THE OPEN DOOR FOR WORLD MISSIONS
Rev. 3:8
Morning Meditation 8/10/17
“I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.”
We have in chapters two and three of the Revelation, Jesus writing a letter to each of the seven churches of Asia. He addresses each letter to “the angel” of each particular church. The word angel means, “messenger.” So, He writes to the pastor and the pastor gives the message to the church. He is walking in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, i.e., the seven churches. Jesus said in the Great Commission, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”
Jesus is the head of, and Lord of the churches. He makes it plain that the church is not universal. Anywhere more than one church is named in the Scripture the word church is always in the plural. For instance if the church were universal, Jesus would have addressed this information to the church of Asia. However, that is not what He did. He addressed the seven churches individually. The church in Philadelphia is specifically named and this is the particular local church with which Jesus is dealing in the sixth of the seven churches. I want you to notice the following:
THE LORD’S AWARENESS OF THE WORKS IN THIS CHURCH
He says in our text, “I know thy works.”Jesus knows everything that goes on in one of His churches. The word “know” translates, “eido” and means, “to see, to perceive with the eyes.” This is a word that would be used of the way one received his knowledge. If he is an eye witness, it is a much stronger than to gain knowledge that is passed on by one person to another. I think it would be accurate for one to say that Jesus is saying, “I have been watching you. I know your works. I know everything that has been going on in the church.
The word “work” translates “ergon” and means, “business, employment, that which any one is occupied, any product whatever, any thing accomplished by hand, art, industry, or mind.” Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” The word works in verse 10 is the same word that is used in our text. While good works do not save, they are ordained of God for the believer. We are to represent Christ in this world and carry the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth. 2 Corinthians 5:20 says, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.”
There is something we need to be aware of. It is that Christ is aware of everything that goes on in the Church. If we do good works for Him, He knows it. Jesus says to the Church at Philadelphia, “I know thy works.” This is a compliment. It means that there is a degree of obedience to the Lord in this Church. Since this is true,
THE LORD SETS BEFORE THIS CHURCH AN OPEN DOOR
“I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.” (Bold and italics mine).
THE DOCTRINE OF THE OPEN DOOR
1. A door that allows one into a place of privacy; Matthew 6:6 says, “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”
2. A door that prevents uninvited guests from entering a home; Matthew 25:10 says, “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.”
3. Jesus compares Himself to a door and the only way into the kingdom of God; Jesus says in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” This is a definite reference to salvation and liberty.
4. The door is a designation of the place of entrance. Jesus opened the door of faith to the Gentiles; Acts 14:27 says, “And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.”
5. The door is used to designate an opportunity to evangelize; 1 Corinthians 16:9 says, “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.”
6. Paul desired a door of utterance to be opened to him; Colossians 4:3 says, “Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:”
7. Jesus stands at the door of the Laodicean Church and knocks desiring entrance; Revelation 3:20 says, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
I believe the door represented by our text is the door of opportunity to participate in world missions. The Church at Philadelphia is offered an open door to become an active participant in the spreading of the gospel around the world.
Then next as we look at this text,
THE LORD SECURES THE DOOR
Revelation 3:8, “behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.” (Bold and Italics mine).
I believe that the seven churches of Asia are representative stages through which the church as a Divine institution has passed from its organization until the rapture. I also believe that these seven churches represent churches that can exist at any time during the church age. For instance one can probably find by searching seven churches that are modeled after the seven churches of the Revelation. I would rather be a part of a local church modeled after the Philadelphia church than any.
The name Philadelphia means, “brotherly love.” Jesus said in John 13:35, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” God can use a church in which there is love for one another.
Jesus opened the door for world missions to this church and guaranteed that He would personally see to it that no man could shut the door no matter how hard he tried.
It pays to serve the Lord like He says. We are given a perfect book that reveals God’s plan in detail with promises to those who obey. What a wonderful Lord and Saviour we have. Now let’s notice,
THE THREE POINTS OF IMPORTANCE
Revelation 3:8, “I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.” (Bold and Italics mine).
1. The little strength. “for thou hast a little strength.” Is a little strength worth mentioning? Absolutely. The little strength that the Lord endows the church with is greater than the mightiest strength of the flesh. Their strength was from the Lord. It is not like the Lord measures out the different degrees of strength. It is the church has developed faith to receive a little strength from the Lord.
2. The keeping of the Word. Revelation 3:8, “I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.” (Bold and Italics mine). This is an aorist active indicative verb. The aorist tense is a once-for-all act completed in the past. The active voice represents an act in the past that is permanent. This is a compliment and seems to be saying that they had made a decision that is permanent.
3. The steadfast declaration of the name of Jesus. Revelation 3:8, “I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, “and hast not denied my name.” John Gill comments: “and hast not denied my name: Christ himself, his doctrine respecting his person, office, and grace, neither in words, nor in works, but both ways confessed and owned it.”
Barnes says, “And hast not denied my name. When Christians were brought before heathen magistrates in times of persecution, they were required to renounce the name of Christ, and to disown him in a public manner. It is possible that, amidst the persecutions that raged in the early times, the members of the church at Philadelphia had been summoned to such a trial, and they had stood the trial firmly. It would seem from the following verse, that the efforts which had been made to induce them to renounce the name of Christ had been made by those who professed to be Jews, though they evinced the spirit of Satan. If so, then the attempt was probably to convince them that Jesus was not the Christ. This attempt would be made in all places where there were Jews.
Every New Testament Church is commanded to carry out the great commission. But it certainly would be to a tremendous advantage if they had the Lord encourage them like He did to this Church. This text is a clear revelation from God. Revelation 3:8, "I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name." Note the promise and the declaration of truth that Jesus makes to the Church at Philadelphia. There is nothing so comforting than to have this word from the Lord.
May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.
In Christ
Bro. White
