Anything Is Possible

Do you believe in miracles? Do you believe God can do extraordinary things in and through your life? Do you believe Jesus can help you reach your neighbor? Your rebellious grandson? That friend that wants nothing to do with Jesus? Do you believe He can use you to turn your world upside down? Do you believe anything is possible if Jesus wants it done?

Here’s the problem: We believe God has the power to change lives; but sometimes we simply don’t believe that He actually wants to use us to bring about these changes. We believe God has the power to bring a neighbor, a family member, a friend to faith in Jesus, but we struggle to believe He can do this through our lives. Why is that?

Why might you believe God can change lives, but don’t believe He can use you to do it? Perhaps it’s because you feel like you don’t have what it takes. Perhaps it’s because you fear what others will say or do to you. Or maybe you’re just not that secure in your own faith, and because of that, you don’t’ have the confidence or security to share the good news with others, because you haven’t fully embraced the good news yourself.

Wherever, you fall on this continuum, what God’s Word has to say to His church in Philadelphia may open your eyes to just how much He wants to do the impossible through you. He wants to change how you see him, to change how you see your fears, and strengthen your faith in Him, so that He can use you to do the impossible with Him. Sound crazy? Well, if you ever wanted to see God do the impossible through you, then let me encourage you to take your Bible and open it to Revelation 3:7-13 where we’re going to see how Jesus makes a way for you to do the impossible with Him. And to get us started, Jesus wants to change how you see Him. So, let’s look at verse 7 where Jesus reveals right up front that…

With Jesus Anything is Possible: “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: 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. “ Rev. 3:7 This is one of the most powerful group of images Jesus gives us. Each image is meant to encourage and strengthen us so we will believe that through Jesus anything is possible.

The first image is this: He is Holy Usually when we hear this term “holy” we think of someone who is totally pure. That’s true. Jesus is totally pure. There is no sin in Jesus. He is pure, undefiled, without the stain or corruption of sin. But this term has greater meaning when someone with a Jewish background hears it. “Holy” was used exclusively of Yahweh as “the Holy One of Israel.” In hearing this, the church of Philadelphia understood when they were hearing from Jesus, that they were actually hearing from God. Pretty powerful. He is holy.

He is not just holy, but true. Jesus is the genuine article. He is the true God. He is Trustworthy Whatever He says is true, because it flows from Him who is true. So, whatever Jesus says He will do, you can count on Him to do it because He is both God and completely Trustworthy.

Now, think about this little church for a moment. We’re about to see that this church has little power, little strength. And that is true. But Jesus wants to encourage them by letting them know that they are highly favored by the Holy One of Israel who wants to help them do the impossible. And he’s about to tell them how. That’s the next image:

He Holds the Keys These are the words of Him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David In Revelation 1:18, Jesus said that he has “the keys of death and hades,’ referring to his conquest over death and his control over eternal life. This image actually looks back to Isaiah 22:22 where the Bible says, “I will place the key to the House of David on His shoulder: what He opens, no one can close; what He closes no one can open.” Here, the same words are again ascribed to Jesus. So then, by his statement, Jesus reveals himself as the Davidic Messiah who holds absolute power to control entrance to the kingdom of God. In other words, Jesus is telling us that He holds the authority over who can enter the kingdom of God. He’s telling us that He is the One who opens doors that no one can shut. He is the One who has authority to give eternal life. This is what he said in John’s gospel when he declared: For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it. John 5:21 He holds the keys to eternal life. No one else has this power. Only Jesus.

Which leads now to the final image he gives. This final image is not so much an image but a message of hope: He Opens Doors “What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open.” What is this open door? Some say that this open door is the salvation Jesus secured for them when they believed. Many of them had been cast out of the synagogue for their faith in Jesus, and that synagogue door was shut to them. So here Jesus reminds them that He has opened the door of heaven to them.

However, this may also speak of the door Jesus has opened for this church to share the gospel. For this is the same language Paul used when he asked the Colossians to pray “that God may open to us a door for the Word, to declare the mystery of Christ.” Colossians 4:3 Either interpretation works here. The point is that Jesus is the way to salvation. He, himself is the door to eternal life. He, himself opens doors for us to share the gospel. For He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 And he also said, what He opens, no one can close; what He shuts no one can open.” So, with this message, Jesus gives this church tremendous hope that He can use them to spread the gospel. Although they are weak, timid and insecure with what seems like little to offer – they now have in Jesus, the Holy One or Israel, who holds the key to eternal life – who has now guaranteed that He will open doors for them to do the impossible with Him. He will open doors for them, which no one can shut.

By the way, this also mean he will open doors for you to share the gospel too. This means anything is possible with Jesus. He wants to open doors for you. He wants to open hearts for you; if you believe He will do it. But the question is: Do we believe Jesus will do what He says He will do?

What Keeps Us From Believing? The first thing He addresses is their lack of strength: Our Weaknesses: He writes, “I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” Revelation 3:8 It is not hard to imagine ways in which the church of Philadelphia was weak. The people may have come largely from lower economic and social classes. They probably didn’t have much influence with the city government or with their limited resources, and they were undoubtedly quite a small church. So, because they were a church of little strength, they measured their ability to do the impossible by what they lacked in themselves.

This is what many Christians or churches do today. We look at our many limitations, our many weaknesses, and therefore don’t believe that we can make any difference for God’s kingdom. We don’t believe we can do the impossible by helping others come to faith in Jesus. And yes, if we look at ourselves and our weaknesses, we are right. We can’t do much on our own. But when we look at Jesus… believe He is Holy and True; believe He holds the keys of the kingdom and that He opens doors for salvation – then, when we look at the power and resources of Jesus – we can start believing anything is possible, with Jesus!

This is why it is so important for us to keep our eyes on Jesus, to keep preaching Jesus, keep leaning into Jesus. It’s just as Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 So many Christians and so many churches fail to do the impossible, fail to see life change, fail to witness people coming to faith in Jesus, simply because they’re trying to do the impossible out of their own strength or resources. That’s why this church had so much potential to turn their world upside down. They had little power. But that’s the good news. When we have little power, that’s when we need Jesus’ power. When we think can’t do it, we need to remember Jesus can. For God’s Word says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Like this church, it’s our weaknesses that keep us from believing anything is possible. But before we move on, I want us to note three things Jesus does sees as strengths: One, Jesus knows their deeds. We are not told what these works were. But Jesus saw the fruit of their faith in their works. They may have been weak, but God’s grace to them was producing works of grace to others that made them a blessing in Christ’s eyes. Second, Jesus knows their obedience. They are keeping His Word. They were obeying His commands to love one another and working hard to fulfill the Great Commission. And third, Jesus knows their faithfulness. They have not denied His name. Even though they were a weak and struggling Church, Jesus has no criticism of them. Instead, He is pleased in what they are doing. But He wants them to believe they can do more… if they just keep their eyes on Him, and not their weaknesses. It’s our weakness that keep us from doing the impossible. But what else keeps us from doing the impossible?

Our Fears: 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. Revelation 3:9 This is quite a statement. What’s going on here? This church was facing opposition and hostility from the Jews in Philadelphia. Richard Phillips describes how their fear of the Jews has hindered their faith. “The fierce opposition may have caused the Philadelphians to back down in their witness. They may have believed that discretion called for a muted testimony, especially to the Jews. But Jesus shows that those who oppose the gospel will be those most likely to hear and be affected by its power. Having opened a gospel door for ministry, Jesus assures the church that through its bold witness of him, some of its most violent persecutors will be among those who are saved.”

We can be just like these Christians in Philadelphia. Our culture is growing increasingly hostile to those who stand up for Christ. It seeks to censor us, marginalize us and even attack us. This week, a prolife activist was beaten simply because she was interviewing a woman about her abortion views. So, yes, it’s getting harder for Christians to express our values publicly. And because of this increasing hostility, we can do the same thing these Philadelphians did. We can let our fears mute our witness.
But when we do this, we forget that not only did Jesus face this kind of opposition, but that He is often works hardest on the hearts of those who oppose him. Case in point? The Apostle Paul. He arrested and persecuted Christians. But Jesus changed his heart from a hater of Christians to a lover of Christ and used him to spread the gospel throughout Asia.
So, don’t let your fears silence the good news of Jesus. Don’t let your fears keep you from believing God can do the impossible. Instead, remember with Jesus anything is possible. If Jesus can change Paul’s heart, he can change anyone’s heart. Think of the person in your life that’s least likely to believe in Jesus. That person who is most antagonistic toward Jesus. Jesus can open that heart to believe. Just like He did with Paul. Don’t let others who oppose Jesus intimidate you. They may be closer to believing than you think. That’s the second obstacle to believing God can do the impossible – our fears.

Now, there’s one final obstacle: Our Insecurities: Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. Revelation 3:10 Most scholars believe Jesus is referring to the worldwide tribulation foretold before the coming of Christ at the end of history. It is not that this church would be removed from the hour of trial but that it would be kept safe in and through the tribulation so as not to be overcome by God’s judgment on the world.
The point Jesus is making, is that we are called to witness in a world that’s under God’s judgement. Yes, there’s going to be a final hour of tribulation. And this book addresses this hour in the chapters ahead. But the truth we often forget, is that apart from Christ’s saving power every single person living today, lives under the judgment of God. Ephesians reminds us that at one time we too “followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. Ephesians 2:2-3

So, what Jesus is saying to the church of Philadelphia then, and to us today, is that He has set before us an open door to bring the gospel to a world that lives under God’s wrath. But instead of taking the opportunity before us to share the gospel, too often we let our insecurities guide our lives. We pour all our efforts into safeguarding ourselves from the evils of this world. But here, Jesus wants us to see things differently!
He reminds us that He is the One who keeps us safe in a world under judgment. He says, “I will keep you from the hour of trial.” Jesus wants us to believe that our security rests in His hands, not in ours. He wants us to rest in the grip of His grace, not in the grip of our insecurities. Remember what he said to his disciples: ”In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 So Jesus wants us to live like overcomers in a world of troubles. How do we do that? That’s what we see next:

How Jesus Helps Us Overcome: He says, “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. Revelation 3:11-12 First, Jesus tells God’s people to stay the course. Don’t give up. Hold on to what you have. What do they have? They have Jesus, they have His Word and His promises of deliverance. Jesus is saying, “Stay with it, there’s a crown waiting for you at the finish line.” And then He tells them and us what He does for us to help us overcome.

He Secures Us He says, The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. This is a unique promise given specifically to those who live in Philadelphia. One of the unique realities of the city of Philadelphia was that it was continually threatened by earthquakes. Whenever an earthquake hit, the inhabitants had to flee the city. Hearing this promise would speak powerfully to them. Often the only parts of a city left standing after a severe earthquake were the huge stone temple pillars. Therefore, Jesus telling them that He would make them pillars in God’s temple – gave them a sense of complete security. They could know that no trial, no opposition, no persecution, no trouble could ever separate them from Jesus. This is similar to what Paul wrote the Romans saying, “For I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers, height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 This is how Jesus helps us to overcome. He makes us pillars, so we can stand strong in His security, in a world that stands against us. But he doesn’t just make us secure. He does one other thing:

He Identifies With Us I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. Jesus gives us three names. He promises to write on us the name of His God, the name of the city of His God, and His new name. The church of Philadelphia had a good name, a wonderful reputation in heaven and Jesus promises them, “It will only get better.” They had not been ashamed to identify themselves with Jesus, so Jesus is not ashamed to identify Himself with them. And if you stay with Jesus when times are hard, people are against you, but you don’t let go of Jesus, then Jesus will never be ashamed to identify with you.
In fact, in these verses He promises them three names of blessing and honor… The names signify who my God is, where my home is and who my Lord is. I belong to the Father, heaven is my home, and Jesus is my Lord. I bear the signature of my God!

David Platt rightly says, “This, we remember is the great reward of the gospel: God Himself. When we risk our lives to run after Christ, we discover the safety that is found only in His sovereignty, the security that is found only in His love, and the satisfaction that is found only in His presence. This is the eternally great reward, and we would be foolish to settle for anything less.” Jesus identifies with us and shares everything with us. His Father, His home and Himself!
So, Jesus concludes, Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Revelation 3:13 So, what is the Spirit saying to us today?

One, with Jesus anything is possible. He is God, He is Trustworthy. What He says He will do, He will do. Anything is possible with Jesus because He holds the key to salvation. And He opens doors to the hardest hearts

Two, recognize what keeps you from believing. Get your eyes of yourself, off of your weaknesses, your fears and your insecurities. Instead, keep your eyes on Jesus!

Three, let Jesus help you overcome! Rest in the security He gives and remember, He’s put HIs name on you. He’s made God your father, heaven your home, and He’s put His signature on you. You belong to Jesus. Let’s pray.