Our Annual Review
To the Church in Philadelphia
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. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 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. 9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10 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.
11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my 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; and I will also write on them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Once again, I am viewing this letter as being similar to the annual review from your boss, the Lord is telling the church how they are doing and where they stand. Two really key things: you have kept my word and you have not denied my name. This tells me there are many Christians and churches that have not kept the Lord’s word and they have denied His name, otherwise it would be a trivial point. Compromising with Balaam, the false prophet is not keeping the Lord’s word and it is a denial to His name. The same is true of tolerating that woman Jezebel who calls herself a prophetess. Also, there is a nice contrast with Sardis, they make themselves out to be something they aren’t, here this church doesn’t pretend to be strong, or powerful. But they do know how to pray, they know to knock and it shall be opened, they know to ask and they shall receive. The key of David indicates they have frequent access to the Lord with their prayers. We also know that this church is being slandered by the synagogue of Satan who say that God has not loved this church. Why would they say that? Perhaps it is implied in the prosperity gospel, if gold rings, fancy cars and big houses indicates God loves you then not having these can be understood to indicate God doesn’t love you.
But here is the reason this church is raptured: “since you have kept my command to endure patiently”. There are “Christian” churches and phony churches like the FreeMasons who teach we don’t need to keep the Lord’s commands.
This church already has a crown! Is this the victor's crown? He says “never again will they leave it”, a clear indication they were forced to leave prior to this, I am going to hazard a guess that it was due to persecution like that of the Faithful Antipas.
Then look at the conclusion! He will write on them! Paul told us that His ministry was to inscribe on our hearts, Ezekiel told us that the New Testament was to have the law of God written on our hearts. But here it is the name, the person, the expression! Wouldn’t that be wonderful to actually meet these saints! They express Jesus! When you see them you see Him! They express the New Jerusalem! Meeting these saints would be better than having a rapture dream! They have a new name, they express the new dispensation, the kingdom age!
To the Church in Laodicea
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Wouldn’t it have been wonderful if these letters ended with Philadelphia? But that is not the Lord’s plan, He is merciful. As terrible as Thyatira is, and as dead as Sardis is, I think most of us would view Laodicea as the worst condition. They disgust the Lord, make Him sick, and they have nothing. Even Sardis and Thyatira have somethings that commend them to the Lord. Actually they do have one thing, the Lord loves them and treats them as His children. There is a contrast between Laodicea and all the other churches but especially with Philadelphia. This church is boastful yet has nothing, and they don’t pray while Philadelphia does. How do I know? Jesus is knocking on the door and most of them are clueless. The Lord says knock and it shall be opened, Philadelphia has an open door, the Lord heard them knocking and has given them an open door, here this church is asleep and has no idea that the Lord is outside knocking.
But in every church it is possible to be victorious. Only to Philadelphia are we told they already have the victor’s crown, but to every other church they can overcome, they can be victorious, they can open the door to the Lord. But no one has anything to boast of. Just because you win the victor’s crown it doesn’t prove you are a champion. Every year the NFL has a superbowl. This means that every year one team will win. Even if every team is horrible one will still win. No, the proof you are a champion is if you win two superbowls. Yes, some team has to win every year, but the only reason you would win it twice when there are 26 teams has nothing to do with chance or luck. This is why Song of Song’s talks about how the Lord’s army is “terrible as an army with banners”. Notice it is plural. The Boston Celtics have “banners”, the Los Angeles Lakers have “banners” and the Chicago Bulls have “banners”. Now just because you are on the Bulls it doesn’t mean you are a champion. I remember something Michael Jordan said to his teammate after they won some exhibition game in Europe. The guy was claiming that this made him a champion and Jordan pointed out he hadn’t won anything, all those banners the Bulls had, he wasn’t on the team, he can’t claim those victories.