Revelation tonight, chapter three in the book of the Revelation, and that last book in the Bible, the blessed and wonderful truth which it contains, relating to the coming again of our Lord Jesus, when He shall come back to the earth in power and great glory. But we would like to read in chapter three, beginning at verse seven, please, reading only through verse thirteen. God by the Spirit riding through his servant John, saying to the angel of the church in Philadelphia, Write, these things saith, he that is holy, literally meaning the holy one, he that is true, literally meaning the true one, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth and no man shutteth. and shutteth and no man openeth. 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 or a little power, and hath kept my word, and hath not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews and are not. But do lie, behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation or trial, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly, Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God. And he shall go no more out. And I will write upon him the name of my God. And the name of the city of my God. Which is New Jerusalem that cometh down out of heaven. From my God. and I will write upon him my new name. He that Athenear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. May God bless the reading of this portion from its precious and holy word. From the last book in the Bible. A very most interesting book without question of doubt and very appropriate for the days in which we are living. It has often been called the book of the end. I'm sure we can recognize that. Genesis is the book of the beginnings, which is the meaning of the word Genesis. But the book of the revelation is the book of the end. And what joy to recognize that God has given to us a complete Bible, a complete word from the beginning to the end, regarding his purposes. in relation to the redemption of the human race. I hope you may be interested in the book of the Revelation in these days in which we live. They remind us of what God is going to do in the near future. Not only for Israel, but for the nations of the world. And most of all, particularly for you and for me, what He will yet do for the church. for may I state very carefully and clearly God deals very particularly in these three ways first as we suggested with his people Israel the nation of Israel and may I say in passing there are some even among Christians and amongst Christian preachers who believe that God is forever through with Israel as a nation. And some preach that. But I don't see it in my Bible. He said there would be a nation forever. And in Jeremiah stated, I have loved thee with an everlasting love. And that he would love them forever. They are his earthly people. The nations around them They were considered, as you may read in the Old Testament, and they were. Even nations, idolaters, worshipping idols, having many gods. And then we have in the New Testament praise God that greater company, in comparison to the others, called the church to be the bride of the Lord Jesus in the coming day of glory. Now in the book of the Revelation you find at the commencement of the book the church, not very good condition at all. Israel having their problems, the nations having their problems. But when you come to the end of the book of the Revelation you find that God's purposes declare Israel will be restored and glorified as an earthly people. And from the word of God, he will fulfill his purposes that he promised to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, regardless as to what the nation as the nation did afterward. He will keep his prominent promises and the covenant he made with Abraham. And then as far as the nations, well, beloved, there's no question of doubt. they need God thank God for the gospel that has been preached when the Lord Jesus gave the command telling his disciples after his resurrection go ye into all the world and preach the gospel and he that believeth and his baptize shall be saved and thank God the gospel has gone out and is still going out to the nations but in the book of the Revelation May I suggest to you a very simple outline of it, which I do commend you will never forget. For there are men, and I speak very kindly, and I don't speak very harsh against such men. Good men, able teachers sometimes, of the Word of God. But there are some men that interpret the book of the Revelation that makes it difficult for a believer to understand. But in the book of the Revelation in chapter one, you may look at the verse nineteen. God gives the outline of the book of the Revelation, as he tells John, write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and then the things which shall be hereafter, after the things that are. And may I suggest it means much to me and has through many years. That is God's outline of the book of the Revelation. And I say again, any man, no matter who the servant of God might be, if he violates that outline, he's not going to teach it right. What John had already seen is in the preceding part of chapter one. He had the vision of the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus, appearing to him as the great judge of all the earth in all of his judicial character and glory as the Son of Man, the judge of all the earth. The sight of it made John fall on his face as if he were dead. But the description of that blessed one was the description of his character as the coming judge. Not coming to the world to be a savior. He has already done that. But coming to be the judge of all the earth. And even the judge of his own people. But then you have a second division in the book. Beginning with chapter two. Going through chapter three. You may have read it. There are seven letters. Written to seven distinct churches. In Asia. Now there were more than seven churches literally at the time John wrote in that council approach in that particular part of the world called Asia Minor that God by the Lord Jesus through the Spirit chose seven churches to which to write and give the message that he entrusted to John to pen in this book to the Church of Ephesus and Downs till he reached the church of Laodicea. And those two chapters, two and three, they cover the second division of the book of the Revelation completely. And God chose those churches purposely for you and for me to get a lesson from them too. And then beginning in chapter four, and when you begin chapter four, you find John translated by the Spirit into heaven. And what you read in chapter four and five reveals the churches in heaven. The saints have been taken home to be with them. But it's a great deal of information to realize these seven letters that God wrote that the Lord Jesus sent to the churches of Asia. Ephesus, Anne Smyrna, Pergamus, Piatyrrha, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. He had something to say to all of them. And the Lord Jesus was seen in the midst of them examining, commending where he could, accusing where he had to, and exhorting and admonishing where it was needed. Amongst these seven letters there were only two of them The Lord never reprimanded. One is the letter to Smyrna, which you may read in chapter one. The other is the one we've read tonight, Philadelphia. Now please let me give you this suggestion. In these seven letters, they were not only historical in their existence, they did exist, literally exist, some of these specific churches. But these seven letters were also prophetical. Covering the history of the church in its true spiritual character. From the beginning of the early apostles to the end when the Lord Jesus comes. So they have an historical record of those churches as they existed in that day when John wrote. But you have also a prophetical. whereby you can recognize the Spirit of God the Lord Jesus describes the condition of the church age from the beginning to the end now let me point out something very obvious all you need to do is read them but you will find with the exception of Smyrna and Philadelphia the Lord Jesus had to blame them and the last letter was to us and every one of them seemed to decline in spirituality as you come to the end of the letters. And my beloved, may I give you the thought, the truth? It's not only historical, it's not only prophetical, it's the spiritual history of the church. From the beginning to the end. Someone wrote to me, what is the best book on church history? I know they were asking for a good book that some men may have written. I said, why don't you try the seven letters to the seven churches? You've got an accurate one here. The Lord Jesus describing what he sees in the church during all the history of it from beginning to the end. But the church of Smyrna was commended, not reviewed, and the church of Philadelphia particularly. My beloved, let me say this. It would be very difficult to find a true Philadelphia church today. Now let's look and see why. Know what we have here, beginning at verse seven, as John writes to the angel, the representatives of the church in Philadelphia. Now please let me say this. It's strange, but it's true the name of each church had a meaning. And the name of Philadelphia, you know that has a meaning even today. The Philadelphia church, according to the history of these seven churches, was the one to last the longest. It did not disappear until the seventh century. And it existed longer than the other churches. And it had a reason to, because we shall see what the Lord Jesus saw in him. But what does it mean? The word itself, you well know, William Penn, when the Indians in the history of our country you remember they told him he could walk all the wherever he wanted him one day and he could have all that land and William Penn walked for the whole day and he founded the city of Philadelphia and you know what it's supposed to mean the city of brotherly love well I've been up there many times but I didn't get over too much too much brotherly love but nevertheless The word means what? Brotherly love. The love of the Lord Jesus permeating it. And we should see why. And in the Philadelphia church, it was well known to the Lord as one where brotherly love, Christian brotherly love, permeated the fellowship. Oh, just let me say this to you as well as to me. There is that should be a desire that our testimony collectively, wherever we are, should be one of brotherly love. The love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which has been given to us. And Philadelphia, the church of brotherly love, existed back then. And beloved, may I say sadly, but I know it's true. It's not found in the whole church today upon the earth. But may I commend to you the example of this one. Brotherly love. But note the next thing in verse seven. The Lord Jesus presents himself to that church. Now you'll find in every letter from Ephesus all the way down through Laodicea. In some particular characteristic the Lord Jesus presents himself to that church. And as you read through those several letters, some of the times when he speaks about what he was and who he was, he was not very commendable because of the condition of that church. And it indicated that he may have come to judge and examine and accuse and rebuke. But here you find what does it say to Philadelphia these things and see how he presents himself he that is holy or the holy one is literally the meaning of it and he that is the true one and one can recognize the person of Christ presents himself for these believers at Philadelphia as he wrote to them long ago And I can only say this in substance and briefly but thoroughly would to God that the person of Christ was always before our heart. And especially in this particular characteristic manner. Recognizing him, he's the holy one. Recognizing he's the true one. Holiness, truth embodied in him. My beloved, I cannot emphasize too greatly that what is so needed today in all, not only personally and individually, but in collective gatherings, the person of the Lord Jesus in the midst then joyed. Let me give you the reason. Second Corinthians chapter three, verse eighteen, you may read it. beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord or the Lord of glory we are changed we are transformed we are transfigured that's the meaning of the word metamorpho in the Greek we are transformed into the same image even as by the Spirit of the Lord where the person of Christ is before the heart Whether individually or collectively before the hearts of all believers in the gathering, he can transform them to his likeness. For may I see, and we shall see it, because of the fact they recognize his person as the Holy One and the true One, or he would not have presented himself that way, they were more like him. They were more... Our dear brethren, brother and sister this morning sang that lovely hymn. Oh, to be like him. My beloved, please let me tell you. Do you ever read the story of Hawthorne, of the great stone face that he once wrote, American author, regarding the face of Amanda was in the cliff? In fact, you go up to New England and in the country of New Hampshire. You'll find on Stone Mountain, as it is called, the very features of a man's face in the cliff of the mountain as you look at the mountainside. Horton wrote a story regarding a boy that loved to lay upon the ground and fascinated by the face in the mountainside. He looked at it day after day, day after day as he grew up as a boy. and the young man he left the town where he lived went away to make a living later on in his life he came back to visit his old hometown and the face in the cliff was still there and when the natives saw him come through the city of their village and looked upon him they commented why he's got a face like the man in the stone in the stone cliff now it's only a legend but it has this moral lesson. Well, I remember hearing a preacher, and this is true, you may laugh at him. No, you will laugh at it. I did. I remember a dear preacher that I knew well when I was a young boy in my teens. And I heard him say from the pulpit, whatever you look at, whatever you live with, and if you live with it all the time, you look like it. He said, I knew a man he only had a cow to live with, and he started to look like the cow. Well, of course, we just laughed. But there's a principle there. And you find it in the scriptures. If Christ is before the heart. If he's the object. The person of Christ. No, please note. It's not what he has done. It's what he is. Get the thought. He did not present himself by what he had done for them. He presents himself by his own person. I'm the holy one. I'm the true one. And you couldn't have a better person to look at, could you? So the person of Christ, the holy one, the true one. But note something else too. Not only that. He says, I'm the one that has the key of David, that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth. Why the key of David? Well, you'll have to go to Isaiah chapter twenty-two and read it sometime. Where Eliakim was told to succeed Shedner, who had been an unfaithful scribe, and God said, Give to Eliakim the key of the house of David the treasures of the house to unlock them. And my beloved, may I say this, the Lord Jesus uses that language to the church of Philadelphia. Look, I'm the holy one that you admire. I'm the true one that you worship. And I'm the great administrator to open the key for you. Key to what? Service, knowledge. My beloved, let me say frankly, he's the best teacher that you can ever have by the Holy Spirit. But I think from the context, he says, I'll open the door for you to serve. Now around Philadelphia were big churches. crowds in other places. Service particularly. Thyatira, Laodicea, big. And may I say lovingly, I do it very kindly to you, dear Christians here, around you and around me today, we've got bigger churches. But I'm going to make a statement. I'd rather be where I know my Lord Jesus is really is. Really is. And you'll find out why as we read on. So there's no question of doubt. If we acknowledge him his place, he will keep a door of service. But let's go on. Know what he has to say about them. And I would like you to know. He tells three things regarding them. In verse eight. First of all he said, I know thy works. That's all he says about it. I know thy works. He may have something to say more. He does have something more to say about the other churches. Particularly Sardis and Pyrrhic and Pergamus and especially in Laodicea. But all he says to this little company. I know what you're doing for me. I know what you're doing for me. And all that matters is he knows. He knows. Let me say this. There's too much publication in Christendom today about what they're doing. And let me suggest to my brother and sister, don't you go talking so loud about what you're doing either. He knows it. Remember what Paul wrote to the Corinthians. Judge nothing before the time till the Lord comes. And then shall every man have praise of God. Can I say it? I'll say it frankly. I know it's in this city. One particular church. One of your biggest churches. Both think on Billboard. How many years it existed. I thought, well, I don't know. I don't think the Lord wrote that. Are you and I contended to be what he wants us to be and just let him know it? without publication? Let me ask you a question. How much publicity and what kind of publicity did the Lord Jesus have when he was here? He was dishonored. He was dishonored by the religious community. And that can be the same today. We shall see as we go down the chapter there. Please know. Yet he said, Behold, I said before thee an open door, no man can shut it. And as he goes on to say, no man can shut it and an open door. And no man can shut it. Please let me say this. I think it's a divine principle for me personally and for all of us to let the Lord open the door of service. I've made it in my own heart and life by God's grace. I remember before I went out in the work of the Lord permanently. I was kneeling at my bedside praying and with the scriptures before me. And I read a text from Proverbs, I think it's sixteen, eighteen or eighteen, sixteen. Sometimes I reversed it. A man's gift maketh room for him. I looked at that verse on my knees in the Lord's presence. I said, Lord, that means if I have a gift, my gift will make room for me. I don't have to make room for my gift. That's the principle. And it's what the Lord says. Let me open the door. I've opened the door. And when I open the door, nobody can shut it. It's a divine principle. and here's a weak company a feeble company read on in the next verse in the same verse rather and we find and the three things mentioned about that company first you've got a little strength and the word is really in the Greek text power do you have a little power and second you kept my word and third you've not denied my name now beloved let me ask right here Would not it be wonderful to have that commendation from him? First, you've got a little power. And may I say frankly, would you God that even Christians realize it, but many Christians don't. You find a lot of Christians going along in their service to the Lord in their own strength, in their own power. Not Philadelphia. They were letting His power help them. direct them for may I say by the time they were existing the church was already getting weak and if it was getting weak in the apostolic days what do you think it is today little power but it's one sure thing they have some power though even in contrast to Pentecostal you know you have well I remember an old hymn it came to me today in my mind many things come back in my mind to go way back when I was a boy we used to be an old hymn that we they used some I've heard it song in some campaigns big campaigns big Sunday campaigns for instance in that day I remember Lord send the old-time power the Pentecost for power but let me tell you you're not going to have another Pentecost there's only one only one Never be another Pentecostal power. But nevertheless, we still have the Spirit of God upon the earth. The Pentecostal power is not existing. But wherever are the faithful, true believers, the Spirit of God will enable them and use them in service. Little strength. That's the first characteristic. I don't know. You probably won't agree with me, but I'm going to say it bluntly. In my experience in late years, I'm getting more joy in little groups than I am in big groups. I am finding more small groups of believers that are true to the Word of God than big groups. Now, you can take it for what you want and think it's worth. But I'm going by the fact. that the Lord Jesus honors what we shall see right here. He honored with Philadelphia. First, you kept my word. Now please, don't minimize the meaning of it. It's comprehensive. You've been obeying my word. You've been keeping my word. It's comprehensive of all this truth. Now let me give you an example of it. I did this morning in the worship meeting and I still feel the same. I had rather meet with Christians who obey that blessed request of our Lord to remember him as often as we can in the breaking of bread and the drinking of the cup, the Lord's Supper. And I pray God will help me never to have to fail. to find a group, whether small or not, who are willing to obey that blessed request. This do in remembrance of me. I know when I keep the Lord's Supper in remembrance of me, I'm doing what He's at me. And if you're not doing it, you'll stand before Him someday in judgment as He appraises your life. This is comprehensive. kept my word. You remember in John fourteen twenty one the Lord said he that loveth me will keep my commandments. It's beloved obedience is the evidence of your love for him. The reason I come to the Lord's Supper I love him and it's an act of obedience to do it in remembrance of him. And please let me see again, encouragingly. He appreciates it. You get my word. And third thing about them, you've not denied my name. What do you mean? Ah, his name? Now let me speak very kindly. I know there are many dear Christians and I know many personally and I love many but all of them personally that are in other places of other denominations as they call them denominations. But I value the fact that all through my Christian experience I've been seeking to fellowship with all those who refuse to take a denominational name. But do you find a Baptist church in the Bible? Do you find a Presbyterian church named in the Bible? Do you find a Methodist church named in the Bible? Thank God for all the Christians in them. I love them. We should love them. We must. But look. Let me tell you this. Martin Luther, when he heard they were calling you churches, churches that he ministered, they were being called Lutheran churches. He said, No, I'd rather you be called Christians. And neither did John Wesley enjoy them calling it the Methodist Church. And John Knox would even appreciate the Presbyterians calling themselves Presbyterians. No. Oh, there's only one name. In our worship meeting this morning, did we not exalt that name? That's not denied my name. the Lord Jesus Christ let me give you another thought when you speak of him don't fail to give him all his title Lord Jesus Christ I never knew how much it meant until one day up in Charlotte years ago I went to get my car service in a certain place and It was a strange place. I'd never been in there before. And as I talked to the owner of it, who was going to do the work for me, he looked at me and said, I think I've heard you on the radio. And I said, yeah, that's right. As he asked me, I said, that's right. He says, I love the way you always say, the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, praise God. I'm glad somebody appreciated it. But the one that's up there, he appreciates it. That's not denied my name. My beloved, please. What better name? You find it in the book. They were called Christians first at Antioch. And will you please note something? Have you ever noticed it? Who called them Christians? The world. They didn't take it. The world called them Christ once. That's what it meant. Christ was seen in their lives. You couldn't get a better name. You couldn't get a better name. All the joy of realizing everyone that has Christ, they've got the best name. Introduced as I was by some Christian friend as we met in a restaurant and they had some other friends there. They introduced me to them. They were Christians. And one said, Brother Bramwell, what denomination do you belong to? I looked at that lady. I said, well, let me ask you the question. Are you saved? Are you born again? They said, yes. Well, I think you belong to the same church I do. Look, I may be old-fashioned, I probably am, in contrast to what you hear today in many places. There's only one name to meet. Where two or three are gathered together, says the Lord Jesus, how? In my name there are my. And may I put it this way? He said, where two or three are gathered, he knew how small they could be. I remember having a meeting in a little country place outside of Charlotte many years ago. The weather was bad. It was a rough trip to that little place. My mother went along with me. My wife was unable to go at the time for some other reason. And it was a rough night. And you know all that were there of that group was usually quite a few at that usually. But that night there was only two there. One man and his daughter. A grown daughter. An old man and his grown daughter. And there were four of us. And it was a whole rainy night. And we sat around the pop belly stove there. And we enjoyed fellowship in the word of God. In studying and reading and ministering on it. I never forget my mother said, that's the best meeting I've ever had. Ever been. I'll tell you one thing. What makes the meeting is not the crowd. It's the Lord. It's the Lord. The Lord when He's there. And here the Lord commends them. First positively, you've kept my words. Then negatively, you've not denied my name. Oh, the joy of knowing. a name that is above every name. And may I say lovingly, enjoy, if you know the Lord as your Savior, enjoy the sight, you belong to him, and you bear his precious name. But then, will you please note, as we go on very rapidly now, there are promises that he gives to them. Verse nine, Behold, I'll make them of the synagogue of Satan. We say they are Jews and are not. But do lie. Behold, I'll make them to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I've loved thee. Now, when he speaks of a synagogue of Satan, he's speaking about the character of some that were outside of Philadelphia, like Leia the Seer, and some of them in service even, and their entire tyrant. who were following Judaistic principles instead of scriptural principles. May I say simply, there are many Judaistic principles today. Let me give you the thought, the illustration. I say it lovingly that you've got one of the biggest examples of Judaistic principles in the Catholic Church. Pomp, ceremony, elaborate vestments, Ritual. Well, that's what they're trying to ponder themselves after the Old Temple. When I read my New Testament, that's not the way. And the Lord says to Philadelphia, look, they don't like you, but someday I'm going to show them I've loved you. I'm going to show them I've loved thee. And beloved, please let me say this. When David was in exile, when he was fleeing from Saul, and all that were having trouble with Saul came to follow him, and they dwell in a cave. Why did they go there? They went to David not because he was in a cave. He was not even in a palace or in any place of splendor. He was in exile, but they loved David. They honored David. They adored Him. My beloved, please let me say this. The person of Christ means more than every cathedral you can find in the whole world. I remember a dear brother in St. Louis, many years ago, an old man. He said to me, Brother Brahma, where do you think I first had the Lord's Supper in my life? I said, I wouldn't know, Brother. He said, in a blacksmith shop. What? Would you go to church in a blacksmith shop? He gathered with some Christians who wanted to have the Lord Jesus in their midst in simple, trusting faith and remember Him in the Lord's Supper. A dear friend of mine in the Army during the World War II, And some of the Indian brethren up near Pembroke in the army with him. The army kept those Indians together, but they came from that particular part of the country and during their service. And in Africa, this dear brother, I knew him well. He told me, John, he said, when we could, some of us sellers that would say, he led many of them to Christ while in the army. And he said, John, we met in a place wherever we could, even under a tree, to have the Lord's supper. And sometimes we couldn't get any wine or any grape juice. We just used water and we had bread. But we remembered the Lord. I want to tell you very frankly, I'd enjoy meeting with them more than seeing a big crowd. just because they knew the Lord would be with them. My beloved, you can lose the Lord Jesus in the crown. Mary and Joseph lost them in the crown in Luke chapter two. And oh beloved, look, let the Lord be the attraction and the day will come. He'll vindicate. I've loved this. Special love. But go further quickly. He goes to verse, if I may read in verse ten, he gives them another promise. Because thou has kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of trial or temptation or trial, which shall come upon all the world to test or try them to dwell upon thee. I want you to know something. There's trouble coming that's going to be worldwide. Please, getting nearer. I'm no prophet, but I can read my Bible. He says there's trouble coming for the whole world. But I'm going to keep you out of it. You know I'm glad I'm saying. You know I get saved now if I want saved. Why? Oh the Lord Jesus says. You're looking for me to come. The word of my patience. What is that? He's been patient waiting to come for us. And we've been waiting for him. And he said, I'm going to take you out of the world before that great trouble comes over all the world. Praise the Lord. You know, my, I could shout for joy when I realized that all the world is going to be in trouble from one end of it to the other. Never mind the Great Tribulation. Think what you want. The Great Tribulation will be around Israel chiefly in the land of Israel we know. And for the Lord only speaks about Israel in regards to the Great Tribulation. But here we're speaking about a trouble that's going to cover the whole world. And that means the United States. It means everywhere. But it says to the believer in Philadelphia, I'm going to take you out of it. He doesn't say I'm going to help you through it. He said, I'm going to take you out of it. I wish you'd do it tonight. I'm ready to go. But the joy of realizing, he gives them that promise. Oh, beloved Lord, please let me say, I don't care. It's the truth. The world's going to get worse. The Bible says it from cover to cover. It proves it. And particularly in your New Testament, it tells it, both in the Gospels and in the Epistles. Every writer in the Epistles tells it that it's coming to a day of judgment. And Revelation describes it in chapters four and on, chapters six and on particularly. But the Lord says, I'm going to take you out of this. Why? Because you've loved me. You've kept the word of my patience. His patience, Lord. He's been waiting longer than you have. I know one thing, there's a lot of dear friends, dear fellow believers. They're suffering. They're having pain. They're having cancer. They're having heart trouble. They're having many forms of sickness today.