Going From Good To Great

Going from Good to Great

Revelation 3:1-6 (NIV)

1 "To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.

3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.

4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.

5 He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.

6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Let me give a little background on this church

1. They were a big church

Had a lot of ministries

2. They were doing a lot of things

a. That’s why that had a reputation of being alive

b. The problem was that although they had things going on they were dead

c. Because they were happy and content with how things were

d. They weren’t going to do anything to change how things were.

e. They looked alive but because of lack of desire to be better they were dead.

The Message

3. To the angel of the church.

a. Means messenger

b. Pastor

c. To tell the whole church

Question: How many people believe that God speaks thru the pastor of the church?

4. You appear alive but you are dead

a. I know your hearts

b. Your happy and content with things

c. You put on a good show

d. But I am not buying it.

God is never happy with mediocrity

5. God is a God of greatness

Question: How many believe that God is a God of greatness

Question: How many people believe God expects His church to be great also?

6. God expects His churches and children to be great.

7. Its called the “Great Commission”

8. He is “Great and Mighty”

9. Sure things can be good.

10. But God wants things great

We have a wonderful church here.

11. I am so excited to be a part of this family of believers

a. You must understand that. Its my heart

b. We all have a wonderful heart for God.

c. I couldn’t have picked a better church myself

But God has given me a message.

And that is that we need to go from good to great!

12. He wants us to get together and make sure that when we go into this New Year we go do it with the intent to be a great church for God in ever area of ministry.

Not just in this church but in our own personal lives

13. He tells the church in Sardis

2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God

14. He was telling the church

a. You have deeds but they are not complete.

i. Wake up and strengthen what you have….Or it’s going to die.

ii. No more mediocrity.

iii. Get better.

Many churches dieing

15. There are so many churches that are dying right now across America right now. And one of the reasons is because of a lack hearted attitude to ministry.

The statistic is often quoted:

85 % of churches in the United States have plateaued or are declining in attendance. That’s approximately 340,000 churches. In other words 340,000 churches need a turnaround.

a. They don’t follow what God says.

b. They don’t strive to go from good to great in all they do.

c. They are comfortable.

1 Corinthians 15:58 (NIV) 58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

16. We are supposed to be giving ourselves fully to his work.

17. We aren’t suppose to be lax

Jeremiah 48:10 (NIV)

10 "A curse on him who is lax in doing the LORD’s work!

The warning

3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.