A letter to the church at Philadelphia

Our visit in Philadelphia showed us only the ruins of a Byzantine Cathedral. Although it dates from much later than the early church that John was writing to, it was interesting to see a small piece of the ancient city. This is the devotional Dr. John Yeatts shared at the site.

The remains of a Byzantine cathedral built on the ancient city of Philadelphia.

The Witnessing Church VI: The Open Door of Opportunity

Revelation 3:7-13 

“Look, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut.”

            Rhoda Lee, a new convert to Christianity, became committed to foreign missions under the preaching of the World Gospel Union.  As a result, she prepared a paper on the subject, which she read on the final day of the 1894 General Conference of our denomination, the Brethren in Christ Church.  The paper included this sentence: “O may I dare to hope that a missionary fund may be started and a systematic method of foreign work be organized, and that each of us will practice economy and self-denial to swell the fund?” 

            The Conference took no action, tabling the matter indefinitely, but later the same day, Jacob Stauffer placed five dollars for foreign missions on the table in the front of the conference.  Lee then passed a hat, and Jacob Eisenhower, the uncle of the future President of the United States, put another five dollars into the hat.  The result was an offering of thirty-five dollars and the following action: “On motion it was decided to organize a Foreign Mission Fund and appoint a treasurer.” 

            Rhoda Lee continued to call for commitment to mission in articles in the church paper.  As a result, a foreign missions board was appointed and an appeal for workers issued.  Another woman, Frances Davidson, asked for release from her college teaching position to be available for missions.  Finally, in 1897, a team of five missionaries arrived in Capetown, South Africa, and in 1898 the first converts of Brethren in Christ missions were baptized in what is now Zimbabwe. 

            This story illustrates Christ’s call to the church in Philadelphia.  That church had little power, but a great opportunity for mission to the people of Asia Minor.  Rhoda Lee was a person with little power in a tiny denomination in the days when women’s voices usually went unheard.  Yet, what she did stands as a memorial to her faithfulness.

            The city of Philadelphia was founded for a specific purpose: to serve as a missionary center for the spread of Greek culture.  Located at the junction of roads to Mysia, Lydia, and Phrygia, and at the borders of these provinces, Philadelphia was called the “gateway to the East.”  Therefore, it was an ideal location for its task. 

Now a new missionary task lay before this little church: to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.  This would not be easy.  Like many of the other cities in Asia Minor, Philadelphia was a center for the worship of the Roman emperor.  In 17 B.C., an earthquake completely destroyed Philadelphia, and almost its entire population perished.  Emperor Tiberius helped to rebuild the city.  The people were so grateful that they renamed the city Neocaesaria, in honor of Caesar.  Later, it was renamed Flavia in honor of another emperor.  It is understandable that Philadelphia would be intensely committed to the worship of Caesar. 

The missionary activities in Philadelphia were also inhibited by opposition from the worshippers of the cult of Dionysius and the Jews.  The task was even more difficult because the church in Philadelphia was quite small.  Nevertheless, the Philadelphian Christians were faithful.  Of all the churches that John writes, Philadelphia receives the most praise, and it is the only church that receives no criticism.  The church in Philadelphia was weak but faithful.

            None of the names for Christ use in this letter are from the vision in chapter 1.  Yet, they paint a powerful picture of Christ.  “Holy one” means that Christ is different and separate from all else.  This is also the word used for “saint.”  Hence, the faithful saints are called to different and separate from the world.  In the context of Revelation, “true one” is probably to be understood in the sense of “faithful.”  Those who follow Christ are called to be faithful witnesses to the message of Christ.  The “key of David” communicates that it is the followers of Christ and not the ethnic Jews who hold the real key to the dynasty of King David.  For that reason, the Jews of Philadelphia are not really Jews at all but must come and bow down before the faithful witnesses who are loved by Christ.  

Perhaps the name of Christ most relevant for the church in Philadelphia is: “who opens and no one shuts, who shuts and no one opens.”  Because Christ has opened the door to spread the Gospel it will be closed only by Christ.  All that is needed is for the faithful witnesses in Philadelphia to seize the opportunity.   Yet Christ recognizes that the church in Philadelphia has only a little strength.  Apparently the church was small, poor, and without influence.  Yet, witnesses there had remained faithful to the word of God and not denied the name of Christ. 

            Nevertheless, the task was not easy for the Christians in Philadelphia.  If they patiently continue their witness, God promises to keep them from their hour of trial that will test the whole earth.  Some think that this hour of trial refers to the great tribulation that is associated with the end of the world.  In the context here, a letter to a specific first-century church, it is better to understand the reference to be to the local and immediate danger that faced the church in Philadelphia from the emperor worshippers and the Jews.  If the witnesses in Philadelphia hold fast and let no one seize their crown – if they are faithful witnesses to the very end, Christ will make them pillars in God’s temple.  The image speaks of humans comprising a living temple of God. That means that Christian witnesses are a necessary part of the kingdom of God.  The Christian who conquers is assured a place in God’s eternal kingdom. 

            Christ also promises to give the conqueror three names – the name of God; the name of the New Jerusalem, the city of God; and Christ’s own name.  To have the name of God indicates that they are the possession of God.  To bear the name of the city of God means that the one who witnesses to the end is a citizen of the New Jerusalem.  To bear the name of Christ indicates that the faithful witness of Christ is shared by the saints who witness as Christ did.  

            Abraham Lincoln’s life was a good example of his words: “I do the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing it.”  Lincoln had enough defeats in life to discourage any man.  He was defeated in a race for a seat in the state legislature, a race for the speaker of that legislature, a race for a seat on the electoral college, a congressional election, two senatorial elections, and a vice-presidential election.  Although he was elected to Congress, he was defeated again four years later.  In addition to these political setbacks, he failed in business three times, his sweetheart died, and he had a nervous breakdown.  After surviving all of these defeats and setbacks, Lincoln was elected President of the United States.  Lincoln saw many doors of opportunity shut in his face.  Yet, he endured these setbacks and was successful in the end.

            Doors of opportunity to be faithful witnesses for Christ lie before us as well.  It is not easy to seize these opportunity.  Sometimes we feel as weak as the church in Philadelphia.  Christ promises that if we overcome this opposition and seize our opportunity to be faithful to Christ, we will be rewarded in the kingdom of God.      

Sing: Come Labor on

Come, labor on! Who dares stand idle, on the harvest plain While all around him waves the golden grain?
And to each servant does the Master say, “Go work today.”

Come, labor on! Claim the high calling angels cannot share— To young and old the Gospel gladness bear;
Redeem the time; its hours too swiftly fly. The night draws nigh.

Come, labor on! The enemy is watching night and day, To sow the tares, to snatch the seed away;
While we in sleep our duty have forgot, He slumbered not.

Come, labor on! Away with gloomy doubts and faithless fear! No arm so weak but may do service here:
By feeblest agents may our God fulfill His righteous will.

Come, labor on! No time for rest, till glows the western sky, Till the long shadows o’er our pathway lie,
And a glad sound comes with the setting sun, “Well done, well done!”

Come, labor on! The toil is pleasant, the reward is sure; Blessèd are those who to the end endure;
How full their joy, how deep their rest shall be, O Lord, with Thee!

Jane L. Borthwick

Pray:  O Christ, who opens and no one shuts and shuts and no one opens.  Although at times we feel that we have little strength, may we witness to your word and not deny your name.  Keep us in our hour of trial so that we will conquer the forces of Satan.  Make us pillars in the temple of God so that we will never go out from it.  Write your name on our foreheads for it sthrough that name that we pray.  Amen.