The Church the Lord Brags On

This past Sunday we were able to continue our series entitled Strengthening the Foundations of the Church, with our attempt at biblical exposition on the Church of Philadelphia. Jesus tells the Apostle John to write these letters to the 7 Churches of Asia Minor and the previous 5 churches we discover Jesus has something nice to say about them, but he spends most of the letters criticizing that church for their inadequacies as a ministry. But Philadelphia is the only church where Jesus offers them a total commendation for their faithfulness to the Lord in the face of their suffering and heavy attacks from the Roman Empire. Jesus is looking for a faithful church, a church that makes Christ the focus instead of themselves, a church that focuses on making the people better and not prosperity, a church that teaches people to love Jesus and one another. Here is the sermon outline:

Text: Rev. 3:7-13

Thesis: any church that proves itself to be faithful to the Lord no matter the consequences will be a church that the Lord will brag on

I. Condition of the Church

-verse 8...I know your works...behold i have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut...I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name

a. Privilege They Enjoyed
-behold I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut

b. Power They Exhibited
-I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name

II. Challenges of the Church

-verse 9...Behold I will make those of the synagogues of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie

a. Challenge of Persecution

b. Challenge of Perseverance
-verse 10...because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth

c. Challenge of Protection
-I am coming soon...hold fast to what you have, so that no one may seize your crown

III. Comfort of the Church

-verse 12...the one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God...never shall he go out of it and I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name

a. Comfort of His Stability
-I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God

b. Comfort of His Safety
-I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God

c. Comfort of His Security
-I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God