THE CHURCH OF SARDIS
**The city of Sardis was built around B.C. 500 and was located on a narrow plateau fifteen hundred feet above sea level, about thirty-five miles southeast of Thyatira.
__Because the city was built in a mountainous region it was a natural citadel.
__It was the capital of the Lydian Empire and was still an important city during the Roman Empire.
__Sardis had become famous for their abilities in arts and crafts.
__They made lavish use of the local brightly colored and semi-precious stones such as fire opal and banded agate.
__The number seven represent, is a symbol of, completeness, or perfection.
__ The word Spirits is capitalized, which mean they are part of, and are in essence, God himself.
__The word Spirits is the Greek word “pnedma” which means breath or wind. Perhaps the seven Spirits are personifications of God, or maybe they represent seven of His powers.
__In Isaiah 11:2, the prophet speaks of the Spirit of Lord resting upon Jesus the Messiah. Perhaps these are the seven Spirits. Let's take a look at Isaiah 11:2.
__” And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom, and understanding, the spirit of counsel, and strength, the spirit of knowledge, and the fear of the Lord”.
__Now let's take this verse apart.
1) And the Spirit of the Lord
2) the spirit of wisdom
3) and understanding
4) the spirit of counsel
5) and strength or power
6) the spirit of knowledge
7) and the fear of the Lord
__ If the Spirit of the Lord, wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord, are the seven Spirits in front of the throne, what we are seeing is perhaps, a sevenfold ministry of the Holy Spirit.
__ Revelation 3:1 we find the phrase, “I know your deeds”. This indicates two things; one is that Sardis was an active church. They were doing things, having programs, and reaching out to the surrounding community.
__This was a church “on the go,” a lively church, a flourishing church.
__It was a church with a good reputation.
__It was a church that was in good standing with the community.
__ Many churches today don't even have any deeds.
__They are not doing anything for God. People show up for Sunday morning services and the church does nothing for the rest of the week. Sound familiar?
__The second thing that the phrase I know your deeds indicates is that God is watching.
__This is something that we hardly ever think about. God watches and knows our deeds. He doesn't only know what we do, He knows why we do.
__He knows us better than we even know ourselves. We should be encouraged by this because even when it seems like no one notices the things we do, God knows.
__ The flip side of this coin is that when we are doing deeds and works that we do not want anyone to know about, God knows.
__” That you have a name that you are alive”. What exactly is a name? My name is Pastor Duncan which means “a crown,”
__A name is what other people commonly think and say about you (or the church in Sardis in this case). The church in Sardis has good reputation, a name, that they are alive and active. But that is not what this means. A name carries with it both reputation and character.
__ “But you are dead”. The church had a name, and a reputation for being alive; but that name and reputation were with the world.
__Their name and reputation did not come from God. They were so busy doing things and trying to entertain and please the world that they forgot what the church is all about.
__They had stopped doing their works and deeds for God. In all their activity they were too busy to notice that the church had died. They were too busy trying to convince each other that they were “Spiritual” to notice that they were dead.
__All the outward manifestations of the Spirit meant nothing. All the works and deeds meant nothing. All the church activity was worthless. Why? It is because the church is really dead.
__The church is going through the motions, but they are not measuring up to God's standard of Holiness. What looked alive and active to man was dead as far as God was concerned.
__They thought were very active for the Lord, but they were not intimate with the Lord. God looks at the heart and judges our motives. He watches to see why we do what we do.
**(Revelation 3:2)
“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”.
__ “wake up…” ------The phrase, wake up, means to be watchful, awake, and to prevent yourself from falling asleep.
__Back in 219BC and again in 549BC, the city was captured at night by an invading army, while the city slept.
__It is a call from God that resounds through the ages to the church today. Especially if you are in a church that seems alive and active! We cannot afford to fall asleep in the Sunlight. Wake up, before it is too late. Wake up, while you still can. This begs the question; how do I wake up?
__The first thing I have to do is search my heart to see if I am awake. Are my works and deeds (if I am doing any) done for the glory of Christ, or for my own glory?
__Whom do I want to get the credit for what I am doing, Jesus, or myself? Not only must I wake up, but I must stay awake and be watchful. I must keep a careful guard of my heart.
__” …Strengthen the things that remain…” ----- They had already lost so much, and so little remained. What was it in the church at Sardis that still remained? Their deeds and their works still remained.
__The church is given a command: to strengthen what remains. This implies that what remains is weak and desperately needs to be strengthened.
__Their works and deeds were not being done for the glory of God, but for the glory of the church, or perhaps even for personal gain.
__Their works and deeds were being done to give their church and themselves a good reputation. The church would have to change their focus and work for God in order to strengthen the works that remained.
__” …Which were about to die…” ----The works and deeds that remained were about to die. The church was in serious trouble and did not even know it! This seemingly active and thriving church was heading straight for the spiritual grave.
__f they don't get their act together and straighten out their priorities, the few deeds that are left will wither and die. Now is the time for the church to get on its knees and seek the Lord. Only by prayer and repentance can Sardis strengthen the things that remain.
__The same is true of the church today. We as a church need to get our act together and get on our knees and seek the Lord. Does God see your church today as “dead?”
__Do we need to strengthen the things that remain in the church today? It is not too late for the church today, provided we act now. Today is the day to repent, tomorrow is not promised to us.
__What about your life? What about my life? Have we reached the point where God considers us as almost dead? Are the works that we do, being done for the glory of God? Or are we doing them to get ourselves a good name and reputation.
__Colossians 3:17
“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”
__ I must confess that I don't do this all the time like I know I should. When I see how God looked at the church in Sardis, I realize that He looks at me the same way. He looks at you the same way also. He sees straight through to our heart and knows our motives.
__” For I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God”
__ James 1:25
“But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does.”
__God will bless our works and deeds if we abide in His perfect law of liberty (the word of God). If His word is in our heart and we do as His word commands, He will bless our works. Our works will be complete in His sight.
**Jesus therefore reminds them how they received and listened and held fast and repented (Revelation 3:3)
__” …if thou shalt not watch I will come as a thief…” --- here Jesus is referring to the rapture
__1 Thessalonians 5:2
“For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night”.
**(Revelation 3:4)----there are still believers who have not defiled their garments (their garments here refers to their works and deeds) or (refers to their heart or conscience) and those who are still faithful and true will walk with the Lord during His second coming and after the second coming.
**those that will endure until the end (those that overcomes) (Revelation 3:5)
__those will be rewarded with eternal life and will be clothed with white raiment or garments, this symbolizes a reward of purity
__ their names will be kept in the book of life
__but their names will be spoken of before the Father, that is to be praised for their hard works and long sufferings.
THE CHURCH OF PHILADELPHIA
**the person who said these words is Holy (Revelation 3:7)
__only one person that is Jesus is Holy
__these words are being spoken by Jesus again not John or any other messenger
__ Philadelphia was the sixth of seven congregations to receive a message from Jesus Christ at the end of the first century.
__Members of the Church of God in Philadelphia undoubtedly faced similar influences and pressures as did other Christians at the time.
__Yet the nature of Christ’s message to this church did not include correction. It only offered encouragement and promises.
__Located in modern Turkey on the Cogamus River about 105 miles east of Smyrna and 25 miles southeast of Sardis, Philadelphia was founded later than many of the other cities of Asia Minor. Sometime after 189 B.C. it was established on one of the highways leading to the interior of the region.
__Philadelphia means brotherly love. “Its name was given to it in honor of Attalus II, because of his loyalty to his elder brother, Eumenes II, king of Lydia.
__ “Philadelphia quickly became an important and wealthy trade center, for as the coast cities declined, it grew in power, and retained its importance even until late Byzantine times” (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 1939, “Philadelphia”).
__The message to Philadelphia begins with an announcement from Christ that He has “the key of David” and that what He opens “no one shuts” and what He shuts “no one opens” (Revelation 3:7).
__This statement is similar to Isaiah 22:20-22 where Eliakim is given the key of the house of David.
__Christ’s statement that He had “the key of David” reveals two important points:
1)as prophesied, Christ had received “the throne of His father David” (Luke 1:32).
2) Christ had the authority to open and close doors for the benefit of the congregation at Philadelphia. When Christ opened or closed these doors, no one could reverse these actions.
**Jesus knew what they were doing right (Revelation 3:8)
__ “an open door” referred to the opportunity to preach the gospel of the Kingdom.
__One example of this is found in Acts 14:27 where Paul reported to the church at Antioch that God “had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles” (1 Corinthians 16:9) (2 Corinthians 2:12) (Colossians 4:3).
__this church has kept Christ name and had not denied their faith even though they have little strength.
**(Revelation 3:9)
__synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not” worship before the feet of the members at Philadelphia and recognize that Christ has loved them (Revelation 3:9).
__While it is clear that Jesus is making “those of the synagogue of Satan” understand that He loves and respects the members of the church of Philadelphia, it is not as clear who these people are who are part of the synagogue of Satan.
__This reference to people falsely claiming to be Jews is similar to Christ’s words to Smyrna: “I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan” (Revelation 2:9).
__As Paul explains, all Christians, regardless of their racial background, are considered Jews: “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God” (Romans 2:28-29).
**hold fast which thou hast (Revelation 3:11)
__which means there are things that tests our faith trying to remove us from the favor and the faith our Lord
**He who endures and overcomes temptations will be made a pillar in the temple of God (Revelation 3:12)
__this temple is in heaven
__everyone will realize and gaze at us when the time arrives, it is in this temple where all the nations will gather around to worship the Lord
__He will write on us the name of His Father and the name of His city that is Zion or paradise which is a new Jerusalem (this tells us that it is after the second coming of Jesus), that’s on our forehead for all to see
THE CHURCH OF LAODICEANS
**(Revelation 3:14)
**The church of Laodicea is the last of seven churches addressed in Revelation.
__Laodicea was a wealthy city during the Roman period. Not only was Laodicea located on major trade routes that connected it to important cities like Ephesus, Smyrna and Sardis, but also it was a center of textile production and banking.
__Perhaps not surprisingly, the church of Laodicea is noted as being wealthy in the Bible (Revelation 3:17).
**Revelation 3:15
“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot: I could wish you were cold or hot”.
__Jesus says, ‘I could wish you were cold or hot’ not lukewarm, because lukewarm people know/once knew the TRUTH and it is impossible to change.
__Hebrews 6:4-6
“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance”.
__Lukewarm people, people represented by Laodicea church love worldly riches and they are they running after blessings and prosperity gospel. They seem blessed, wealthy but in reality, they are miserable, poor and blind
__” because thou art Lukewarm I will spew you out of my mouth” ----they will be removed from the presence and protection of God
**Revelation 3:17
“Because you say, ‘I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing’ – and do not know that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked”.
__They value worldly blessings and wealth more than spiritual blessings and wealth; Prosperity gospel is leading millions to hell.
__Their worldly material wealth has no eternal benefit.
**Revelation 3:18
“I counsel you to buy Me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garment, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness do not appear; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see”.
__All our works will be refined through fire like gold thus buying gold tried in the fire for Jesus means works worthy of heavenly reward thus being rich
__White garment represents Jesus Christ righteousness. It’s Jesus who cloths us with His robe of righteousness.
__Lukewarm people are spiritually blind. They need to seek Jesus for Him to open their eyes to see – heal their spiritual blindness
__Church of Laodicea represents many people in this generation. They value worldly wealth more than spiritual wealth. They are seeking worldly riches in the name of blessings showing-off how blessed they are but in reality, they are poor, miserable and naked.
__It’s better to be spiritually wealthy than worldly wealthy. “seek first the kingdom of heaven and all will be added unto you”.
__Lukewarm people are spiritually blind with a form of Christianity but in reality, it is religion
__And majority of them hate being told the truth – corrected – rebuked. When you rebuke them, they tell you ‘stop judging’. They do not know the difference between judging and rebuking.
**Revelation 3:19
“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent”.
__If Jesus does not rebuke you, examine your spiritual life
__You after worldly prosperity, blessings, showing off, claiming you are blessed, Jesus is knocking at your door.
__Jesus rebuke us with His word and other life lessons that might not be what we want, but He wants us to learn from them.
**Revelation 3:20
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me”.
__Open your heart and Jesus will come into you – baptize you with the Holy Spirit, Lukewarm people are not baptized with the Holy Spirit by Jesus – Jesus is not in them
**Rev 3:21
“To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His throne”
__to overcome the test of life, to allow the Word of God to rebuke you and chasten you.
__those who strive to be Holy as Christ was Holy and He is seated in heaven at the right hand of the Father will receive the same reward, they will sit with Him at His throne in Heaven.
__it is a moment of repentance that leads to the reward of eternal life in heaven, this church need to repent as we also do need to repent, they were proudful because of what they had, we also become proudly when we accomplish our life goals, and we forget that there is life after death .
