In 1269 Kublai Khan - the grandson of Genghis Khan - who ruled the Mongol Empire - this huge empire that extended from China through Persia and into Europe - in 1269 Kublai Khan sent a request from Peking to Rome - which in part said, “Send a hundred wise men of the Christian religion...And so I shall be baptized, and when I shall be baptized all my baron and great men will be baptized, and their subjects baptized, and so there will be more Christians here than there are in your parts.”

Imagine that - the opportunity - at that time the Mongols were wavering in the choice of a religion. It would have been the greatest mass religious movement the world has ever seen. The history of all Asia would have been changed. But what happened? Pope Gregory X answered by sending two Dominican friars - who got as far as Armenia - couldn’t handle the trip and so they went home.

This morning - as we’re looking at the church of Philadelphia - we want to be encouraged to walk through the doors of God’s opportunities.

Revelation 3:7-13 - verse 7: “And to the angel of the church of Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one shall shut, who shuts and no one opens.’”

Verse 7 is a description of Jesus. He is holy and true - sinless and trustworthy. Jesus will never lie or deceive us. What He says He will do - He will do. Verse 7 says that Jesus - the holy and true one - has the “Key of David.” This is a reference to an incident recorded in the Book of Isaiah - which you can read about in Isaiah 22, 36, 37.

Back when Hezekiah was King of Judah - Sennacherib - the King of Assyria came and laid siege to Jerusalem. There was a servant of King Hezekiah named Shebna - who had great authority and - in the midst of this siege - was using his position of authority in the king’s house for his own benefit. Shebna was causing all kinds of problems for the people and using the turmoil as an opportunity to get rich.

There was another servant of the king - an ordinary man by the name of Eliakim - who was a godly man serving alongside Shebna. Through a series of events Shebna was kicked out and Eliakim was put in his place - given Shebna’s position of authority.

Isaiah the prophet prophesied about Eliakim, “He will become a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Then I will set the key of the house of David on his shoulder - the key is symbolic of his position of authority - Then I will set the key of the house of David on his shoulder when he opens no one will shut, when he shuts no one will open.” (Isaiah 22:21,22)

During this siege - while the entire Assyrian army surrounded the walls of Jerusalem - Eliakim - as the representative of the king - with all of the kings authority - stood on the walls and stared down the army. Rabshakeh - the Assyrian commander - laughed at God - laughed at the people of Judah - and taunted Eliakim - and Eliakim kept the gates shut. Then the angel of the Lord passed through the Assyrian army and 185,000 Assyrian soldiers died - and the Assyrians never entered Jerusalem.

In the same way, Jesus has the “Key of David.” He has all the authority and power over God’s household and church - over God’s spiritual kingdom. He is holy and true. If Jesus says He’ll open it - He will open it. What Jesus opens - stays open - what Jesus shuts - stays shut.

Verse 8 - Jesus says to the church of Philadelphia: “I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut - who can shut it? Jesus opened it - I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.”

Philadelphia had been founded in 138 B.C. by Attalus II - who had the nickname “philadelphus” - Greek for “brother lover.” He was given the nickname because of the great love he had for his brother. Philadelphia was a fortress city - an agricultural center - a center of textile and leather production. But it wasn’t a very important place - not really a very big city or very impressive.

What was important about Philadelphia was its location. The city of Philadelphia was about 100 miles inland - of all the cities that we’ve looked at it was the farthest east. It was a gateway - a doorway to the high tableland of Anatolia. It was on the main access way - the doorway - to what became the greatest trade route to Asia and beyond. Because of its location - as a Greek city - Philadelphia was very influential in spreading Greek culture and philosophy and language into Asia.

In the same way - the Church of Philadelphia had before it and open door to spread the Gospel through-out Asia and beyond. Philadelphia was not a big church - not a wealthy church. But, Jesus says that they had kept the Word of God and had remained faithful to Jesus - and now He was placing in front of them a door - a wide open door of opportunity - to be used by Jesus in powerful ministry.

God is continually placing doors of opportunity before His church. Its amazing how many doors our Lord opens up for us to walk through to share the Gospel - to teach the Bible - to serve Him and witness for Him.

Margaret and Don gather food and bring it to those who are sharing it with those in need. Alidz is downstairs Sunday after Sunday guiding our children’s ministry. Joe is up here Sunday after Sunday manning the sound system. Marriane is downstairs helping in the nursery. Ara, Nora, Nishan, and Pastor Sam went to Armenia this summer and were used by God to bring the Gospel to over 100 children. Hovsep and Sato are working and leading in the ministry of a Persian church. The Nazareth and Rosanne open their home to our prayer meeting twice a month. Kevork is in the back each Sunday ushering. Betty - well I really don’t know everything Betty does - but I know that she is constantly sharing Jesus with others - visiting them - inviting them to church - opening her home for ministry.

We could go on naming individuals and opportunities. I’m sure you can think of several examples yourself. Its wonderful that so many are willing by faith and the power of the Holy Spirit to walk through the doors of opportunity that God lays before them.

Jesus says, “I know that you have little strength - yet you have kept My word and have not denied My name.”

This is a challenge for us as a church. As God opens doors for us as a church body are we ready and willing to go through them?

The opportunities God gives are like ocean waves. Have you ever watched surfers? Sometimes I go out to Pacifica to the Taco Bell that’s on the beach. There are always surfers out there in the ocean waiting for the next wave to come.

Surfing is the art of riding waves that God builds. God makes the waves - surfers ride them. God is constantly sending waves of opportunity to His church - the key is to commit to riding them.

I’ve had a number of people tell me that God is doing something here at Calvary. I believe that. There’s an increased sense of God’s presence - His leading - activity - His work in our lives. Here’s the wave. Here’s the door of opportunity - its open.

There are incredible opportunities for us - possibilities of who we can reach - thousands of Armenians in the Bay Area and beyond. And Calvary is one of the few evangelical witnesses in San Francisco. How does God want to use us in this city? The question is are we willing to let go of ourselves - to trust God - and walk through that door - wherever God will lead us.

What happens if we go through God’s door of opportunity. God promises us 3 things.

First: God Will Use Us

Verse 9: “Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie - behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and learn that I have loved you.”

In Philadelphia there was a Jewish community that was vehemently opposed to the Christians. They refused to recognize Jesus as their Messiah - and they were actively persecuting those who had trusted Jesus.

Jesus says that the day will come when those who accuse the believers - those who are enemies of Christ and His Church - the day will come when they will have to acknowledge that Jesus is God and that the Church really is the people of God.

The Church that is responsive to God’s open doors - that is willing to put everything on the line and testify of Jesus - that Church God uses to teach the world about Jesus. Something amazing happens when a church is willing to respond to opposition and hostility with God’s love and blessing.

10 years ago - when I was in Yerevan with a group of College students - some of them had the experience of sharing the Gospel with passersby in the central square in Yerevan - right under this huge concrete block structure with a tall statue of Lenin on top. I was amazed - being in Yerevan 10 years later - today in that exact spot - there’s a lawn.

Study account after account after account. What brought down the Soviet Union? The Gospel of Jesus Christ. And it is amazing how many former atheistic communists have turned to acknowledge the God - Jesus - the Head of the church they persecuted.

If we walk through the door God will use us in ways we cannot begin to imagine.

Second Promise: God Will Preserve Us

Verse 10: “Because you have kept my word of patient endurance - because you have patiently endured the persecution and opposition to your faith - I will keep you from the hour of trial which is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell upon the earth.”

The “hour of trial” that Jesus is speaking of refers to the coming Great Tribulation - a coming period of unprecedented world-wide suffering - destruction - judgment - war - and supernatural disaster. The Bible teaches that just prior to the Tribulation the church will be removed from the earth. (Ezekiel 38,39; Daniel 9:26b,27; 11:36-45; 12:9-13; Joel 2:1ff; Matthew 24,25; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; Revelation 4-18) Jesus is saying to this church that He will keep them from this ultimate trial.

The Church of Philadelphia endured longer - held on longer - than any other of these 7 churches - here in Revelation. When the Byzantine Empire fell - when Constantinople was over-run - when the Ottoman Turks set up their empire - the Church of Philadelphia persisted in witnessing of Jesus Christ. In fact, I have heard that the Church of Philadelphia - the Christian witness in that area of what is today the city of Alasehir - the church persisted until World War I - until the time of the massacres.

Hear this - walking through God’s open doors does not spare us from the struggles and circumstances of this world. Whether we are on this side of the door or the other side of the door - we still live in this world. The difference is living within the will of God - living faithfully for God - and how God uses and rewards that faithfulness. Jesus says, witness of Me and I will preserve you and care for you through every circumstance.

Then in verse 11 Jesus says: “I am coming soon; hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” Hang in there - I’m coming - stay faithful.

Third Promise: God Will Give Us An Eternal Inheritance

Verse 12: “He who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God; never shall he go out of it....”

The area of Philadelphia is earthquake territory. We were just reminded of that with the recent earthquake in Western Turkey. Philadelphia was continually being destroyed by earthquakes. Looking at ancient ruins - usually the only thing left standing are the pillars.

Jesus is talking about permanence - strength - security. When everything else crumbles away - when everything we see around us is destroyed - those who overcome will have a permanent place in Heaven - the Temple of God. (Hebrews 9)

Verse 12: “He who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God; never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of My God - which describes the believer's new God given holy character - and I will write on him the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem which comes down from My God out of Heaven - this is our new eternal home - dwelling forever with God - and - Jesus will give to us His - (My) own new name.”

In the Bible Jesus is given many names - each symbolizes His character and work. This new name is mystery. It describes His work in our lives in the time after we go to Heaven. So we don’t know what it is - yet. But the point is that we will know because we’ll be there with Him.

If we go through God’s doors of opportunity - God will use us - He will preserve us - and He will give us a tremendous eternal life with Him.

Finally, in verse 13, Jesus says: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”