This morning we return to our study of the church in Philadelphia, which we began two Lord's Days ago. So let me call your attention this morning to the Word of God as recorded in the Revelation, Revelation chapter 3. While you're turning there, Let me remind you of the words of the third verse in the first chapter of the Revelation. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written in it. Revelation chapter three, beginning with verse seven. Hear the word of God. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, These things says he who is holy, he who is true, he who has the key of David, he who opens and no one shuts and shuts and no one opens. I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door and no one can shut it for you have a little strength, have kept my word and have not denied my name. Indeed, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say they are Jews and are not, but lie. Indeed, I will make them come and worship before your feet and to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept the word of my patience, I also will keep you from the hour of trial, which will come upon the whole world to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly. Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God. And I will write on him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. May God add a blessing to the reading of his holy word. Many years ago, Andre and I had the opportunity to visit Philadelphia, and it was our privilege and It was a blessing to meet and to hear the late Dr. James Montgomery Boyce, who passed away and went home to be with the Lord in 2000. He was the senior pastor of 10th Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was also president and co-founder of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. When I hear the church in Philadelphia, I think of this church in Center City, Philly. However, Tenth Pres is in many ways the antithesis of this first century church in our text. Tenth Presbyterian has a membership of about 1,600 people and a building adequate to meet its ministry needs. Whereas the church in Asia Minor is described by some as few and feeble. The PCA church in Pennsylvania is nearly 200 years old. But the small church in the River Valley, of which is now modern day Turkey, was the youngest of the churches on John's mail route. However, they may share, these two churches may share something in common. because Tenth Prayers has been blessed by the ministry of men like the Doctors Boyce and Philip Ryken and the late Donald Gray Barnhouse. They have posted this on their website. Our stability is nearly 200 years and it's owned by God's grace to the consistent expository preaching of the Bible. They attribute their stability and their longevity to the faithful preaching of God's word. And so this is the testimony of the omniscient Lord of glory, the great shepherd of the sheep, concerning this first century Philadelphian congregation. He says, you have kept my word and have not denied my name. you have kept the word of my patience. In our last time together, we considered the greeting which entailed something about the city in which this church was planted. And then instead of moving on to how Christ identifies himself to this particular church, I spent the balance of our time discussing the importance of brotherly love. Philadelphia means brotherly love. And I spent time talking about brotherly love amongst our natural siblings, and more importantly, our brothers and sisters in the household of faith. As Peter exhorts those who had obtained like precious faith, he charges them in 2 Peter chapter one with these words. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your calling and election sure. And to encourage this faithful, fruitful growth in faith, he calls them to supply with all diligence the addition of various virtues, and among which is brotherly kindness. So brethren, it would behoove us to be very familiar with the one another's of the scriptures, that we practice those one another's as the people of God. It would be beneficial and a great blessing to our souls if we deeply embrace and display the truths of 1 Corinthians 13 amongst one another and even in our homes. I also sought to stir us up as ambassadors for Christ to implore men to be reconciled to God. The world has, as I said last week, its evangelist of evil. But let us, as a royal priesthood, proclaim the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. Brethren, let us proclaim the good news. Let us unzip our lips, open our mouths wide, and may our hearts be filled with compassion and love for those around us. And may we tell them of the glorious gospel of Christ. As God gives us opportunity, as we make friends, as we meet people, let's always bear in mind they're on their way to eternity. And where they shall land, we do not know. But may, if it's left up to us, brethren, let us make sure they understand that the way of life is through Christ Jesus, our Lord. Look with me now at the latter half of verse seven. Revelation chapter 3. These things says he who is holy, he who is true, he who has the key of David, he who opens and no one shuts and shuts and no one opens. The Lord comes to this church and identifies himself with reference to first of all his attributes and secondly his authority. Holy. With us says the high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, whose name is holy, what we read in Isaiah 57 verse 15. We sing the words of that glorious hymn, only thou art holy. There is none beside thee, perfect in power, in love and purity. He who is holy can only be applied to a sovereign God. This word holy identifies our Lord Jesus Christ indeed as the God-man, true deity, and truly man. He is sinless, unstained, unblemished, flawless, separate from sin. As we read in Isaiah chapter 6, we see that scene. And that portion reads, and above it, above the high throne stood Seraphim. Each one had six wings. With two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said, holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory. Isaiah chapter 40 tells us, we read these words, to whom then will you liken me? or to whom shall I be equal, says the Holy One. I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King, Isaiah 43. The Messianic Psalm 16, verse 10, Habakkuk 3, 3, Revelation 4, 8, all attest to the holiness of God. And the Messiah is the God-man who is identified as holy. We read in Mark chapter 1, in verse 21. Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, saying, let us alone. What have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Did you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God. The Pharisees and those who opposed our Lord and those who did not believe may not have seen this, but the demons knew who he was. They were well aware that this one was the Holy One of God. Luke 1, we read, And the angel answered and said to her, Speaking of Mary, the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Acts 3, but you, as Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, and the hearts of the people were pricked, and they were grieved by the operation of the Holy Spirit upon their hearts, as Peter preached that powerful sermon, he said to them, with great boldness and unction, but you denied the Holy One and the just and asked for a murderer to be granted unto you. He did not hold back, but he let them know to whom they had accused and sent to the cross. This attribute speaks of our Lord's moral purity. For such a high priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens, Hebrews chapter seven. And so, brethren, as we understand and read all these passages that tell us about the holiness of Christ, this one who came to the church in Philadelphia and identified himself as holy, he speaks to us as well. And the exhortation comes to us. But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct. Because it is written, be holy for I am holy. First Peter chapter one. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness? It's not enough to understand that Christ was holy, but it's incumbent upon us to be holy as well, as much as humanly possible with the aid of the Holy Spirit for us to be holy people, to be much different, a called out people, a separated people, to live regarding for his glory. Romans 8 tells us that we were predestined to be conformed to the image of his son. And so, brethren, if Christ was holy and we are being conformed and it's been predestined that we be conformed to this image, we must look like Christ. Will we be perfectly holy? No, but we should be purposefully pursuing holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord, the scriptures tell us. So Peter informs us that Christ left us an example, that we should follow his steps. who committed no sin, nor is deceit found in his mouth, 1 Peter chapter two, as he cites Isaiah 53. I know that portion deals with suffering and how we are to respond to grief and suffering. But it lets us know that to endure patiently, we must do as Christ and we must commit ourselves to him who judges righteously. The Bible doesn't say that our lives will be painless. Christ's life was not painless. It was struck with difficulty and trials as well, and he endured much as the God-man. But he left us an example, and we must follow in his steps. The example that Christ has set for us calls us to action. It calls us to look like Christ in the world. Isn't it true that we are often tempted to sin in the midst of trials and sufferings and hard times? We must plead for grace to look up and behold our sovereign Lord. This attribute, holy, speaks of his deity. He is in control. Our Lord is in control of all things. He is working all things after the counsel of his will. This reality brought comfort to this church in Philadelphia. They persevered because they understood something of who their Lord was and who they were following. And so it must be with us as well. even in the midst of difficulty, as we've been hearing Pastor Sean open up those portions in the book of Job, and how Job responded to his difficulties and all the trials that came upon his life, and how he worshipped and blessed God in the midst of those things, and did not charge God foolishly. That's how we should approach these things, brethren. Remembering our God is holy, he is in control, The hymn writer said this, whatever my God ordains is right. Holy his will abideth. I will be still whatever he doth and follow where he guideth. He is my God though dark my road. He holds me that I shall not fall. Wherefore to him I leave it all. Whatever my God ordains is right. He never will deceive me. He leads me by the proper path, and I know he will not leave me. I take content what he has sent. His hand can turn my griefs away, and patiently I wait his day. Whatever my God ordains is right, though now this cup and drinking may bitter be to my faint heart, I take it all unshrinking. My God is true. Each morning new, sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart, and pain and sorrow shall depart. Whatever my God ordains is right. Here shall my stand be taken, though sorrow, need, or death be mine. Yet am I not forsaken. My Father's care is round me there. He holds me that I shall not fall. And so to him, I leave it all. Our God is gracious. Our God is our helper. He is holy. The late Dr. R.C. Sproul ends the first chapter of his classic book, The Holiness of God, with this exhortation, allowing God's holiness to touch our lives. As we meditate and read the scriptures and learn of God's holiness, Dr. Sproul says it should, the thought of God's holiness, we should allow it to touch our lives. Then he calls us to a sober reflection using these four questions. One, when you think of God as holy, what comes to your mind? Do we think of God? That's holy. Secondly, he said, describe a time when you were overcome by God's holiness. Contemplate. Thirdly, he says, are you attracted to God's holiness? Is there something about this moral perfection of God that draws you to him? Is something beautiful and desirable? And fourthly, he says, what does it mean for you to be holy in the coming week? As you consider your life, and you consider the holiness of God, what demands does that attribute of God make upon your life? And how you live, and how you talk, and what you see, and what you do, what you wear. Everything about your life, how does the holiness of God come and impact your life? The other attribute that our Lord sets forth as he identifies himself to the believers in Philadelphia is, in verse seven, he who is true. Commentators are divided on the actual meaning of this word, eleithnos, which denotes true in the sense of real, ideal, or genuine. He is very God. in distinction from all other gods, false gods, those gods of our own making, are light years, eternity away from the God of heaven, the God who has come to this church. So the commentator Robert Mount says, it is true, if true is taken in the classical sense of genuine, It may be used here to refute those Jews of Philadelphia who would claim that Christ was a false messiah. The Jews did not accept Christ. They did not believe that he was the messiah that they were looking for. And so perhaps Christ is set against their propaganda and their language and their talk about Christ not being really the messiah. And he sets himself forth as he who is true, the genuine Messiah. But he goes on to say, however, if it is taken in the Old Testament sense of faithful, it could serve to remind the believers at Philadelphia that not only has Christ been set apart to carry out his messianic task, but that he can be counted on to carry it to completion. He is voracious, true to his utterances. He cannot lie, John 3. So this word could be speaking of the unchanging character of the Lord, or that he is true to his word and purpose. He is all that he claims to be. That means he would be genuine. And he will fulfill his word. He is faithful. And both of those things are true. First John tells us, and we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding that we may know Him who is true. And we are in Him who is true, in His Son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. This attribute indicates that Christ is completely reliable. He is absolutely faithful. In Revelation 1.5, he is referred to as the faithful witness. In Revelation 3.15, he is called the faithful and true witness. The martyrs in chapter six of the Revelation were asking the Lord to avenge their blood, and they called him holy and true. The Lord himself calls himself, he says, I am the way, the truth, and the life. He is also genuine and set in contrast to the pretensions of the false and non-genuine, that is the unbelieving Jews who were not pleasing him. So some commentators interpret the phrase as an assertion of Christ's messianic authenticity against the objections of the hostile Jews that we read of in verse 9, the synagogue of Satan. Kolyhemer writes that the latter words of the verse are quoted from the account of Eliakim, who controlled entry to the king's house in Isaiah chapter 22 and verse 22. Keys are a symbol of authority, as we read in Matthew chapter 16. And I also say to you that you are Peter. Our Lord speaks to his disciple, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Then we read in chapter 18 of Matthew's gospel that familiar word, which speaks of dealing with a sinning brother or a sinning sister. Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. your brother or sister sins against you. And you go to your brother or your sister and you try to make it right. You try to win your brother or your sister. But if they will not hear you, you get two more witnesses to go with you. And you try to encourage your brother to come to repentance. If he will not hear you, the scripture says, take it to the church. And if he would not be persuaded by the church to turn from sin and to call on Christ to grant him repentance and faith to believe once again afresh the gospel of Christ, he needs to be put out, to be excommunicated. And Christ adds his authoritative presence to the judgment of excommunication. He not only gives the church the authority to exercise corrective discipline, but he is at one and in agreement with the chosen leaders of his church. He says, I am there with you. So he's given the church this authority, the keys, the kingdom, to exercise his rule even in the local church. Our text calls this authority the key of David. In 2 Samuel 7, we read of God's covenant with David. In verse 11, we read, Since the time that I commended judges to be over my people Israel, I have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the Lord tells you that he will make you a house. And then down in verse 16, we read these words. And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. There's some translations before me. Your throne shall be established forever. And there is a partial fulfillment of that prophecy or that word in the life of Solomon, but more completely in the Jewish Messiah, Christ Jesus, our Lord. The Messiah Christ, who is Son, who is God's Son, is referred to as the Son of David. Do you remember the blind men who received their sight? Do you recall what they called this one who they perceived to be the Messiah, based on Isaiah's prophecy? And behold, two men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out saying, have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David. Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet, but they cried out all the more, saying, have mercy on us, O Lord, son of David. They knew who Christ was, the chosen one, the coming one, the Messiah, and they cried out to him because he had the authority, he had the power and the ability to give them their sight. In Ezekiel's prophecy in chapter 34, where we see the word of the Lord coming, exposing the irresponsible shepherds and declaring himself to be the true shepherd. And he calls the one whom he will establish as shepherd over his flock, the one who shall feed them. He calls him my servant, David, as he speaks of our Lord Jesus Christ. This one is David's son, yet David's Lord. These people would be encouraged by the things that our Lord shares with them about who he is to them. He wants them to know that he is holy, that he is true, and that he has the key of David. And that would bring comfort to their hearts. Listen to the words of James Ramsey as he comments on that portion. How this announcement of his present reign and his irresistible power to the saints in Philadelphia must have set a thrill of spiritual energy through all their souls and infused the courage into the most feeble to do and to dare great things for Jesus. And shall it not still animate to and made our faith in zeal as he did his struggling church until he comes and crowns all of his people and all of their triumphs. Their hearts were stirred. Their hearts were encouraged to come to him, to beseech him, to pray, to persevere, and to continue on in the way as he had identified themselves to this small church, this little church, this church who was referred to as having little faith, a little, pardon me, little strength. But they were commended. You did not deny my word. You kept my word. You did not deny my name. They were faithful, even though they were small. They weren't discouraged because they did not have the resources that other churches had, or maybe the membership that other churches had, and it was not an excuse for them. Say, oh, we can't do this. We don't have a large budget for our evangelistic endeavors. No, they did what they could to be faithful to God. And we'll read how faithful they were, and how God blessed that faithfulness. They persevered. It's interesting that it's only two churches out of the seven that didn't receive a condemnation or an accusation from the Lord. And Philadelphia is one of those churches. Was this a perfect church? No. No, not at all. But it should make us think of that man Job that God boasted about. Was Job perfect? No. But he was a man whose life was marked by integrity, a man who was given to moral purity. His God was holy, and he sought to be holy. He sought to be a genuine man, not a hypocrite. And he sought to be a man who understood that all the authority and all the power and sovereignty belonged to the God who saved him, and so must we. And so it ought to encourage us, brethren, when we come to pray, to recognize we're not just mouthing words, and I know that's not your heart, but we need to look beyond the ceiling of this building and recognize that God is in heaven and his ear is bent to our cry. And be encouraged by what he lays forth in his word concerning himself, that we might have great confidence Would you not have great confidence to go buy a new automobile if your old clunker is not working? Because your wealthy uncle has just deposited in your bank account millions of dollars. You would go to the bank with great confidence. Because the supply has been granted there and you go with joy and delight, without fear, without doubt, you go and you withdraw the funds that are needed. And God is rich in mercy and he shall supply all our needs in glory by Christ Jesus. And we are bidden to come. We're bidden to come to him. and bring our requests to him. The Bible tells us to cast all our cares upon him because he cares for us. Christ will protect his people. He is God. He is holy. He is true. He is omnipotent. He is sovereign. That's the God we serve. It's not the it's not the same God is the Buddhist down the street. Or the Muslims. Or the other religions of man's making. We serve the God who made all things. Who controls all things? And his ear is open to our cry. What a blessing. Brother, and I want to do something a little different this morning. Some of our hearts are heavy as we consider and think about little Maggie. I don't know if all of you have received the email that was sent out. Pastor Greg sent us an email concerning little Maggie. I think as we consider our God and the fact that his ear is open to our cry and when our hearts are filled and heavy, we need to come to him and we need to plead with him on behalf of one another. The letter says, Dear Saints Grace Fellowship Church, thank you for your prayers to God for the Kuchigarni family, Maggie has been admitted to the hospital and many tests have been and are being performed. She received a blood transfusion last night and has received another one today. Also, they had a consult with the hematologist today. Lauren sent this update this afternoon and said it was okay to copy and paste it to you also. Here is some of what Lauren wrote. Because all three types of blood, white blood cells, red platelets, are down, she, the hematologist, believes the issue lies in the marrow. It is not like white blood cells are down and the rest are normal. As to what is causing that, the answer isn't certain. Tentatively, she wants to do a bone marrow biopsy on Monday. Maggie is receiving another transfusion right now to get her hemoglobin up. The biopsy will require sedation. However, the actual procedure only takes about 20 minutes, and the hole will be quite small. It sounds like they will collect some marrow as well as fluid, which will give them clues as to whether her marrow is completely wiped out or whether there is malignancy. So brethren, I want to ask you to pray. Pray this morning. Let us ask our God who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David. Let us plead with him. So. A few of your brethren, please lead us to the throne of grace and ask for God's mercy upon. Deema, Lauren and little Maggie, Rick, Peggy and the rest of their family. Let us beseech God and ask him. To come to their aid. Let's pray.