I. Introduction
A. The city of Sardis was almost due East of Smyrna about 30 miles or so
1. The original city was built on a high mesa
a. Three sides of the mesa were virtually straight up
b. The fourth side was very steep and rough
c. After time the city grew beyond the bounds of the mesa; and so a second city grew up around the base of the mesa
(1) Sardis is actually a plural word which designated the double city
2. The upper city, one would think, should have been impenetrable; but, it was conquered twice
a. Both times the city was taken because the soldiers were too confident in the geography of the city and became lax and slept while on duty
B. The name Sardis means remnant
C. Church age
1. The age of the church at Sardis began in 1517 when Martin Luther nailed his 95 thesis on the Wittenburg door
2. The end of that age came at the end of the 18th century
D. The church at Sardis and the age of that church was a time of a remnant. As we look at this church we shall see
1. The Commendation
2. The Condemnation
3. The Warning
4. And the promise
E. Turn to Revelation 3:1
II. Body
A. Preamble
Revelation 3:1
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.
1. First there is something to be learned from the preamble to this message concerning the Lord and the church
a. The first question that might come to our mind is the seven Spirits of God - well, turn to Isaiah 11:2
Isaiah 11:2
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him-- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD--
b. We have here part of the prophecy of the Messiah and it lists seven spirits
(1) The Spirit of the Lord
(2) The Spirit of Wisdom
(3) The Spirit of Understanding
(4) The Spirit of Counsel
(5) The Spirit of Might
(6) The Spirit of Knowledge
(7) The Spirit of Fear of the Lord
(8) Turn to Hebrews 2:4
c. The Power of God in this time is the Holy Spirit sent by Christ
Hebrews 2:4
God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
d. Christ directs; but, the Holy Spirit gives
e. It seems that the Lord was looking for sold out Christians to whom He could give Spiritual gifts
2. The seven stars we said before are the pastors of the seven churches
a. In the message to the church at Ephesus, Christ held the seven stars in His right hand
b. Jesus, the High Priest, holds the seven stars in His right hand
(1) He is the master of the messengers to the churches
(2) His right hand is the hand of power
(3) His right hand is the hand of authority
(4) He holds the pastors of these seven churches in His right hand
(5) He is the one who controls these men
3. Now, let's look at the latter half of Revelation 3:1 and verse 2
B. Condemnation
Revelation 3:1-2
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.
1. Christ's message to Sardis begins with a condemnation
a. In the other messages Christ began with His commendation
b. Then He would say, I have something against you
2. To the church at Sardis He begins, "I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead."
a. The King James says, "I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
(1) The only things I can think of that are dead but seem to be alive are found in horror stories
(a) Dracula
(b) Frankenstein's monster
(c) Zombies
(d) All frightening, horrendous, evil monstrosities
3. It seems strange that such a condemnation would be pronounced for the church of the reformation
a. The previous age was commended for its
(1) Works
(2) Love
(3) Faith
(4) Service
(5) And patience
(6) And all of these on the increase
b. But, it is not surprising when we learn that the reformers themselves were as intolerant of groups that had a different theology than they did
(1) John Calvin
(2) Martin Luther
(3) Zwingly
(4) All actively persecuted Christians who were neither Catholic nor Joined with them.
(5) Ana-baptists and other groups that had opposed the Roman church and would not join calvin, Luther, or Zwingly were
(a) Imprisoned
(b) Drowned
(c) And burned at the stake
c. Further, when the original protestor passed away; those who replaced them began to return to the doctrines that were part of the break away in the first place.
4. The Protestant movement soon spent its momentum and took on a character much like that of the apostate church they broke away from
a. These Protestant churches became the State church and quickly degenerated into formalism
b. Many things were left undone which the Roman church had done as a matter of course
(1) The cup of cold water was no longer offered to the thirsty
5. Now, let's look again at verse 2
C. Warning
Revelation 3:2-3
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.
1. The warning begins in verse 2
a. Be watchful
b. Strengthen the things which remain
2. Be watchful
a. Sardis was a city that should have been impregnable
(1) But, the city was lost twice because the watchmen were asleep on duty
(2) How, embarrassing when we lose something we should have been diligently safeguarding
(3) Christ is telling that church at Sardis to wake up; don't be like those guards in the past. . .don't sleep on duty
b. Instead of sleeping they should have been strengthening their positions
(1) In our time, the church slept while our precious freedoms and our Christian heritage was stolen from us
(a) When this country began, the Bible was the major text book in our schools
(b) The great universities were begun to train ministers
i) Harvard
ii) Yale
iii) Princeton
iv) Notre Dame
v) Where all schools that taught, honored, and clung to the Word of God
(c) Prayer and the pledge to our American flag were common in our schools
(2) But, what is left today?
(a) While the church slept, the enemy came and took our country from us
(b) Today, Christians must fight to maintain their constitutional rights of religion, assembly, and speech
c. Christ says, Wake up, strengthen what you have
(1) If you don't wake up, I will come like a thief and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
(a) Picture, now, Tomorrow night, you and your family and, perhaps some friends are relaxing quietly doing those evening things that are your custom
(b) Then there is a knock at the door
(c) When you answer the knock, you find that Jesus is standing on your doorstep.
i) Could you invite Him in immediately?
ii) Or would you have to let Him stand outside while you clean up a couple of things
a) Are there some magazines that you would like to toss before He comes in?
b) Maybe you would want to change the TV channel
c) Or perhaps get your company to discuss something else
iii) Is your home ready to entertain the Lord, should He come?
iv) Or would He prove to be an embarrassment?
d. Turn to Matthew 24:42 - 44
3. Here we have Christ's parable of the householder who was robbed
Matthew 24:42-44
Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. (43) But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. (44) So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
a. Had the householder been watchful
b. The thief would have been caught
c. Christ's words should ring loud and clear in Churches today, "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
4. Let's continue on in this passage in Matthew 24 and listen to Christ's lesson about the two stewards
Matthew 24:45-51
Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? (46) It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. (47) I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. (48) But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time,' (49) and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. (50) The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. (51) He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
a. We must be ever mindful that the master is returning
(1) Matthew 24:36 tells us that we are not given to know the day or the hour
(2) Acts 1:7 tells us that we are not given to know the time or the season of Christ's return
(3) But, the church is warned - it will happen
(a) Be watchful
(b) Strengthen
(c) Wake up
(4) Or we just might find ourselves in the embarrassing position of being caught with no oil in our lamps when the Lord comes
5. Now, let's look at the first part of Revelation 3:4
D. Commendation
Revelation 3:4
Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes.
1. In Sardis there were a few who walked with the Lord
a. This is the remnant of which the name of Sardis refers
b. In the age of the reformation
(1) A few were neither Roman nor Protestant
(2) Through the history of the church, there has been groups of Christians who remained true to the Word of God
(3) Who were never part of the "Approved" church
(a) We Baptist trace our history through Christians who were never part of the Roman Church nor the Protestant movement
2. Now, I don't want you to think that only Baptists have a corner on the truth
a. Even in the time of Protestant formalism there were people in all churches who Loved Christ and held to His Word
3. But, all these, those in the Roman church, the Protestant movement and those who remained outside both make up the remnant
a. And Christ says, in the latter part of verse 4, "for they are worthy.
b. Which leads us into Christ's promise, let's look at verses 4 - 6
E. Promise
Revelation 3:4-6
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.
1. The remnant will walk with Christ, dressed in the righteousness of the saints
a. Sweet fellowship which must be reminiscent of when God walked with Adam and Eve in the garden
2. For the overcomer, the Christian, there is the promise that they too will be dressed in white, the righteousness of the saints
3. His name will not be blotted out of the lamb's book of life
a. Turn to Luke 12: 8 & 9
4. Christ will, also, acknowledge the overcomer before His Father and the angles
Luke 12:8-9
I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. (9) But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.
a. The remnant were not closet Christians
(1) They readily confessed Christ before men
(2) It is strange how Christians in hiding are able to disciple so many
(a) The soviet Christian church grew while it was being suppressed
(b) The Chinese Christian church has grown under adverse conditions
b. I believe it is the power of the Holy Spirit that shields Christians from those who would destroy them, yet the Christian continues to confess Christ and the church grows
c. Those who confess Christ will themselves be acknowledged by the Son of God to His Father.
III. Summary
A. The church at Sardis was dead, even though it seemed to be alive
1. Christ condemns the church for its lack of life and incomplete works
2. Still, Christ issues a warning, to wake up
a. Be watchful
b. Strengthen what remained
c. Wake up, or Christ would come unexpectedly
3. Even though the church is condemned, there was a commendation for a faithful remnant
4. And promises for the worthy few
a. To walk in sweet fellowship with Christ
b. Clothed in righteousness
c. A promise that their name would remain in the book of life
d. And acknowledgement by the Son of God before His Father and the angels
B. The church at Sardis is representative of the reformation age
1. Which began with Martin Luther
2. And ended at the time of the great awakening at the end of the 18th century
C. But, where does Grace fit?
1. Are we Zombies?
2. Or are we part of the faithful remnant?
