Introduction: Somewhere around 155-160 A.D, the bishop of Smyrna, Polycarp, was betrayed by members of his family, arrested and taken into the Colosseum in Smyrna where he was given one last chance to escape death. He was told that he must renounce his conscience toward Christ. He must declare his separation from “the atheists” and demonstrate his loyalty to Rome. The aged pastor (86 years old) was threatened with death by fire or by lions. But he refused their offer of deliverance, and he made a statement that will forever testify to the kind of loyal love that should characterize all Christians. “Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did me any injury: how then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?” He says, in effect, “how can I be disloyal to the one who has so loyally loved me?” That kind of love and loyalty in a believer should be celebrated. It is right that we should admire loyalty and faithfulness in believers that speaks of a genuine faith and a genuine love for God. But the story of love is not centered in the servants of Christ. The story of love is centered in the Christ who made us His servants. What is amazing about love is not our love for Christ, but Christ’s love for His church. 1John 4:9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that nGod sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, onot that we have loved God nbut that he loved us and sent his Son to be pthe propitiation for our sins. IT IS CHRIST’S LOVE FOR US THAT IS THE CONFIDENCE AND PEACE FOR EVERY BELIEVER’S HEART. THAT KNOWLEDGE OF THAT LOVE SHOULD COMFORT AND STRENGTHEN THE RESOLVE OF EVERY BELIEVER, REGARDLESS OF THE OPPOSITION WE FACE. WE ARE TRULY CARED FOR. WE ARE TRULY DEFENDED. NO ONE EVER ATTACKS THE PEOPLE OF CHRIST AND IT ESCAPES HIS NOTICE. NO ONE WILL EVER DO INJURY TO THE BRIDE OF CHRIST, AND APART FROM REPENTANCE, NOT PAY THE PRICE FOR THAT INJURY. That is what we are reminded of in Christ’s message to the church in Philadelphia. We will examine Christ’s assessment of this church under three main headings. I. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE ONE WHO LOVES US (vs.7) In each of the prior addresses, our Lord has taken elements from that extended self-description in chapter one and presented Himself to each church with reminders of who He is that fit with their particular need. CHRIST IS THE ANSWER FOR ALL HIS CHURCH NEEDS. But He doesn’t do that here. Instead of describing Himself from that which He revealed in chapter one, He reaches. back into the Old Testament Scriptures and presents Himself in terms that speak of His deity. This church is facing the scorn of Jewish unbelievers. Their persecutors believed themselves to be God’s people — even as they rejected their Messiah. This address comes from that rejected Messiah, and He assures His church that the synagogue of Satan has it wrong. A. JESUS IS THE HOLY ONE There is no mere mortal who could rightly describe Himself as the one who is Holy, and the One Who is true. Jesus is the holy one. THIS IS A DESCRIPTION USED TO SPEAK OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT — IT IS A CLEAR CLAIM OF DEITY. THIS IS A DESCRIPTION USED TO SPEAK OF THE MESSIAH IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, A CLEAR ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HE IS GOD’S CHOSEN KING. The Old Testament is full of examples but let me offer just a few.