His Perfect Love

Guest (Male): Be encouraged by this today on his perfect love.

Matt VanderVen: If you are being persecuted, if you are trying to just hold on, and some of you are today, and I know that, your hand is just trying to hold on to the plow. You are holding on to what God has called you to. You're just You just feel like you're just making it. Maybe you feel like you can't even barely breathe. Jesus is saying, I'm not indifferent to your suffering. I'm not indifferent to what you're going through. I'm seeing it all. Please know that that God sees you right now, right where you're at, what you're going through, and he's faithful to meet you where you're at.

Guest (Male): Calvary Chapel Harrisburg West Shore presents His Perfect Love. Glad to have you with us. What does a healthy church look like? Maybe in your mind you associate that with how many people attend on any given weekend or the size of the building. But Jesus looks at it far differently. Today we'll continue our study of the Lord's letter to the church of Philadelphia in Revelation chapter 3 verses 7 through 13. Now this letter is full of good news and encouragement to a body of believers who were faithful. Here is Pastor Matt Vanderven.

Matt VanderVen: And he says, to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write. And like I said, he introduces himself very clearly here. He who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. Now I'm going to come back to this because this is important. We can't go too far without stopping and going, what do you mean the key of David? I I don't understand this. How many verses are there in this book again? 404. How many verses in this book refer to Old Testament passages that without a thorough understanding or even an elementary understanding of the Old Testament scriptures, we're going to have no idea what Jesus is trying to communicate to us?

278. This is one of the 278, the key of David. This will be familiar to us if we've never read this before. That's okay. This is going to be familiar to us as we look this up, but there's only two places in all of your scripture, all of 66 books you have, only two books, Revelation and the book of Isaiah. That's right. Isaiah. I heard somebody say Isaiah. That correct. Please, before we go on, how did Jesus Christ describe himself through his character to this church of Philadelphia, this faithful church? He is holy and true.

You and I are being told we're can being conformed into his image. We ought to be what? Holy and true. Okay? So let's not miss that and skip that too quickly. Well, the key of David, again as I mentioned, is found in the book of Revelation and Isaiah. What's a key do? Well, a key indicates control or authority. Therefore, having the key of David would give one control of David's domain, right? In other words, where was Where did David live? King David. In the city of Jerusalem. That's right. The city of David and the kingdom of Israel.

So the fact in this verse we read here, Jesus holds the key shows that he is the fulfillment of what? Couple things going on. One, the Davidic covenant because if you have the key for it and you have the authority over it, it means you fulfilled it or completed it. So clearly the Davidic covenant, which was Messianic promise that there would always be from the line of David one who would be on the throne. Jesus, fulfillment of Davidic covenant. Second thing, the ruler of the New Jerusalem. How do we know that? Well, as we going to read in Revelation, Jesus is the king and priest, the high priest, and he is going to establish the new heavens and the new earth.

Okay? So again, holding that key is vital and important. It also shows that he is the Lord of the kingdom of heaven. Now the reference to the key of David is clearly a pointer for you and I to stop whatever we're doing and go, wait a minute. What does this mean? I need to be a Berean and I need to go to the Old Testament. So please turn in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 22 verse 22, please. Isaiah chapter 22 verse 22. If you get to the Song of Solomon as you're turning to your left, you've gone too far.

Stop right before and turn back and you'll be in the book of Isaiah. Okay? Isaiah chapter 22 verse 22. Now I'm going to talk a little bit about this in context. I'm not just going to air drop you in, right? Like you're a soldier that's just getting released out of a parachute. You're dropping into some country. You have no idea what's going on. No, I'm going to give you context. I'm going to give you intel that's going to allow you to break this down to understand exactly what was going on. And why would Jesus go back and reference this testimony or this this Messianic prophecy really for you and I?

Why would he link back to that? Because there's something he wants us to understand about what he's also saying to this church in Philly and I believe to you and I today. So this is this is really important because the key of David is essential to understanding what he's trying to communicate to us. Now the reference to the to the key of David is again a pointer to the Old Testament in which Isaiah denounces the city of Jerusalem. That's the context there. Now it's kind of strange if you read through the book of Isaiah to find this prophecy against Judah and Jerusalem in this section of the book of Isaiah.

Why? Because Isaiah, the prophet at this point has been writing about nations, not cities like Judah and Jerusalem. Okay? And the reason for that he brings this in is because Judah in context, as we can read, has chosen to behave like the neighbors, the pagan neighbors. They had deserted the Lord and they deserved judgment. So that was kind of the context of what Isaiah is writing and why he included Judah and Jerusalem in chapter 22. Now in this prophecy, Isaiah sees this commotion. So he doesn't know what the commotion initially is going on. He just sees it in the city of Jerusalem and he asks very simple question like any of us here would do.

If you see a lot of stuff going on and there's commotion and people are running around, you're going to ask, is this because of an evil tumult? In other words, is there something wicked? Is it an orange? Is it bad? Something going on here? Or is this an expression of some joy? Are they having a feast or a party? What's going on here, right? You want to know which one. Well, if you just look in Isaiah chapter 22 verses 1 through 4, if I can just summarize it, go sort of give you the cliff notes this morning because of our time, Isaiah is grieved over this joyous city, right?

Because they're behaving like pagans. They're committing spiritual and idolatry and or adultery for that matter, spiritually speaking. Isaiah versus 5 through 7, Isaiah sees a coming army. And the Lord brings no deliverance. This starts weighing heavy on the prophet's heart. What's going to happen to Judah and Jerusalem? You know, he was sent as a mouthpiece of God to to bring them back to truth, but what he meant? They're going to be all destroyed. What's going to happen? It hit him hard, you know? He's a prophet of God. In verse 8 through 14, Jerusalem makes all the wrong preparations for the coming battle.

They couldn't get anymore wrong because they were using man's wisdom and they were not seeking God. Talk about making it worse. In verses 15 through 19 in chapter 22, Isaiah denounces a man by the name of Shebna or Shebna. He was the king's chief steward. Now we're getting closer to our passage and it's really important in context. What is he trying to show us here? Well, Shebna had a high and honorable office. Yet he did what? He used it to glorify himself. In verses 20 through 24, and this is now the context of verse 22 obviously, the Lord lifts up another man by the name of Eliakim.

Eliakim instead of Shebna. What a glorious title for Eliakim. Both Shebna and Eliakim were servants of who? Let's ground us in context. Hezekiah. This is at the time of Hezekiah. But Shebna's heart was directed towards selfish ambition. And that was the problem. Shebna was all about himself. Church was all about Shebna. It wasn't about being others focused. It wasn't about receiving from the Lord or listening to No. Shebna was going to make it about selfish ambition. Everything revolved around selfishness instead of selflessness. So this is what's on display in this passage, right? And glory. There's always people that draw men to themselves and they'll try to use the word of God to do it.

They'll turn around and open a Bible and yet they're drawing you as though they're the only ones that have the answer and you don't have the same teacher that we all do, which is the Holy Spirit. So he clearly uh he clearly draws the attention between the comparison and the contrasting, which is very common in the Greek and Hebrew to do as part of narratives. And so he sees this Eliakim. His hearts turn toward the Lord. And then we look at verse 22. Is this not almost identical to what we just read in in chapter 3 verse 7 in Revelation?

The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder. He shall open. So he shall open and no one shall shut. And he shall shut and no one shall open. Is that almost identical to what we just read together in chapter 3 in that verse 7 there describing to Jesus his authority and his power here? I think this is something we don't want to skip over here. Eliakim is the Lord or Eliakim is the Lord's servant and the Lord is giving him great authority just like our heavenly father, the Godhead, has given Jesus Christ great authority.

He's Messiah, the son of God, the man who is the God man who's redeemed us from all of our sin. So there's a connection point there, but there's more. In those days, it's important to understand this, the chief royal steward would have had a large master key to the palace fastened on the shoulder of his tunic. Now I know we don't walk around in tunics, so we may not know what that means. But think of it as like kind of like a robe type thing where you'd have something that comes over your your shoulders and it would tie together.

And sometimes people would put pendants or like pins or different things to do it. He would actually take the key, kind of like how you hear about the governor give a key to the city, that kind of a But he would take this key and it was actually the key to the palace. So great authority again, where you have the key, you have authority. And it would be placed right on his shoulder so that everybody walking around could see that this man was what? In authority and delegated authority by God. So at that time it was clearly understood in the context historically, just catching us all up so we understand what this is trying to communicate today.

This key was a picture and a demonstration and the of the authority of the chief steward. Here the Lord gives Eliakim the authority to open and shut as the Lord's representative, which no one can oppose. In this Eliakim becomes a prophecy of Messiah. He becomes a type of Jesus for you and I because Jesus told us of this passage and Jesus applied this passage to himself. These things he says, he who is holy, he who is true, he who has the key of David, who opens and no one shuts and shuts and no one opens.

This is what Jesus is doing. He's describing it to himself. Jesus is the one that has the keys of Hades and death. We already read that in Revelation chapter 1 verse 18. He has authority both in heaven and earth. In speaking to Peter, right? Cephas, he says to him in Matthew chapter 16 19, I can't say how many times this scripture has gotten turned on its head because people ice jeeted or they mirror read and try to make it say something it wasn't. And I'll explain that in a minute. What did Jesus say to Peter?

And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven. And whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. So again, many people take this and say And there's even cults that have developed from this that one of the cults call themselves the Church of Philadelphia as Revelation. So they ascribe themselves that they have this power and how this this false witness, false pastor stands up there. He says, look, this is the fulfillment of us because we've taken hold of what God always told us.

And so therefore by speaking it into existence, it's now true and we're living this out. It's it's cultic. But it doesn't have to be that gross and and just in our face that way. It can also be more subtle. I grew up Roman Catholic in what's called a Roman Catholicism, which is a kind of a denomination if you will or a church. Okay? And when I was growing up in that church, they put someone called a Pope in a position of authority. And this papal position of authority carried with it the idea of infallibility. That is very very important.

If you've ever studied the Catholic catechism, Catholic cults in the Greek means what? Universal. You've heard me say that before. This was supposed to be the first universal church interestingly enough. But the Roman Catholicism, what did it end up doing by taking a Pope? And he elevated this Pope and it's part of the Read it yourself. It specifically says in there that this papal, this Pope has the exercise to act as Jesus on earth. He has the authority because he is infallible by being endowed by Jesus himself. Let me Let me make it clear what the Bible tells you.

No one no one that has ever walked this earth is infallible other than the God man Jesus Christ. Amen? We need to understand that because that is what leads to religion and that is what leads to cult like behavior when we veer from the word of God and ascribe attributes that don't belong because it's ultimately an attack of idolatry against the holy God who is 100% divine and 100% human and there's nobody else under heaven and earth that fulfills that other than Jesus Christ the Messiah himself. But Jesus does delegate this authority as it pleases him.

Now just like when we would pray for somebody, when we're praying, whether it's at corporate prayer or somebody comes up to be anointed, James 5 says if anyone of you are sick, come to the elders of the church, be anointed. We honor those things according to the scriptures. We pray over somebody. We lay hands on them. We anoint them with oil. When we do that, we are praying for the will of God. Are we not? We know that by you know, I have no power. I have no capability in myself to do anything. It is by Jesus Christ alone.

And as I pray for healing for that individual, I am always praying as Jesus has taught me to pray and taught all of us to pray, thy will be done. In other words, God's will be done. It's not Matt's will, it's God's will, right? It's not even Pastor Matt's will trying to throw on a mantle there. Has nothing to do with that. It's the will of the Lord Jesus Christ. Why would we uncouple that from this passage in Matthew 16 19 or uncouple it from the passage that we just read in Isaiah 22 22? God is not coming and saying, hey, whatever man speaks on earth and whatever he wants to do, hey, he's just got free rein.

No, he's saying when we pray, when we speak, when we do these things accordingly with the will of God, then you can count it done and you shouldn't doubt because then you're like a reed shaken in the wind because God's going to do it. If God tells you you're going to cross the ocean, you're going to cross the ocean. If he told the apostles and disciples, get in the boat cuz you're going across the Sea of Galilee, I'm not going to sit there and go, where are you? I'm going across to the other side cuz I 'm expecting you to be on the other side of the Sea of Galilee.

Amen? Otherwise I'm doubting. James says anyone who doubts when he prays is unstable, right? So we don't pray that way. We're certainly we we're grounding it in the harmony of the scriptures here. Jesus delegates his authorities as it pleases him, but at the same time it's always according to the will of God, not man's will be done. Eliakim would have this kind of authority from the Lord since he is a picture of Jesus. We know that Jesus has authority to open and shut the doors in our lives as he pleases. This is important because when you're talking to a church that's being faithful miss the synagogue of Satan within it, the wolves among the sheep, not to mention the pagan things going on outside, once again you need that assurance, you need that comfort that God is all powerful.

He's omnipotent, right? There's nothing that's going to stand in his way, which is why he says when I open a door, nobody can shut it. And when I shut a door, you don't have to worry about somebody coming with a pry bar, Satan himself. Nobody can open that door. We need to also understand it goes both ways here. And this is something I don't want to skip over in this passage. This is where I was talking about. Don't hate the messenger. Understand this is from Jesus. He's speaking to our hearts here. We need to expect accept both the open and the shut doors in our lives because the because Jesus says it opens door that nobody could shut.

And when he shuts, no one can open. There's times Jesus is going to tell you and I know. And we just need to be honest about that. You know, I talked to a brother just less than a week ago. He's struggling. His beloved's got some health issues. They come out of a what I call a cult. They call themselves a Christian church. And he's struggling and his wife is really hurting right now because when they came out of this cult and they started reading their Bibles, they're being set free. But like anybody who's gone through a religion, sometimes that hell and brimstone stuff can really mess with your peace and joy.

And in this cult they were told, oh, don't goes ever see a physician because you ever do that, you don't have enough faith. That makes me sick to my stomach. Anytime I hear a man that's supposed to be acting as a mouthpiece for God or reading the word that sits there and says, you're suffering and you're sick and you're dying or this is what's happened to your loved one or your kid, it's because you don't have enough faith. It's one it's it's not right biblically because it's not my will. It's God's will be done. But it's more than that.

It's wrecking people because this person's now sitting in a hospital wondering, is all this happened because I didn't do enough for God? Where does that bring them back to? A workspace mentality instead of trusting and a reliance upon Jesus Christ and the work he did at Calvary. What are they trying to do? The same thing the Catholics try to do. Put Jesus back on a cross every time they have communion. Believe you and me, I used to teach it. Okay? In the Catholic church I used to teach CCD. I understand what they were teaching. This isn't lay person talking to you.

This is somebody understood what was being taught there and that that was the propitiation, right? Jesus is our propitiation, our substitute. But why do you think they put him on a crucifix and not a cross? And why do you think they say within transubstantiation, that's when you and I would take communion. We don't believe in transubstantiation. But why do they say that when you take that element that it becomes the actual body and blood of Christ? Because at that moment once again it's a sacrament that they believe then removes your sin. That's unbiblical. And what does it lead?

It leads Catholics, men and women, good honest people that don't know the scriptures to fall into a place of condemnation and guilt. It robs any peace and joy that you could possibly have knowing that Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior has forgiven your sin past, present, and future. Hallelujah. Amen. That's what we're talking about here. This is how insidious it is. It's religion. I don't like religion. I love relationship with Jesus. I don't like religion. So clearly here, he wants this church to know I'm omnipotent. I'm all knowing. I 'm all powerful. I'm everywhere.

And by the way, you're not pulling the wool over my eyes. I see what you're doing. I see what you're going through. I know your works. I know you're staying faithful, Philadelphia. Look at verse 8, right? Just as he started with all the other church, he starts with affirming the church's positive actions. I know your works. See, I've said it before, you an open door and no one can shut it for you have a little strength, have kept my words. So the first thing is they're weak as we would use the modern vernacular. The Church of Philadelphia is weak.

He says you have a little strength. That's a polite way of saying you're what? Weak. You've kept my word. The second thing they're known for. They read the word, they obey the word. And you've not denied my name. You didn't reject Jesus. The three things that this church is commended for, the faithful church is hearing the word of God and obeying the word of God. Okay? Turning around and not denying Jesus in any capacity, certainly and relying upon Jesus for strength because they know they themselves don't possess it. The word he uses here is the same word he's used in the other churches when he says, I know your works, ergon, right?

It literally means work or in if you look at entomology, you know, it means deed or act which is sometimes why it's translated deed or act in certain translations. But the idea here is working the working is emphasized and opposed to that which is not working or less work, right? It's just 176 times in the Texas Receptus manuscript. That's your Greek manuscript you have in front of you. King James and New King James is all based on the Texas Receptus. It's used in six unique forms in the New King James version. Jesus in context is communicating what?

That he sees. If you are being persecuted, if you are trying to just hold on, and some of you are today, and I know that, your hand is just trying to hold on to the plow. You are holding on to what God has called you to. You're just You just feel like you're just making it. Maybe you feel like you can't even barely breathe. Jesus is saying, I'm not indifferent to your suffering. I'm not indifferent to what you're going through. I 'm seeing it all. Please know that that God sees you right now, right where you're at, what you're going through, and he's faithful to meet you where you're at.

Guest (Male): The Faithful Church was commended for hearing and obeying the word, not denying Jesus and relying on the Lord for strength. A good model there for us to follow. Today on His Perfect Love, Pastor Matt Vanderven continued his look at the Lord's letter to Philadelphia in Revelation chapter 3. You can hear the study from Revelation again when you visit hisperfectlove.org. That's hisperfectlove.org. We've expanded our podcast, too. Look for us on oneplace.com and most of the major podcast platforms. The Calvary Chapel Harrisburg mobile app is another great way to listen to Pastor Matt's messages shortly after they're delivered.

We can help you get started when you visit hisperfectlove.org. We're thankful for the listeners that come alongside of us with their prayers and financial support. If you're interested in supporting this radio ministry, there's a place to do that at hisperfectlove.org. Together we can reach people with the love and truth of God in these last days. Pastor Matt loves to hear from his listeners. Even just a quick hello telling him where you hear the program and how you're blessed by it means a lot. Email us there at the website hisperfectlove.org. And whether you live in or around Mechanicsburg, PA or will be visiting the area soon, we'd love to have you join us for a service at Calvary Chapel Harrisburg West Shore.

Sunday morning services begin at 8:30 and 10:30. We have a midweek service, too, Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. You'll find us at 28 North Locust Point Road in Mechanicsburg, PA. Go to ccharrisburg.org for more information. Are you looking for a Christian school that offers a quality education and a nurturing environment for your children? If so, you might be interested in Calvary Chapel Christian Academy, a ministry of Calvary Chapel Harrisburg West Shore. Calvary Chapel Christian Academy is a non-denominational Christian school that serves students from kindergarten to 12th grade. The academy's mission is to provide a Christ-centered education that equips students to love God, love others, and serve the world.

The academy offers a rigorous academic curriculum, a variety of extracurricular activities, and a caring and supportive staff. The academy is located at 28 North Locust Point Road in Mechanicsburg, PA. For more information, please visit our website at ccharrisburg.org/academy. Well, that'll do it for today, but come back next time when Pastor Matt will again study the book of Revelation with us here on His Perfect Love.

Guest (Female): His Perfect Love

Guest (Male): His Perfect Love is brought to you by Calvary Chapel Harrisburg West Shore.