Sermon Outlines

By Frederick F. Schwindt, Evangelist

"HOLD THAT FAST WHICH THOU HAST"

1. A message to the church of Philadelphia:
   1. The name of "Philadelphia" indicates that the church had things worth holding on to --
   2. An open door - "For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries." 1 Cor. 16:9
   3. Little strength.
   4. "Thou hast kept my word."
   5. "And hast not denied my name."
2. The admonition of the true witness indicates that danger was threatening that noble church; Satan would do his utmost to weaken that church:

1. This admonition indicates:
   1. That the church of Philadelphia had some treasures Satan sought to get away from it.
   2. This church is wonderfully illustrated by the parable of the sower that went forth to sow the good seed; some fell by the wayside - "Then cometh that wicked one, and snatched away that which was sown in his heart." Matt. 13:1-19
2. It implies, also, that we have much to do, on our part, to retain the blessings of the kingdom:
   1. The church at Ephesus failed in this responsibility - "thou hast left thy first love" - Rev. 3:4
   2. "For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water." Jer. 2:12, 13
3. "Let no man take thy crown":
   1. This shows that it is possible that someone else may take the place that should have been ours - EXAMPLES -
      1. Judah, the fourth son of Jacob, took Reuben's place, the oldest son of Jacob.
      2. Manasses, the youngest son of Joseph, took Dan's place.
      3. Compare Rev. 7:5 with Gen. 49:1-10. Here is food for earnest thoughts on our part.
4. How sad it would be to learn to our sorrow that someone else took the crown that was intended for us:

1. In these words the Lord gives the special reason for the Philadelphians to hang onto the things they had received from the Lord:
   1. This has, as we understand, reference to the second coming of Jesus Christ.
   2. That coming is the theme of the ages and the blessed hope of the redeemed.
2. This blessed truth is sufficient reason to not let the things we have heard slip away from us:
   1. How sad it makes us when we hear of a brother or a sister leaving the message, going out into the world and living on the husks of sin.
   2. As we see the end nearing, we should make sure that we have a good hold on the great truths that will save our soul.
   3. Apostasies are too many among us, but what can we do to stop this drifting away from the truth.
3. Here are some of the things we must hang on to:
   1. Our confidence in God's promises and in the ultimate triumph of the gospel - Heb. 10:35
   2. Our first love for Present Truth. The great danger to all of us is the temptation to become careless in our relationship to the message.
   3. It is possible for one to believe the theory of the message, and yet be lost; reason, because of neglecting to practice the truths we profess to believe.
   4. "For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." Rom. 2:13
   5. "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." Jas. 2:22
   6. "Blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have a right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Rev. 22:14