REVELATION 3:7-13
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but
by me” (Jn.14:6).
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman” (Jn.15:1).
“Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a
king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness un-
to the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice” (Jn.18:37).
“Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because
the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth” (1 Jn.2:8).
3. Jesus Christ alone is the key of David, the key that “opens, and no man shuts; and shuts, and no man opens.” What
is the key of David? There is an event in the Old Testament that tells us. King Hezekiah had a faithful servant who was
named Eliakim. This servant was the personal secretary to king Hezekiah; he was put in complete charge of the king’s af-
fairs. No one could gain entrance into the king’s presence without coming through Eliakim. This servant alone determined
who entered the king’s court. God spoke to Isaiah the prophet one day and said the following words:
“And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his [Eliakim’s] shoulder; so he shall open, and
none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open” (Is.22:22).
The key of David is the symbol of authority. Jesus Christ alone opens and shuts the door into God’s court and presence.
He alone determines who lives in heaven with God the Father. He alone grants entrance into the presence of God. The door
into heaven is opened and closed by Him and Him alone. No other person or being has that authority. Jesus Christ alone
holds the key to open and shut the door to life eternal. Therefore, the church that focuses upon Jesus Christ can be assured: it
shall live forever. When the time comes, Jesus Christ shall open the door of heaven. The church that takes all its ministries,
activities, and meetings and makes Jesus Christ the center of them all—that church shall live forever.
“And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man”
(Jn.5:27).
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”
(1 Tim.2:5).
“Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he
ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Heb.7:25).
“But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a
better covenant, which was established upon better promises” (Heb.8:6).
“And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the re-
demption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might re-
ceive the promise of eternal inheritance” (Heb.9:15).
“For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the
true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us” (Heb.9:24).
“And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh
better things than that of Abel” (Heb.12:24).
“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an
advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 Jn.2:1).
3
(3:8) Church—Believer: there is the commendation. This is the picture of what a church should be, the picture of a
church that is alive and faithful. The Lord Jesus Christ commends this church for three things.
1. The church used the open door of evangelism and missions to reach people for Christ. The church was strategically
located.
g159 It was a border town that touched the borders of three other towns: Lydia, Mysia, and Phrygia. Imagine the
evangelistic and mission opportunities by being surrounded with three other towns.
g159 It lay on the imperial road of Rome, one of the major roads that passed from the coast and stretched right on to
the east into Asia minor. Just think of the multitudes of people who passed through and visited, stayed and con-
ducted business in the city: the businessmen, sales persons, military people, vacationers, tourists, and visiting
relatives.
The point is striking: the city was so strategically located that the whole world could have been penetrated with the gospel
by spreading out from the church. And note: Christ commends the church for their evangelistic and missionary work. They
were reaching out. And Christ knew of their works. He had set an open door before them and they had stepped in and taken
advantage of the opportunity. Because they had faithfully reached out to the lost, Christ says that He is not going to let any-
one close the door. He is personally going to see that the door to evangelism and missions stays open.
Note one other significant fact: the church had only a little strength. This probably means that they were a small church,
small in number and small in resources. This too is striking: imagine being just a small church, yet reaching out to the lost,
witnessing and bearing testimony to the salvation and hope of eternal life. Imagine making such an evangelistic and mission
thrust that Christ is impressed, impressed so much...
• that He commends the church for it.
• that He guarantees that the open door to evangelism and missions will always remain open. He will not
allow anyone to close it.
Thought 1. This is the first mission of the church. The church that is alive and faithful is a church that does just
what Jesus Christ did: He reached out to the lost.
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