To
Judge Ourselves
Part
10 – The Open Door
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House
of Faith Church | www.PS127.org
| www.TruthDigest.org
INTRODUCTION
We
spent the last year looking at what the Book of Acts had to say about the
founding, operation and behavior that the Lord expects from us as individuals,
and as a church, or congregation of believers.
We
then spent a few weeks looking at the letters that Jesus sent to the seven
churches in Revelation, telling them where they were going right, and wrong, as
well as what the punishments and rewards would be.
A
few weeks ago, I took all of those letters, and compiled them into one letter
from the Lord, to us.
Our
new series will take a look at each of the points Jesus made in that letter,
and we will not only examine our church as a whole, but ourselves as
individuals.
2 Corinthians 13:5
"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are
in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves,
that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!"
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness."
2 Peter 2:4-10 "For if God did
not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell[a] and committed them to
chains of
gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; 5 if
he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a
herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the
world of the ungodly; 6 if by turning the cities of
Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an
example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;[c] 7 and if he rescued
righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked 8 (for
as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his
righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); 9 then the Lord knows how to
rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of
judgment, 10 and especially those who indulge[e] in the lust of
defiling passion and despise authority."
We
have already looked at Jesus speaking to us about hard work, not tolerating
wicked people in the church, and
testing those who claim to be apostles,
but are nothing more than false prophets, and last week we spoke on perseverance, and enduring hardships for His name, Spiritually Rich during times of affliction and poverty, Slander, Not Being
Afraid, Where Satan Rules, Faithfulness.
Last
week we looked at Deeds.
This
week we will look at The Open Door.
SCRIPTURE
REFERENCE
Revelation 3:7-8a
"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. 8 I know your deeds. See, I
have placed before you an open door that no one can shut..."
I.
the key
of david
a.
What does this mean?
i.
Used
twice in Scripture (Isa 22:22 &
Rev 3:7), the phrase Key of David refers to
possessing legitimate authority to rule Israel, the holy nation of God.
ii.
In
both references, the scripture addresses those who have unlawfully tried to
assume authority. (Rev 3:9 "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."
iii.
The Key
of David doesn’t refer to a physical throne or to a physical
nation. “Israel” is the woman of Revelation
chapter 12. She goes from being the physical nation that gave birth to
Christ Jesus (v. 5) to
the spiritual nation whose offspring keep the commandments of God and hold the
testimony of Jesus (v. 17),
which is the spirit of prophecy (Rev
19:10).
b.
What is the Key of David for?
i.
the Key
of David is not a little key that unlocks the throne, or
identifies where descendants of the ancient house of Israel dwell at the
end of the age. It has nothing to do with mysticism, or with any
allegedly essential end time man.
ii.
This Key of David isn’t given to The Philadelphia
Church, the fellowship that has done most of the early work of unlocking
the mysteries of God. Rather, the Key of David involves
using typological exegesis to take meaning from Scripture.
iii.
So
the Key of David is the complete authority of Christ to give understanding of
the Word to whom He chooses, and open doors of ministry, missionary, preaching
and teaching, that no one can close.
c.
The reference in Revelation
i.
Specifically
addresses the fact that Christ holds the key (showing complete authority), and
gives the key to the church of Philadelphia, which is TRUE understanding of the
Scripture.
ii.
And
because they are sharing the Gospel with correct interpretation (understanding
of the Word because Christ has given them the Key), He (Jesus) will open doors
that no one can close, so they may share the Gospel with the world!
d.
How do you know if you have
obtained the Key of David?
i.
Acts 13:22 "After
removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning
him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own
heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’"
ii.
Are
you after the heart of God?
iii.
Are
you doing everything God wants you to do?
iv.
I
believe this is why it is called the Key of David, the very thing Jesus
said He holds!
II. what the lord opens and closes
a.
Full authority belongs to
Christ
i.
Jesus
holds the Key of David (understanding of scripture)
ii.
The
Lord gives this understanding to "The real Jews", not the ones
claiming to be Jews, but are nothing more than the synagogue of Satan
(Sadducees and Pharisees)
1.
Who
are the "real" Jews? Romans
2:28-29 "A person is not a
Jew who is one only outwardly (meaning RACE or by birth), nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No,
a person is a Jew who is one inwardly (meaning spiritually); and circumcision is circumcision of the
heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code."
2.
Why
did circumcision or birth-right (race) not determine who is a Jew?
a.
Because
circumcision was SYMBOLIC
b.
Genesis 17:11 "You are to undergo circumcision,
and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you."
c.
What about being a child of Father Abraham? Aren't you just born a Jew?
No...John 8:39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did."
i.
What did Abraham do?
ii.
He loved God, had Faith in
God, and longingly looked for God's Son, Christ.) which the Sadducees and
Pharisees (as well as many other Jews today) did not do!
b.
What He opens, no one can close
i.
Jesus
opens the doors for ministry and the spreading of the Gospel by people who have
the Key of David, and understanding of the Word, and NO ONE can close that
door!
ii.
Some
tried to close the door when I began to preach the Gospel...they were not
successful. God has made a way, opened the door, and it will not be closed,
because it was truly the Lord who opened it.
c.
What He closes, no one can open
i.
However, if the Lord closes a
door, it will not be opened either.
III. i know your deeds, and opened a door
a.
Jesus knows our deeds
i.
Jesus
knew the church in Philadelphia had a heart for God, and was spreading the word
in understanding, so He opened the doors of ministry to them.
CONCLUSION
Are you after God's own heart?
Are you doing all that He has commanded you to do?
If so, God will give you understanding of His Word, so
that you may fulfill the ministry that He has called you to do for Him.
The Lord will open doors for you that no one can shut.
And you will serve the Lord, share Hi Gospel message,
and live your faith!
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