Thank you for sending me to the preaching and teaching convention this week at OCC.
-Needed it spiritually, emotionally, mentally, professionally. I bought some of the recordings, which will be back on the media shelf in the library. I got DVDs of what I thought were the three best sermons that kicked my butt, woke me up to some blind spots, and called me to follow the mission of Jesus as we seek to be a Jesus people.
Thank you, again for sending me.
Today, we’re going to talk about Sardis and before we get into this city, I just want to read the letter to Sardis:
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Revelation 3:1–6 NLT
“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Sardis. This is the message from the one who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars:
“I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God. Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.
“Yet there are some in the church in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes with evil. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.
“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.
And Sardis is a tragedy for many reasons. It should be a chilling reminder of the danger of falling asleep on the job. Sardis got comfortable. You won’t see any of the understanding from Jesus of their persecution because they didn’t experience any. As Keener says:
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The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament 3:1–6—Oracle against the Church of Sardis
Despite the city’s paganism, the Christian community there seems to have experienced no persecution—and hence no spiritual life.
There was a saying "to capture the acropolis at Sardis." "When pigs fly." Nevertheless, the Acropolis at Sardis was captured THREE TIMES throughout history.
Croesus vs. Cyrus the Persian- no one on the guard station (549 B.C.). Colin Hemer describes the incident this way:
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The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia in Their Local Setting 1. Introductory
He sent messengers to test the wisdom of the oracles, and gave his implicit trust to that of Delphi, which answered him correctly (1.47–49). On consulting it about war with Persia, he was encouraged with the response that if he crossed the Halys, then his frontier, he would destroy a great empire (1.53). He accordingly found pretext for war, disregarded wiser counsel, and attacked and captured Pteria (1.71–76). On the arrival of Cyrus an indecisive battle was fought. Croesus, having the smaller army, withdrew to Sardis, dismissed for the winter season his powerful allies from Egypt, Babylon and Sparta, and summoned them to reassemble in five months. Meanwhile he disbanded all but his Lydian troops, ‘never expecting that after so close-fought a campaign Cyrus would venture against Sardis’ (1.77). Cyrus however followed unobserved: a?t?? ???e??? ????s? ??????ee (1.79). Croesus, caught off guard, led his formidable Lydian cavalry desperately into battle, but the horses were thrown into confusion at the sight and smell of the camels which Cyrus had posted in front of his army (1.79–80). Croesus then summoned his allies and prepared to endure a siege in his precipitous stronghold.
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The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia in Their Local Setting 1. Introductory
But on the fourteenth day Sardis fell. An enemy succeeded in climbing to an unguarded point, ‘where no guard was stationed, for there was no fear that it would ever be captured at that place, for the acropolis is sheer and impregnable there’ (1.84).
They thought they were so secure that they didn’t even bother keeping watch!
Alexander the Great didn't even fight- “you have a name of being strong.”
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The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia in Their Local Setting 1. Introductory
At the approach of Alexander, however, the Sardians hastened out to surrender their city without resistance (Arr. Anab. 1.17.3; cf. 3.16.5). Alexander ascended the undefended citadel and was greatly impressed by its immense strength (1.17.5; 334 BC). Nevertheless the place was again captured by Antiochus III in 214 BC through the negligence of the defenders.
Three times, Sardisians fell asleep on the job and they were conquered because of it. Two times, they simply fell asleep. Once, they simply abdicated their responsibility to defend their friends and family and opened the gates to the enemy.
They city was living off of a former reputation as a place of importance and military strength. They had since lost their prestige. And there was no recovering it.
They were also well known for their rich dyed fabrics. In fact, they claimed to be the place where the process of dying fabrics was created.
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Revelation 3:1 NLT
“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Sardis. This is the message from the one who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars:
“I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead.
Seven spirits- this is the complete Spirit of God. Father, Son, and Spirit are aligned in the testimony that Jesus will bear concerning this church.
They have a reputation that they do not live up to. Just like the city is living in the prestige of the past, so is the church here. They have a reputation in the community of being alive, but Jesus contradicts it.
There is no indication that the Christians at Sardis are being persecuted at all. They have made themselves so comfortable with the culture around them that they are not offensive to anyone at all. They have synchronized. They don't stand for anything. They don't call anything sin. They tolerate everything so as not to offend anyone, except God (all in the name of love, of course). Does this sound familiar?
They are so like the world that Jesus says, "You're dead, just like the world! The Holy Spirit left your city a long time ago and you didn't even notice!" That should be haunting to the people of God. And that’s why my prayer is that if the Holy Spirit isn’t in an event that we do, that it would fail spectacularly.
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Revelation 3:2 NLT
Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God.
"Wake up" is a present active participle!!! Literally "become alert, and continue to be alert ALWAYS!"
It's not quitting time yet, church!
More like "I have not found your deeds in the present state of being made complete in the sight of my God." This harkens back to Jn. 19:30, where Jesus says "it is in the present state of being paid in full." It's almost like they are undoing the work of Christ in their lives due to their failure to obey as a church and be a light to the world- a city on a hill that cannot be hidden.
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John 19:30 NLT
When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.
What is the action? Love of God and others.
What does love of God and others look like? Proclamation of Truth and service. Meeting needs while speaking truth, in a word, ministry.
Ministry is not a vocation to be had, but a calling to be received. And this is the calling of all Christians everywhere. Ministry starts from the moment your feet leave the baptistry and ends the day you die. If you’re a Christian, that’s when you’re done.
It's not quitting time yet! You know when quitting time is?
Peter knew when quitting time was when they crucified him upside down.
Paul knew it was quitting time when they beheaded him and his head bounced across the floor.
James knew it was quitting time when they threw him off the top of the Temple and he didn't die, so they stoned him to death.
Stephen knew it was quitting time when they stoned him to death while Saul held the cloaks.
Andrew knew it was quitting time when they crucified him on a sideways cross.
It's not quitting time yet. Stay awake. Stay alert. You quit when you're dead.
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Revelation 3:3 NLT
Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.
This is judgement language here. Jesus will come against them suddenly, unexpectedly. That Jesus will come unexpectedly is the message of the New Testament after his ascension. We should live every moment as though Jesus would return right then.
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1 Thessalonians 5:1–6 NLT
Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.
But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.
Think about this as you live your life- would you be ashamed or pleased in any given moment if Jesus returned?
What would he say? Would he rebuke you, or embrace you? He will come unexpectedly. We are to work like he will come back immediately. He could come back any moment. Don’t let him catch you sleeping.
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Revelation 3:4 NLT
“Yet there are some in the church in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes with evil. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.
What does it mean to have soiled clothing? See, in Revelation, clothing tells you what kingdom people belong to. Soiled clothes belong to the kingdoms opposed to God and only those with pure white belong to the Kingdom of God. They are the evidence of salvation. So John defines this symbol later:
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Revelation 19:6–8 NLT
Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder:
“Praise the LORD!
For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.
Let us be glad and rejoice,
and let us give honor to him.
For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb,
and his bride has prepared herself.
She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.”
For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people.
They are worthy because they act like Jesus. They serve like Jesus, they put on Jesus’ righteousness, and they died (if necessary) like Jesus. And this is how he demonstrate his worthiness:
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Revelation 5:9 NLT
And they sang a new song with these words:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and break its seals and open it
For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation.
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Revelation 5:12 NLT
And they sang in a mighty chorus:
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered—
to receive power and riches
and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and blessing.”
They stubbornly refused to compromise in the face of a culture (even people claiming to be brothers and sisters) saying "just keep your Christianity at church, where it belongs. Will you really go to hell if you bake that cake/take those pictures/issue that license? Jesus would have done it." The culture will ALWAYS try to make us more tolerant than our God is.
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The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Book of Revelation Christ Condemns the Church in Sardis for Its Lack of Witness and Its Compromise and Exhorts It to Overcome This in Order to Inherit the Blessings of Salvation Life (3:1–6)
Therefore, behind the image of receiving “white robes” in 3:4b–5a, as well as elsewhere throughout Revelation, stands the idea of a purity that has resulted from the fidelity of the faithful being tested by a refining fire.
You want unsoiled clothes? Submit to Jesus. Love who Jesus loves. Serve who Jesus serves. When we put ANYTHING above the mission of God (sports, politics, sex, fun) we are soiling our garments.
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Revelation 3:5 NLT
All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.
White robes- parousia.
Explain briefly “Triumphal Procession”
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2 Corinthians 2:14–16 NLT
But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?
So we’ll be clothed in white and we won’t be blotted out of the Book of Life.
This is good news because in the Roman Empire, when people died or committed treason, their name would be blotted out of the register. You WILL be in the citizen register in heaven.
I will acknowledge- defense law language. You may be guilty, but I have granted pardon and I will grant the petition for your defense.
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Matthew 10:32 NLT
“Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.
This has nothing to do with a Facebook post and everything to do with how you live your life. Do you preach Christ to your neighbors? Your coworkers? Your sons and daughters? Acknowledge Christ and he will acknowledge you.
And he concludes:
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Revelation 3:6 NLT
“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.
He who has an ear... but also he who doesn't have an ear let him not hear...
Where do I get this?
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Mark 4:10–12 NLT
Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him what the parables meant.
He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secret of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders, so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled:
‘When they see what I do,
they will learn nothing.
When they hear what I say,
they will not understand.
Otherwise, they will turn to me
and be forgiven.’”
So church, take heed from Sardis. Don’t let this be a rebuke to you, but an encouragement. A warning. Stay awake. Keep watch. Don’t settle for comfort instead of faithfulness. Be willing to be laughed at for Jesus. Don’t quit until you breathe your last breath so that after you’ve taken your last breath on earth, people will say the same thing about you that you will hear from the lips of Jesus as you take your first breath in heaven:
FAITHFUL.
