Revelation 3:1-6
The CONTENT CHURCH
[Matthew 22:1-14]
Churches can refuse to face the reality of their spiritual condition before God. Forms and traditions can become so ingrained that they continue on and become void of Holy Spirit power. Good actions and comfortable ceremony are not what God is seeking. He seeks those who will worship Him in Spirit and in truth.
The church at Sardis thought they were alive, but Jesus told them they were dead. Their worship was void of the presence of the Holy Spirit and their works were done because that was what they had always done. Jesus demands that His servants worship and serve Him by the life that only His living Spirit can give. (CIT)
I. CHARACTERISTICS, 1.
A. Greeting, 1a.
B. Christ’s Title, 1b.
II. CONFRONTATION, 1c.
III. COMMAND, 2-3.
IV. COMMENDATION, 4.
V. COMMITMENT, 5-6.
And to the angel of the church in Sardis write:
The important and wealthy city of Sardis was located about 50 miles east of Smyrna and thirty miles southeast of Thyatira. It was one of the great and wealthy cities in Asia Minor history. It was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia where King Croesus reigned. Because of the inaccessible plateau where the city was originally built it was an ideal military center. The acropolis of Sardis rose straight up about 1,500 ft. and had only one narrow, winding, steep road of entry. It was an impregnable fortress. Five main roads converged into the river valley, making the city a busy center of traffic and trade.b. Christ’s Title (1b) He who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says this:
Here again (1:4) is the apparent allusion to the seven-fold character of the Holy Spirit that rested upon Christ (Isa. 11:2-5). The seven spirits are linked with the Eternal Father. The closeness of the seven spirits to the throne (4:5) and their intimate relation with Jesus Christ (5:6) imply that they are the Holy Spirit revealed in His manifold attributes. Jesus holds these Spirits of life. The manifested work of the Spirit of God was desperately needed in the lifeless Church.
The Christ who holds the seven spirits also has the seven stars. The seven stars, standing in some relational way with the churches are in His right hand (Rev. 1:16, 20). Only He could bring the messengers and the Spirit together. These messengers are to come together with Christ and be full of His Spirit. These messengers are held responsible for relaying Christ’s message to the churches.
II. CONFRONTATION, 1c.
I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.
Outwardly everything appeared fine with the church at Sardis but spiritually that was not the case. Christ declared that He knows their deeds. The life and testimony of the church and the individuals who make it up are an open book to the Lord. Nothing is hidden from His gaze. He sees beneath the surface behavior into the heart and mind.
Sardis had a reputation among the other churches as an alive church with an effective ministry to those within and without the church. But their reputation was no longer deserved. The church was dead, devoid of spiritual life and power.
[A spiritual autopsy of Sardis show us the causes of death. First, Sardis died spiritually because it relied on its past successes. The body which was once healthy had been neglected. Second, the church died spiritually because it allowed sin to creep into the membership. Herodotus, the historian, records that over the course of many years the church in Sardis had acquired a reputation for lax moral standards. Third, the church died because it was not sensitive to its own spiritual condition; it was confident that God was there because the building was lovely and the parishioner were well-dressed. They were like the people Paul described in his letter to young Timothy: ". . . having a form of godliness but denying its power" (2 Timothy 3:5). (Jeremiah, 69). ]
William Barclay states that a church "is in danger of death when it begins to worship its own past...when it is more concerned with forms than with life...when it loves status quo more than it loves Jesus Christ... when it is more concerned with material than spiritual things." (p.87f)
ORGANIZED-BUT DEAD
In his book, Harvest of Humanity, John Seamands told this story: "A German soldier was wounded. He was told to go to the military hospital for treatment. When he arrived at a large and imposing building, he saw two doors, one marked, "For the slightly wounded" and the other, "For the seriously wounded."
He entered through the first door and found himself going down a long hall. At the end of it were two more doors, one marked "For officers" and the other "For non-officers." He entered through the latter and found himself going down another long hall. At the end of it were two more doors, one marked, "For party members" the other, "For non-party members." He took the second door, and when he opened it, he found himself out on the street.
When the soldier returned home, his mother asked him, "How did things go at the hospital?"
"Well, Mother" he replied, "to tell the truth, the people there didn’t do anything for me, but you ought to see the tremendous organization they have!"
Many churches have a superb organization. Their people are busy. But unless the Spirit of God is free to work through them, the church’s ministry is earthy, not heavenly. The church at Sardis was organized-but dead.
SD
A pastor accepted a call to a new church. Among the leaders of the church was a very conscientious deacon. Desiring to get some knowledge of the membership as quickly as possible, the new pastor called on this elder deacon to go over the church roll with him.
The deacon brought his own roll neatly recorded with pertinent information about each person-birthday, anniversary, etc. He was able to tell the pastor the occupations, hobbies, and activities in the church among various other things. This was quite helpful to the new pastor. As the pastor looked at the list, he noticed various names had SD written by them. His curiosity got the best of him and he asked what the letters meant. "Well,"the deacon responded, "That means these folk are spiritually dead."
If churches or church member are just going through the motions with a maintenance kind of attitude, the church ends up devoid of spiritual life. When the place of worship becomes a gathering of people instead of an encounter with God, something is seriously wrong. The church was born when the Spirit of God descended on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) and its life comes from the Spirit. When the Spirit is grieved, or quenched (Ephesians 4:30,1 Thess. 5:19), the church begins to lose life and power. When sin is confessed, and church members get right with God and with each other, then the Spirit infuses new life-revival!
III. COMMAND, 2-3.
Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.
The risen Jesus tells the spiritually dead church to wake up. This command to wake up, was very appropriate for the church at Sardis.
Herodotus wrote the following history. "From its position Sardis was regarded as just about impregnable by foreign armies. The city was built on a narrow ridge of rock on the side of Mount Timolus. Cyrus was besieging Sardis and needed to capture it before he could move on. He told his troops there would be a special reward for any man who found a way to scale the cliff and take the city.
One of the soldiers called Hyeroeades passed his time gazing at the cliffs seeking a solution to the problem. He saw a Lydian soldier on the battlements accidentally drop his helmet down the cliff. Hyeroeades watched the soldier make his way down the cliff, get his helmet and climb back. Hyeroeades marked in his memory the way the Lydian soldier had taken. That night he led a group up the cliff and they found the battlements completely unguarded. Sardis had felt themselves completely safe so no one kept watch. Sardis was taken easily."
The curious thing is that the same thing happened in the campaigns of Antiochus 200 years later. That word "watch" would jog their memories to the two past disasters. They knew all too well how easily the man who is too secure can find himself in disaster.
The necessary first step toward renewal in a dying church is honest awareness that something is wrong. The second of the five staccato commandments is to strengthen what remains! The church was not yet entirely beyond hope. It was not too late to break the bonds of spiritual lethargy. But unless the ember is soon fanned into flames it will die out totally. They have not yet finished the course God has set for them. This church, known for its vigorous activities, had works that could not be fulfilled without the life that only the Holy Spirit can provide. In the sight of God, religious activities are failures if they are only formal and external instead of infused with the life giving Holy Spirit.
Christ’s commands continue in verse 3. Remember therefore what you have received and heard; and keep it and repent. If therefore you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you.
The church in Sardis is also told to remember. Memory is a precious and blessed gift. Nothing can awaken the conscience so deeply as memories of the past. Reflecting on God’s goodness and discipline shortens the road of repentance. When churches remember when God was moving in their midst and adding souls and spiritual growth to the body, it is a lot easier to see from where they have fallen.
Jesus specifically admonishes them to remember what they have received and heard. They had received the word of God, and they heard it speak in their eternal soul. They had also received the Holy Spirit who living in them would speak to them in a still small voice, until they rebelled against Him. The receipt of the Spirit is the greatest gift a Christian has ever received. The Spirit of God Himself enters our human personality and begins changing us from the inside out. He fills us with love, joy, and peace. He subdues our passions and transforms our character into the likeness of Christ. He makes us a temple in which God dwells.
This remembering of sweet communion should cause any true believer to repent. If you would but hold tight to the Holy Spirit you will find He will hold you tight also. If they did not repent they are warned that Christ will come as a thief and take away the blessings His Spirit had bestowed on them.
WAKE-UP CALL
On February 26, 1993, a powerful bomb exploded in the underground parking garage of the World Trade Center in New York City, killing six people and injuring more than a thousand. It sparked an aggressive investigation with many arrests. But few law enforcement authorities recognized it as part of an international terrorist plot. When the Trade Center towers were destroyed by terrorists in 2001, police commissioner Raymond Kelly looked back on the first attack and said, "It should have been a wake-up call for America." .
The Lord told the church at Sardis that although they had a reputation for being spiritually alive, they were dead. He told them to wake up: "Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore what you have received and heard; and keep it and repent. If therefore you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you (vv. 2-3).
The call to every believer is to be vigilant toward the Lord rather than lax and indifferent. If the fire has gone out in our hearts, He pleads with us to stir the embers into flame again.
Ask yourself: Has there been a wake-up call in my life recently that I’ve missed? Is God trying to tell me something? Will I answer His wake-up call today? To keep your heart from growing cold, stay on fire for God.- David McCasland
Lord, grant to us a holy zeal that burns within our heart;
A zeal like Yours for truth and right from which we’ll not depart. -D. DeHaan
IV. COMMENDATION, 4.
But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments and they will walk with me in white for they are worthy.
The majority in Sardis had soiled their garments, that is, become defiled by sin. However, in the church at Sardis, and in our own Sardian type churches today there are a few who have remained true to Christ. There is never a day so dark when God does not have His men. In the days before the flood, God had righteous Enoch and Noah. In the time of universal idolatry, there was Abraham. Even in Sodom, there was Lot.
For those within the church at Sardis who were true to Christ, a threefold promise was given. First, they would be dressed in white. White is the symbol of purity. These are those who Christ sees as worthy.
In Scripture the robing of the saint is ever an expression of the saint’s own service and character. In the description of the white-robed multitude in Revelation, it is said that their white robes are the righteousness of the saints-not the righteousness of God, but the righteousness of the saints. This is to say, that faithfulness and integrity of character and of service will have its outward manifestation. (Morgan, p.75).
In their Roman culture this dressing in white was also significant. They would have been reminded of the day of Roman triumph, when true Roman citizens donned a white toga and joined in a majestic triumphal procession. Christ reminded the believers that they would walk in triumph with Christ and enjoy fellowship with Christ in heaven.
V. COMMITMENT, 5-6.
He who overcomes shall thus be clothed in white garments and I will never erase his name from the Book of Life, and I will confess his name before My Father and His angels.
To those that overcome the defilement of sin and ritualistic religion and live in and by the Holy Spirit, special celestial garments are promised. Saints who have lived a life of Holy Spirit fervor illustrated by their worthy walk have bestowed upon them in the future a setting apart for God depicted here by white garments. Oh for a life free from pollution, bright with heavenly holiness and joy that will be so crowned in final victory!
These blessed people will never have to worry or doubt about their salvation. For their names are not simply on a church roll, they are written in the Book of Life! They cannot be removed, further more they will be confessed as worthy by Jesus before the Father and His holy angels. This is a repetition of Jesus’s words: "Everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven" (Mt. 10:32f).
CONFESSION VS. PROFESSION
You may very often see dead fish floating with the stream, but you have never seen a dead fish swimming against it. Well, that’s your false believer. Profession is just floating down the stream, but confession is swimming against it, no matter how strong the tide.
Again Christ closes His word to the Church with a word to the wise or rather to those who would become wise. Verse 6 states; He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
CONCLUSION
So this letter closed. We can only hope that the church of Sardis heeded Christ’s message to it. Even if they did not, we must. We must be revitalize regularly by the Spirit of Christ. The issues are too serious for us to hypocritically play at church. The needs of the world are so great that we cannot afford to dabble in religion or trifle with God. To be given a reputation for life is insufficient; we must possess an inward reality and purity which are pleasing to God. We must neither soil our clothes nor betray our name. Filled with the living Spirit of Christ, we can conquer. Then, at last, we shall wear white garments and walk with Christ in heaven; and our names, indelibly inscribed in the Book of Life, will be acknowledged before God and the angels. Hallelujah Amen!
