Chapter three in the book of the Revelation will be our reading today. And on your page number seven on your lesson sheet or your lesson book, we have the lesson to the Philadelphia Church. The beginning in chapter three of this letter of the book of the Revelation, we begin reading at verse seven. This is the fifth church to whom the Lord Jesus is writing these epistles. as he sent them to the seven churches of Asia long ago. We read beginning in verse seven, And the Spirit of God saying, And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, These things said he that is only, he that is true, he that has the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shuteth, and no man openeth. I know thy words. 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. 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 thou hast kept the word of my patient, I also will keep thee from, literally meaning, out of the hour of temptation or trial, which shall come upon all the world, to try or to test them to dwell upon the earth. 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 cometh down out of heaven from my God. And I will write upon him my new name. He that Apennier let him hear what the Spirit says. onto the churches. May the Lord bless the reading of his precious word. Look upon your lesson sheet, and we'll commence the study of the letter in detail. We will not spend time taking up the historical reference to the churches that existed long ago, but we'll follow through with the prophetical, and you note on your lesson sheet as we have on each letter, referring to these churches. They cover a certain period. and the church letter of Philadelphia in its prophetical application covers that period which was known as the nineteenth century chiefly. I'm sure that many, if not all of us, who have ever read something of church history or even know anything regarding the early part of this century and the history of the preceding century relative to the spiritual history of the church. we cannot help but be impressed with the fact there was a mighty movement of spiritual power that was never known since the early days of church history as the Spirit of God moved throughout that century. And may I state this, and this is a statistical fact, there were more missionaries going into the world of heathenism during the nineteenth century, the end of century of church history. And it was all due to the movement of the Spirit of God, bringing back restored truth, some that we mentioned last week under the letter of Sardis, the preceding portion of times, when under Lutheran and the Reformation period, there was the revival of the Word of God. It was brought back into the hands of mankind so that he could read it, for very few possessed or could even possess a Bible. And then the great justification by faith, doctrine was restored, whereby salvation by grace through faith began to be heralded, went through the dark Middle Ages before, the darkness of works. And may I remind you, if you recall the letter of Kairos, As the Lord particularly mentioned Ayatollah in that period of history, he mentioned that the depths of Satan were there. And may I point out to you, the depths of Satan need not to be understood as being immoral, but if I may put it in another expression, religiously. He had more religion to offer the people without salvation by grace through faith. And the depths of Satan can be not just moral evil, but the depths of Satan is greater when you think of it as being doctrinal evil. More subtle, more dangerous. But always we think of the past century which Philadelphia represents, there was the restoration of precious truth. both in the gospel as well as in the teaching of the Word of God. And I say this humbly, but thankfully, that period of history in church history has never been equal for its spiritual blessing. And we're not living under the blessing of it in this present time either. I don't know. When I was a young boy in England, I had to go to church five times every Sunday. He was regular. We went five times. Right through the one Lord's Day to the same place. It wasn't going to five different churches. It's right where we were. Members, the family were members, where we got under the word of God. Now, I wonder what proportion... May I say very sadly to comment on the sad fact, though England at the time was certainly one of the most noted nations, for spiritual intelligence and blessing, it has departed greatly. The percentage of people in England that attend church today, that percentage is lower than in America. Hard to believe, but if that's the case, and the trend has gone in the other direction, as we are doubly well known, it's going there even faster today. But, oh, may I say again, you've got it on your lesson sheet. the spiritual application of that church. Let me just read that sentence. The amazing movement of the Spirit of God was perhaps greater since early days of the church. There was the revival of divine truth and evangelical efforts after many centuries. Now let's look at the letter in detail. And here we can learn for ourselves today what God would have us know and teach us by His Spirit from our Lord's words. We look at verse seven, first of all. Let me read it very quickly. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia, right. And note the message begins saying, These things set he that is holy, he that is true, he that has the key of David, he that opens and no man shuteth and shuteth and no man opens. Now here's the attitude, as you have on your lesson sheet, the Lord's attitude toward this particular church. Now we have noted in the preceding church's letters, we have noted that frequently and usually the Lord presented himself with some special aspect that is described in chapter one. Do you recall the vision that John got in chapter one? And now we saw the Lord Jesus in that revelation of the greatness of his person as the judge and one who is the judge not only of the churches but of the whole world. But in each letter we've had some form of that presentation found as the Lord approached and appeared to these different churches. But in Philadelphia he doesn't use one aspect of what we read of his description in chapter one. But I want you to note the opening words of verse seven as he presents himself. And he calls himself by these names. And if you will please note, let me emphasize you from your lesson sheet first. His moral person. His moral person, he presents. The one who is the holy one. Now, may I suggest to you, as you think of the contract, Sardis, Thyatira, Pergamus. He had accusations to bring against those churches. Pergamus was a worldly church. Tiatira was permitting unsound teaching by a woman so-called, figuratively expressing, typified by Jezebel, and thawed it, lifeless, unnamed to live, the dead, spiritually, much anti-profession. And in other words, if I may point out to you, the Lord could never say to Pergamus, holy. To Thawed it, holy. To thawed it. hold. For he recognized they appreciated the character of this person. Now may I lift my heart with yours and ask the Lord surely to help us all to have a respectful desire to know and esteem the person of the Lord Jesus, the Holy One. There can be, and there is, upon the earth, even among so-called Christians, what could be called a false holiness. But this was true holiness. They valued the person of Christ and the holiness of his character. And then they valued, as you go on, and you know, as you know, the faithfulness of Christ. He was not only holy, he was true. Now please may I say, these were living truths that they were practicing. These were living facts that they were experiencing. They were proving him to be the holy one by their character, by their conduct, by their behavior, and they were proving him to be the faithful one. And then the third thing, if you please note, he goes on to say, he that has the key of David opening and shutting and shutting and no man can open. And you note on your letter's lesson sheet, you have the expression, the third attitude, his administrative power with the key of David to open the treasures of the Word of God. Now the expression, the key of David, let me just briefly, I don't have a reference for it, but you can put down the reference in Isaiah chapter twenty-two. And you will find... Now let me verify then, I'm pretty sure it's the twenty-second of Isaiah, then verse twenty-five, where you find an expression. It might be well to turn to it, if you will, and we can look at it, and in verse twenty, in verse twenty, in verse twenty of Isaiah twenty-two. And let me read the context furthermore. In verse, the context tells that there's a man by the name of Shedna, who was the scribe in Judah. But he was an unfaithful scribe. And the Lord appearing to Isaiah tells, I'm going to remove Shedna. Now you read in verse twenty. It shall come to pass in that day. I will call my servant Eliakim, the son of Ilkaiah. I will clothe him with thy robe. I will strengthen him with thy girdle. I will commit thy government into his hand he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Now in verse twenty-two. And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder. So he shall open, none shall shut, he shall shut, and none shall open. Now this is the literal experience in Israel, where Eliakim succeeded Shadner the unfaithful scribe. And to whom the Lord says, I'm going to entrust to him. And the key means he's got control on the administrative powers of the House of David to minister to my people. And present to them the treasures I have to give to my people. Now going to our application in the letter to the Philadelphia, here's the Lord Jesus saying, I'm not only the Holy One, not only the Truth, but the One who has the administrative power, the key to unlock what? The treasures of my word to the Philadelphia. And may I repeat again, I must repeat it. You cannot deny the fact, if you read all the church history, and if particularly you were to dwell upon the history of the church in the past century, and the closing of that century and the early part of this. You've got the greatest period of blessing when the word of God in evangelical power went out. And you can name many of that particular period who are outstanding under God in evangelical blessing to the people all through the Christian, so-called Christian world of Christendom. And there is also the unfolding of precious truth. And may I say this very earnestly, and I don't say, would say without, with any apology, the writings of those godly men of the past century were far more today than the writings of men that are even writing regard to scriptures today. They had, now please may I point out, they had not only scholarship, they had godly piety. And if you can take godly piety with scholarship that is dedicated and in the hands of the Lord, you've got a tremendous treasure that God can use. And he used that. He used that. He used that. And our precious to recognize that's what he was, the Philadelphia. Holy, true, and with the control of administrative power. But now let's go further. You look on your lesson, in verse eight, he gives them a commendation. Now their commendation is very unique in verse eight. I know thy words, and that of course we always have in every letter. We don't comment upon it. Whether it was to Ephesus in any letter, he was conscious, he was knowledgeable of what they were doing. But know what he states regarding three things of the Philadelphia testimony. Behold, He goes, wait a minute, he goes on to say, Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it. Now here, you can connect that with his administrative power and authority. I've set before thee an open door. Now, what the implication is, is not that he's going to open the door. He says, I've opened the door for you. The door is open for you. And when the Lord opens the door, think you could shut it? You know, one of the biggest problems for Christians at any time, and many others feel it, is to know the will of the Lord, isn't it? And Lord, which door do you want me to go in? So let me suggest, let him open the door. And what he is indicating, the open door of service and ministry. I'll open it. I remember when I was very much, I'm deeply concerned as to giving my time wholly to the ministry of the Lord and His Word. In prayer one time on my knees, the Lord gave me a verse out of the eighteenth chapter of Proverbs, I think verse sixteen. A man's gift makeeth room for him. Now look the words over carefully. The Lord seemed to speak to me. A man's gift make us room for him. And as I looked at those words, I said, Lord, you're telling me I'm not to try and make room for my gift. If I have a gift from you, it'll make room for me. You know there's a lot of preachers trying to make room for themselves. It's easy things to try and do. Not easy to do the others. But may I say lovingly, to some degree in thankfulness, I know I can say it to his glory. I said, Lord, I'm not going to push doors on. Lord, you're not going to, don't let me push doors on. What? Look. Look in Second Timothy chapter two for a moment. Will you please, in connection with this? Second Timothy chapter two. all so many times. You know, one of the troubles with young Christians sometimes, they're more concerned, what should I be doing? Well, that's a good thing to be concerned about. But it's more important to be concerned about your own condition. But Second Timothy chapter two, let me read in verse, in verse twenty one. Verse twenty one. If a man therefore purge himself from thee, And the apostle has been writing of men of unsound doctrine and evil practices. He shall be your vessel unto honor, sanctify me, serviceable for the master's use, and prepare unto every good work. May I say this, if you're in the right spiritual condition, don't worry about what he's going to do with you. He'll use you. Now you ladies, I'm sure, and I've learned this from experience, I found that you don't like to cook out of a dirty vessel, do you? You don't like to use a dirty vessel in your house. It's got to be a clean vessel. That's the Lord's principle. Philadelphia was a clean company, no matter how small they were. And the Lord said, I've got open doors for you. And beloved for you and for me, please let me stay. Well, my dear brother wrote to me in my younger days and the one that led me to the Lord. He said, Johnny, the Lord is more concerned about what he can do with you than through you. It's what you are in his sight will decide what he can do with you. Now let's look at Philadelphia then. and see what he did, what he has done with such a company and offer to them this open door. The first thing he says regarding them, thou hast a little strength. And it means you have little power. Now, let me bring the contrast between the letters. You go to the next one, when we shall go with me next week. Laodicea, strong, outwardly, powerful, outwardly, rich, outwardly, meaning nothing, outwardly. Go to Sardis, boasting of itself, even though spiritually dead. Go back to Thyatira, a strong and impergamous, strong outwardly, great churches, as prominent. Please, now, please let me say, in view of the conditions that the Lord writes to Philadelphia, he's telling them you're not as prominent in the eyes of the world as Thyatira is. and saw this, and even as myodosia and the churches around you, you're just a little bunch with little power. Please may I state, it's not what we think of it, it's what he thinks of it, that matters. And here he is stating, thou hast a little strength, your feeble, your feeble. But of course, before he even told them that, he assured them of his own administrative power. And now blessed to realize, well, then he even raised the question, who killed Goliath? Little David. One who trusted in the living God. And the joy of realizing, God used a small thing. We think to confound the wine, according to Paul's writing. So one can recognize. One can recognize. Look, may I put it in another perspective? If we're going to be true Philadelphians, don't expect to be prominent in the eyes of the world. Don't expect... Now let me raise another question and pinpoint it. Are you and I any better than the Lord when he was here upon the earth? Did they respect him? Was he true? Was he faithful? Men began to hate him. And ultimately they murdered him. He suffered. And he left the message. The servant is not greater than his Lord. So we can recognize, may I say again, if he was prominent, then I should want to be prominent. But if he wasn't, neither should I. Jeremiah, I often think of the words that Jeremiah wrote to his secretary, Baruch. And he's in days, now look, it was in days of spiritual declension in Judah, just before the captivity of Babylon was completed. And he said to Jeremiah, said to Baruch, Jeremiah said to Baruch, Seekest now for myself great things. Seek them now. And my beloved, may I give you the counsel, and I take it to my own heart. Don't try to get great things for yourself. The most eminent Christian in the sight of the Lord is not the one who's the most prominent in the eyes of the world. But that humble brother and even sister... who's seeking to do the will of God and carry out his word. And Philadelphia, weak, little strength, but then please note his further commendation, thou hast kept my word, thou hast kept my word, meaning they were obedient to his word. Now may I suggest to you, this little expression is comprehensive. May I go further this day? He's not calling them a Bible-believing church either. Because there's a lot of churches that say, well, I can find a lot of Christians that believe the Bible. But I can find a lot of them don't even keep the Bible, though. Philadelphia was obeying you. You're obeying my word. You're keeping my word. They were carrying it out. That was the important thing. You know, we can't boast, and evangelicals do boast. We believe the Bible, like the old preachers said, from generations to revolutions. It's the Word of God. Look, don't boast. Are you keeping it? Are you practicing it? Are you obeying it? And am I? That's what they were doing. They were concerned. May I give you this thought? The responsibility of the church is to carry out the word of God. Whether it be a small group of believers, whether it be a larger group of believers, whatever company, whatever size, small or great, the responsibility for all believers in their capacity as a corporate testimony is what? Carry out and obey the words of God. That teaches how the church should function. Carry on its word. To the glory of the Lord Jesus. The head of the church of ours. And by the spirit in his energy below. Carrying out the word of God. Now may I say this. Now I'm going to make it practical to my own heart. My business is to obey the word of God. No matter what you may want me to do. If it's contrary to his word. My fellow believer, take it to your heart. That's the truth of Lodopians. That's the truth of Lodopians. To have the conviction that it's the word of God alone that I should obey. One little old precious him I love. These part of the words go like this. Thy word, oh Lord, thy precious word alone can lead me on. And what a responsibility. And then second, you've kept my name. You've kept my name. They cherish that name of the Lord Jesus. May I give you this thought? Quickly. You know, the full name of the Lord Jesus Christ is little used today amongst Christians. I hear more Christians calling Jesus. Or Christ. or Jesus Christ. How many, and I don't speak merely literally by the lips, but even in heart and life, how many are really proving him to be the Lord Jesus Christ. Giving him complete authority over the conditions of each believer in the local church of Philadelphia. You can't You cherish my name. You value. Not only my person, may I also go further to say, as he expresses in my name, it implies his authority along with it. You've kept obedient to my word and under the authority of my name. And now, precious, no other name. Let me give you this thought. You remember the words of Peter in Acts four, verse twelve? When he preached to the Sanhedrin, neither is there salvation in any other, for there's none other name under heaven, whereby we must be saved. There's no other name for salvation. And good Lord, may I say, and I say it sadly, and I don't say it with bitterness, but I say it with sadness. It's too bad the Christian church didn't keep his name instead of taking some of their own names. You know Luther, before he died, he made a comment. He said, stop calling yourself Lutherans. Call yourself after Christ, Christians. And what did you, and there I say frankly, I mean a lot of people, the first thing they say to me, Mr. Brown, what denomination do you belong to? I said, I'm just a Christian. Should I be more proud of the name of Christ than the other names? Why not? Sadly, don't deny my name. Could I say lovingly, sadly, when you look at the divisions in Christendom, it's the exhibition of denying his name. Too bad for Christians. Nevertheless, what is written in the book of Acts, there were first called what? Christian at Antioch. Christ was. Oh, my. Oh, please, may I say again, well, you know, you meet people who say, yes, are you a Christian? Sure, I'm not a human. Wait a minute. They may not realize what it means to be a Christian. And all the joy of knowing is the person to whom we belong and whose name is above every other name. Our Lord Jesus Christ. And this is the commendation that the Lord Jesus brings to the Church of Ephesus. Now let's go on very further to this. He goes on to assure them of an open door at the end of verse eight. He says, Now in that verse two, don't forget that. I set before thee an open door for for that reason what they had done, what they were. And the door of service was ever opened. Now note in verse nine, please. And here you have a consolation that he brings. 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, to know that I have loved thee. Now note your lesson sheet, please. Particularly note under letter C, the title of that section. His consolation for reproach. Now may I raise the question, naturally, from all normal practices, could you not even, you and I realize, that here's this little company of Philadelphia, long ago. A little church, Fever, his proud lay rich laodicea, and Sardis, and Piatira, and all the other churches around it, much bigger and stronger. They're just a feeble folk. Well, it's so human, unfortunately, for even Christians to look down on other Christians. And there's no question of doubt. That little company who were faithful to the Lord were in much reproach because of their feebleness. Now the Lord gives them consolation. Now you note these words in verse nine, as we have read them. They want you to please note your lesson sheet. Let's get the expression. Their oppressors may have been powerful by a tyrant, sardis, and so on. despising the feeble church of Philadelphia. Now today, now please note these words, prominent ecclesiastical powers in the world despise the few who are faithful to the Word of God. Now there's an expression, there are some words that are certainly worthy of deep thought. Powerful ecclesiastical powers in the world today will despise the few that are faithful to the Word of God. When you look at the great ecclesiastical powers, such as we noted and mentioned very briefly, and even today particularly, not many of them are true to the Word of God. They are openly denying that the Bible in its entirety is the Word of God. They are openly denying, many of them, the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus. Some are even openly denying the virtue of its sacrificial death on Calvary. There are many precious truths regarding the doctrines of our Lord and of the word of God relative to salvation and truths concerning his person that are practically openly, widely denied. And you know it seems to be quite customary to go along with the crowd, doesn't it? Well, as somebody always said, a dead fish can drift against the stream, takes a live fish to swim against the stream. And please may I say, I think you will agree with me, that today we have more false teaching in the world than we have fruit teaching of the Word of God. And those who are true to the Word of God, in character as well as in servant, they will be reproached. Now the Lord said, look, he calls them. Now the expression synagogue of Satan is figurative without question of doubt. Well, I'll give you the suggestion. I may have mentioned it before. A dear brother came to me at the close of the service one night up north. He said, Brother Brahma, where does Dr. Saul come from? He named one of the leading ecclesiastical. If I named him, you'd know he was an ecclesiastical bishop of the church in America. He's now dead. I don't know whether it's with the Lord, but he's dead. But he said, where did he get that teaching that he propagates regarding how creation came into existence? And I looked at my friend, I said, well, plus, there's only one way he prays he could get it from. He got it from the devil. You get truth from God, but I said, lies come from the devil. So we can certainly realize, see, why the Lord calls them sinners out of Satan. Go with me to threaten First Timothy chapter four, please. Let me point out to you in First Timothy chapter four. I want you to notice something that I think we as Christians, and especially if we want to be Philadelphia believers in character, note these words in verse one of first Timothy chapter four. Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, particularly that in the latter time some shall depart from the faith, from the truth. giving he, though, to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils better demons. Doctrines of demons. Please, may I say, again, the devil is a religious guy. He teaches doctrines. And he has evil spirits who propagate those doctrines. Now, look at verse again, will you? Please, I want you to know something. Know something in the verse. And not very particularly what is this. They're giving heed to seducing spirits. And let me quote from another translation that is clearer. They give their minds over to seducing spirits. They're real intellectuals. You get the thought? Their minds are controlled. Please. I'd rather be a humble, simple Christian without an intellectual education than be an intellectual who gets away from the truth. Look at First Timothy chapter, rather, First Timothy chapter six. Look at First Timothy at the end of the last chapter of First Timothy, the sixth chapter. I know what the beloved apostle writes there. And my, what words does he write? Please know what he declares. Right at the end of the epistle, you have these words in verse twenty and twenty-one. Oh, Trinity, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding pro-fame and vain tabling, which oppositions of science, harshly so-called, with some professing, astray concerning the faith. And may I give you the thought? One of the realms that men get away from the truth of God is in the intellectual realm. The intellectual realm. Hudo-science, the scientific realm, the realm of human knowledge. Can I say this lovingly? Oh, and I say it sadly too, I think immediately, I think of a dear land raised in a godly home, saved undoubtedly without question of doubt as a Christian. And as he grew into his youth and manhood, he decided he'd go to Duke University. And most unfortunately, his spiritual life was ruined by the teaching of the so-called Bible professors at Duke University. Let me give you another example. A dear friend of mine, the other was personally known to me, and here's another one. A dear friend of mine, his boy went to a certain college in this state, I will not name it, and in his Bible class, and he's supposed to be a background of a religious denomination, and the first day, first time in the Bible class, under the Bible professor, that professor took his Bible before the whole class of boys, threw it across the room, on the floor, and said, that He's only a book. Well, here's that young boy. Even today he's still agnostic, atheist. Where do you begin at? Right there. Praise the nice thing. One of the most damaging realms to get away from the truth that's been in the intellectual realm. We get too smart. All the need of just being humble. But please go back to our chapter in Revelation and please know what the Lord says. And precious is the consolation of what he's going to do. So he declares, he says, I'll make them who say they are Jews. And here again it's figurative. They go back to the Judaistic religion. They bring in a system of religion and forms, ceremonies, and many things that pertain to Judaism in the past in all their rituals and ceremonies. But he said, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I've loved thee. Now, please let me say, the Lord says, if you're a true Philadelphian and keep my word and honor my name, he said, those that reproach you, he said, I'm going to make them come and tell you and acknowledge to you that I love you. If I may put it this way, he's going to make them say, those Christians were right. They were right. They were right. The best of all is the thought. The Lord said, I want you to know Philadelphia, I'd love me. Now, if the whole question is this, do you and I value his love or will we value prominence in the world? Whether it's the ecclesiastical world or even the material world. I've loved it. And what a joy. There's no question of doubt. This is a special affection for the Lord to thank. You've honored my word. You've kept my name. And even though you've been reproached, I'm going to make those that reproach you. Don't say when. It dawned on me to be in the future. He said, they're going to thank. They were right. We were wrong. You know, let me put it this way. Have you ever thought of a judgment seat? The great white throne judgment, even the judgment seat of Christ, which is for believers only, as well as the great white throne judgment. Do you know what? Every Christian is going to find out what was right or wrong with their life. And the great white throne judgment, every person is going to find out what was wrong too. And they'll have to confess it. The truth coming out. The truth coming out someday. Wouldn't it be lovely when that day of revelation comes? You and I could be able to stand and be amongst the few that I've loved them. The Lord can say, I love them. They kept my word. They didn't deny my name. They had little strength. They suffered reproach. Can I say lovingly? Very little reproach is felt here in our country in the Christian testimony. Compare Russia, India, Africa, other countries where violence and opposition to the word of God is strong. So what the Lord is going to do is going to vindicate the faithful one in a coming day and expose of those who reproach him. But let's face it now. Go with me to verse ten. Here's a lovely promise, a promise of deliverance from world trial. Because thou wast kept the word of my patience. Now let's meditate a little bit. Go back to chapter one, as we think of that expression. In chapter one, please note these words in verse nine, I think it is. Chapter one, John writing, I, John, who also am your brother and companion in trouble, tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ. John was on the island of Patmos. Prisoner couldn't get off the island. And he confessed that though he was the fellow companion with all believers to whom he writes, nevertheless he was suffering, and he was enduring tribulation. But he mentions the kingdom and the patience of Jesus Christ. In other words, why does he mention the patience? Well, the Lord hasn't got his kingdom yet. We're waiting for it. We're waiting for it. And we know the kingdom is not right now, is it? Boy, I don't think I... I remember years ago. It goes back in the nineteen twenties. And I recall that there was a certain evangelist in our city as a certain church, Douglas preaching, and he was evidently teaching prophecy. I just read what he was ministering from the daily newspapers. And I remember reading that he was saying that the church was going through the Great Tribulation at that time. And I have to see in driving down the most fashionable avenue in this city... in the most sportiest roadster that a young folk could ever put his eyes on like a couple of fried eggs sticking out, you know, who's so excited. Well, I thought, tribulation to myself. No. No, the kingdom isn't here. No, and this is not the great tribulation. But the Lord is speaking unquestionably here. I'm giving an assured promise, see. that as you read these words, if you keep the word of my faith, now let me put it like this. First Thessalonians, second Thessalonians, chapter three and verse five has these words in it. The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and then, now the literal translation is, and into the patience of Christ. Now first and second Thessalonians, for it's been, is the second coming of Christ. And at the close of the second epistle in the last chapter, Paul is saying, ask the Lord to make your patience, to wait. You know I need that. In the day I get out there, Lord, why don't you come today? Patience. How long has the Lord been waiting? The patience of Christ. Beloved, may I say how greatly we need that today. in the midst of trial and difficulty, sorrow and grieve, or whatever may be the portion, and the conditions that worldwide and locally may often press against our soul, as we certainly despise the conditions they may be, and know that if the Lord comes, he'd settle them all. Now direct your heart into the patience of Christ. And he said, if you keep my patience, the word of my patience, now know what he promises. I also will keep thee from, out of the hour of trial, of temptation. The word trial means testing, trial, and temptation, the same meaning, a certain period. Now, will you please know something? It's not particularly and only the Great Tribulation. The Great Tribulation in its centrality will be found in the Middle East, in its experience, and the land of Israel and the surrounding country. But here's something that's going to happen all through the world. Please note the words, he said. We shall come upon all the world and test them that dwell and that are settled out upon the earth. Beloved, may I say this, right in the center, in that prophecy there, the Lord not only assures the taking the church out of the world before these events come to pass, but he also assures that the whole world It's going to feel the trial. My beloved, we're north, east and west of this world. The sorrows and the troubles as we shall go into the book of the Revelation further on. In his prophetic teaching of the fish of the dish after thee, all these things that are coming are going to be poured out upon the whole world. Charred will not be in you. May I tell you frankly? Did you ever notice it? I think it's in Revelation chapter sixteen. And the Lord speaks prophetically of great earthquakes coming. And here's the little expression. And the cities of the nations fell. There's a lot of concrete coming down. There's a lot of... I sometimes look at the skyline of Charlotte. You see it maybe on your newscast. You see it as you look down the sea. New York City was always... tall building, and foundation of built-on concrete. God has crashed. May I say, aren't you glad if you're a Christian, you know you won't be here? I'm going to keep you out of there. Hallelujah. This is one of the pivotal verses that assure the believer not going through that period of trial. And what a blessed consolation. But quickly, noting verse twelve, eleven and twelve. Behold, I come quickly. Hold that path which thou hast, then, O man, take thy crown. And if the Philadelphia is faithful, there is a crown, he doesn't name it. But there will be an approbation and an approval from him. If we hold fast, right to the end. Now go verse twelve. Send that overcomers. Will I make, please note, what a contract. From feeble strength a pillar in the house of my God. From feeble strength to go to eternal stability in the house of God in eternal glory. You know, somebody made this expression once, never forgot it. God's way up is down. Wouldst thou go up, then lowly serve. Wouldst thou be chief, then lowly serve. But go as high as you will. But go as high as your will. The lowest has been. The highest has been. Lower still. The Lord Jesus. And if you and I want to be. Well, let me quote Peter's word. God's word. He that humbleth himself shall what? Be exalted. He that exalted himself shall be humbled. Broadmo. Jesus said, Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. And beloved, please let me say this. As a believer in the Lord Jesus, don't seek for earthly glory. Be by his grace a humble believer, faithful and true. He'll promote you. He'll promote you and me. And when his promotion comes, it'll be permanent. And it'll be precious. But now note, he also gives something else. He shall not only, in the temple of my God, he shall go no more out. I will write upon him. Now I know three things he's going to write on such a person. The name of my God. But then second, I'll write upon him the name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem. They come at down out of heaven. From my God. And I will write upon it my new name. Now let me just point out in closing the little pronoun my. The name of my God, says the Lord Jesus. The New Jerusalem, the city of my God. And then I'll write upon him or her my new name. What's he mean? Does Anyone knows the Father better than the Lord Jesus? No. And he said, if you're faithful to me, I'll write on your eternal character, my God. Meaning, you'll know my God better. And then, as far as the new Jerusalem and the glory, he said, you'll have a place of of close association with me in that city of glory. I don't know where I'm going to be in heaven, do you? My wife and I wonder oftentimes now, where will we be? Well, one sure thing, we know we're going to be in glory. But as far as the association, how precious to realize there can be one of nearness to him that we can earn if we will. And then, I'll write upon him my new name. What's his new name? Well, beloved, let me say this. The Lord Jesus had many, many names in the word of God. But you know, he has a new name that he never had before. For when he came down to the earth, was born in Bethlehem's manger, and lived on the earth and died and was buried and then rose again, he went back to heaven the way he never came from heaven. He went back as a man. Do you ever stop and think of him? He never was a man before. He's a man in the glory, who's exalted and has a name that is above every other name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven, of things on earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of the glory of the Father. And may I say lovingly, earnestly, I need it. Oh, how I need the truth of it. His name is even greater than it ever was now. And he says, I want you to know the meaning of my name. And if you're true to me, I'll write it up. Please, the whole common substance is this, that we truly will overcome. And that's the true Philadelphia. And if you please know, there was no sin in Philadelphia to overcome. The overcoming was unquestionably to be true and faithful in spite of those unfaithful ones around. And of course, what joy it will be. And may I close by saying in verse thirteen, he said, he that happened here, let him hear what the Spirit said to the churches. All that we could listen and better still obey. Shall we pray? Father, all our depths of precious truth we find from the lips and the heart of the Lord Jesus to the Philadelphia church. The only thing we can say with deep earnestness of heart, for each one of us, Lord, make me a true Philadelphia. And grant indeed, Lord, thy preciousness of thy person and thy word will be above all other things the dearest desire of our hearts to seek after and know thee, and to be true and faithful till you come. We ask you giving thanks for this ministry from thy precious word in thy holy name. Amen. Well, thank you for coming. I appreciate it. And may the Lord help you and me to be true Philadelphia.