This is the Truth Network. Welcome to Ignite the Light Ministries radio and podcast. It is our mission to help listeners develop a deeper relationship with Jesus by sharing what the Bible says and what it means. We aim to encourage and equip you to serve others, share the gospel, and reflect Christ in every aspect of your life. I'm Pastor Wyatt Cudd.
Thank you for tuning in.
So today I want to talk to you guys about Gods. Favorite. What do I gotta do to win God's favor over my life? What do I gotta do to have his blessing?
Well, I want to start our look into this in Genesis, and then we're going to move to Revelation and look at the faithful church. Church of Philadelphia in line with our series through the seven letters.
So In the beginning, God created man. Man fell, man and woman, fell and the earth was cursed. And God gave us the promise of a coming Savior. He didn't wait, it was immediately after the curse, Genesis 3:15. It says, I will put enmity between you, the serpent, and the woman, and between your offspring and hers.
He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.
So from the seed of Eve would come A savior.
Now Genesis 4 Eve gives birth to Cain, and she says in verse 1: With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man. You can almost hear her anticipation. This is going to be the one that defeats Satan. Where is that serpent? We got to line this up, we got to crush his head.
Uh But she couldn't have been more wrong. She gave birth to Cain. And he would go on to murder his brother Abel. Out of envy. But then Adam and Eve gave birth to Seth.
and the godly lineage carried on through him. And we fast forward a little bit to the time of Noah. His father Lamech had the son Noah in Genesis 15. 5:29, it says, He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.
So we get this pointing back to the curse. Pointing back to the promise, through Noah there's going to be comfort in the toil.
Now, when Cain was born, Eve thought he was the promised one, that he was going to crush the head of the serpent, but he wasn't. To Noah, however, this idea of the promised seed resurfaces. In Genesis 6, 8, it says, Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
So He found favor. How do we find favor? How do we have favor on our lives? I'm going to tell you guys something that is going to blow your minds. You ready?
The word favor in Genesis 6:8 It is the Hebrew word Ken Cain In the English, uh in the Hebrew it's pronounced kayin. Ken is favor. Cayenne. Cain. See the similarity?
Isn't that interesting? This is intentional. See, the word, the author, Moses could have used any word to describe God's favor. There's more than one in the Hebrew he could have picked, but he picked the word ken.
Now the English, we completely missed the play on words. Cain, Cayenne, was man's attempt to fulfill that promise. And it failed. Favor. Ken in the Hebrew was God's fulfillment of The promise by grace.
That's Christ. through Noah's line.
Now Ephesians 2, 8 through 9, it says, by grace. You have been saved by faith, and that not of yourselves. It is not a result of works, lest no man. Boast. Paul writes in Romans 5.20, where sin increased Grace abounded all the more.
So that as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
So God's Favor. It's not something we earn. It is something that's not winnable. It's not something that we can deserve. It is an act of grace, an act of mercy.
God's favor on our lives was packaged with the blood of Jesus on the cross. All we have to do is accept. And the good works that flows out of God's favor on our lives. It's not something we do in effort to win it. God has put His favor over your life through the blood of Jesus.
So this week we're going to look at Revelation 3. Verses 7 through 13. This is the faithful church, one of the few churches that only received praise, didn't receive any correction from Jesus. Clearly they had God's favor resting on them.
So if you got your Bibles, go ahead and turn there with me. Revelation 3, verses 7 through 13. And while you do that, I'm going to give some background for you on this church.
So the Church of Philadelphia, the word Philadelphia comes from the Greek word phileo, which means brotherly love. It's a fitting name for this church that is known for their faithfulness and for their generosity. The city of Philadelphia. They were also known for having amazing cheesesteaks, believe it or not. All the way back then, they were cranking them out.
Man, guys, I love a good cheese steak. You got the juicy steak and the cheese and caramelized onions. They better have those Golor's table. I love a good cheese steak. But Philadelphia, this was a region that sat on a major trade ground.
You had lots of commerce, people coming in and out of the city. The region was also prone to earthquakes. There was a major one in 17 AD, that was about 70 years before this letter, completely destroyed the city. And they'd still have frequent tremors. It led to instability and fear in the city.
So many of the residents would just go. Have a house outside of the city, they come in, do their work, and then they leave. They didn't want to be caught in an earthquake. Same thing with the other churches. They had this external pressure to worship Caesar as God.
Surrounding religion was paganism. Um This is the second of the two letters. Jesus only has praise, he has no correction. And this church, like the persecuted church, the persecuted church is the other one that received no correction, only praise. Likewise, this church.
Had their own persecution they were dealing with, specifically from the Jewish people. of their community that hated the gospel. And we'll see Jesus speak to that. One final note, this church was likely among a network of churches that was supporting Paul's ministry as he was going on his various missionary journeys. They would consistently support him.
Despite their limited resources, they were generous with what they had. When we think about last week, the dead church, Sardis, Uh they had abundant resources. but they become distant from their mission. All right, let's do a read-through. Revelation 3, starting at verse 7.
To the angel of the church in Philadelphia, write. These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. When he opens or what he opens no one can shut and what he shuts no one can open I know your deeds, See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength. Yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.
I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but liars, I will make them come and fall down at your feet, and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have.
so that no one will take your crown. Verse 12, the one who is victorious I will make a pillar. in the temple of my God. Never again. Will they leave it?
So remember, I said the thing about earthquakes to Philadelphia. There's such uncertainty about, and then they would leave and then they would come back. But he's saying, I'm going to make you a pillar. in the temple of God. Never again will they leave it.
I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God. I will also write on them my new name, whoever has ears to hear. Let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. All right.
So like our other letters, starts out by addressing the angel to the church. God is resting his hand on this church supernatural grace and influence as he does with all the churches. Verse 7, it says, He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David.
So, this is the part of the letter where Jesus. Points to a particular part of himself that holds authority to speak these words to this church. Jesus speaks by the authority that he is holy, he is true, he holds the keys of David.
Now I looked over the vision in Revelation 1. The King David is not mentioned. And that's a first for our letters. Every other letter, the authority he speaks to is part of the vision that John had. Every other letter references something specific to that vision.
This is different. Why? Revelation 1.18, it says, Jesus holds the keys of death and Hades.
Now, Hades isn't always specifically referencing hell. It certainly looks like that's the connotation here. But it seems to me that Jesus is referencing this authority, but the converse. He's referencing the positive authority. That.
Jesus holds the authority over death and hell, but he also holds the authority over life. And heaven. Jesus and Jesus alone, He is the gate. He opens the door to heaven that no one will shut. Jesus opens doors for us today.
that not even Satan himself could close. And for the faithful, obedient church, this is the authority he speaks to them with. It's also a direct reference to Isaiah 22. Isaiah 22, 22. I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David.
What he opens no one can shut. Have you ever been pursuing Jesus? And it seems like he's just closing the doors that should be open. Yeah, like he's he's um or maybe uh Jesus has given you an open door And we're scared to take that step out of the boat. We're scared to take that step.
Sometimes, even when we're pursuing Jesus, how we ought to, He will close doors in our lives. that we think should be open. It's like, come on, God, I'm following you. Like, this is your idea, but you shut this door.
Sometimes when we pray, God says no. Even when we're pursuing God's will, God's desires, God's heart in our lives.
Sometimes he can shut doors. But often What looks like a no is actually a Not yet. or not in this way, I have something greater in mind. He does this for a reason. And often those closed doors actually in turn will become a blessing.
to us.
Now Jesus can open doors for us. But we have to walk through them. And if Jesus is opening a door for you right now, you feel that peace with him, and he's pushing you towards it. But we're scared. Have courage.
You walk through that door knowing the God of the universe can bend the world to accommodate His purposes. We walk through that door with the confidence of Psalm 91. The Lord is your refuge. He commands his angels to guard you in all of your ways. And they will lift you up in their hands, that your foot will not so much as strike a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the cobra. Not only that, you're gonna trample them. You follow the Lord. And you're going to trample them. What comes next on the other side of that door?
For you May be uncertain. But the God in control of everything. loves you. and leads you for that. I am certain.
If Jesus opens a door Walk through it. If he shuts one. Trust him. Verse 8, it says, I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut.
Because you have a little power and have followed my word and have not denied my name.
So here we have Jesus opening the door for this church, opening opportunity. You know what that's not dependent on? It's not dependent on how much money they have. It's not dependent on their influence. It's not dependent on their connections or any worldly reason we might think of.
It's dependent on God's favor. It says verse 8, they had a little power. God's favor, this open door, it was not dependent on what they had. It was dependent on what they did, and they trusted the Lord. They followed His word.
They did not deny His name in the face of adversity. They remained faithful, obedient, with a listening ear to the Lord. For that reason, Jesus opened the door. to more. to a greater mission.
to opportunity. to deeper intimacy with God. It says, you have a little power.
So they had some power. But it wasn't anything near the Church of Sardis, the Dead Church, we previously read. They were loaded, y'all. They had a lot of financial wealth. But this church They had little.
And when we compare the two, it's obvious. God is not concerned with what we have. God is not concerned with our limitations. God's only concern is when I lead, Will you follow me? He does the rest.
That's God's favor on our lives. When you follow him, he's going to lead you on a path you thought impossible. Doors are going to open you never thought would. You're going to meet people you never thought you would. You're going to see new heights.
She did not imagine. Because we serve a mighty God who makes the impossible possible. Amen. Church, you don't need... Great strength.
as a requirement. Just great faith. God does not call. The qualified. God qualifies.
The cult. And the strength and blessings that we do have, we submit them. to him, to his will, to his direction. in all meekness and humbleness. If the Church of Sardis had done that, They'd be doing a lot.
It would not be called the dead church. Verse 9, Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say they are Jews but are not, and lie. I will make them come down and bow before your feet. and make them know that I have loved you.
Okay, so that term synagogue of Satan, we have seen that term used before. It was used with the persecuted church Smyrna. They say they are Jews, but they are not. What does that mean? Uh, dude, are these people claiming to be Jews, but like, you know, secretly, they're like Muslim?
Well We look at what Paul says about authentic Judaism. Romans 2, 28. It says, a person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly. Nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, who has had the circumcision of the heart.
By the Spirit, not by the written code, not by the law. It's a circumcision of the heart by the Spirit. Such a person's praise is not from other people, but from God.
So what Paul is saying is Just because a person Is circumcised or a person ethnically is a Jew, just because somebody goes to synagogue plays no bearing on their spiritual condition.
Now we keep in mind, Paul grew up a Jew. Our writer John, he grew up a Jew as well. He's saying an authentic Jew, an authentic member of God's chosen family, is one who has been changed by the Spirit inside and out. Then in Romans 11. Paul talks about the remnants of Israel.
Romans 10:21, it says, God says about Israel, all day long I have held out my hand to a disobedient and contrary people. Romans 11, it says, Israel failed to obtain what they were seeking. Uh Then in speaking about Israel, Paul gives us this analogy. The true Israel, the chosen people, he gives us this analogy of an olive tree. That God has planted.
And from this olive tree, there will be many branches that become dead. and are broken off. God cuts them off. from the tree. But here's the beautiful thing.
Us, the Gentiles. were described like olive shoots. that grew up off the tree, God takes them and he grafts them into the tree. He grafts them into the family. of God.
Though we might not be ethnically Jews, it's not about that. It's about the circumcision of our hearts. You know, we've been grafted into Israel, into the family of God. Through Christ Jesus. These Jews of Revelation On this olive tree, there are the dead branches.
They have failed to recognize Jesus as Lord. God tried to lead them and they went a different direction. God tried to fulfill this promise, Genesis 3.15. He fulfilled this promise and they didn't want it.
So their synagogue has become a synagogue of Satan.
Now Jewish people today, sometimes we think of them as like our distant cousins in the faith. But according to Romans 11, They're no more connected to the olive tree. of Israel than any other lost person. And what Jesus promises to the church of Philadelphia, that they would come and fall down at their feet. This is not revenge.
This is vindication. It's a recognition of what is true. And it's not just the Jews. It will be all people. Every knee will bow.
Every tongue will confess Jesus as Lord. And the church, his beautiful bride, is going to be standing there with him. Amen. Verse 10. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial.
Okay, kept my command. This indicates they're faithful even when it's at cost.
Now I'm not a big fan of the NIV translation here, and this is a good teaching moment. When you do Bible study, it's always good to have several different translations you look at. Uh so It says, Because you have kept my command to endure patiently. In the Greek, the word command is not there. The word used is logos, which translates to word.
And the possessive, where it says my command. That possessive is actually over the enduring patiently or perseverance part.
So, in the Greek, well, NIV, because you have kept my command to endure patiently, in the Greek, it reads more like. Because you have kept the word of my perseverance. That's different. It's not just anybody's perseverance. It's not Philadelphia's perseverance.
It's not our perseverance. It's Christ's. Perseverance. It's not because Philadelphia was told to Endure that they are, it's deeper than that. It's because they remain faithful to the truth that Jesus persevered and overcame everything.
They're patient, enduring. It's actually a fruit. of that. It's actually a fruit. So, because of their faithfulness, it says, I will keep you from the hour of trial.
Because of their faithfulness, they have God's favor, they have God's divine protection. This hour of trial, it's going to come to the whole world. It's going to test the inhabitants of the earth, and they are going to be protected from this.
Now I've mentioned before There's different ways to read Revelation.
So we approach the book with all humility. Humanity kind of has a bad track record of predicting how God is going to fulfill. His prophecy. But I've looked at this verse from every angle I can think of. And I say humbly, as far as I can tell, the hour of trial, what they're going to be kept from.
fits the bill of the great tribulation. that we see in chapter six through nineteen. Because of this church's faithfulness, they will be kept from this hour of trial. And that fits the idea of a rapture.
Now, there are people who don't subscribe to the idea of a rapture. It's certainly not a hill I'm going to die on. Obviously, I'll be raptured before then.
So, you know. But we do have to reconcile Revelation 3:10, hour of trial. You're going to be kept from it. What does that mean, if not? But this is one of the problems we can have with the idea of the rapture is that it causes anxiety when it shouldn't.
Jesus is telling them they're going to be spared on the basis of their faithfulness.
So if we pursue God, We have nothing to worry about. This is supposed to be an encouragement to Philadelphia. Because you've done well, this is a blessing that you will have. God's favor is on you. Hey there, I hope this sermon has enriched your day.
If you like this message, I want to personally invite you to join us for Sunday worship. We have two locations in Virginia, Trinity Methodist Church in Concord and Mount Comfort Methodist Church in Appomattox. Come join us Sunday morning at 9.45 and we will help you get connected. As always, I'm Pastor Wyatt Hudd. Thank you for tuning in.
