BEHOLD I HAVE SET BEFORE YOU AN OPEN DOOR
Revelation 3:7-8 – “And to the Angel (Pastor)of the Church in Philadelphia write (is referred to as the Missionary Church, and had its beginning in about the year 1800, and continues unto this hour); These things says He Who is Holy, He Who is true, He Who has the key of David, He Who opens, and no man shuts; and shuts, and no man opens (refers to the fact that Christ has total authority);
“I know your works: behold, I have set before you an open door, and no man can shut it (this ‘open door’ refers to the way being made for the Gospel to be sent to the entirety of the world): for you have a little strength, and have kept My Word, and have not denied My Name. (‘Little strength’ is not an indication of spiritual infirmity, but of few in number. However, these few [speaking of those who truly know the Lord] have touched the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.)”
Revelation, Chapters 2 and 3 give us the seven Messages given to the Seven Churches by our Lord. These Seven Churches represent seven different time frames, covering the entirety of the Church Age. At the same time, each Message given, not only has a direct meaning for that specific time frame, but also it is to be looked at as a Message for all Churches, for all time.
The Churches and the time frames represented are as follows:
• The Church of Ephesus: The Apostolic Church closed out around A.D. 100.
• The Smyrna Church: The Martyr Church with an approximate time span from A.D. 100 to about A.D. 300.
• The Pergamos Church: The State Church laid the foundation for the Catholic System and lasted from about A.D. 300 to A.D. 500.
• The Thyatira Church: The Papal Church, signifying the beginning of Catholicism, is still in effect today.
• The Sardis Church: The Reformation Church began about A.D. 1500 and continues more or less unto now.
• The Philadelphia Church: The Missionary Church had its beginnings in about A.D. 1800 and continues today.
• The Laodicea Church: The Apostate Church has already begun.
In each address to these Churches, the Lord will say, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the Churches.”
This tells us that the Church never outgrows the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit always has something to say to the Church. This also tells us that as Christians we are to hear what the Spirit is saying. To “hear” in the Biblical sense means to not only take in the information, but to also respond appropriately to the message. We all will be held responsible for not only “hearing,” but also the “doing” of what the Spirit has told us.
THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCH
As stated, this Church is referred to as the “Missionary Church” and began in about 1800. In the beginning, this “Missionary Church” began in England, but eventually passed on to America. Especially after the great Azusa Street outpouring, mission activities took off like a rocket as the Holy Spirit began to move, empower, and anoint individuals to take the Gospel around the world.
The first Church born on the Day of Pentecost was given the command to take the Gospel everywhere (Acts 1:8) and that they did. This command has no time limit in that we are to be about the Master’s business until the Rapture, and the Master’s business is the taking of the Gospel to the entire world.
The Command of the Lord regarding “The Great Commission” as given in Mark 16:15 is still in effect today. The Believer must understand that the proclamation of the Gospel to the world is God’s Command to all who have been Saved by His Precious Blood. We all will be held responsible as to what we did or didn’t do as it regards the fulfillment of the Lord’s Commands.
Though the vast majority of the Body of Christ has not been called to the fivefold Ministry Offices (Eph. 4:11), still, all have been called to support those Ministries who are truly preaching the Gospel to the masses. The Holy Spirit gave us the Ministry model we are to follow in Romans 10:13-15.
The Call, the Mission, the Mandate of the Philadelphia Church is still in force today.
HOLY AND TRUE
The phrase “These things says He Who is Holy, and He Who is True,” makes it very clear that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Holy One. As He was the Holy One of Israel, so too is He the Holy One of the Church and He is the True God – the Very God – as distinguished from all other false gods. The cry of the Philadelphia Church is, and forever shall be, “Jesus Christ is Lord.”
THE KEY OF DAVID
The phrase “He Who has the key of David” speaks of the Incarnation, God becoming man, and even more specifically, the kingly role of Christ. He was and He is Prophet, Priest, and King.
The word “key” is used here as a symbol of authority. Whoever has the “key” has the right to open and shut whatever the key was designed for.
OPEN AND SHUT
The phrase, “He Who opens and no man shuts; and shuts and no man opens” states that it is Christ and Christ Alone, Who charts the course of the Church and our lives. It means that it is Christ Alone Who has paid the price of man’s Redemption, “The Open Door.” The only way man can be Saved is by the Way of the slain Lamb. Jesus said in St. John 10:9, “I am the Door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be Saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
The Cross is the open Door. For it was at Calvary that the Lord paid the price for our Salvation.
As well, to all other methods of Salvation man may try to come up with, the Lord has “shut the door.” Everyone who tries to come in any other way than by the slain Lamb will be treated as “a thief and a robber” (Jn. 10:1).
WORKS
The word “know” is emphatic, meaning beyond any shadow of a doubt. The Lord knows. He knows what each of us has done and is doing as it regards taking the Message of Christ to the world. This is our Work.
AN OPEN DOOR
The phrase “Behold, I have set before you an open door” proclaims the mission activity of the Missionary Church.
The open door refers to the countries that the Lord has opened. It refers to the help that comes from the Holy Spirit, and it could also refer to the means that is now available to us for the spreading of the Gospel. These ways lend itself to God-called Missionaries, or to the use of the various means of technology that is now available to us. In the 1980’s our Telecast aired not only across the U.S., but also in just about every single major country of the world. The process was, whether in the U.S. or overseas, we had to buy time on a station in each city, which necessitated a vast infrastructure to be put into place here in Baton Rouge. We had to duplicate a single tape for each and every city that aired the Telecast. Every week, hundreds of tapes were being duplicated to be mailed out. So, one can imagine the equipment needed, the tape used, the mailing costs, etc. However, now through the technology of today, we buy time on WGN, Spike, LeSea, and by Satellite; one tape for each Network beams the signal back down to all the cable companies. Each one of these Networks covers the entirety of the U.S.
For the overseas outreach, back then we had to send someone to each city in each country and sit down with individuals for each Station and buy time. However, now through satellite technology we buy time from four major Satellite providers who transmit the Telecast to over 100 countries of the world.
I want you to understand this. The process is now so much more streamlined from what it once was. I believe this falls into the category of an “open door.” And as this door has opened we must walk through it.
NO MAN CAN SHUT
As the Lord is the One Who opens the door, no man, government, or anything else can shut it.
STRENGTH
The phrase “For you have a little strength” is not referring to any kind of spiritual infirmity, but of “fewness in number.” The truth is, while there may be a lot of religious activity, the fact is, the True Gospel has been carried forth on the backs of the few, not the many.
KEPT MY WORD
To keep the Word means more than holding it as some kind of possession. To keep the Word means obedience that comes from the heart. Without a proper understanding of the Message of the Cross one cannot truly keep the Word as the Lord intended. The Cross is not a doctrine, but the foundation, and if the foundation is wrong or shaky then one will not be able to keep God’s Word.
THE NAME
The phrase, “And have not denied My Name” means that we do not bring reproach upon the Name of Christ, and one brings reproach to His Name by denying or ignoring the Cross.
His very Name, “Jesus,” means “Saviour.” “Christ” means “The Anointed” or “Messiah.” This tells us that to properly hold to the Name of Christ is to properly understand what the Cross means and represents, our Salvation.
The seeker-sensitive Church that glosses over the Cross is, in effect, “denying His Name.” When one puts works on the same level as the Cross, one is denying His Name. Let me say it again, His Name means, “Saviour,” this always points to the Cross.
CONCLUSION
The Lord’s mandate has not changed as it regards our responsibility in taking the Gospel to the nations of the world. We are doing everything we possibly can do as it regards Evangelism. Presently, we are airing the Telecast in over 100 countries of the world. In some of these countries we are airing both the Weekly Telecast and the Daily Telecast, and in some, just the weekly, and of course, through the Internet we go around the world with both the Telecast and SonLife Radio. And, please know, they are watching and they are listening. Our mission is the world. We are doing out part, are you doing your part?
We need your prayers and we need your financial help on a monthly basis. I implore you to become a “Soldier of the Cross”, standing with us each month with your best financial gift.
We cannot cut back, we cannot stop, and we cannot put the brakes on. The Gospel must go forth. We have the Message: “Christ and Him Crucified.” We have the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and we have our marching orders; will you join us, will you help us?
Some may ask, “Is it really worth it?” I will answer you with the words of H.B. Garlock, spoken over 50 years ago. Brother Garlock, speaking in his service in Africa said, “The story of missions in Africa is a thrilling romance, but to write this story, a terrific price has been paid in suffering, privation, loneliness, disease, death, agonizing intercession, toil, tears, and the everlasting battle with the powers of darkness.”
“This may be the price one pays to sow and water, but He Who paid the uttermost . . . He Who sweat great drops of blood, of intercession . . . He Who bore the penalty of our sin . . . He Who loved us enough to give Himself for us is the One Who gives the increase.”
“And when we see Him transform a savage into a Saint, a demon-possessed pagan into a temple of the Holy Ghost, a cringing, fear-ridden native, into a champion of Divine Truth, an unlearned boy into a fearless witness, a trembling, fearful, dull-eyed slave of Satan, into a radiant, rejoicing follower of the Son of God, we are humbly grateful for the divinely given privilege of being workers together with Him.”
The song writer wrote long ago:
“There’s a call come ringing o’er the restless wave,
“Send the Light, send the Light.
“There are souls to rescue, there are souls to save,
“Send the Light, send the Light.”
“Send the Light, the Blessed Gospel Light,
“Let it shine from shore to shore.”
And I believe as the Gospel goes forth, those in foreign lands will hear the Message and will accept, and I believe we will hear them sing:
“We have heard the joyful sound, Jesus saves, Jesus saves.”
The Lord has set before us an open door; will you help us walk through that open door?
Your Evangelist,
Donnie Swaggart
Publication Date:
04/01/2009
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