Dear Friends in Christ,
The great comedian, W. C. Fields, ordered this epitaph for his gravestone: “On the whole, I’d rather be in Philadelphia.” He preferred his hometown to death. Fields expressed a view with these words quite the opposite of the believers in Philadelphia, Asia Minor. It is still there with the name Alasehir. They eagerly anticipated and awaited the New Jerusalem, the heavenly city, Jesus Christ would bring with him at the end of time.
Philadelphia was a church loyal to Christ. There is no admonition in this letter. John would write to them with promises only of continued access to God’s blessings in the present, and great news things in the kingdom of heaven.
The living Savior commanded the apostle, “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write…” First, that Christ is the open door to all spiritual blessings; and second, that God’s Word gives us patient endurance until the coming of the New Jerusalem.
The Bible uses the symbol of an open door in a couple of ways. Paul regularly used it as a picture for the many mission opportunities the Lord gave him and the other apostles following Pentecost. We have experienced this personally and collectively. The Lord gives us open doors to share the good news of Christ with others in our family, our community, and the world.
The open door here is the access to all spiritual blessings like the access door to a great treasure house. Every door has a key that unlocks the riches behind it. Listen again, to how the Savior describes himself in this letter, “These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.”
Jesus Christ is the key that opens the door and the door. He is the access to the forgiveness of sins, new life for our souls, and timeless peace in heaven. The risen Christ is the open door to the promises of God that strengthen our faith, increase our love, and preserve our peace. Jesus affirms his deity and his office. “The key of David” is a reference to Isaiah 22:22 where God says of the royal treasurer as a type of the coming Savior, “I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.”
Jesus assured the Philadelphians that he would not allow anyone to shut this door to them. No one could rob them of their spiritual gifts in Christ. They did not have the strength to hold on to these by their own power. Jesus said, “I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” This reminded them that they were not the door to God’s blessings. Only Christ is the door and the key that opens the door. Jesus promised, “I will keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those on the earth.” God graciously would spare them from many of the crosses he would lay on others.
We say in our communion liturgy, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in love he has blessed us with every spiritual blessing:” and then we mention specific blessings by season of the church year. Jesus Christ, our living Savior, is the open door for our blessings. He is the key that unlocks the vast treasure store of good things to keep us as his own. He controls all our enemies and makes them fall down at our feet.
All of this is happening now. Greater things than even these great things are coming. God’s Word gives us patient endurance until the coming of the New Jerusalem.
The believers in Philadelphia were accustomed to endurance. It is no wonder Jesus used this language about the great new city to come. Philadelphia was in an area of Asia Minor that suffered many earthquakes. Earlier in the city’s history, an earthquake leveled everything except for some solid pillars. What a relief it would be for the citizens to live a safer more stable city.
Jesus promised them and us the New Jerusalem, coming down from heaven. There will be a new temple. This is our eternal home. Jesus’ humanity shines out in this letter as he refers to “the temple of my God,” and “the name of my God,” and “the city of my God.” In this city, this temple, the believers are the strong pillars left standing. You all are pillars of the church.
On us pillars God will write his name and the city name. This implies ownership. God owns us because he created us and purchased us with Christ’s blood. The Holy Spirit has called us into God’s family. It is like wearing a family name on the back or front of your shirt. When you buy and wear a piece of Bethlehem attire, people know where you belong. I think of the big pillars with Carmel Art and Design District emblazoned on them so you know where you are.
These promises were the encouragement to the believers to continue “to endure patiently” and “to hold on to what you have so that no one takes your crown.” Jesus promised to write on them his new name. That new name indicates that the Savior no longer is in his humiliation with names like servant, despised, rejected. We will be the pillars of the living church in heaven with God’s new name, Lord of Lord, King of Kings, victor chiseled on us in his blood. We will be citizens of the New Jerusalem wearing its name on our chests and backs.
Jesus told them, “I am coming soon.” This is a promise that works patience. How do you feel when someone tells you while you are going through a tough procedure, “It will be over soon?” Jesus would not allow those believers, nor allow us, to endure temptations and crosses to the point that they will destroy our faith. He will keep us in faith until he comes. This is the Holy Spirit’s work.
Carmel, Indy, Fishers, Noblesville, Philadelphia, or, the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from our God? On the whole, where would you rather be? Amen. <SDG>