(Breath of Life Theme Music)
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Sermon #B672 - Philadelphia:
The Enduring Church
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Dr. Byrd: Let us get right in
the word as we continue in our
series on the Seven Churches
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of Revelation. If you will, take
your bibles and turn with me to
the Book of Revelation,
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and we are going to go
to Revelation chapter three.
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Revelation chapter three, and we
are going to begin reading at
verse number seven.
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Revelation chapter
three verse number seven.
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The word of God,
Jesus himself speaking says,
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“And to the angel of the
church in Philadelphia write.
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These things sayeth, he that is
holy, he that is true, he that
hath the key of David,
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he that openeth and no man
shutteth, and shutteth and no
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man openeth. I know thy works.
Behold, I have set before thee
an open door and no man can shut
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it. Thou hast a little strength,
and has kept my word, and has
not denied my name.
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Behold, I will make them of the
synagogue of Satan which say
they are Jews and are not,
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but they do lie.
Behold, I will make them to come
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and worship before thy feet and
to know that I have loved thee
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because thou hast kept
the word of my patience,
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I also will keep thee from the
hour of temptation which shall
come upon all the world
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to try them that dwell upon the
Earth. Behold, I come quickly.
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Hold that fast which thou
hast that no man take thy crown.
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Him that overcometh will I make
a pillar in the temple of my God
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and he shall go no more out and
I will write upon him the name
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of my God and the name of
the city of my God, which is New
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Jerusalem, which cometh down out
of Heaven from God and I will
write upon him my new name.
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He that hath an ear, let him
hear what the spirit sayeth unto
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the churches." Father in Heaven
blesses us now as we go into
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your word. As we study and
preach on your sixth church.
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I pray that God your spirit
would rest rule the by not just
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in this sanctuary, but in homes,
and parks, and cars, wherever
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your people are. Lord when the
appeal time comes, do what you
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always do, but today I am asking
for a sevenfold portion of what
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you do. Give me strength today
and give your people receptive
hearts and minds to your word.
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Pray this prayer asking you Lord
to again forgive us of our sins,
in Jesus name, amen.
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Amen.
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Philadelphia, the
enduring church. Now come to
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Philadelphia, the six of the
Seven Churches in Revelation.
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Now of the seven
churches addressed by Jesus,
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two of them were
commended without correction.
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The first you will remember was
Smyrna, and the second is now
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Philadelphia. Like
Smyrna, Jesus offers no rebuke.
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Only encouragement to
the Philadelphians for their
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faithfulness and endurance
in the midst of oppression.
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Now, we all know there is no
such thing as a perfect church.
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If you think there is, there
is no such thing as a perfect
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church. Neither is there
anything as such as a perfect
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Christian. So the church then,
is a collection of imperfect
Christians trying to do their
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best to serve a perfect
God. That is what the church at
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Philadelphia was. A group of
imperfect church members doing
their best to serve a perfect
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God, which is why Jesus was
pleased with them and Jesus had
nothing negative to say about
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them. Now, the city of
Philadelphia, and I am not
talking about Philadelphia
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Pennsylvania either, but the
city of Philadelphia was not a
perfect city either.
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It was a city of many temples.
It was called my mini little
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Athens because of its many
idols and lowercase g, gods.
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Philadelphia was about
28 miles southeast of Sardis
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and it was about 75 miles from
the coast of the Aegean Sea on a
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great highway linking roots
to the east and to the west.
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Because of its location,
Philadelphia was a victim to a
lot of earthquakes.
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In fact in AD 17, an
earthquake devastated the area,
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and so the people in
Philadelphia were constantly
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concerned because earthquake
tremors continued on a regular
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basis. Now, you also need to
know that the church at
Philadelphia was not a big
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church. It did not have a lot of
resources. It did not have a lot
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of people. It did not have a lot
of money, but it was doing what
he could for the Lord.
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Too many churches or
ministries that are small,
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think they cannot do big things
for the Lord, but that is not
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true. You can do
whatever God tells you to do.
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I hear people all the time say,
"Well, Pastor Byrd, you can do
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what you do because you pastor
a big church." Well, the reality
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is my friends, I would have
never gotten the privilege of
pastoring a big church,
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if I were not doing big things
at little churches. You see, I
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have learned. You cannot
be big if little has you,
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but I can do all things through
Christ which strengtheneth me.
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Do I have a witness in this
place? The God I serve it is not
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into quantity, but he is into
quality. The God I serve use
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gideon and three hundred
soldiers to defeat a hundred
thirty-five thousand midianites
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soldiers. The god I serve
took two fish and five loaves of
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bread and fed five thousand
men plus women and children.
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Somebody knows that little
becomes much when you place it
in the master's hand.
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Do not you subscribe
to small time thinking.
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Do not you subscribe to
small ministry thinking.
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Do not you subscribe
to grasshopper thinking.
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After all God has done for
us, some of us still doubt him.
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We still see the enemies of God
as giants and we see ourselves
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at grasshoppers and when you see
yourself as a grasshopper, other
people will see you as a
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grasshopper. I learned a long
time ago. People treat you the
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way you let them, but when you
realize who you are and you
realize whose you are,
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then you will be and seek
deliverance from a grasshopper
mentality that tries to stop you
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from experiencing and living
God's purpose for your life.
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Grasshopper mentality is
fearful. Grasshopper mentality
is myopic thinking.
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Grasshopper mentality is small
mindedness, but the Philadelphia
Church, praise God,
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did not have
grasshopper mentality.
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The Philadelphia Church
may have been small in number,
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but they were giants in faith.
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Jesus told the church in
Ephesus, "I know your works."
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Jesus told the church at
Smyrna, "I know your worries."
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Jesus told the church
at Pergamos, "I know your
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whereabouts." Jesus told the
church at Thyatira, "I know the
woman in your midst."
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Jesus told the church at Sardis,
"I know you are withering."
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Jesus told the church at
Philadelphia, "I know your
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weakness. I know you are small,
but even though you are small,
you are still faithful."
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Stop focusing on what you cannot
do and utilize what you can do.
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Because when you focus on what
you cannot do, you will have an
excuse to do nothing,
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and nothing will be nothing but
nothing for there is nothing to
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do but nothing. So because
nothing is nothing, for heaven's
sake, do something.
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It was this little church in
Philadelphia. The game, the
attention of Jesus.
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Not because of the size of the
church, not because of the
programs of the church,
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but because it was
faithful to the word of God.
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Jesus opens this letter to the
Philadelphian Church by sharing
three attributes of himself.
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Number one, he says, "He that
is holy." This now is a little
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title attributed. This is a
title attribute to God
throughout the Old Testament,
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but here, it is attributed to
Jesus. Jesus is holy. Thou are
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holy. Holy means you are set
apart. You are set aside. You
are set apart for a special
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purpose. Jesus is holy. Jesus is
pure. He is declaring himself
sinless and of a pure character.
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He is encouraging the
Philadelphian Church to be of a
pure character as he was pure.
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Then the second attribute,
Jesus says, "He that is true."
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Now, there are two
Greek words for true.
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One refers to a true statement
as opposed to a false statement.
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The other refers to that which
is real versus that which is
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fake. Jesus is true and Jesus
is real. Then we have the third
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attribute, not only is he holy,
not only is he true and real,
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but Jesus says, "I
have the key of David."
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This reference to David reminds
the Philadelphians of the
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Messiah, and Jesus is the
Messiah. The righteous branch
who springs from David's line.
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If we study the Old
Testament in Isaiah chapter 22,
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we find the story of a corrupt
leader of the Jews being
replaced by an honorable man
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called, Elyakim. Isaiah 22 says,
"I will place on his shoulder
the key to the house of
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David. When he opens, no one can
shut. When he shuts, no one can
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open." So the idea here of the
key of David, is tied to the
idea of opening and closing
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doors. Jesus comes as the one
who is supremely in charge of
opening up doors and closing
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doors. Jesus says in Revelation
chapter three verse number
eight, "I know thy works."
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Jesus again revealed that he
knew the works of the church,
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but he continues in verse eight,
"Behold, I have set up before
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thee an open door
and no man can shut it."
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Thou hast a little strength, but
has kept my word and have not
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denied my name." In other words,
Philadelphia, you have kept my
command to endure patiently.
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In the text, there is
clear indication that there was
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persecution, but there is power
in this church because of their
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obedience. Because
of their obedience,
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Jesus tells the Philadelphian
Church that he is going to open
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doors for them because they have
kept his word. That he is going
to open doors for them
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because they have
not denied his name.
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You see, Jesus knew that there
was something about his name.
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Demons tremble at the name of
Jesus. Understand at the name of
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Jesus, lions lay down like
house dogs at the name of Jesus.
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At the name of Jesus, donkeys
talk. They had not denied Jesus
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name. Jesus is not telling them
that they will have an open door
for dynamic ministry
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because they have a big church,
they have big programs, or a
beautiful church building,
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but Jesus is telling them he is
going to open doors for them
because they were faithful.
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It was their faithfulness,
not physical power,
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but their faithfulness that
is the power source of a truly
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dynamic church. There was
nothing impressive about the
church at Philadelphia.
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Jesus said in the text, "I know
that you have little strength."
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They did not have much. They
want big but they were faithful
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a church and God intended to use
them in a mighty way. Friends of
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mine, when we allow ourselves to
be used by God, our small
strength can accomplish big
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things. Verse number nine tells
us that the Philadelphian Church
face opposition within the
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church. What am I talking about?
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Jesus tells them, "I will make
those who are of the synagogue
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of Satan who claim to be Jews,
though they are not, but are
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liars. I will make them come and
fall down at your feet and
acknowledge that I have loved
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you. " Then I like the way
the clear word bible puts it.
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It says. "Some who are
worshiping with you, are serving
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Satan. They claim there are true
sons of Abraham, but they are
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not. They are lying, and someday
I will make them come and bow at
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your feet, and make them
acknowledge that I have loved
you." Understand, friends of
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mine. Are you hearing what I am
saying? Understand that for the
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sake of time, I am not going to
get into a debate about what the
word says about the Jews,
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in the fact, they did not
recognize Jesus as the Messiah.
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I do want to touch today
on the fact that the Jews did
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and hear to a strict
code of rules and regulations
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and it reminds me of
the Pharisees of the gospel,
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who were more concerned about
religion than relationship.
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Today, we have modern day
Pharisees in the church who feel
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it is their god-given duty to
check and make sure that
everything we do is done to the
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letter of the law. You see I
have learned that it is often
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within the church. Not
outside, but within the church.
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Within the ranks, where we have
the greatest attacks and the
greatest opposition.
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It is not always the folk on the
outside, but the professors of
Christ on the inside,
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who are the biggest
problems and attack you.
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If I can testify a
minute today just this week,
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I received an email from someone
within the corporate church,
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accusing me of spreading
division in the church simply
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because I was speaking at a
peaceful protest and leading the
march against racism
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and racial injustice. They said,
"I saw your picture, I saw you
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on the internet, and as a
minister of the gospel, you
should not be doing that."
00:15:38.27\00:15:42.10
Then they had the nerve to say,
"I expect a response." I said to
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them now, because I did not have
to respond. But I said, "If you
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read your Bible and you read
Proverbs chapter thirty-one
verses eight and nine, the Bible
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says, you should defend those
who cannot defend themselves.
Speak up for the poor
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and the helpless and see that
they get justice." Micah 6:8.
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We quote it all the time. "What
is required of thee? Do justly,
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love mercy, and walk humbly with
God." But it was Jesus himself,
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who said in Luke chapter four
verse eighteen, "The spirit of
the Lord is upon me,
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because he has anointed me to
preach the gospel, preacher to
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the poor, heal the
brokenhearted. He has sent me to
preach deliverance to the
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captives, recovering of sight to
the blind, and to set at liberty
them that are bruised."
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So when I read the word of
God, when I read what Jesus did
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himself, I have a god-given
mandate as a minister of the
gospel of Jesus, to speak up,
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to speak out, and march against
racism and racial injustice.
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How can somebody call themselves
a Christian and not speak out
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against racism? How can someone
call themselves a Christian and
be silent about racial
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injustice? How can one call
himself a Christian and claim
that Jesus died for all people,
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but then they do not support the
equality of all people. It is an
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oxymoron. It is
hypocrisy at its best.
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Somebody said I would rather be
known in life as an honor sinner
than a lying hypocrite.
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Having a form of godliness,
denying the power thereof,
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and we wonder why the collective
corporate church is not growing.
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Far too often, we have
been attacked within the church
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and whether it is in the church
or whether it is out of the
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church, I am here to tell
somebody we will be attacked. So
I do not get discouraged.
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We will be attacked. That comes
with the territory, but I have
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been learnt. I tell young
people, if you plan to go into
00:17:51.93\00:17:55.54
ministry and you cannot handle
being attacked, this is not for
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you. Because those that
live Godly lives will suffer
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persecution. I would dare to
suggest to you, that if you are
not being attacked,
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you and the devil must be
running in the same direction
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because when you stand
for Jesus Christ, you will be
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You will be oppressed even
from those within the church,
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but I am so glad that the word
of God says no weapon formed
against you is going
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to prosper. Jesus says that the
day is coming wherever make your
enemies your footstool.
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The day is coming. He says in
the text where the liars in the
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church, those who attack you,
those who oppose righteousness,
00:18:36.61\00:18:39.38
I will make them come and bow at
your feet and acknowledge that I
00:18:39.41\00:18:43.85
have loved you.
Hallelujah. Somebody.
00:18:43.89\00:18:45.85
Jesus continues in verse ten. He
says, "Because you have kept my
00:18:45.89\00:18:52.49
commandments and endured so
much criticism, because of me,
00:18:52.53\00:18:55.40
I will be with you as you go
through the time of trouble that
will come on all those who
00:18:55.43\00:18:59.47
live on this Earth." The Lord is
affirming the Philadelphians for
00:18:59.50\00:19:05.24
their endurance. To endure is to
suffer something painful or
difficult patiently.
00:19:05.27\00:19:09.98
The Philadelphians suffered
patiently, but Jesus says,
"Because you have endured for
00:19:10.01\00:19:16.62
me, because you
have lived for me,
00:19:16.65\00:19:18.72
I will keep you from the hour of
temptation that is soon coming
00:19:18.75\00:19:23.86
in this world." He says, "I
know, it is hard sometimes. I
know, if you feel like giving up
00:19:23.89\00:19:29.86
sometimes. Because you have
patiently endured, I will be
with you in the time of trouble,
00:19:29.90\00:19:36.74
so hold on. " Life my friends is
a race, but this race is not a
00:19:36.77\00:19:42.44
100 yard dash. This race is more
like a marathon. In the
marathon, you have to endure,
00:19:42.48\00:19:48.45
which means, you are going to
have some ups, you are going to
00:19:48.48\00:19:51.75
have some downs and you are
going to have to endure. In a
marathon, you have some good
00:19:51.79\00:19:55.62
days, you have some bad days,
but you got to still endure
00:19:55.66\00:19:58.99
because the race is not given
to the swift or to the strong,
00:19:59.03\00:20:02.20
but to the one that
endures and to the end,
00:20:02.23\00:20:04.63
some of you have no
endurance in this race
00:20:04.67\00:20:07.14
because you are still holding on
to weights in your life that are
00:20:07.17\00:20:10.57
causing you to be burdened down.
00:20:10.61\00:20:12.41
Then he also says in verse ten,
"Behold, I come quickly. Hold
that fast which thou has.
00:20:12.44\00:20:19.91
That no man may take
your crown." In other words,
00:20:19.95\00:20:23.22
hold tightly to the little
strength you do have and I am
00:20:23.25\00:20:28.12
going to give you, hallelujah,
crown of life. Jesus can return
00:20:28.16\00:20:33.29
at any time. There will be no
warning, no time for preparation
when the trumpet of God sounds.
00:20:33.33\00:20:38.97
We have got to live, friends
of mine, every day as if it were
00:20:39.00\00:20:42.74
our last. We cannot conform
to the ways of the world,
00:20:42.77\00:20:45.54
but we must hold fast to
that which we have in Christ.
00:20:45.57\00:20:48.84
Jesus reminds us that there is
a reward for those who endure.
00:20:48.88\00:20:53.05
There is a reward for those who
hold fast. No one will be able
to take your crown.
00:20:53.08\00:20:57.92
Your salvation cannot be stolen,
nor can it be taken from you.
00:20:57.95\00:21:02.56
Hallelujah. Then Jesus tells us
in verse number twelve of
Revelation three that he will
00:21:02.59\00:21:07.66
make a pillar in heaven's
temple. I am almost done
00:21:07.73\00:21:11.87
but let me tell you what
the significance of this is.
00:21:11.90\00:21:15.04
Remember earlier, I said that
the city of Philadelphia was
often the victim of
00:21:15.07\00:21:20.31
many earthquakes and so
the people lived in constant
00:21:20.34\00:21:23.88
concern, constant worry
about whether an earthquake was
00:21:23.91\00:21:26.92
coming. When an
earthquake would hit the city,
00:21:26.95\00:21:28.95
oftentimes the only thing left
standing were the pillars of the
00:21:28.98\00:21:34.82
different temples. Jesus is
saying, hallelujah, that
enduring Christians will be like
00:21:34.86\00:21:40.86
pillars in his temple. That
through it all they will still,
hallelujah, be standing.
00:21:40.90\00:21:45.47
People come and people go
but they will still be standing.
00:21:45.50\00:21:52.34
They will endure. I am a witness
to that fact. Life is
turbulence. Life is rough. Life
00:21:52.37\00:21:59.21
is tough. Life is chaotic,
things get shaken, attitudes get
00:21:59.25\00:22:03.69
shaken. Sometimes God will shake
stuff to change your attitude.
00:22:03.72\00:22:06.39
Sometimes God will shake stuff
to bring you to your knees.
00:22:06.42\00:22:10.33
Sometimes God will shake stuff
so you do not trust in money.
00:22:10.36\00:22:13.76
Sometimes God will shake stuff
so you will find out who your
00:22:13.80\00:22:17.70
real friends are. Sometimes God
will shake stuff so you will get
your focus back on what really
00:22:17.73\00:22:22.47
matters in life. Sometimes God
will shake stuff because he is
not really after you
00:22:22.50\00:22:27.51
but he is after
folk in your house.
00:22:27.54\00:22:30.61
Sometimes he has to shake your
stuff to get their attention,
but we have got to endure.
00:22:30.65\00:22:36.65
We have got to keep on standing,
00:22:36.69\00:22:39.32
but even more than this in the
first century when a prominent
00:22:39.35\00:22:41.92
citizen did something not
worthy and worth memorializing,
00:22:41.96\00:22:45.93
they would inscribe their names
on one of the pillars in one of
00:22:45.96\00:22:50.63
the temples. So then the pillar
would have the name of a
well-known, famous,
00:22:50.67\00:22:54.07
or honored person carved on the
temple pillar. Jesus is saying,
hallelujah, in this text.
00:22:54.10\00:23:00.28
That our names would be
carved in the temple of heaven.
00:23:00.31\00:23:04.58
That God will put
hallelujah his name on us.
00:23:04.61\00:23:08.15
We will have a
pillar with our name on it,
00:23:08.18\00:23:10.95
signifying that we are
permanent citizens of heaven.
00:23:10.99\00:23:14.79
So do not worry about if you do
not get your name on a building
00:23:14.82\00:23:17.99
down here. You go, get your
name on a building up there.
00:23:18.03\00:23:20.50
Because the pillars of a
building cannot be removed
without the building collapsing.
00:23:20.53\00:23:26.37
The saved, when we get to
heaven, cannot be removed from
the body of Christ.
00:23:26.40\00:23:31.64
This world is wicked, but we are
on a firm foundation, never to
00:23:31.67\00:23:38.81
be removed. There is one last
thing I want to tell you about
00:23:38.85\00:23:42.05
our reward. Jesus says, "I will
write on him, the name of my God
and the name of my city,
00:23:42.08\00:23:49.96
the new Jerusalem coming down
out of heaven that is a bride
adorned for her husband
00:23:49.99\00:23:56.20
and he is going to write upon
me, my new name. I am no longer
a loser. I am winner.
00:23:56.23\00:24:06.21
I am no longer a victim. I am
Victor. I am no longer in
object, but I am an overcomer.
00:24:06.24\00:24:15.38
I am no longer a sinner, but I
am now saved. Because he that
shall endure unto the end,
00:24:15.42\00:24:24.66
the same shall be saved.” So
today I know somebody feels like
00:24:24.69\00:24:31.00
giving up. I know somebody feels
like throwing in the towel.
00:24:31.03\00:24:34.00
I know you are tired of putting
on a mask, staying at home, not
00:24:34.04\00:24:39.17
going in public, not being able
to go to church, dealing with
00:24:39.21\00:24:42.38
corona virus. I know you are
tired of racism. I know you are
tired of racial injustice.
00:24:42.41\00:24:47.22
I know you are tired of knees to
your neck, but you have got to
00:24:47.25\00:24:53.42
keep on standing. You have got
to keep on fighting. This is not
00:24:53.46\00:24:58.06
a time to be weak. This is not
a time for you to hang around
00:24:58.09\00:25:01.76
penny wenny folk. You have got
to be around folk who are ready
00:25:01.80\00:25:04.67
to fight. You got to be around
folk who been through something
and they are still able to
00:25:04.70\00:25:09.47
testify. I have been
through it, but I made it.
00:25:09.50\00:25:12.04
I got sick, but I made
it. He left me, but I made it.
00:25:12.07\00:25:16.75
She left me, but I made it.
I lost my house, but I made it.
00:25:16.78\00:25:21.85
I did not have a job, but I made
it. I lost my car, but I made
00:25:21.88\00:25:26.65
it. I was in trouble, but I made
it. Stand on the promises of
00:25:26.69\00:25:31.69
God. Stand and having done
all to stand. Get your back
00:25:31.73\00:25:35.73
straight. Get your feet on
the floor. Stick your chest out.
00:25:35.76\00:25:39.47
The Lord is my light and my
salvation, whom shall I fear.
00:25:39.50\00:25:44.37
The Earth is the Lord, the
fullness thereof and all them
that dwell therein.
00:25:44.41\00:25:49.08
The Lord is my
shepherd. I shall not want.
00:25:49.11\00:25:52.55
Fret not thyself because of
evildoers, neither be thou
envious of the workers of
00:25:52.58\00:25:57.59
iniquity. They shall soon be cut
down like the grass. Jesus says
in the text, "I am coming back,
00:25:57.62\00:26:05.76
if you just hold fast. If you
just hold fast, I have a pillar
00:26:05.79\00:26:14.27
for you. I have a pillar with
your name written all over it. I
have a new name for you.
00:26:14.30\00:26:21.78
I have a new city for you.
Because when the battle is over,
we shall wear a crown.”
00:26:21.81\00:26:32.32
In the New Jerusalem, there
will be no more crying there.
00:26:32.35\00:26:38.36
There will be no more dying
there. There will be no more
00:26:38.39\00:26:43.77
sickness there. There will be no
more corona virus there. There
will be no more racism there.
00:26:43.80\00:26:49.34
There will be no more racial
injustice there. There will be
no knees to the neck there.
00:26:49.37\00:26:55.64
Jesus will be there. I plan on
being there. I hope you are
there because Christ returneth,
00:26:55.68\00:27:04.42
hallelujah, hallelujah. Amen.
00:27:04.45\00:27:10.66
Thank you very much for tuning
in to this week's Breath of Life
00:27:10.69\00:27:15.06
broadcast. We hope and pray that
you've been blessed by Dr.
Byrd's inspirational message.
00:27:15.10\00:27:19.67
If you would like to hear
this sermon in its entirety,
00:27:19.70\00:27:21.90
please feel free to visit
us at www.breathoflife.tv.
00:27:21.94\00:27:27.84
Or, call us at (256) 929-6460.
00:27:27.88\00:27:33.85
[END]
00:27:33.88\00:27:41.26
When I was eight years old,
I was diagnosed with Crohn's
00:27:41.29\00:27:47.00
disease. When I was fifthteen, I
had my first surgery. When I
think about the time that I lost
00:27:47.03\00:27:57.77
during my adolescent years, I
just can't seem to put it
togther. Even now I'm doing
00:27:57.81\00:28:08.52
treatment for my disease.
Everyone experiences loss. It's
not of matter of if but when.
00:28:08.55\00:28:21.63
www.breathoflife.tv
00:28:21.66\00:28:36.68