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Woodland Hills Church of Christ episodes

March 10, 2024Revelation 3:7-13 Little Strength, Open Door
Little Strength, Open Door
Revelation 3:7-13 To the Church in Philadelphia
Introduction: It is encouraging to transition from the letter to the “dead” church in Sardis to the church in Philadelphia. Jesus had no corrections to be made to this church and instead writes a positive letter of hope to these Christians.
What should first come to our minds is the contrast between the five churches who were rebuked and the two churches that were not rebuked. The Christians in the churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia endured suffering and slander and yet refused to compromise. Jesus complimented the Philadelphia Christians because they “kept his word and did not deny his name.” The implication is clear – they were severely threatened but did not budge in their faith. It is that kind of faith and confession of Jesus that truly stands out in the two faithful churches.
Background of Philadelphia
Philadelphia was located on a main trade route from the west to the east and therefore became a wealthy trade center. The outskirts of the city was especially conducive to grape growing, which made the city famous for its fine wines.
The success of their wines gave prominence to Dionysus, the Greek god of the vine and of wine, making it the chief pagan cult of the city. In fact, Philadelphia had so many temples and festivals to the pagan deities that it was often called “Little Athens.”
That being said, according to the letter, their primary persecution was coming from the Jews. We know that there were wealthy Jews in the city who had built a beautiful synagogue. This reminds us of similar persecution that was taking place by the Jews in Smyrna.
Now notice what Jesus said in verse 10 that reveals the present condition at the time of the writing. The “trial that is coming on the whole world” has not yet begun. However, persecution is still present, and in the case of Smyrna and Philadelphia, it was coming from the Jews. The other letters have clearly shown that persecution also came from the pagans, but was localized depending on the city. This is a reminder to us that the writing of Revelation was not during the empire-wide persecution, but prior to it.
Jesus’ Self-Identification
As usual, Jesus identifies himself in a way that coincides with the condition of the church. In this case, the church has been faithful and true in their allegiance to Jesus. Therefore, Jesus identifies himself as the “holy and true one.” This connects with 1:5 where Jesus is identified as “the faithful witness.” Therefore, the holy and true (faithful) Jesus will empower these Christians to also be faithful witnesses.
Jesus is also called “holy and true” in 6:10 when those who have been killed for the cause cry out and ask how long before their blood is avenged. They recognized that Jesus as holy and trustworthy will answer their call and avenge their blood on the enemies.
This is also a title affirming Jesus’ deity. In Isaiah, their are 20 occurrences in which God is given the title “the Holy One of Israel.”
One other connection: Jesus is also true in comparison to the “synagogue of Satan” who claim to be “Jews” but are liars. They are not true Jews and their claims that Jesus is not the true Messiah are also false.
Having the “key of David” parallels 1:18 where Jesus announces that he has the “keys to death and Hades.” The description is also a reference to Isaiah 22:22 that speaks of Eliakim as God’s servant over the house of Israel. The immediate idea seems to be that Jesus holds power over those who enter his kingdom and those who are refused. The Jews in the city may have refused Jewish Christians entrance into their synagogue, and thus Jesus assures the church that he is the one who opens and shuts, and has control over entrance into his kingdom.
The Message
“I have set before you and open door” – The idea of an open door is used repeatedly in the NT to refer to an opportunity to teach the gospel:
Acts 14:27 “A door of faith” opened to the Gentiles
1 Corinthians 16:9 “A wide door for effective work” opened at Ephesus
2 Corinthians 2:12 “A door was opened to preach the gospel…”
Colossians 4:3 “Pray for us that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ.”
Therefore, since Jesus has the power to open doors to the kingdom, Jesus sets before the Philadelphia Christians and open door that no one can shut. There are principles here that are important for us to consider:
The success of bringing the gospel message is not completely in our hands.
Matthew 9:35-38 Because the harvest was so great and urgent, Jesus urged his disciples to “pray to the Lord of harvest to send for laborers into is harvest.”
In Colossians 4:3-6 Paul urged the Christians to pray that God may open a door for the word.
2 Thessalonians 3:1 “Pray for us that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored…”
Ezekiel 36:37-38 “Thus says the Lord God: ‘This also I will let the house of Israel ask me to do for them: to increase their people like a flock. Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Are we praying this way? If we don’t ask, why would he bother since we are not showing enough interest to pursue the doors he might open?
The open door Jesus is giving is dependent on the works of the Philadelphia Christians. “I know your works…you have kept my word and not denied my name.” The Lord will give opportunities to those who desire it and who will represent him properly.
“I know that you have but little power…” Little power may indicate the size of the church or low in the social order of the city. Regardless, that “little” makes no difference to the Lord. The Lord’s power supersedes numbers. We need to remember the words of Jonathan just before he and his armor bearer put the whole Philistine army to flight: “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few.” (1 Samuel 14:6).
The Promises
Verse 9: “I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.”
This is a fascinating statement because of similar statements in Isaiah concerning how Gentiles would come and bow before the Jews. Cf. Isaiah 45:14; 60:14. At first, we think Jesus is reversing “Jew” and “Gentile.” But then we realize that the ethnic Jew is now the Gentile (Galatians 4:30), and the Gentile of today who has come to Christ is the true Jew (Romans 9:6).
Assuming Jesus is alluded to the Isaiah text, his meaning would be that the Jews of the synagogue of Satan will one day realize their error, and possibly even some would come to Christ. It is difficult to know to what extent Jesus is making this reference.
Verse 10: “I will keep you from the hour of trial…”
Our first question is, does Jesus mean they will escape the trial altogether? Not likely, since all would be tried during this time. More likely, Jesus is referring to protecting them during the trial. In fact, we later see this alluded to in the book: 7:1-4; 11:1-2.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 gives a similar application for us: “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”
Verse 11:
“I am coming soon” – likely referring again to Jesus coming in judgment on those who are persecuting them.
“Hold fast…” Indeed, as good as the church in Philadelphia was, there is always the warning of not letting things slip. Never get comfortable. Stay on high alert! The devil is still here!
Verse 12: The message is the security of eternal life that Jesus is guaranteeing these Christians.
“A pillar in the temple” – Peter refers to us as living stones in the temple. Jesus escalates that picture by saying they will be a pillar in the temple. The picture is of that which is immovable. They will never worry about “going out.”
He is given “the name of God” and “the name of the city of God” and “Jesus own new name.” In each case, the idea is of the ownership and protection and eternal security these Christians have because they kept his word and did not deny his name.
Concluding Applications
Consider that five out of seven churches were failing to meet Jesus’ standards to be one of his churches. That should be a sobering thought! Simply put, we cannot coast, we must press ourselves to truly reflect Jesus, and we must be bold to testify concerning his name.
This should be a strong consideration when we each evaluate our own faith. Jesus gave a universal principle in Luke 16:10-13. We prove our worth and faithfulness in little things, so that the Lord can trust is in fulfill the bigger challenges.
Even when we evaluate our own trials throughout our lives, God tests us to the point of our limitations at the moment and then increases the strength of trials as we get stronger. This was seen in Abraham’s life.
Therefore, when we do not conquer the small tests in our lives, especially in regard to what we will put first, what makes us think we will pass a major test of our lives being threatened as with the 1st century Christians?
I hope you recognize how amazing this letter is in the midst of all the other letters. I don’t think I have ever read these letters and been as impressed and struck with the seriousness of what we are doing in this world as a church and as disciples of Jesus. Brethren, we are one of his lampstands and he walking in our midst. Are we what we ought to be?
Berry Kercheville
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42 min
March 10, 2024 1Thessalonians 5
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46 min
March 07, 2024 Esther – Chapter 5
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45 min
March 04, 2024 God Is All We Need
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29 min
March 03, 2024 First Steps of Sharing Jesus
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40 min
March 03, 2024 1 Thessalonians 4:9-18
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44 min
February 29, 2024 Esther- The Unseen God- Esther 4
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44 min
February 26, 2024 Leave the 99- Application
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33 min
February 25, 2024Revelation 3:1-6 Dead While Still Alive
Dead While Still Alive
Revelation 3:1-6 To the Church in Sardis
Introduction: The letter to the church in Sardis challenges us with two questions: (1) “Is this church here dead or alive?” (2) “Are you personally dead or alive?”
Of the letters to the seven churches, there are two letters in which Jesus begins the letter by immediately exposing their flaws without any mention of something positive about the church. This is how Jesus starts with the church in Sardis: “You have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.”
Let’s not read over this too quickly. What is “dead?” Jesus is certainly not saying they are dead in a physical sense. The Christians in this church are physically alive. They are still meeting in their assemblies as all churches do. They hear sermons, pray together, study the Bible together, partake of the LS, and give as appropriate. But they are dead. Of course, if this is a dead church, most of the individuals in the church are dead.
To be dead spiritually indicates that we have a church that is in sin and in danger of permanent separation from any fellowship with the Lord. Their salvation is far from being assured. In verse 5, Jesus warned that their name could be blotted out of the book of life.
We have talked a lot about passages of scripture giving us assurance of our salvation. But we must not think that those assurances mean that we can just go into a spiritual sleep. The letter to the church in Sardis offers a grave warning!
Reputation Versus Reality
As we have seen at the beginning of each letter, Jesus’ self-introduction uniquely applies to the condition of the Sardis church. It is almost identical to his introduction in the Ephesus letter, adding, “who has the seven spirits of God.” The seven spirits refer to the Holy Spirit, who through his words cut to the thoughts and intents of our heart (Heb. 4:12). Jesus does not care about the reputation of a church. It may seem to all of those who knew of the Sardis church that they were a vibrant, active congregation. But Jesus knows better. They are dead.
Since the Sardis church had a reputation of being alive, please imagine what they looked like to Christians on the outside. If you knew this church today, what would it look like? They just look like a church with a lot of great people who were personable and most likely treated each other an others with care and respect. They prayed and sang praises to God, and if you assembled with them you might not notice anything troubling. Their public worship simply looked good!
Okay, the above is what we would see. What is Jesus seeing so that he describes them as dead? The easiest way to answer that question is to consider how Jesus described his churches. What did he call them? Lampstands. They are called lampstands in reference to the golden lampstand with its seven flaming wicks that God had Israel place in the Holy Place. Jesus refers to this picture in the Sermon on the Mount when he says, “You are the light of the world.”
I’m sure most of us have been camping, and the best part of camping is a campfire. It provides light and warmth. But if someone does not tend to the fire, it will die out. The light ends and the warmth ends. Jesus said in Mark 4:21, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand?” To put it under a basket hides the light, making it worthless.
Notice in verse 5, Jesus said “The one who conquers…I will confess his name before my Father and before the angels.” Does that remind you of an earlier text given by Jesus while he was on the earth? Jesus warned of this in Matthew 10:25-39. Notice key principles in this text:
If people maligned Jesus, they will malign his disciples. Accept it! Get used to it!
Have no fear of them…everything will be revealed one day.
What you hear in the dark, proclaim on the housetops.
Don’t fear those who can kill the body. That’s all they can do. Besides, God is watching and God cares.
Now our text: “Everyone who confesses me before men, I also will confess before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.”
Jesus did not come to bring peace to the earth! If he didn’t bring peace, we certainly are not going to bring peace when we teach others about him; even among our own family members!
Jesus gets very specific. We cannot show favoritism even to our mother, father, our son or daughter.
And then the ultimate test: we are not worthy unless we take up our cross and follow him and unless we lose our lives for his sake.
Therefore, how would we know when a church is dead? Its lamp no longer burns! The light is gone. Such a church has lost it purpose. They have become a glorified religious social club. This principle is not a surprise for anyone who is a student of the OT. Repeatedly, we are prophetically pictured as those who will call the world to come and hear (Isaiah 2:2-3). We are called the offspring of Abraham and the offspring of Jesus through whom the world is blessed (Galatians 3:29)
When we look at the Lord’s churches throughout the 19th century and the first part of the 20th century, the overriding passion that drove the existence of every church was being a light to the world. Today it seems that in most churches, seeking the lost is at best a footnote, and at worst rarely ever mentioned.
Please notice the words of verse 4. There were a few names in the church that hadn’t “soiled their garments.” The reward? “They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.” Follow that word “worthy.”
In 5:9, 12 Jesus is called worthy because he gave up his life.
We just read in Matthew 10:38 that whoever does not take up his cross is not worthy of him.
The Sardis church had “soiled/stained their garments.” Since there is no mention of persecution, most likely the staining of their garments comes from the Christians maintaining a low profile so as not to draw attention from the Rome worshipers and the trade unions. If not that, it is just doing what we easily do today – think inwardly and make the focus on us. Either way, the garments were not white because we have not clothed ourselves with Christ before the world.
We must remember what Jesus said in Luke 19:10 when he went to the house of Zacchaeus: “Today salvation has come to this house…for the Son of Man came to seek and to saved the lost.” If we are his disciple, this must be our mission at all cost.
Wake Up, Remember, Keep It, Repent (3:3)
If Jesus looked at you face to face and said, “You are dead,” would you wake up? Only you can answer that question. But answer it you must, because Jesus just appeared in a vision and called a whole church dead.
“Your works are not complete.” In other words, just “going to church” isn’t going to cut it.
“Remember” what you have learned in the scriptures about your mission in Christ, “and keep it.”
Finally, the hardest part: “Repent.” Something has to change, and it is fairly easy to know what that is. It is what is done with your time. There are other things in your life that are more important. You are not taking up your cross.
The end of verse 3 is interesting. If they don’t wake up, Jesus will come to them like a thief, and it will not be a good thing – “I will come against you.” That is probably not the final day, but the same kind of judgment when Jesus said he would come against Jerusalem and destroy it. Is Jesus saying, when a church/lampstand no longer has a light, I will fight against it? Please consider, a church that ignores its mission is worse than no church at all because Christians learn to think that such a condition is normal.
The One Who Conquers/Overcomes
Each of the seven letters concludes with a promise to the one who “conquers” (or some versions, “overcomes”), and then a unique promise for that church.
Combine all of the promises made to the churches and be impressed with what Jesus is going to do for us if we conquer/overcome. These promises are far beyond anything we could imagine or anything that even the angels are offered. However, we must recognize that the overcoming must happen before the inheritance of the promises.
There is a unique principle that is at play here. There are seven churches. Two of the churches, Smyrna and Philadelphia, are overcoming. The other five churches are not overcoming. Smyrna and Philadelphia are being heavily persecuted. In other words, from a physical perspective, they are being conquered by the world. The five churches that are not overcoming, that is, they are compromising with their culture, and thus are not being physically conquered by the world.
This is seen in 11:7; 13:7 – “And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them.” Notice that when these boldly testify, they are conquered in a physical sense on the earth. If we “testify” we will be conquered by the world. If we do not testify and overcome their threats, we will lose the promises.
Please be aware that testifying about Jesus before the world is not the only problem within the five churches. The sins they have not overcome are affecting their testimony. In other words, you can’t have a “Jezebel” in the church and expect to preach Christ to the world.
Compare this to the following texts which help us define what it means to conquer:
12:10-11 Note that “our accuser has been thrown down” by the power of Christ who overcame him through his death and his resurrection. In verse 11, we conquer by the blood of the Lamb (victory over sin), and by the word of our testimony, “for they loved not their lives even unto death. The conquering happens by not compromising, which happens by our testimony of Jesus regardless of the consequences.
15:2 In this text we see those who have conquered before the throne of God. They conquered “the beast, and its image and the number of its name.” Those words refer back to 13:17 where we are told “no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is the name of the beast or the number of its name.” Again, just as we see in the five churches, there is fear of the world and thus compromise in order to fit into the culture and avoid persecution.
Romans 8:35-39 Paul follows the same principle when he refers to conquering: “‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
Obviously, it is not just those who are threatened with death that are the conquerors. The whole of a Christian’s life is to be characterized by “overcoming.”
Conclusion: 21:7 summarizes: “The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowardly, the faithless…their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Sleeping Sardis needed to wake up and overcome. Are you conquering? Or, are you a sleeping Christian?
Berry Kercheville
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43 min
February 25, 2024 1 Thessalonians 3:1-4:12
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46 min