To the Church in Philadelphia.
Revelation 3:7-13
Theme
Endruance.
This week’s lessons teach us about the valuable rewards that await those who persevere.
Scripture
11"I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12Him 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. 13He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
–Revelation 3:11-13
Lesson
Finally, having acknowledged the faithfulness of this small church, that it had kept Christ’s word and had not denied his name (v. 8), and having spoken of four great rewards because of the people’s faithfulness, Jesus offers a challenge: "Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown" (v. 11).
And you know something? They did. Edward Gibbon, the author of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, blamed Christianity for the collapse of Rome’s great empire, which he loved. But in a remarkable passage toward the end of that significant work he wrote about the cities addressed in Revelation and noted this about them: "Philadelphia alone has been saved by prophecy, or courage. At a distance from the sea, forgotten by the emperors, encompassed on all sides by the Turks, her valiant citizens defended their religion and freedom above fourscore years, and at length capitulated with the proudest of the Ottomans. Among the Greek colonies and churches of Asia, Philadelphia is still erect, a column in a scene of ruins–a pleasing example that the paths of honor and safety may sometimes be the same."1#
How does a Christian measure success? I gave one answer at the beginning of this week’s lesson, based on verse 8: "you have kept my word and have not denied my name." That is only one way of answering the question. But we can say the same thing another way, as we have here. It is to be still standing when the battles of life are over or when Jesus comes.
I have always remembered a line from the first of the many popular Rocky movies. Because of a promotional fluke, Rocky Balboa has come out of oblivion by being given a chance to fight the heavyweight champion of the world, Apollo Creed. No one thinks Rocky has a chance, and he doesn’t really, though he loses the fight in the end only by a close decision. But Rocky takes the challenge seriously and goes into rigorous training. He gives it everything he has. Yet as the day of the fight draws near, in a reflective mood, he confides to his girlfriend Adrianne, "There’s no way I can beat Apollo Creed. I just want to go the distance." He meant he just wanted to last the fifteen rounds.
That is not a bad approach for Christians. How do you measure success? One way is just to go the distance. Jesus Christ says, "Hold on! Don’t give up! Don’t let anyone take your crown! And remember, I am coming soon!" Can you remember that? Can you hang on? Jesus doesn’t ask for heroics. He just wants those who are his to persevere. But to those who do persevere, who endure to the end, he promises his own new name, the name of a conqueror, and a crown of glory that will never tarnish or be snatched away.
##1Edward Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Norwalk, Conn.: Easton Press, 1974), vol. 6, chap. 64, p. 2230.
Study Questions
• What challenge did Jesus offer to the Philadelphia church?
• According to today’s lesson, how does a Christian measure success?
• What is promised to believers who persevere?
This daily devotional study is from the Bible teaching of Dr. James Boice on the broadcast The Bible Study Hour. You may order the audio version of his studies here.
