A little church can preach a big God

Certain men rise above the landscape and impact their generation for Jesus Christ. Donald Grey Barnhouse was such a man.

Barnhouse towered above his times and left his impact for eternity. Soon after graduating from Princeton Theological Seminary, Barnhouse was invited back to campus to preach in chapel. As he began to preach, he was suddenly quite nervous. Sitting in the audience that day was one of the most brilliant men on earth — an Old Testament professor named Robert Dick Wilson. Professor Wilson spoke 27 languages and was highly respected worldwide.

Halfway through Barnhouse’s chapel message, Wilson shuffled his papers, stood to his feet and walked out of the chapel — while Barnhouse was still speaking. Barnhouse was crushed. After his message finished, Barnhouse went to Wilson’s office. He knocked on the door and with a trembling voice asked, “Where did I fail?” The esteemed professor stopped his reading, looked up and said, “Fail? Oh, you didn’t fail. I always come to hear my former students speak one time. I simply wanted to know if you are a big-Godder or a small-Godder. I am very pleased that you are one of our few graduates who is a big-Godder. You preach a big God. I didn’t need to hear any more.”

What a lesson for us. Those who believe in a great God do great things for God. God delights in taking ordinary people and doing extraordinary things through them. The church of Philadelphia in Revelation 3 was a little church with a big God. How can you unleash the power of God in your life? Revelation 3:7-13 describes three steps that unlock the blessings of a big God into your life.

Jesus said, “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this …’” (verse 7). Jesus described himself as holy. The concept of holiness comes from a root word that means to cut. To be holy is to be a cut above, separate, set apart. Jesus is set apart from his creation. He has no beginning. Jesus has always existed. He is equal to God the Father. By his ethical holiness he is set apart from all sin. He is perfectly pure and undefiled.

Jesus described himself as true, “He who is true” (verse 7). Jesus is authentic and genuine. He is the real thing. Jesus is not a counterfeit Christ. He is the real God who is true to his Word. He can be completely trusted because he is deity.

Jesus described himself as sovereign. Jesus is the One “who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens” (verse 7). This means that He is the keeper of the keys who alone opens and shuts the door leading to God’s blessings.

We live in the day of the megachurch. Large, towering churches dominate the landscape. For those who serve and worship in smaller congregations, this can be discouraging, even intimidating. We must remember that spiritual success it not dictated by the size of the buildings, budgets or buses; rather, it is determined by having a great faith in a big God. It is far better to be in a little church with a big God than to be a big church with a little God. Little churches accomplish great ministry when they serve a holy, true and sovereign God — a God who can open big doors.

The first step to unlock the power of God in your life is to learn a secret. Jesus noted they had “a little power.” This was not a rebuke. It was simply a statement of fact. Compared to other churches they had only a little power, limited resources, small size and little clout. In their weakness they learned a secret: faithfulness to God opens great doors. Their weakness forced them to trust God. They lived from hand to mouth — God’s hand to their mouth.

The second step to unlocking God’s blessing upon your life is to be obedient. Jesus commended them because they “kept my Word” (verse 8). They were fiercely committed to God’s Word. They preached it, taught it, believed it, obeyed it, lived it and shared it. They would not budge from the Word. Whatever they did, it was all directed and empowered by God’s Word.

The third step is boldness. Jesus said, “… and have not denied My name” (verse 8). They were unashamed of the gospel. This little band of believers would not buckle under pressure. Wherever they went the name of Jesus was on their lips. Boldly, they witnessed for him at every opportunity. It’s no wonder Jesus opened doors for this church. They were faithful in little. Therefore, God gave them opportunities to be faithful in much.

Philadelphia was a little church with a big God. Jesus is holy, true and sovereign. Trust in God’s strength and not your own, hold fast to the Word of God, be bold and see the power of God unleashed in your life.

Ethan Hansen is pastor at Faith Bible Fellowship in Big Lake. Contact him at ethanchansen@gci.net.