Now let’s go to Luke 13:23. And there comes a time when the door is closed. And Christ is the one Who closes the door. “Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And He said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate:...” That’s difficult. That’s hard. “...For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door,...” Now there comes a time when God shuts the door. “...And ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and He shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are, [where you’re from]: then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou hast taught in our streets.” Or if we could put the parlance today, “I’ve been in the church of God for 40 years!” “But He shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity” Luke 13:23-27).

Now let’s understand something that is as true today as it was back then. Let’s go to Ezekiel 3 please. Let’s pick it up here in verse 17. “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at My mouth,...” And we’re going to hear the word of God, are we not? Talks about word and truth. “...And give them warning from Me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand” (Ezek. 3:17-18). So that’s all part of what we need to do too, brethren.

“Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man,...” There comes a time to witness, there comes a time to warn. There comes a time to say, “You cannot mock God and get away with it. While you are alive, pay attention and seek God.” Now maybe you even have to do that for some of the people you know. You have to judge that. There comes a time when it has to be. “Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul” (vs. 19-21). So there’s a whole part of it. So before the door gets closed on some of these people they need to know, lest they come in to Luke 13:27, that they are workers of iniquity. You see, while there is life there’s still hope. Let’s hope they will listen.

Now let’s go to Revelation 3 again, and let’s look at something else. And maybe this will help answer part of the paradox that we see happening. Now of the Laodiceans, and all their problems and so forth ... and years ago Ed Davis said, which there may be a good measure of truth to it, he said, “What if we were all Laodiceans all along, and what we are going through is repentance?” Now you have to entertain that thought as possibly true. When you consider everything around us, and the society we live, and our church background, it’s a possibility. There’s nothing wrong with a repenting Laodicean. Absolutely nothing. God says, “I’m rebuking you because I love you.” So let’s not exclude that either.

He says here in Revelation 3:19, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:...” Now if you’re standing at a door and knocking, what has happened? The door is shut. Isn’t that correct? Yes. They have shut Christ out. But the Philadelphian does not do that. They yield to God. “...If any man hear My voice, and open the door,...” So that has to be done by the individual who shut the door on Christ. “...I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me” (Rev. 3:19-20). That’s a pretty profound statement when you look at all of that.

Now let’s look at the door. Let’s understand a couple of other things concerning the door. I think we’ll find this very interesting as we’re going along. Now first of all, let’s go to John 10. And here again we’re talking about the door in a little bit different way than we’ve covered already. We’ve talked about the gates of righteousness, but here we’re talking about the door of salvation, that Christ is the one Who opens. John 10:1, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.” Now today we’re able to see them a little more clearly. The spots of the leopard have turned out to be the stripes of a hyena, as it were, or the spots of a hyena. “But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.” That is Christ. “To him the porter openeth;...” (John 10:1-3).

That’s interesting. The porter. Let’s stop here for just a minute and let’s add just a couple of things concerning the door and the porter. Let’s first of all go back to 1 Chronicles 9:21. There was actually a porter for the door at the temple. Let’s go back there. 1 Chronicles 9:21, it says, “And Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was porter of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.” Now how important is the door of the tabernacle of the congregation? Let’s go to Deuteronomy 31. Let’s see how important that was. Deuteronomy 31, and let’s pick it up here in verse 14. “And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation. And the LORD appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud: and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle” (Deut. 31:14-15).

In other words, this door of the tabernacle, then, and when the porter opens, that’s giving you direct entrance into God the Father. That’s what it’s doing in a sense. Now we know that when the children of Israel were led out of Egypt there was a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire, day and night. We know when the tabernacle was set up that the cloud entered into the tabernacle and filled the tabernacle with the presence of God. We know when the temple was dedicated the cloud came from God and filled the tabernacle, or the temple rather, showing that God was there. He entered into the temple. Now connect that with the Philadelphians, and being part of the spiritual temple of God forever.

Now let’s come back to John 10. So here is a door of salvation, and a door that Jesus Christ alone functions through. Verse 3, “To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.” They’re following Christ. That’s what a Philadelphian will always do. “And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.” Now notice the next verse. This is what has happened today. “And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him:...” Now what do you do when you flee? You separate yourself, do you not? You run away from, do you not? Correct. “...For they know not the voice of strangers” (John 10:3-5). Or we can say today, “We know not the sound of these printed things that we’re hearing that are so awful and damnable.” We don’t follow them.

Now let’s pick it up here in verse 7. “Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before Me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved,...” So here is the door of salvation, the gates of righteousness. “...And shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (vs. 7-10). And is not the Philadelphian, through the love of God and love of the brethren, having an abundant life, though he’s not filled with physical goods? Yes. You could have, just as Jesus said, “What good does it do you out to gain the whole world,” every physical thing that’s in the world, “and lose your own soul?” (Mark 8:36, paraphrased). No good at all whatsoever.

Verse 11, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.” What has happened because of hirelings within the church? The sheep have been scattered, right? Christ will re-gather them. Trust in Him, He will do it. “The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine. As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down My life for the sheep” (vs. 11-15). Then He talks about bringing others into the fold too. So that’s a pretty profound thing concerning the sheep, is it?

Now let’s go back here to Revelation 3 again. And let’s continue on. So we have the door. It’s opening and shutting, and so forth. Verse 8, “I know thy works:...” So there are going to be works. And He says, “...Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it:...” and so forth. “Know your works.” What is the greatest, greatest work that you can do? What is the greatest work that Jesus said you can do? People came and said, “Lord, what can we do that we work the works of God?” What is the greatest works? “To believe on Him Who has sent Him.” To believe on Jesus Christ. Why? Because when you truly believe down to the very depths of your being, you act upon that belief, do you not? Yes. That’s why that is the greatest work. Then you can do other things after you do that. That’s what’s important. Now here, John 5:17, Jesus said, “...My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” And they couldn’t understand that. He healed on the Sabbath. That was a good work.

Now since we’re in the book of John, let’s go to chapter 17 again. And I think it’s amazing how many of these references we find in the book of John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, and the one who loved Jesus. Jesus had a work and He’s going to finish it. Right? Yes. He did finish that. Let’s pick it up here in verse 4. “I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do.” Now we have a work also that we are to do. And we find that in I Thessalonians. Let’s go there.

I Thessalonians 1, let’s pick it up here in verse 2. “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; remembering without ceasing your work of faith,...” Now notice how this fits in with the Philadelphian. He says, “I know your works.” What are the works of a Philadelphian going to be? “...Your work of faith, and [the] labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;…” (1 Thes. 1:2-3). So all of those things are all tied in with how a Philadelphian should be conducting his or her life.

Let’s see something else concerning that. Let’s go to Philippians 2, just a few pages back. And if there’s any one epistle of Paul that parallels the Philadelphian church, it is the book of Philippians. Let’s see why. Let’s pick it up here, Philippians 2:1. And this is something that’s so very important for us to understand and to do here. And this is one of my favorite scriptures also. I have quite a few that are favorite, but this is one of them here. You’ll hear me cross-reference this quite a few times. But you know, since love is the greatest, I don’t think we can talk about it too much, can we? No. Especially living in the world that we’re living in.

Verse 1, “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels [that means deep inner most compassions] and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, they ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” And this is what a Philadelphian will be striving for. Notice verse 3. “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory;...” So wherever you’ve got all kinds of little compartmental judgments and little Lord Fauntleroy’s running around in their little offices and their vain glory, they are not Philadelphians, you see? Cannot be. “...But in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” Because you love the brethren. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:...” (Phil. 2:1-5). So we’re striving for the mind of Christ, having these things written in our hearts and in our minds.

Now let’s come all the way down here to verse 12. Here’s what a Philadelphian is always going to be doing. “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Always, continually working out the salvation. Growing in grace. Growing in knowledge. Thinking on God. Loving His way. Loving the truth. Loving Christ. Loving the Father, you see. “For it is God which worketh in you...” Letting the inner workings of God in you, you see, “...both to will...” That is, to give you the desire. “...And to do of His good pleasure” (vs. 12-13).

Now if you’ve come to sort of a roadblock in your life, and there’s something which is just holding you back, strive for this right here. Ask God to remove that. Ask God to give you the will, to give you the desire. He will do it. “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ,...” (vs. 14-16). So we again tie in with the word of God there.

Now let’s go back to Revelation 3 again. There’s quite a bit in here, isn’t there? It’s amazing, if you just take the time to really look at things, and analyze them with the mind of Christ and with the Spirit of God and the words of God, to see what is here for us. The next thing we have, “...For thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My word,...” (vs. 8). That’s pretty profound. The little strength. We know that God is our strength. We know that He is the one Who gives it to us, you see. Little strength means little power. We get our power from God.

Ephesians 6:10. Let’s turn there. Back to the book of the Ephesians 6:10. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord,...” You don’t have to worry about having the power in doing it yourself. You be strong in the Lord. You say, “God help me! Inspire me. Lift me.” Christ can do that. He will. “...And in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” And there are many out there. Now it also talks a little bit later about the synagogue of Satan, so we’ll just mention that right here, verse 12. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:10-12). I just suggest, watch the evening news. You’ll understand that.

Now let’s go to 1 Corinthians 1, and let’s understand that we also understand about our calling. 1 Corinthians 1, and let’s pick it up here in verse 23. “But we preach Christ crucified,...” Isn’t that something? A dead God. God died for you. Greeks - the Jews couldn’t understand that. Stumbling block to them. They wanted Christ to take over and rule and reign as king now. “Get rid of the Romans. Get rid of all this. Save us now!” No. He died first. “...And unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ [is] the power of God,...” Never forget that. Since we have a little power we rely on the power of God. “...And the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Cor. 1:23-25). So that’s why God chose the foolishness of the cross. That’s why He chose what people would disdain and look upon as not worthy.

“For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty,...” And that means those of strength or power. “...Not many noble, are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise;...” And we’re going to see that happen, brethren. What do you think the world is going to do when God says to the world, “Behold, My family.” “Well, God, why didn’t you call me? You know, I had all of these degrees, and I was...Why?” No. Not many wise. He’s chosen the weak things. “You have a little strength.”

“...Of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things...” That’s why we’re nothing. “...And [the] things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are [nothing] not, to [that He might] bring to naught [nothing] things that are: that no flesh should glory in His presence.” We glory in God. “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:...” All of those tie in with what we’re talking about with a Philadelphian. “…That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (vs. 26-31). Tremendous verses, brethren. Tremendous verses. We might add in your notes, put this scripture down please: 2 Timothy 1:7, that God has given us the spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Now let’s come back to Revelation 3 again. And let’s see what else that they have done. And this becomes very important. This becomes very, very important. “...[You] hast kept My word, and hast not denied My name” (vs. 8). We’ve already covered about not denying His name. “You have kept My word.” Let’s look at some of the scriptures concerning that, keeping His word. Let’s go to Mark 8:34. “And when He had called the people unto Him with His disciples also, He said unto them, Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for My sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:34-38). So they’re going to be steadfast, keeping God’s word.

Now let’s go to the gospel of John, John 15. After He says that He is the true vine and we are the branches, verse 3, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in Me, and I in you.” And that means to live and dwell. “As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine;...” That is, live and dwell in the vine, “...no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He [the one who] that abideth [or is living] in Me, and I in Him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned” (John 15:3-6). And that’s also going to happen.

Notice verse 7. “If ye abide in Me,...” This is how you can faithfully keep His word. “If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you,...” And that’s present tense, living and dwelling in you, “...Ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” So the way you keep His word is by having it living and dwelling within you.

Now 1 Thessalonians 2, and let’s pick it up here in verse 11. “As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, that ye would walk worthy of God, Who hath called you unto His kingdom and glory. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe” (1 Thes. 2:11-13). So the word of God is going to be living, dwelling, working, functioning, inspiring. Now when you understand that Christ is called the Word of God, and Christ is in us, then you understand how a Philadelphian is a Philadelphian.

Now let’s go back to Revelation 3 again, and let’s look at just a couple of other things here, please. This is pretty profound. “Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan,...” (vs. 9). Now let me just briefly describe what I believe the synagogue of Satan is. Satan is worshiped as God in this synagogue. This synagogue includes many layers of many different people and many different organizations who rule and control the world; because Satan said to Jesus that if Jesus would worship him, he would give Him the power of all the nations. Now, this includes a vast number of people in this particular situation. And of course, the further you get from the top the less you really know, but you’re still used of it and part of it.

Now what makes it different with the Philadelphians is, is that they do not try and solve this problem politically. That’s where most people make their mistakes. You cannot solve it politically. And the time comes that God is going to let Satan have his big end-time affair, and you aren’t going to stop it. As a matter of fact, you will be fighting God if you try and stop it politically. Now notice what He does. “...Which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet,...” What does this say that we’re going to be, then? It says we’re going to be as God. It is that not correct? Because the only one you’re to worship is God. Now notice, “...And to know that I have loved thee” (vs. 9). Now we’re getting down into the point as to who a true Philadelphian really is.

Let’s go to Jeremiah 31:3. Now this is talking about Israel, but this is applied to spiritual Israel. “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with and everlasting love:...” That’s the kind of love that Christ has. Do we have that kind of love back to Him? An everlasting love. “...Therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. [And] again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel:...” (Jer. 31:3-4). And that is the church.

Let’s go to John 14. We’ll finish here in the gospel of John. John 14. Now I suppose if we went back and looked at all the scriptures we’ve got out of John, we’d be thinking that there’s a connection also between Philadelphians and the gospel of John, and the epistles of John, and you’d be quite correct. Let’s come here, John 14:15. This is quite a profound section here. And this is why it’s included in the Passover ceremony, because this is part of our covenant agreement with Christ that we renew at the Passover. “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” And this means, “If you love Me, keep the commandments, namely, Mine.” And what does it say concerning the Philadelphian? “You have patiently kept the word, My word.” Then He says He will send the Holy Spirit.

Now let’s come down here to verse 21. And the Holy Spirit is, what? The spirit of truth, and is a Comforter. “He [the one who] that hath My commandments, and keepeth [is keeping] them, he it is that loveth [is loving] Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.” We are going to see, brethren, that the only way a Philadelphian can be a Philadelphian is if they are loving God first with all their heart, all their mind, all their soul, and all their being. Then they can love the brethren. Because, see, then you don’t have any axe to grind.

Let’s come down here to verse 23. “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep My words:...” “Patiently have kept My word,” correct? Yes. “...And My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and [We will] make Our abode with him. He that [the one who is loving] loveth Me not keepeth not My sayings: and the word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Father’s which sent Me” (vs. 23-24). Those are pretty powerful words. Anyone want to argue with God?

Let’s come to chapter 15. Let’s pick it up here in verse 9. And this tells us concerning who a Philadelphian is. “As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you:...” An everlasting love, coming from the Father, exactly as the Father has loved Him. “...Continue ye in My love. If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love;...” That is, remain and live in My love, “...even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love. These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” And that is, under every circumstance. “This is My commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” And there is the true Philadelphian attitude right there. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” A phileos: friends. “Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:9-14).

Now let’s go to 1 John 4. And let’s understand about the love, the brotherly love, the love of God, and how it can only come from God. And we’re going to see that true Philadelphians will be loving God with all their heart and mind and soul and being, and loving the brethren as themselves, just as Christ has said. Now let’s pick it up here, 1 John 4:16. “And we have known and believed...” “Known” means to know, experience, and understand; “believe” means to let it sink deep within your being. “...The love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” That’s what’s important. Now if this is missing in our lives, draw close to God. Let Him give it. I think the thing that helped me begin to understand this more than anything else was when I came to the conclusion and understood that I didn’t have any of the love of God whatsoever in me, let alone love anybody else.

Notice, “Herein is our love made perfect,...” It needs to be perfected, to be grown in, to develop, “...that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world.” That’s how Christ views us. That is His gift. That is His love. There’s no fear in love. And yet how many churches were run by fear? How many that called themselves Philadelphians said, “If you don’t stay in this church, you’re going into tribulation!” And everybody’s fearful, and little children have nightmares. “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth [is casting] out fear:...” It is a process, you see. “...Because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love Him, because He first loved us” (vs. 17-19). And never, ever, ever forget that. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son....”

Now notice verse 20. And here’s where we need to start. And this is where I started. “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar:...” Put any name in there you want. Having problems at home with your wife. Having problems at home with your children. Having problems on the job with the people you work with. “...For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God Whom he hath not seen?” A profound verse to work on your whole life, brethren. “And this commandment have we from Him,...” And this identifies a Philadelphian: “...That he who loveth God love his brother also” (vs. 20-21). There it is right there. It’s not by declaration. It’s not by organization. It’s by loving God, and loving the brethren in the Spirit of God.

Now continue, chapter 5:1, it goes right on. “Whosoever believeth [is believing] that Jesus is the Christ is born [begotten] of God…” as it should read; “…and every one that loveth [is loving] Him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of Him.” There again, the brotherly love that comes through the power of the Holy Spirit. “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God,...” See? Must love God first. “...And keep His commandments.” So it’s a profound and deep, and spiritual, and an emotional experience also. And it will be. And when you come to understand and let the love of God flood into your heart, and into your mind, and your soul, and your being, it’s going to be an overwhelming experience that will be a great turning point in conversion in your life. And so you can experience that, brethren. God says that it will. “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous” (1 John 5:1-3).

Now one last point concerning a Philadelphian who loves the brethren. Let’s go to Matthew 25. The Philadelphian will not know that he really is. Because he will see himself as he is before God. Now, verse 37, “Then shall...” After He says, verse 34, “Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was an hungered, and ye gave Me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me in: naked, and ye clothed Me: I was sick, and ye visited Me: I was in prison, and ye came unto Me. Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungered, and fed Thee? or thirsty, and gave Thee drink? When saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? or naked, and clothed Thee? Or when saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me” (vs. 34-40).

Now let’s take this and apply this, not only physically, but spiritually. And let’s see if we can apply this to those who are naked, and hungry, and starving spiritually to help them and feed them. And so brethren, that’s what a true Philadelphian is. And before God, there’s no bragging, there’s no boasting, and you probably don’t even know that you are.