i'm being a bit blunt but let me just put it in other terminology.

That I think will help you. Let me just phrase the question this way. Do you think god will let anyone go to hell? Because you have obeyed the word of god. Get what i'm saying. Do you think that if you are faithful to the word of god?

And you are obedient to the word of god. That god is going to let someone perish because you were faithful. Well, you might say that's uh, you know, that's ridiculous, of course. But you see the other thinking it was just the opposite that I have to be disobedient.

I have to be unfaithful so that god will save this person. No, no, no. Never think that way never begin to think that somehow that uh, my failure is going to result in God blessing someone else god can do that.

He is sovereign wonderful. Wonderful to think that god can overcome some of our greatest blunders and bring blessing out of them. Thank god. But for me intentionally to go into something. Compromising divine standards with the view that well, it's going to bring blessing to someone is absolute folly.

How did this assembly influence those who were against them by compromising? No god says you are faithful. I will bring them who were against you and I will make some of them to come. It doesn't say they're all going to get saved.

That would be presumption that would make us think that everything will work out wonderfully. No, there were those who were against the assembly at philadelphia those who railed against it those who blasphemed it.

Those who stood against it and claimed it was false. God says you be faithful. You keep doing what you're doing. And I will make some of them to come. I will bring some of them to recognize. That what you have is the right thing.

I will take care of saving some of them. So the lesson is indelibly inscribed here for us a pathway of faithfulness a pathway of obedience. Is what is vital in christian testimony not with arrogance and not with pride god forbid that that should ever mark us.

We have nothing of which to be proud of. We have nothing in which to glory in on ourselves. Nothing in which to pat ourselves on the back. We have had more truth handed to us. Than the majority of believers in the world today have ever even heard ever been exposed to in their lives and we've had it.

Handed to us in our own two hands by men who have mined the truth from the word of god. So we have nothing in which to boast. Ours is a place of absolute weakness dependence upon god, but we see here then the radical change that he promised.

And it is wonderful to think isn't it what he says? I will make them to come and to worship at thy feet and to know That I have loved thee. When I go to ephesians chapter 5 you all know those words, don't you christ loved the church?

So ephesians 5 reminds me that christ loved the church the body. Loves every believer loves everyone who has ever trusted him as savior. The church which is his body he loves. When I go to galatians chapter 2 i'm reminded individually christ loved me and gave himself for me.

I would suggest to you that when I go to john chapter 11 I am reminded that jesus loved mary and martha and lazarus. That he not only loves the church, which is his body. He not only loves the individual believer.

But he loves families. He loves christian families. Has a a special affection for for the christian family. When I come to revelation 3 I find he loves local companies local companies local assemblies in other words.

He loves the assembly at waukesha. Loves the assembly at new lennox. Loves the assembly in mount sterling. Loves the assembly in ontario. Loves the assembly in blue river. Loves the assemblies wherever they are.

I have loved thee. Do you love the assembly that he loves. Do you love what he loves or is it just. You know take it or leave it convenient. I can fit it into my schedule. I can you know somehow work it into my life.

Or is it something really that you love. Love because he loves it. Love it because his honor is linked with it. Love it because it expresses his glory. Love it because it is a testimony in a dark world to to him for his pleasure.

I have loved thee. The regard in which he held it. It is to the church at philadelphia that we that he gives the Promises and I just will mention this for the sake of young believers. You will eventually somewhere be exposed to Those who have teaching that says that the church.

Believers of our current day will experience what is called the tribulation go through the tribulation. It is in this assembly That's the lord the risen lord gives the assurance. He noticed what it says in verse number 10.

Because thou has kept the word of my endurance my patience. I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation Which shall come upon all the world to try the earth dwellers. Now, you'll just have to take my word for it for now, but Just for now look it up for yourself follow it for yourself.

That expression them that dwell upon the earth the earth dwellers. It is what is going to occupy chapter Seven rather chapter six and on those that dwell up those whose home. Those who are absolutely at home upon earth They've settled down.

This is their abode the ungodly. And so here then is this promise given to this faithful assembly truth that is revealed. Because they were living in the good of other truth. He reveals truth to them that hitherto was not revealed and that truth is.

You will not pass through any Of what they will pass through the hour That he speaks of here of temptation or the hour of tribulation which shall come upon all the world so while that's not the major thrust of our message this afternoon just Don't want to pass by it without just mentioning it for the sake of young believers.

Here then is teaching that tells us that the church will not be part of those upon earth. During the time of the great tribulation and of course then that is confirmed in verse 11 behold I come quickly two things about the coming of the lord jesus for the church.

The Church’s Hope in Christ’s Coming

That you will find beginning in john chapter 14 through to revelation chapter 22. Let me just show you something look back at chapter 1 of revelation. Look at verse number 7. Chapter 1 verse number 7 behold he cometh with clouds.