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Sermon: Rev 3 Philadelphia

Philadelphia


Rev 3:7-13


I guess for many of us today Philadelphia makes us
think of an American city. It has a kind of romantic
ring to it. I suppose this is created by Bruce
Springsteen’s massive hit single ‘Philadelphia’. The hit
based on the film of the same name starring Tom
Hanks. Hanks plays a young man dying of Aids. It is a
moving film but one that leaves the audience perhaps
too sympathetic to a homosexual lifestyle. Certainly
we are left with the impression of a city with sexual
freedom. Elton John celebrates this same freedom in
his song ‘Philadelphia Freedom’.


Well the church in the Philadelphia to which John, or
rather Jesus writes also enjoys freedom. Not the
hedonistic freedom of a modern Philadelphia, but a
different kind of freedom, a freedom conferred upon
the church by the risen, reigning Lord of history and of
the church itself when he says in v8


See, I have set before you an open door
that no-one can shut.


Philadelphia in Revelation is a city in ancient Turkey.
A much smaller city than modern Philadelphia,
probably nearer the size of Paisley. It is the youngest
of the seven cities referred to in Revelation. It was in
fact the gateway from the coast to the central plateau of
Asia Minor. It had been built initially by deliberate
strategy to bring Greek culture and customs to the
surrounding region.


The church in Philadelphia, like the church in Smyrna
had gone through hard times. It seems to have
experienced a fair measure of opposition if not open
persecution. They are commended, for example, for
having ‘patiently endured’ (v10). They faced, like
Smyrna and so many other NT churches, the
antagonism of the Jewish community.

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About John

Hi there - I am a member of Greenview and have been for over 20 years. For a number of these years I functioned as an elder, however, indifferent health forced me to take more of a back seat. I see this as an opportunity to do a little writing, often focussing on issues that are a matter of evangelical debate today. Naturally the views expressed are my own and may not reflect the views of the elders or church at large, though differences are likely to be in the detail and not the substance.

These articles and sermons were written partly to clarify my own thoughts and partly with the intention of provoking thought in others who may read them. If you read one I hope you find it stimulating. Please feel free to give me feedback or discuss my articles in the forums.

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