THE CHURCH AT PHILADELPHIA
                                     Rev. 3:7-13

          1. PHILADELPHIA-"BROTHERLY LOVE."
                A. A city of Lydia, in Asia Minor.
                   1. Location-twenty-seven miles southeast of Sardis, in
                       the plain of the Hermus.
                   2. Founding-in 150 B.C. by Attalus 11, King of Perga-
                       mos.
                B. Attalus' great devotion for his brother and predecessor
                   won for him the surname Philadelphus, and it was from
                   this the city was named.
                C. Destroyed in 17 A.D. by an earth-quake, but rebuilt short-
                   ly. Now called "Allah Shekr."
                D. Walls, temple, and ancient ruins still remain.

           II. DESCRIPTION OF THE SPEAKER.

                A. "Holy"-in character and life.  I Pet. 2:22, 23; Heb. 4:15;
                   Rev. 4:8.
                B. "True"-in life and word. jno. 14:6.
                C. "Hath the key of David"denotes authority. Now on
                   David's throne.  Acts 2:29-35; I Cor. 15:23-25; Acts 3:22,
                   23.

             111.  OPPORTUNITIES FOR A SMALL CHURCH.

                   A.  "I have set before thee an open door."
                   B.  "Little strength"-yet an open door before them.
                       1. Gideon's reduced army. judges 7:7
                       2. Moses' stick. Ex. 4:17; 7:9, etc.
                       3. Shamgar's oxgoad. judges 3:31.
                       4. David's sling. I Sam. 17:40, 50.
                       5. Twelve apostles. Mk. 16:15; ino. 17:18-20.
                   C. "Hast kept my word." jno. 14:23.
                   D. "Hast not denied my name." I Peter 4:16.

             IV.   ADMONITION. VERSE 11.
                   A. Hold fast what you have.  I Cor. 15:1, 2; 15:58; Eph. 4:14-
                       16.
                   B. Promised to keep those who kept His word.

              V. PROMISED REWARD.  VERSE 11.
                 A. "I will make a pillar in the temple of God"-a permanent
                       and secure place.
                   B. "He shall go no more out"-no more fleeing.
                   C. Three names to be written upon him.  Verse 12.
                       1. "The name of my God."
                       2. "The name of the city of my God."
                       3. "My new name."