How many opportunities have you missed?
Could you imagine how different your life would be today if ten, fifteen, or twenty years ago you knew Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Michael Dell, or Sam Walton? These men were the founders of Microsoft, Apple, Dell Computers, and Wal-Mart. Consider Steve Jobs, for example. If you had known to invest just one thousand dollars in Apple Computers back in 1980, your investment would be worth over 3 million dollars today!
In Signs of Life, David Jeremiah tells a story of a man named Walter who invited his friend Arthur to go for a ride through some underdeveloped land in southern California. They drove through some groves of trees and past some ramshackle buildings before they arrived at what looked to Arthur like barren wasteland. Walter began telling his friend about the exciting plans he had for this uninviting parcel of land. Walter's whole purpose for the drive was to give Arthur the opportunity to become an investor in his dream.
Walter had enough money for his main project, but he wanted to ensure that the land surrounding his venture would be bought up at the same time. He felt sure that within five years the whole area would be filled with hotels, restaurants, and convention centers to serve the people who came to visit his development. Arthur was not impressed, and declined the opportunity.
And so Art Linkletter turned down the opportunity to buy up all the land that now surrounds Disneyland, the dream-turned-reality of his friend Walt Disney!
The problem for us is that we don't know who the next Walt Disney, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Michael Dell, or Sam Walton is going to be! If we did, we'd surely smack down a thousand dollars and watch things happen. Unfortunately it doesn't work like that. We can't see into the future to know something that may be that advantageous, with certainty-- or can we?
Our first challenge is to know Jesus Christ.
This week, I've been studying Christ's letter to the church in Philadelphia. It's really got me thinking about things. For example, our biggest problem isn't knowing the next Walt Disney, or Steve Jobs, or whoever. Our first and biggest challenge is to know Jesus Christ. It strikes me over and again that Christ has to introduce himself to each of these seven Churches in Revelation 2-3.
We should be introducing Christ to the world, but instead, Christ is introducing himself to the Church! It's like a groom having to introduce himself to his bride, or a husband having to introduce himself to his wife. If we really knew Christ, we'd immediately anchor our souls to him for all eternity. But as it stands, we don't know the Christ. So he has to introduce himself to his Church, time and time again.
In Revelation 3:7 (NIV) Christ says, "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."
These are profound words. We all know how volatile investments can be. With these words, Jesus is telling his Church that he is wholly trustworthy and reliable. When Christ Jesus sets his mind to something, nothing and no one can frustrate it. What he opens no one can shut. And what he shuts no one can open. Christ has real power and real authority to accomplish his perfect will.
Christ introduces himself to the church in Philadelphia.
To illustrate, Christ introduces himself as the one who holds, "the key of David." Back in Revelation 1:18 (NIV) Christ says something similar. "I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades." I know we started with an illustration about money. But what is of greater worth than gold and silver? Is it not life itself? Christ holds the keys of life and death.
Now let's do something here. How many of you have keys in your pocket or purse? Let's pull them out. Each key on your keyring signifies your power and authority. Your car key signifies that you have final authority over who can get into your car, or drive it around. Your house key signifies the same. The key to your toolbox, your safe-deposit box, your desk drawer, and your safe are the keys to your power. Only you can open what you can open. Only you can shut what you can shut.
There are some pretty nice cars in our parking lot. Maybe you have a key to a BMW or a Corvette. How exciting it would be to borrow your keys! But here is what Christ says. "I hold the key of life and death, the key of David."
Let me warn you-- nobody else has that key! The only way you will ever unlock eternal life is if you come to Christ Jesus and he pulls out his key. In Revelation 3:7 Christ is reminding us that he can do as he pleases. He has final authority and power to grant access to eternal life, or to deny it. Do you think this knowledge is valuable? It's only valuable to something who values life more than wealth.
I suppose on the last day there will be those who regretfully say, "If only I'd known Christ, if only I'd trusted in Christ and invested just a tiny little mustard seed of faith, I'd be reaping everlasting life."
Our second challenge is to walk through the door.
In Revelation 3:8 Christ is inviting the church at Philadelphia to consider what an extraordinary door of opportunity stands open before them. Christ has taken his key and opened up a door. Look at Revelation 3:8 (NIV). "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."
A lot of commentators bicker about what this open door might be. But we know what this door is! In Revelation 4:1 immediately after the apostle John transcribes this letter and the letter to the church at Laodicea, he writes, "After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven." And then of course John paints this glorious picture of Christ, reigning from his throne, with all the elders, and all the angels, and the four living creatures all bowed in submission singing, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." See Revelation 4:8 (NIV).
Now take another look at Revelation 3:8 (NIV). For whom is this door standing wide open? Christ says, "I know your deeds. I know you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name."
What's alarming about this verse is that Christ is relatively unconcerned with whether we've verbally laid claim to salvation. Look what Christ is concerned with! "I know your deeds... you have kept my word... you have not denied my name." And notice what Christ says to all the other churches in Revelation 2-3. It's essentially the same.
Christ is concerned with how we are investing our lives.
To the church at Ephesus Christ said, "I know your deeds. Repent and do the things you did at first. To him who overcomes, I will the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God."
To the church at Smyrna Christ said, "I know your afflictions and poverty. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death."
To the church at Pergamum Christ said, "Repent therefore! To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it."
To the church at Thyatira Christ said, "I know your deeds. To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations. I will also give him the morning star."
To the church at Sardis Christ said, "I know your deeds. He who overcomes, will be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels."
I know there are those who think that following Christ is only a matter of talk-- saying the right things. What concerns Christ is how we are investing our lives. Is there true repentance? True confession? True obedience? Do our deeds back up our profession of faith? Have we kept Christ's words and refused to deny his name? Faith without works is dead. Profession without repentance is dead. Good intentions without obedience are dead.
Christ has opened the door to heaven, but we must walk through that door in his strength.
Christ has opened the door to heaven, but now we must walk through that door in his strength. Have you believed on Jesus? Have you confessed him as Lord of your life? Have you truly repented of your sins? Have you been baptized into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Have you been baptized for the forgiveness of your sins, for the promise of God's Holy Spirit? Have you chosen to walk in obedience? Have you chosen to be part of Christ's Church?
Christ holds the key to life and death. He opens unto us the door of heaven. Do we see it? Will we enter? In John 10:9 (NIV) Jesus says, "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture." In John 14:6 (NIV) Jesus says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." In Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV) Jesus tells us, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
Our third challenge is to trust Christ through experiencing trouble.
Our third challenge is to trust Christ through trouble. For those who would enter into eternal life, there is always the temptation to let go of the crown of life at the first sign of trouble or persecution. Investors love to point out that we get in the most trouble when we buy into an investment, but then sell out at the first sign of danger. The best investment advice is to buy and hold on.
For those who would pursue life, Christ promises to preserve and protect. Earlier in this series we described how the Romans were initially tolerant of Christianity. The Romans assumed that Christianity was an outgrowth, or expansion, of Judaism. So, like the Jews, Christians were exempt from having to pay homage to Caesar. But in the end, the Jews incited Roman intolerance toward Christians. They lied to the Roman authorities and disassociated themselves with Christ as the fulfillment of law and the prophets.
In Revelation 3:9-10 (NIV) Christ encourages his Church. "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. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown."
Christ holds the keys of life and death. Christ opens for us the door of heaven. Seize the opportunity. No matter what the trouble, no matter how great the tribulation, no matter how little strength you possess, hold on to what you have! Don't be discouraged. In time, Christ will prove his faithfulness, his love, and protection.
In Christ, we can overcome and inherit eternal life.
When I was reading about the city of Philadelphia, I was surprised to learn that it had a relatively low population. Like Sardis, Philadelphia had been devastated by earthquakes. Most people chose to live in the surrounding area. Those in the city would flee at the first sign of a tremor. People were gripped by fear. It's been written that new cracks in walls and buildings were discovered daily.
Another interesting detail is that Philadelphia was known as, "Little Athens" because of the many temples built in the city to the Roman gods. After earthquakes, the only thing that was often left standing were the pillars of these temples. Even today, many of these ancient pillars remain standing. At the foot of these pillars, you can often find inscriptions with the names of rulers, kings, gods, and dignitaries.
This historical detail is important because in Revelation 3:12-13 (NIV) Christ speaks of his people being made into pillars and having the holy name of God etched in stone on them for all eternity. And he describes how a new city, the city of God, the new Jerusalem will come down out of heaven, replacing the old. "Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him 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 him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
Our challenge is to know Christ, walk through the open door to heaven, trust Christ through trouble, and embrace this hope of everlasting life. We will be established like pillars in the temple of God. His name will be etched on us as if etched in stone. We will dwell permanently, for all eternity, in the city of God, the new Jerusalem. What an extraordinary opportunity! May we never look back in regret for not having seized this opportunity to invest in eternal life.