Letters To The Seven Churches - No 5 Sardis Series

It also looks as though Timothy had come across a similar problem in the Church at Ephesus because Paul wrote to him about some people there who

"have a form of godliness but deny its power. Have nothing to do with them." (2 Timothy 3:5)

So this tendency to hypocrisy has happened right the way through the Bible. Hypocrisy can so easily creep into the life of a Church. Particularly in the area of worship. We can stand up and sing hymns and choruses, we can read the Bible and listen to the sermons, while our minds wander and our hearts are far away from God.

Even Pastors and Preachers can be guilty of this.

We can lead a service without any real knowledge or awareness of the greatness of our God we are professing to worship.

So what's the cure for this problem? Well Christ tells us in this letter. He tells the church in Revelation 3:2-3

Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is

about to die, 3:Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent.

These are not suggestions these are orders. Wake up! Strengthen what remains! Remember! Obey! Repent!

The Church in Sardis is being told very plainly what to do. First it has to wake up to the fact that there is a problem. Then it has to strengthen the good that is left. Only after they do this can they remember the former times, the good times. Only when they have done this can they repent and be obedient.

And yet in the middle of all of the hard words and orders comes a breath of fresh air. Jesus reminds the Church that not everyone is like this. there are some in the Church who still faithfully follow Christ. Jesus had nothing against these few people and it's to them that Jesus speaks when He commands them to Wake up! Strengthen what remains!

These people are not dead, they are just asleep. Jesus now calls them to rouse themselves and take notice of the things that are happening around them. Then they are commanded to strengthen what is left.

The Greek word translated strengthen here is the same one which was often used for "nurture or discipleship" in the early church.

This is the sort of strengthening that is given to new Christians. They need to be loved and nurtured into maturity, they need to become established.

It's the responsibility of older more mature Christians to ensure that this takes place. This is the instruction now being given to the remaining Christians at Sardis. Start changing things back to the way they should be. Make sure that the people receive proper teaching and that they understand the consequences of this letter.

Because Jesus warns that if they do not repent he will "come like a thief and you will not know at what time I will come to you" This sounds like the second coming that the Bible promises, but it appears that Jesus is actually saying that He will come especially to this Church.

That His coming would be unannounced and that He would bring judgement of them. Once the people have heard the truth that this letter contains, once they have repented and turned back to God, Jesus tells them to remember. They can look back and remember what they used to be, how faithful they once were. Remember what you received and heard and obey it.....What was it they received? The gospel? yes undoubtedly, but there's more to it. They had received the Holy Spirit in the past.