The Revelation of Jesus Christ
“Life Signs of a Healthy Church”
INTRODUCTION
What determines whether something is dead or not? A medical doctor checks for VITAL signs.
Pulse, blood pressure, oxygen levels, brain function
Some remain alive but are pronounced brain dead because there is no longer any brain activity. There are certain things associated with living breathing organisms that indicate there is still life. Jesus addressed those who called themselves followers of Christ who lived in a city in modern day Turkey called Sardis. It was a city with a long history. Jesus sent a letter to a group of believers who had probably been gathering for some forty years. Jesus appeared to the Apostle John over 2000 years ago with a personalized message to seven representative churches. Jesus addressed issues that have afflicted groups of His followers ever since.
In a broader sense Jesus dictated a message to all churches in every age about their present condition and the details of the final age. The bulk of the book of Revelation has to do with the revelation of Jesus Christ concerning the period of time just prior to His glorious return and the culmination of what go derailed in the original garden of God.
I. Prologue 1:1-20
II. Jesus’ Messages to the Seven churches 2-3 (Things with are)
A. To the church in Ephesus – the passionless church 2:1-7
B. To the church in Smyrna – the suffering church 2:8-11
C. To the church in Pergamum & Thyatira – the compromising church 2:12-17
D. To the church in Sardis - the dying church 3:1-6
1. Characteristic 3:1a
“To the angel (leader) of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this:
2. Commendation 3:4
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.
3. Correction 3:1b
“I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are DEAD.”
4. Action 3:2-3
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.
So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent.
• Wake up
• Strengthen what remains but is about to die
• Remember what you have received and heard
• Obey what you have heard
• Repent
5. Consequence 2:21-23
Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief (unexpectedly) and you will not know what hour I will come to you.
6. Promise to overcomers 3:5
He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name form the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
7. Call to pay attention 2:29
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
What are the vital signs of a church? Is it building, bodies or bucks? Many pastors succumb to depression when they measure their success by any of these factors. Eighty percent of American churches are in plateau or decline. The number of “mega” churches (200+ members) has increased over the last several years. The problem is, the number of smaller church closures has increased. The church is not really growing it is just moving into the big church centers. Most churches in America are 100 members or less members.
Bill Hybels Willow Creek church in Chicago with a multi-thousand membership came to the conclusion that something was wrong. They were not really turning out obedient followers of Jesus Christ. They were bringing them in but no growing them up.
How should we look at the church
Is the church an organization or an organism; machine or mission? An organization or factory or machine functions by a collection of systems and principles. The focus is production; does it work. If it is not working, then figure out what part of the system is malfunctioning and replace it or retool it or restructure. Everything and everyone obtains value and is evaluated by their value to the company.
The modern thinking goes something like this. Everything functions by principles and laws.
If you are able to understand and apply the right law you will get the desired result.
Just look at the latest list of best seller books.
The 5 secrets to… The 7 principles to successful parenting. The 3 absolute essentials to financial success. Discover and apply the right law and get the right result. Even Christians distill the Bible down to the basic principles to success in the Christian life. Apply these principles and you will find success; whether parenting, marriage or ministry.
Church growth is not any different. The keys to growing your church. Principles for breaking the 100, 200, 300 barrier. Capital fundraising principles. Proven strategies for church growth.
Discover the law and break through to success.
A prominent church leader of one of America’s mega churches was asked, “What is distinctively spiritual about your leadership strategy.” The answer? “Nothing!”
There was nothing inherently spiritual about their growth strategy. It was drawn from marketing, and corporate strategy which may or may not have anything to do with a spiritual dynamic.
We do not like mystery. We want results. We want something that works. We want to make life work with minimal investment of time and effort.
If we just hired the right pastor; or another pastor. If we just had the right board members.
If we just instituted the right programs. If we just embrace the right worship style. If we had a better location. All of these efforts come out of a corporate view of the church and life.
The problem is that life does not work that way. Life is more than a series of predictable laws and chemical reactions. Life is mysterious. God is mysterious. People are mysterious and unpredictable and unprogramable. The church is a mystery. We don’t like mystery.
We want the sense of control. Control is ONLY an illusion. Whether it is the weather or our kids; we can’t control people or things. The draw of sorcery and witchcraft is to harness the mysterious and control the unknown.
One set of parents are urged by God to do certain things raising their kids and their kids turn out wonderful and productive. They then boil those things down into a set of laws and a sure fire formula and write books and hold seminars all around the county. A certain percentage of parents who apply these secret laws and principles will find success. Also, a certain percentage will faithfully apply the same principles and realize little result. Life doesn’t function by formula work that way. God doesn’t work that way. He is not a vending machine that if you put in the correct amount of money you get the prize.
Sometimes God works through us. Sometimes God works in spite of us.
If only I were more…God could work through me more. If you only pray more, fast more, study more, learn more. Look what wonderful things happened. I must have done something right.
The reality is that God is much bigger than our little formulas. His plan is beyond our ability to grasp. The church is not a business or an enterprise. The church is a living manifestation of God’s kingdom on earth. It is the manifestation of Jesus. We are his body.
It is not buildings or programs or social gatherings or even political action groups. It is much more than entertainment. The Christian entertainment and enrichment industry is vast. It is a billion dollar market that has not escaped the notice of the marketers.
The true church; the body of Christ is beyond our imagination. When we stray from the head we become much less that God’s original design.
Walt Disney was a dreamer. His crowning vision was EPCOT; Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. He envisioned the perfect city of 20,000 using all of the most modern advances technology. One problem, Walt Disney died before his cream was ever realized. His dream was so big and complex and outside the box that no one else in the Disney company ever caught the dream and had no idea what to do after Walt was gone. What Walt Disney intended as a living breathing perfect city turned out only to be a entertainment center. Disney’s world would only become a place to visit.
Jesus left a blueprint for His church so vast, so marvelous, and so innovative. A living breathing expanding organism that would permeate and transform the whole world.
The problem is, that as time went on, His followers lost the vision and couldn’t wrap their minds around such a magnificent plan. Rather than a community of loving, passionate follower of Christ dedicated to demonstrating the power of the Christ-transformed life in a dark world, they began to do what they knew best, build buildings and run organizations and develop entertainment centers that would hopefully draw the crowds to hear the story but miss the transforming power of Christ.
Who is responsible for what?
We need an agricultural rather than mechanical view of the church.
What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 1 Corinthians 3:5-8
God requires us to practice certain things. Namely, listen and obey. Growing the church is not one of them.
"I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. Matthew 16:18
He will build His church. God brings the increase. We can plant and we can water and even cultivate the soil and pull weeds. We cannot control the growth any more that we can make that corn seed sprout and grow. We can contribute to the environment that will facilitate the growth but cannot bring growth. The church is a living organism under God’s control.
He is the Lord of the church. He is the Lord of the harvest. He is the source of life and growth.
So what is our part? Where do we fit in?
Our part is obedience to God’s word and instruction. Like Moses in the second “no water” situation, we can appear amazingly successful in the eyes of people and a still fail God miserably. God told Moses to speak to the rock. He didn’t tell him to squeeze water out of the rock. Moses ignored God’s instructions and did what worked from him in the past.
He used the tool that worked for him so many times before (his staff) and struck the rock.
He stood before the people in a frustrated rage and asked if he should bring water out of the rock (as if he could have then or ever). Then what should not have happened according to a mechanical view, happened. Water came out of the rock and watered the million plus people and all their livestock. God worked in spite of Moses, not because of him. Moses and Aaron ended up in the woodshed because of their failure to honor God through obedience.
Signs of a healthy church
Scripture prescribes certain factors that contribute to growth. These are things that cultivate an environment for growth in the church. We are commissioned to plant, water, cultivate, harvest. When God asked the believers at Sardis to wake up, strength the things about to die, remember, obey and repent we are not told what things he was talking about.
My guess it had to do with the things that cultivate an environment for growth early on.
Perhaps it is similar to the instruction for the Ephesian believers to do the “first love” deeds.
They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47
God added growth in the midst of a group of people devoted to Him and His plan. To be devoted is not a part time or casual thing. It becomes the focus of one’s life. It is our passion, our driving force, our purpose in life. In this passage I find four factors contributing to the life and growth in the early church.
A life devoted to learning doctrine, truth.
The apostle’s teaching. He gifts the church with Pastor/teachers that they might growth and mature to the character of Christ and not be tossed back and forth by every wind of teaching.
There was a devotion to the word of God and an accountability to God appointed leaders.
A life devoted to sacrificial relationships
Loving relationships, fellowship, sharing. Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together
Stimulating one another to love and good deeds. Accountability. Support. These believers were willing to give up their surplus to share with those who had nothing. Unity of purpose and love for each other was unmistakable.
A life devoted to corporate remembrance, dedication and worship
“Breaking of bread” Sharing the Lord’s Supper was a corporate remembrance and accountability and commitment to introspection and personal purity before the Lord.
It was a time of sharing and rejoicing before God and each other for His abundant goodness.
A life devoted to prayers
Prayers of all kinds. Intercession, praise, petitions, thanksgiving.
Beyond these factors, there is one more factor found in Ephesians 4.
A life devoted to ministry involvement
but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Ephesians 4:15-16
APPLICATION
So what about Chico? I see a hunger for truth. I see genuine love demonstrated for each others. I see caring. I see prayer on a number of levels and intensity. I see some using their gifts in ministry. I see a certain level of unity. I enjoy corporate worship. I see life.
What would I like to see?
I would like to see people involved in Bible study.
Not only study here, but learning to feed themselves. Some day we may no longer be able to gather. Who will feed you then? Where will your motivation to endure and remain faithful come from?
I would like to see people getting together outside of Sunday
Small groups develop Families spending time with each other .Even greater attention to the needs represented in the body
I would like to see renewed passion to commune with Christ in worship
I would like to see even more prayer both private and corporate.
I would like to see greater involvement in ministry.
I want to see people use their God-given abilities and gifts for the sake of the body.
These are the things that demonstrate life in the church. Whether we are 10 or 1,000, when a group of individuals devote their life to obey Jesus and devote themselves to learning, loving, worshiping, praying and serving, you have life.
Let’s strengthen the things that remain.
Let’s wake up and realize that the time of His return is near.
Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 2 Peter 3:14
