I have set before you an open door. I will make them come and worship before your feet. and to know that I have loved you. I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole earth. This is what Christ has to say.
to the church that keeps his word, does not deny his name, and is on fire for him.
Now sometimes this church, while on fire, it may not be flaming, but it is always burning. This is Cross-Reference Radio with our pastor and teacher, Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel, Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Revelation. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about Cross-Reference Radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching.
Today on Cross Reference Radio, Pastor Rick will be teaching through Revelation chapter 3. Verse 8. I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door and no one can shut it.
Well, you have a little strength. I've kept my word. and not denied my name. That verse alone, that's the verse you covet that. That's what we want to hear the Lord say.
I know your works, for He's omniscient. I've set before you an open door, opportunity, and invitation on earth to choose. The doctrine of free will. Lost, lost by the reformers, unfortunately.
Well, other doctrines have been lost to history. You think anyone was looking for the rapture during the Dark Ages? He's trying to Survive. The doctrine of free will is taught by Scripture. In fact, Well I'll pass on that.
I'll just say, go forward to this. When we get to chapter 4 in the first verse, There's another door open. But that door is not to evangelism, that one is to heaven. And it is open to those who had been evangelized. You have come to Christ.
It is important and it is meaningful to remember when you came to Christ. Because you want to have Somebody in your life that has also had that experience. Because of you. At least you're playing some role. and leading them to Christ.
Maybe it's just that you didn't mess it up. You know, Christians can just ruin things by the way they misbehave. A terrible testimony. The unbeliever sees that and says, I don't want any part of Christianity. Or the other unbeliever looks at that and looks at the Christian in the workplace or the school, wherever you are.
It says there's something there that compels me. There's something there that draws me to be interested. And so, when you do get a chance to preach, they've not ruled you out, they've not counted you out, they take you seriously enough. to listen. One of the problems of preaching the gospel, casting pearl before swine over and over to the same person who doesn't want to hear you, is they just tune you out.
And then you've made them the hill to die on. Instead of learning what your role is in the process of salvation, no matter, you know, just because you want them saved really badly. Doesn't mean That you can just behave any way you want to behave. You still have to be as wise as a serpent, as harmless as a dove. Although from Hell's perspective, We never want to be counted as harmless.
to the things that hell is about.
So he says, I've set before you an open door, an opportunity to share Christ there in Philadelphia. And they were making converts, they were making Jewish converts. For you have a little strength. That's the same thing as saying you know, very strong.
Now There are weak Christians. But they still have a little strength. And that's all Christ needs. 1 Corinthians chapter 1: God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty. God has a way of using strength that the world overlooks.
We haven't. Strong enough to please God, strong enough to be used by God, that's what I want. God only needs a little strength from his churches. to address this church Without criticism, And to notice it's It only has a little strength. It's quite a statement.
You're saying, God is saying, I don't need you. To be as strong as you think you need to be. I need you to be strong enough. to bear fruit. Have kept my word.
Well, that is the first step to bearing lasting fruit. Dependability turned into ability through what God has to say. Satan would try to end their love for Scripture. Break them from their moorings. cut their anchor.
Chain. Psalm 119, verse 158. I see the treacherous. and am disgusted Because they do not keep your word.
Now, this is not the Christian who stumbles. This is the one that doesn't care what God has to say. They want what they want. They might even use what God has said to get what they want. but their motives are foul.
such as the Prosperity Movement. There can be no turning from the word of God. Once you have genuinely turned to God, there can be no turning from the world. without turning to the word. How else are you gonna get saved?
You're not going to figure it out without the scripture. Sardis Kept the name Philadelphia. kept the word. have not denied my name. Yeah, because there were forces trying to get them to do that very thing.
Read this. Every Christian should read this and say, do I do this? Or do I do that? They could not be dissuaded from their Christianity through argument or. Abuse.
If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed, said Jesus. Verse 9. Indeed, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say they are Jews, but are not. But lie. Indeed, I will make them come and worship before your feet.
and to know that I have loved you. It's quite powerful there as as it all really is. Both fruitful churches. Smyrna and Philadelphia. functioned where devils gathered.
Assemblies, synagogues of Satan, And designated this way because they hated Christ, In God's name. Because they weren't listening to God. Jesus said, There's going to come a time they're going to cast you out of the synagogues, they're going to try to kill you. And they're going to think they're serving God.
Well, we know how easy it is for churchgoers to go to church without listening to God of the church. That's what the whole seven letters is all about. You have people going to church. But they are allowing in things that will destroy a church, nonetheless. And finally, we have one.
That doesn't have The influence of Balaam or that Jezebel or the Nicolaitans. We have a church here that's sticking to the word. Judaism seeks to worship Yahweh unseen. The church worships Yahweh unseen. at the same time worshiping Yahweh incarnate.
in the Christ Saul of Tarsus was in that group once. He set out to obliterate Christianity. By obliterating Christians. Satan gets a lot done with lying and violence. But at the end, He's done in.
Whatever hostilities these Christians suffered from their persecutors was because those Christians. We're getting it right. And not getting it wrong. And there are a lot of. confused or false Christians out there saying, you know, well, you know, that happened to you because you did this and that happened to you.
Well, there are some times that is obvious, but not all the time. And many times you're doing something right. and bad things are happening to you. That's what's going to count in the end. He says, who say they are of They are Jews but are not.
Will Durant, the historian, tells us that in 70 AD, after the temple was destroyed, there were seven million Jews dispersed. into Gentile cities such as in this region of the world. They had the truth from their own scripture and they cast it away. And so Paul writes to the Romans, For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly.
Well, how does he get to be one inwardly? The same thing with a Christian. He has to turn to God's word. You know, if you die and you go to stand before the Lord. You have the stack of failures and sin and things that Christ died to remove.
So they're removed. And you enter in. And the world makes jokes about St. Peter's Gate. Because they had no clue.
to what the gospel is about. And may we pray for opportunity to help him with that. Each Christian can be a teacher of the gospel. Can help explain what is going on because we are experiencing life alongside of them. He says, Indeed, I will Make them come worship at your feet.
It does not say, I will. Make them worship you. There's no indication of that whatsoever. You can rule it out. What he is saying is, Christianity will be vindicated before the world, and you will witness this.
The righteous will see the unrighteous humbled and judged. This also comes right out of the prophecies. Isaiah 64, God speaking about what's going to happen to. The Jewish people, when the millennial age comes, the kingdom age. Also, the sons of those who afflicted you shall come bowing to you, and all those who despise you shall fall prostrate.
At the soles of your feet, and they shall call you the city of Yahweh, Zion. and the Holy One of Israel, The enemy will be vanquished. That's what the language carries. over to us. Jesus said the day will come when they will be forced to acknowledge their evils, whether they End up at the great white throne or the beam seat of Christ, everybody is going to come to that moment.
where they cannot dispute who Christ is. And that's why we like Philippians 2.10, which is a quotation right out of Isaiah 2, but we'll take it from the New Testament. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. Of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the earth. That pretty much covers every dimension.
And that every tongue shall confess Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
Now, that won't get those that are the ones going to hell out of hell, but it does say there will be a time when no one can dispute. His rule. And we will get to witness that. Jesus is saying. We will see it.
The day is coming when God is not taking any more gruff from the unbeliever. And he'll have his people. be party. to it. The evil will bow before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
And what the proverb is saying, in the end, There is Good winning. In the end. They will be forced by the sheer power of his presence to bow down. Revelation 6:16. For the great day of his wrath is come, and who is able to stand?
No one. When God flexes, there's nothing anyone can do to dispute his strength.
So we can rule, we can be part of the millennial kingdom. without being worshipped. but as witnesses. Acknowledging his sovereignties.
Well, his sovereignty. Let go back. Let me go back to. A statement, a quick word I just said. We're going to see the enemy vanquished.
Well, that comes out of Colossians 2:15. Also, having disarmed principalities and powers, he made a public spectacle of them triumphant. over them.
Well, there are many verses more in Isaiah about this, but we're going to move forward. And to know that I have loved you.
Well, Christ's love for his own. It said right out, I have loved you. Ephesians 3, 19 To know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge.
Well, if you use natural knowledge alone to try to understand God's love, You're going to fall short of that understanding. But if you begin to see the spiritual side, the agape side of love that goes beyond the phileo. Philadelphia named Brotherly Love.
Well, that doesn't go far enough. It is that spiritual love. That salvation alone in Christ brings. Verse 2. Ten.
Because you have kept my command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world to test those who dwell on the earth.
Well, Christians fuss about a lot of things. Africa fuss about pretty much everything. Just as I mentioned, there are those that don't like this. Historic application to the seven churches. There are those that don't like the idea of the rapture.
They're so caught up, I think, in their doctrine that they're missing the verses. They've taken the verses that they liked and they've hammered them into this doctrine that they like. At the exclusion of other verses that call for balance. The scripture has its own peer review. And so there are those that say, well, you know, we're The church doesn't get raptured.
It goes through the Great Tribulation period. Then there's another part that says, well, we only go through half of it. Which is close to the barn door, the horse is gone. Why not just take the scripture for what they say? Righteous churchgoers.
Pressing forward in faith under pressure from Satan. will still hold to the Word of God. That's what's meant by because you have kept my command to persevere. That's under pressure. They have kept to the scripture when things were saying, doubt God, don't trust God.
You prayed for it, it worked against you. Don't do that again. Oh, you're not in the mood for church. You're not in the room. What about me when I'm not in the mood for preaching?
Which is not uncommon.
Sometimes I prepare to the point of exhaustion. I've left my fight in the gym. I've beat up my sparring partner, but now I can't deliver. That's how I feel. I know you've never seen that.
It's like, what are you talking about?
So and that's the easy stuff. There are people dealing with Zanzumen, with giants, with Leviathans. But they persevere. Matthew 10, 22, and you will be hated by all for my name's sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved. Endurance takes the pain.
Perseverance does something with taking the pain. It doesn't just sit there and hurt. It says, I'm going to keep serving. I keep doing my duty. I'm going to find refuge.
In obedience. And that's a big statement. suffering was able to stop the was unable to stop them from keeping to his command. He says, I will also keep you from the hour of trial. Again, some Christians don't want the rapture, but that word from in the Greek means out.
I will keep you out of. this great tribulation that's coming on the earth. I think the ones that don't want the rapture or want the church to go through some of it, I think they feel like the church should be punished. We're not good with this. Woe is me.
And a crisis agrees with them. The legalistic mind may walk around with that kind of guilt. loving to blame others for the dirt that it does to get the pressure off of itself. But that's not the gospel. That's not very loving It's not fitting the biblical definition of love, which Christ just expressed: I have loved you.
1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Thessalonians 5 make it clear. that we are to encourage each other with this understanding Of not having to go through the great tribulation that will be so awful. Jesus said there's nothing like it, and there'll never be anything like it again. God knows how to spare his own. 2 Peter chapter 2.
The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of trials and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment. How do you take those two verses and still end up? slamming the church into the Great Tribulation period.
Well, continuing, which shall come upon the whole world. Isaiah 13:11, I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. He says to test the world. This is an unprecedented wrath. Paul reasoned with Felix of righteousness and self-control and judgment to come.
And there are different types of judgments: one upon the world, one upon the individual, and many in between. Those who dwell on the earth. This is a repeated phrase only in Revelation These promises to his church I have set before you an open door. I will make them come and worship before your feet. and to know that I have loved you, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole earth.
This is what Christ has to say. to the church that keeps his word, does not deny his name, and is on fire for him Now sometimes this church, while on fire, it may not be flaming, but it is always burning. Verse 11, Behold, I am coming quickly. Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.
Well, that's a sudden. Event when Christ shows up quickly, as he is saying, you won't have response time if you're not ready. Hold fast. Fight the good fight. Lay hold on eternal life, Paul said.
But coming out of this 11th verse, and we're almost done, watch and see. He says he's got these haves for this church. Because they can we can mess it up. He says, Have set before you an open door. Verse 8.
Also in verse 8, that you have a little strength. In verse 8 again, you have kept my word. Have not denied my name. I have loved you. Have kept my command to persevere.
Each one of those halves. is an indicator that the individual believer should appreciate what they have. And we have a whole holiday called Thanksgiving. This goes beyond that. Because when you get into the woe is me doldrums, You get depressed.
You become less effective. You get your head out of the fight. You certainly aren't flaming and you might even be ready to go out. But when you remember what you have What Christ has worked in you. then you feel a sense of responsibility to not waste it.
Do not blow it He says that no one may take your crown. You see the connection between the two? Hold fast. Don't back down. Don't let the enemy steal all the flesh of the world.
What I've given to you, like Shebna. When Eliakim was given his position. Because Shebna did wrong. He lost his position. And we live in, we can live in such a way that we lose our reward.
2 John chapter 8. When Jesus said, if you don't show mercy, your Father in heaven is not going to give you mercy. You can blow this. You can mess it all up. In verse 12, he who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God.
He shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, New Jerusalem. Which comes down out of heaven from my God, and I will write on him my new name.
Well, there's an example, you know, the Lord's allegiance to the Godhead. Pillars are supporting members of a structure. They're still called supporting members. column, that pillar in this sanctuary, is a supporting member. That's when the f Uh an official Uh Phrase for that.
Um Piece of the structure, and it also applies wonderfully in metaphor. to those in the church. Are you a supporting member? Or not.
Now, when I say member, I don't mean you church membership. We don't see that in Scripture. That's something that came out later. The churches produced that. I'm not saying it's wrong.
But we don't do it here. If you believe in Christ, you're a member. If you're saved, that's pretty much that. And if you're not, then you are target. And we're going to try to save you.
He should go out no more, permanent peace. I will write on him, I will inscribe, is what he is saying. Ezekiel 9:4, we don't have time to read it, but there's a picture of those who have the mark. of righteousness on them because of their uh uh indignation towards sin The name of my God. and the name of the city of my God.
Well, this is a full divine experience. We have to wait to find out. All of it, New Jerusalem, he says, which comes down out of heaven. It's debatable. I think Revelation 21 makes it clear the New Jerusalem really is established.
At the end of the millennial age, when the heavens and earth pass away, but there are some that put it into the great. tribulation period. and I will write on him a new name New things await the righteous, the bottom line. As the groom puts his name on the bride, so Christ will put his name on the believer. Verse 13: he who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says.
to the churches. And Jesus says, Pay attention. And this applies to all ages, all periods of time. Each church Each church is to hear what Christ had to say to the other church. Each church was targeted, and some of them from within.
And we close with John chapter six, verse sixty three. It is the Spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you a spirit. And they are life.
And if you reject those words, Death is the alternative. Eternal separation from God, eternal separation from joy. And we, Christians, celebrate the work of Christ. in manifold ways One of them is the communion. Um This has been Cross-Reference Radio with Pastor Rick Gaston.
This program is a radio outreach of Calvary Chapel, Mechanicsville, in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Pastor Rick has been teaching through the book of Revelation, but if you're interested in learning about a different book of the Bible, we have hundreds of past episodes available to listen to on demand. Just visit us online at crossreferenceradio.com and you'll find an archive of Pastor Rick's past teachings. While you're there, you can also find links to follow our program on your favorite podcast app, as well as links to get connected with us on Facebook and YouTube. There's also an interviews tab where you can learn more about Pastor Rick's heart for ministry.
Well, we hope you'll join us next time here on Cross Reference Radio. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
