"REVELATION 3:7-13" l BTU - The Book of Revelation l Chuck Smith l Utah VidDevo l VidDevoChurch

REVELATION 3:7-13

Philadelphia

The church  of Philadelphia  is  God's  faithful  church  in the  last days. God help us that we would be the church of Philadelphia.

To  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Philadelphia  write;  These  things  saith  he  that  is holy, he  that is true, he that hath  the key of David, he  that opens, and no man shuts;  and  shuts,  and  no  man  opens.  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 hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name (Revelation 3:7-8).

We're  not  really  powerful.  We  have  a  little  strength.  Thank  God  for  the  little strength  that we have. 

"You  have  kept my word."  

God  help us  to be  faithful  to the Word,  to  study  the  Word,  and  to  keep  the  Word  as  the  paramount  issue within  the  church.  And  we've  not  denied  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ;  we've  not
denied Him and who He is.

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 (Revelation 3:9).

In the kingdom age the Jews will know that God has loved the Gentile church.

Because  thou hast kept  the word  of my patience,  I also will  keep  thee  from  the hour of temptation,  which  shall come  upon  all  the world,  to try them  that dwell upon the earth (Revelation 3:10).

Here  is  God's  promise  to  the  faithful  church  to  keep  them  from  the  Great Tribulation.  

In  Luke 21  Jesus  said  as He  was  talking  of  the events  of  the great tribulation, "Pray always,  that you may be accounted worthy  to escape  all these things... and to stand before the Son of man" (Luke 21:36).

Behold,  I  come  quickly:  hold  that  fast  which  thou  hast,  that  no  man  take  thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more  out:  and  I will  write  upon him  the name  of my  God,  and  the name of the  city of my God, which  is new  Jerusalem, which  comes 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 (Revelation 3:13).

This is the promise that we'll be a pillar in the temple of God. 

We will be actually a  part  of  the  kingdom  age  and  rule  and  reign  with  Him  in  the  New  Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven.

"REVELATION 3:1-6" l BTU - The Book of Revelation l Chuck Smith l Utah VidDevo l VidDevoChurch

3. Three Messages

REVELATION 3:1-6

Sardis

And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name  that  thou  livest,  and  art  dead.  

Be  watchful,  and  strengthen  the  things which  remain,  that  are  ready  to  die:  for  I  have  not  found  thy  works  perfect before God.  

Remember  therefore  how  thou  hast  received  and  heard,  and  hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, (Revelation 3:13).

Protestantism has a name that is alive but is dead. 

It's tragic what has happened to the  Protestant churches.  A great  percentage of  the ministers don't  believe  in the  virgin  birth  of  Jesus  Christ.  They  don't  believe  in  His  atoning  death.  They

don't  believe  in  heaven  or  hell.  They  practically  deny  the  faith.  

So  many Protestant  churches  are  just  a  social  club  and  a social  organization,  the  term, born  again,  is  meaningless  to  them.  They  have  a  name  that  they're  alive  but really they're dead. 

The Lord encourages  them  to strengthen those  things which

are left, because He has not found their works complete.

One  thing  about  the  Protestant Reformation  -  it didn't  reform  enough.  Actually, the  Protestants  continued  to  use  the  many  pagan  customs  adopted  by  the churches of Pergamos and Thyatira.  

They  still had  infant baptism. They  still had so  many  pagan  symbols.  They  still  had  the  pagan  holidays.  Their  reformation

was incomplete.

The Lord  says,  "I've not  found your work  complete  before  God. Remember how you received and heard? Hold  fast and repent. If you will not watch, I will come as  a  thief  and  you'll  not  know  what  hour  I  will  come."  

He's  warning  the Protestant  churches  of  His  coming;  but  if  they're  not  watching  for  His  coming, He'll come upon them as a thief. 

They'll be taken by surprise.

Jesus  said  that  we  should  watch  and  be  ready  for  we  know  not  what  hour  our Lord will  come  (Matthew  24:42,44).  

Paul  the  apostle  said  that  "we  are  not  the children  of  darkness  that  the  day  should  overtake  us  as  a  thief,  but  we're children of light; therefore, walk as children of light" (Ephesians 5:8).

"Thou hast  a  few  names  even  in  Sardis which  have not  defiled  their  garments; and they shall walk with me in white," the Lord said.

For  they  are  worthy.  He  that  overcomes,  the  same  shall  be  clothed  in  white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels (Revelation 3:4-5).

What does Jesus mean about  blotting names  out of the Book of Life?

 He means just  that.  

Don't  think  I'm  going  to  take  away  from  this  book.  For  in  the  final chapter it says that  if any man shall take away from  this book, his name will be taken out of the Book of  Life (Revelation 22:19). 

 I don't want mine blotted out!

You say, "What did He mean by that?"  I don't know but I won't try to explain  it away. 

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches" (Revelation 3:6).

"REVELATION 2:23-29" l BTU - The Book of Revelation l Chuck Smith l Utah VidDevo l VidDevoChurch

REVELATION 2:23-29

"And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which  searcheth  the  reins  and  hearts:  and I will give  unto every one  of you according  to  your works.  

But  unto  you  I  say,  and  unto  the  rest  in  Thyatira,  as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they  speak;  I will put upon you none other burden. 

But  that which you have already  hold  fast  till  I  come.  And  he  that  overcometh,  and  keepeth  my  works unto  the end,  to him will I give power over  the nations: 

And  he shall rule  them with  a  rod  of  iron;  as  the  vessels  of  a  potter  shall  they  be  broken  to  shivers: even as  I received  of my  Father. 

And  I  will give  him  the morning  star.  He  that

hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches"  (Revelation 2:23-29).

The promise  to  the overcomers  is  that  beautiful promise  of  ruling  with a  rod  of iron in the Kingdom of God and being given  the morning star,  Jesus Christ. 

The rod  of  iron  signifies  the  type  of  reign  during  the  kingdom  age.  

People  will  be forced  to  be  good. 

 Our  duties  as  the  church  reigning  with  Christ  will  be  to enforce His righteousness.