Revelation 3: 1 – 6
The Church Of The Living Dead
‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. 4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. 6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
Sardis was the capital of famous kingdom of Lydia. It was a city exceedingly fabled for its past wealth and splendor, but it had deteriorated greatly. Its greatness lay in the past. Sardis had, at one time, been considered to be impregnable because of its ideal physical arrangement and topography for defense. It sat on a hill or mountain surrounded by steep cliffs almost impossible to scale with only one narrow way of approach. Yet Sardis had been attacked and conquered twice because of its arrogance manifested in its lack of watchfulness. They were known to be very successful and creative in the fields of commerce and economics. The city was also famous for its woolen, textile, and jewelry industry.
The Sardis was ruled by Alexander the Great in the 4th century B.C. then by the Roman Empire in the 2nd century B.C.
The temple of Artemis next to the Pactolus river (Sart cayi) dates from the 4th century B.C. There was a temple dedicated to goddess Kybele before that during the time of King Croesus. No temple worshipper was allowed to approach the temple of the gods with soiled or unclean garments. A white and clean robe was required to approach its so-called gods.
The king Croesus was the wealthiest man of his time and Sardis became the richest city of antiquity. The famous wise man of Athens, also the reformer, Solon, came to see this great city and its famous king. It is thought that the famous story teller Aesop was a Phrygian who lived in Sardis during the reign of king Croesus.
‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.
The answer, as always, is centered in Who Christ Is—The Savior who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars. These two aspects of Christ Jesus our Lord’s ministry to the church are brought immediately to the forefront because they give us the key to both the problem of this church and its solution.
I am sure you know that the number 7 represents perfection. The Seven Spirits of God equals the 7 angels assigned the 7 bowl judgments. We have already become aware that the stars equals angels. These are the 7 angels who are in our Lord’s Holy Temple who will ultimately go and pour out the Lord’s bowl judgments. They have been waiting around since their creation for this very purpose. Now that may seem like a dumb reason. These angels have been just waiting around for the end of the first earth’s lifetime? Again I will affirm this position and I will tell you why. Have you ever witnessed what our military nuclear personnel go through? They go through mock emergencies to see if they will push the button which will launch the nuclear missiles. As you know one-third of the angels sinned and followed Satan. I believe our Lord has these angels observing what is going on in the world, all kind of murder and vicious treatment of other humans, animals, and of the earth itself. When it comes time for our Precious Holy Ruler to issue the command these angels have seen it all and are ready to deliver the bowl judgments.
You might ask, then why didn’t our Holy Lord Jesus just say 7 angels for this and 7 angels representing the churches. He could have but I believe He has listed these for the purpose of making sure we know the angels have separate duties to perform. Don’t forget that angels are spiritual beings.
The church at Sardis was described as being “dead”. It appeared to be alive – had “a reputation of being alive” – looked spiritually vibrant on the outside – but was spiritually lifeless. The church was Christian in name only. In the Gospel of Matthew chapter 23 verse 27 our Master and King gave a scathing rebuke of the Pharisees by saying that they “look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean” This is what had become of the church in Sardis.
This church had a ‘reputation’ of being alive but in reality was dead. Here are some important points to consider;
. Reputation = what others thought
. Appeared to be alive = what others see
. But was really dead = what is not seen
The church of Sardis represents what had happened in church history from 1798 to 1929. The church had its parishes operating and other institutions functioning but with a major difficulty. You see the Catholic Church had received a head wound when its leader, the Pope, was arrested and sent to prison in France. The nation of Italy confiscated all of Rome except the Papal Palace. Other men were picked to be the Pope but to a large degree they were merely prisoners within their luxury mansion. The Roman Catholic lost its secular and military power and was reduced to just a figure head. For all intents and purposes it appeared dead.
As with all the churches, the Lord declares, “I know your deeds.” That which is invisible to men is perfectly clear to the Lord who is in the business of revealing our true condition regardless of how spiritual we may think we are. He uses His Word, the convicting work of the Spirit, and other agents (trials and members of the body of Christ) as mirrors of reproof to show us our need and draw us to Himself. The question is, as He will challenge us in verse 6, do we have eyes to see and ears to hear?
So, in the very next words, we see a rude awakening and reality:
• We see that they had a name, a reputation—what men thought.
• We see they were alive, that is, they were an active church full of programs and church activity—what men see.
• But, regardless, they were dead, without true spiritual vitality—what the Lord saw and knew.
The point is they had a reputation, they were known far and wide, and they were active, filled with activity, action, and programs, just like a great deal of the churches today all across America. By the world’s standards they were successful and they were probably proud of their church, but our Lord says not so, “you are dead.”
What was dead about the church and what needed reviving? First, there was no indication of persecution or trouble from outside forces. Our Lord Jesus has promised that if we want to live godly lives we ‘will’ suffer persecution. Do your own inventory! Have you been in hiding afraid to let anyone know you are a Christian? Have you or are you experiencing any type of persecution? If you honestly review your life and are having a good old time without any problems, I suggest that you really examine yourselves to see if you really are a believer.
Neither was there any heresy within, in contrast to some of the other churches. Things seemed to be peaceful and religiously correct. Perhaps it was a church that was too good to be true. Its religiously proper appearance may have only meant that it had fully and silently compromised with the truth and the pagan society around it. I heard someone refer to this type of church as “the perfect model of inoffensive Christianity”
Outwardly this church is prosperous. In many cases it is busy with the externals of religious activity; however, when you analyze it you find that it is devoid of spiritual life and power”
In the book of 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 5, Paul had described such Christians by saying that they had a form of godliness, but, because of their failure to walk with the Lord, they were denying the real power of God through their hypocrisy. They were out of touch with elements of true spirituality. Some may have been only professing Christians engaged in religious activities who had never truly trusted in Jesus Christ. More than likely, however, they were carnal believers who had made a good start, but had failed to move on, to grow and experience true spirituality. They were active, engaged in works, but temporally dead, out of fellowship with Christ.
This is a warning. A church is in danger of death:
• when it begins to worship its own past or history, its reputation or name, or the names in the church,
• when it is more concerned with forms than with function and life,
• when it is more concerned with numbers and noses, than with the spiritual quality of life it is producing in its people,
• when it is more involved with management than with ministry or with the physical over the spiritual.
2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
Our Lord Jesus Christ therefore gave Sardis a jolting command to “Wake up!”. The rousing call was meant to encourage the church to take action. The members were to strengthen what little remained, to obey, to repent.
Please notice the term “The things which remain.” When people stop operating from the base of God’s Word and from the power of His Spirit, spiritual decline always begins. It’s a kind of law of spiritual degeneration. But even in such a state there is at first some semblance of what is right in a man’s life—good habits, traditions and actions, a remembrance of morality, even though people forget the source.
Our Adoni Yeshua told the church at Sardis to wake up or He would come like a thief does. “You will not know at what time I will come to you,” he said. People who teach the ‘Rapture’ doctrine like to refer to this portion of a verse to say that our Holy King will come like a thief and snatch us away. However, if you take a look at this verse again, it is not so good. This action by our Lord is not something to look forward to, but is a warning.
Let me take a few minutes and speak about ‘The Thief in the Night.’ Let me ask you a couple of questions;
Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
Is it associated with the rapture?
Please look again at what our Lord says will happen if the people do not repent, “Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you “
Would our Lord do something nice to disobedient people?
A lot of teachers use the Gospel of Matthew chapter 24 to talk about the Rapture and somehow include the ‘thief in the night’ We read, “36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. 45 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. 48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ fn 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Those who were left behind were Noah and his family. All other human being were destroyed or taken in the flood. In addition when our Precious Holy Lord goes on and explains about one taken and one left He isn’t changing the ones taken as the believers. In staying with His declaration of taken out un-believers He lists the variable circumstances. In other words this is not talking about a Rapture of believers.
So, now let us go to the famous portion of Scripture which includes the proof statements of Rapture adherents and possibly tie in the portion of the ‘Thief in the Night’.
We read in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 13 through chapter 5 verse 10, “13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.”
Now before I show you something I think is awesome which I have not seen any teacher describe. Let us look at some of the remaining references of the term ‘Thief in the night.
We read in “2 Peter 3: 9 – 10, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.”
Job 24: 14, “The murderer rises with the light; He kills the poor and needy; And in the night he is like a thief.
Does any of this sound like something believers should look forward to happening?
Let me now show you something quite awesome. See if you can see the significance of what is going on.
Luke 22: 52, “Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?
Do you see what just happened? Our Wonderful Master, Messiah, Lord, and Savior Is preparing to go to the cross for you and me and look at what occurs. The religious leaders came with a mob to arrest our Lord Jesus in the ‘night’. He Is hurt by their actions even though He knows it must come about. He asks them do they consider Him to be what? – a thief!
Our Lord came the first time as the suffering Lamb of God to take away our sins. He Is coming back as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah the second time. Since these people thought and treated Him like a ‘thief’ – look at how He says He will come back and deal with these phonies - Revelation 16: 15, “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”
4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. 6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
Throughout the bible our Precious Holy Spirit has highlighted the fact that there has always been a remnant of faithful believers. While most in the church at Sardis were in a dead spiritual state, “a few people” were faithful to our Wonderful Lord, and had “not soiled their clothes”. “Soiled garments” speaks of the contamination of the life and witness by accommodation to the standards of the world prevalent in any society. They were promised that they would be taken on a walk in Christ, and to be dressed in white.
White garments are mentioned on five other occasions in Revelation. The church at Laodicea needs them to hide their spiritual shame (3:18). The 24 elders wear white garments (4:4). The martyrs waiting for God’s judgment are given white robes to wear (6:11). The armies appearing with the Messiah also wear white and clean linen (19:14). The great multitude of the saved in Revelation 7 wears robes made white in the red blood of the Lamb (verse 14). The color paradox makes the point. It implies that the color white stands for God’s people made spiritually pure and justified by our Lord Jesus’ blood. “Walking with Christ in white” is a reward for faithfulness.
That means the few in Sardis who were given white robes had been made right and just before God. We should not lose sight of the fact that the robes are given to the Sardians as a gift, reflecting the fact that we do not justify ourselves by good works; we are made spiritually right by the work of Christ.
In the ancient world, white clothing also stood for festivity. In the book of Ecclesiastes chapter 9 verse 8 counseled people to “be clothed in white” – to enjoy their food and drink with a joyful heart. We read in the book of Revelation chapter 19 verse 8 and 9 that those clothed in white will feast at the marriage supper of the Lamb in the kingdom of God. It will be their day of victory, a time to put on the best of clothing, clean and white.
The righteous saints in Sardis were also promised that their names would appear in the book of life. Only those names entered in the Lamb’s book of life will be allowed into the New Jerusalem that we learn in chapter 21 verse 27. In chapter 12 verse 1 of his book, Daniel was told that at the end-time, “everyone whose name is found written in the book – will be delivered”. The entering of a person’s name in a book of life is another metaphor for salvation and eternal life.
Finally, Jesus promised to acknowledge the name of the over comer in Sardis before his Father. We read in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 10 verse 32 our Lord Jesus’ promise as the incarnate Son of God: “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven”
They are some of the sweetest words I learn to hear. How about you?
