Video Transcript: Philadelphia

Alaşehir is a city and district in Manisa province in the Agean region of Turkey. It  is situated in the valley of the Kuzuçay river known as Cogamus in antiquity,  Alaşehir is nestled up against Bozdag mountain, known as Mount Timolus. In  antiquity. The city is located about 45 kilometers southeast of Sardis, and  around 130 kilometers from Izmir. In antiquity and in the Middle Ages, Alaşehir  was known as Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love. The ancient city of  Philadelphia is primarily remembered as one of the seven cities mentioned in  the book of Revelation. Because the city was in an earthquake prone area, not  much remains to be seen of ancient Philadelphia, what might still exist lies  buried for the most part under the modern Alaşehir. Come with me on a journey,  the quest for answers, looking for the first followers of Christ in Turkey. City of  Alaşehir with almost 50,000 inhabitants, stands on elevated ground above the  extensive and fertile plane of the Gediz River, which was called the Hermus  River in antiquity. The city presents an imposing appearance when seen from a  distance, it has 45 mosques, there are many small industries and shops. The  surrounding area produces tobacco, raisins and fruit and mineral spring yields a  heavily carbonated water that is in great demand in Izmir. within Turkey, the  city's name is synonymous with the dried Sultana raisins. Though the fresh fruit  market, which is less labor intensive than the dried fruit market has gained  prominence in recent decades. It became an important town of the Byzantine  Empire. It was not taken by the Ottomans until after all the cities of Asia Minor  had surrendered to Ottoman rule, conquered by Timur in 1402, who was  recaptured under the Ottoman Sultan Murad II who reigned from 1421 to 51. A  part of the city was burned down during the Turkish War of Independence, which was from 1919 to 1922. According to Park 70% of the buildings of Alaşehir were  destroyed by fire and Kinross wrote Alaşehir was no more than a dark scorched  cavity defacing the hillside, village after village had been reduced to an ash  heap. It is estimated some 3000 lives were lost in the burning of Alaşehir in the  city of Alaşehir, the ruins of a Byzantine church are about all that remains of the  Christian church of Philadelphia, a rectangular building of six pillars. The church  is known as the Church of St. John, three of the church's pillars are still standing with their lower portion made of stone and their upper portion made of bricks.  Some of 11th century frescos in very poor condition are barely discernible on  some of the pillars. Some marble sarcophagi and tombstones along with column capitals and other architectural pieces can be seen near the church. A portion of  the Byzantine wall around the city still exists on the north side of Alaşehir. Most  of the Roman and Hellenistic ruins of the ancient city of Philadelphia, apparently lie buried underneath the modern city. Although some remains had been  uncovered on the ancient Acropolis of the city. In 1986, archaeologists  excavated the ruins of an ancient theater and a temple on the Acropolis, both  thought to date to the Roman period, possibly the second century AD, a large  part of the stage building and a small portion of the seating area were 

uncovered. From the temple, the foundation and some marble architectural  blocks were discovered. The Museum of Manisa contains some archaeological  finds from Philadelphia. The city of Alaşehir spreads across the surface of what  once was the city of Philadelphia, called the gateway to the east. Philadelphia  was established at the junction of the approaches to Misia, Lydia and Phrygia  prior to the Hellenistic founding of the city of Philadelphia, an earlier settlement  was there was known as Kilisesi dating back several centuries. The city was  named for are Attalus II Philadelphos the Attalid king of Pergamum from 159 to  138 BC. His loyalty to his brother Eumenes II Soter, who preceded as king  earned him the nickname Philadelphos meaning brotherly love. Either Eumenes  or Attalus founded the city which was in the Lydian region of ancient Anatolia.  After Attalus III 138 to 133 BC bequeathed the Pergamum kingdom to the  Romans in 133 BC, Philadelphia came under Roman control. The area around  Philadelphia was a fertile agricultural area, especially suited to growing grapes.  unfortunately, the area was also susceptible to frequent earthquakes a  particularly devastating earthquake struck the area in 17 AD, destroying the city  of Sardis and doing extensive damage to Philadelphia. To help the city recover  from this disaster. The emperor Tiberius remitted the tribute on to Rome for a  period of five years. In gratitude. Philadelphia took the name Neocaesarea and  dedicated a temple to Tiberius. Although the city was slow to recover from the  devastation caused by the earthquake and its aftershocks, it eventually  prospered under Roman rule. By the fifth century, it was sometimes referred as  little Athens because of many temples and religious festivals. Because of the  importance of grapes and wine production in Philadelphia, the principle god  worshiped at Philadelphia was Dionysus. Christianity took root here before the  end of the first century, as evidenced by the church in the city, being one of the  seven churches addressed in the book of Revelation. Early in the second  century, Ignatius Bishop of Antioch in Syria, passed through Philadelphia as a  prisoner on his way to martyrdom in Rome. farther along on his journey, while at  Troas. He wrote a letter to the church at Philadelphia, encouraging the people to remain united and to support their bishop and other church leaders. Later,  around 155 AD, when Polycarp of Smyrna was martyred, some members of the  Church at Philadelphia were martyred at the same time. From its inception,  Philadelphia was intended to serve as a missionary city for the promotion of  Greek language and culture, to the area of Lydia and Phrygia. This missionary  endeavor was successful. Archaeologist Sir William Ramsay declares that in  Lydia, the local language was completely replaced by Greek. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, these things says, He who is holy, He who is  true, he who has the key of David, he who opens and no one shuts, and shuts  and no one opens, I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door,  and no one can shut it. For you have a little strength, have kept My word, and  have not denied My name. Indeed, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan 

who say they are Jews, and are not, but lie, indeed, I will make them come and  worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Because you have  kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial, which  

shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold,  I'm coming quickly, hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.  He who overcomes I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and He  shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of  the city of my God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven for my God, and I will write on him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Philadelphia was the youngest of the seven  cities, Philadelphia housed the only church other than Smyrna to receive  exclusively positive remarks. Of all the churches, the one in Philadelphia  receives the most praise and no criticism. While the Smyrna church witnessed in spite of its impoverishment, the Philadelphia community sustain its work in spite  of the fact that it was powerless before hostile communal forces. This letter was  sent to encourage the church concerning a time of tribulation, as was the case  in Smyrna. The present travelers of the church of Philadelphia appear to have  been the local Jews. However, a calamity of broader proportions was coming in  Jesus promised to preserve the church through it The reality is that if you hold  Christ's hand, it does not matter what you may face, Jesus will provide the  strength you need to press on. To the church in Philadelphia, Jesus introduces  himself with three great titles, the Holy One, the True One, and the one who has  the key of David who opens and no one shuts and shuts and no one opens. The titles given to Christ in this letter are not taken from the vision of Christ in  Revelation chapter one. Nonetheless, elsewhere in Revelation Jesus is declared to be both holy and true, and is also said to be holy and true. In the Old  Testament, the phrase the holy one refers to God. This title affirms the divinity of Jesus. In His vision, Isaiah heard the song of the angels, holy, holy, holy, is the  Lord of hosts. Thus says the high and exalted one who lives forever, whose  name is holy, I am the Lord your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King. The  phrase is also a designation of Jesus in the New Testament. Here the exalted  Christ shares the essence of divine nature, he is also the true one. This is his  second title in the letter to the church at Philadelphia, Jesus is true, he is the  true God, faithful to all the promises he has given to His people. Jesus  introduces himself as the one who has the key of David, which symbolizes his  full authority. Keys are instruments that unlock and therefore make available the  contents of that which is beyond the lock. Keys can also prevent access to those same assets. The emphasis in this passage is accessibility to God Himself  through Jesus who, as the steward of God holds the key of David. The  revelation had started with a vision of Christ with the keys of death, and of  Hades in his hands. Having such keys, Christ is able to open doors that have  been barred to mortals. Here we have instead a quotation from Isaiah 22:22, the

one having the key of David who opens and no one shuts, and who shuts and  no one opens. Isaiah 22:22 presents a picture of Aleichem, the faithful chief  steward of the king who was given authority over the royal palace, and over the  Royal Storehouse. In the New Testament, Christ has given all authority, he is  appointed as head over all things to the church, and he is faithful as a son over  his house. Now, he presents himself to the Philadelphians, as the one who has  received full authority, and has access to the heavenly storehouse and the  riches of God. From there he is able to give to the overcomers in the church,  many different and wonderful promises. Jesus alone has the authority to admit  to the New Jerusalem, the New City of David. The words to the church began for the fourth of five times in this letter with the affirmation I know your works. But  what follows is unique to the seven letters, Jesus presents an opportunity for the present, and a promise for the future, the opportunity and the promise are  intertwined. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it. An  open door is a metaphor for the opportunity of preaching the gospel. Paul says  that a wide door for effective service has opened to me. Paul also prayed that  God may open up to us a door for the world, so that we may speak forth the  mystery of Christ. In his report to the church in Antioch, he spoke of how God  opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. When God opens the door, no one is  able to stop Christians in their service for God. Although faithful with an open  door of opportunities set before them. Christ is aware that this church has a  significant weakness. It is not driven by a dynamic force for God, for it has but  little strength. It was probably a fairly small and poor congregation. The reality is  that when God opens the door of opportunity for the preaching of the Gospel,  the enemy's forces are always there to shut that door. Well, Paul rejoiced that  God had opened a great and effective door for service to Him. He also observed that there are many adversaries, Jesus accused the scribes and Pharisees of  shutting people out of the kingdom of heaven. This is evidently what happened  in Philadelphia. This church confronted the same problem as did the church in  Smyrna, with those who say they are Jews, but in reality are of the synagogue  of Satan. There was evidently a Jewish synagogue there in Philadelphia. And  the Christians had apparently suffered from accusations made by the Jews to  the Roman authorities, as was the case in Smyrna. But Jesus gives this church  the assurance that he loves them despite their weakness, and that he is already  dealing with their opponents. The day is coming when their enemies who are  doing Satan's work will be humiliated and will admit that God loves the  Philadelphia church. When God opens the door of opportunity for this weak  church, all the power of the enemy will not be able to shut the door. God has  also opened the door for you an opportunity for you to share His love with those  around you, your relatives, your friends, your neighbors, your associates, and  colleagues are your mission field. You are the living message of God for them.  And it does not matter what challenges you face, or even if you have little 

courage or strength. God will use you if you allow him to do so. Christ praise of  his followers in Philadelphia comes in two forms. In verse eight Christ  commends them. Because even though you have little strength, you have in fact kept my word and have not denied My name. And in verse 10, they are  commended because you have kept My command to endure patiently,  noticeably, these twofold words of praise say basically the same thing. The  believers have not fallen into compromise or apostasy. They have been loyal to  the Gospel, even in the midst of severe persecution. Because the  Philadelphians have kept the word of my endurance, Jesus give them the  assurance that he will be with them and protect them in this eschatological hour  of trial. I'll also keep you from the hour of trial that is about to come on those  who dwell on the earth. The phrase, those who dwell on the earth consistently  refers to the wicked. This hour of trial clearly refers to God's judgment against  the enemies of God and His people, which will be poured out prior to the  Second Coming as portrayed in Revelation 16. What is perhaps noteworthy is  that this is the third and final time the word endure, is used in these letters to the seven churches. Enduring is surely to be understood as no small matter. Indeed, it is especially noteworthy that the command to endure has inherent in it, and  understanding of discipleship that pervades the New Testament that those who  follow the Crucified One should not expect lesser treatment than their master  received. Thus, endurance, as a command is simply part of the package for  those who would be Christ's disciples. This is the second letter to receive all  commendation and no condemnation. The first one was Smyrna, the church that was suffering persecution, but held on to God's promises. The church in  Philadelphia was also suffering persecution, and holding on to God's promises  as well. Furthermore, the Christ followers at Philadelphia, were involved in the  proclamation of the gospel. The lesson I've shared before, is that during times of suffering, it is not the time for rebuke or condemnation, it is time for support and  care. In addition, those who are actively proclaiming the gospel against all the  odds, they need support, care and protection, not rebuke or condemnation.  Since the work is already hard, we should avoid laying any unnecessary burden  on the workers. Let's support those who are actively proclaiming the everlasting  gospel. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good  news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who  proclaim salvation who says to Zion, your God reigns. In light of the soon  coming of Jesus the Philadelphians are asked to keep a tight hold on that which  they have said that no one will take your crown, the crown and view here is this  the finest crown or victor's crown? Under no circumstances is there the threat of  losing salvation, but with the intensity of persecution facing the Philadelphians,  the possibility for the following pattern of the Sardian Christians succumbing to  those pressures, and hence, forfeiting rewards was real. The purpose of the  admonition here is not to lose the reward. Presenting a distinctive perspective 

William Barclay provides a list of people in the Bible, who lost their place to  someone else, because they were found unworthy of the task God had given  them. Esau lost his place to Jacob. Ruben lost his place to Judah, Saul lost his  place to David. Judas lost his place to Matthias, and the Jews lost their place to  the Gentiles. It is a real tragedy when God opens a door and gives a person a  task, then finds that he or she renounces the call. He then removes that person  and gives the task to somebody else. Have you embraced the task that God has assigned for you? Jesus promises to make the overcomer in the church in  Philadelphia, a pillar in the temple of my God. In I Timothy 3:15. The church of  the living God is the pillar and support of the truth. Paul names Peter, James  and John as pillars of the early church, a pillar is fixed in the temple as a  support. The metaphor of being a pillar in the temple conveys the idea of  stability and permanence. The faithful overcomers are promised eternal security  in Christ, for they will never go out of it. These overcomers receive another  promise, I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of  my God, the New Jerusalem, which descends out of heaven from my God, and  my new name. Having the name of God and of Christ written upon oneself, is  probably like a slave bearing the brand of his master. Further along, we will hear an angel expressing concern that the judgments not begin until we have sealed  the servants of our God on their foreheads. Those thus sealed are later seen to  have the Father's name written on their foreheads, a contrast to those who have the name or Mark of the Beast upon their foreheads. Such a mark on the  believer is not a visible tattoo, but the seal of God's ownership, a concept Paul  equates with the believers possession of the Holy Spirit. The writing of the New  Jerusalem upon the believer suggests citizenship there. This Jerusalem is  described in symbolic detail in Revelation 21. On faithful Christians, Christ will  write his own new name. The people of Philadelphia knew all about taking a new name. When in 17 AD a terrible earthquake devastated their city, and Tiberius,  the Emperor dealt kindly with them, canceling taxation and making a generous  gift to rebuild it. In their gratitude, they called the city Neocaesarea, the new city  of Caesar, and later, when Vespasian was kind to them, they called it Flavia. For that was the family name of Vespasian, Jesus Christ will mark his faithful ones  with his new name, what that name is, we need not even speculate for no one  knows it. But in the time to come, when Christ has conquered all his faithful  ones will bear the badge which shows that they are his and share his triumph.  Friend are you looking forward to the day that you will receive a new name a  new home and a new life? By faith we can hear the footsteps of an approaching  God who is coming back for you and for me to take us home. This is not the time to play Christian it's time for full surrender to Jesus. It's time to be a fully devoted disciple a completely committed follower of the man of Nazareth it's time to  embrace God's plan for your life it's almost time to go home don't hold back my  friend give yourself fully to Jesus today 

I need to surrender myself Lord. I need to surrender myself. I need to hear your  voice speaking to me I have no possessions to offer you. Only a saint impure  aim for regret. Here I am dear God please accept my prayer. Take my  belongings my mind and my time. Take my heart knowing that is love. Renew  my life and my soul. baby Surround myself with your love. Wherever you lead  me I'll follow. My heart is yours. I need to surrender myself Lord. I need to  surrender myself. I need to hear your voice speaking to me. I have no  possessions to offer you, only a sinful heart impure full of regret but here I am  dear God. Take my belongings my God. Take my heart that is why my love.  Bring in my life, my soul. Surround myself with your love. Wherever you lead me I'll follow. My heart is yours. Wherever you lead me I'll follow. My heart is yours.  Our father and our God, we thank you and we praise You for Your goodness and Your faithfulness to the church. We thank you for the church of Philadelphia. We  pray that You would help us today. To be a church truly is a church of brotherly  love. And Father, we ask that You would bless us with a closer walk with you day by day. Help us to be effective in reaching out to those around us are friends or  family or associates or classmates. Father God open the doors for us to spread  a message of you and your love and of your soon return. And by your grace,  may we be faithful to you. We receive you just now afresh as our Lord and our  Savior. We commit our lives to you father holding back nothing. We are yours.  be glorified in your church. And come soon, Lord Jesus is our prayer in your  name. Amen. Dear friend, thank you so much for watching us today. Don't forget to share the quest for answers. Looking for the first followers of Christ in Turkey  with your friends and relatives. Please visit our website. On our website. You  can leave us a message, your prayer requests, and order a copy of today's  show or the complete series. If you feel moved to support our ministry, you can  make your donation on our website as well. I hope to see you soon