THE CHURCH TO NOWHERE (REVELATION 3)
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Most people were not able to take a vacation last year, and not so soon in the immediate future, because of the pandemic, quarantine, flying and other restrictions. What do you do when your vacation becomes a staycation? Enter the sea-cation “cruise to nowhere” in the summer that was approved last week (May 2021).
The prerequisite is that all passengers and crew members should be vaccinated. The expected cruise would cost about HK$1,000 a night, and most would last two days and a night or three days and two nights.
Up to two days ago, the first two "cruises to nowhere" are already 90 percent fully booked one week after bookings open.
https://www.thestandard.com.hk/section-news/fc/11/230543/Vaxxed-vacations-on-cruises-to-nowhere
Anyone going?
The seven churches in chapter 2 (2:5, 2:16) and 3 (3:3, 19) are separated and split into two chapters because the two chapters begin and end with the conjunction “therefore.” Five of the seven churches in Revelation were going nowhere. They were warned of their plight and pitfall with a “repent” imperative (vv 2:2, 16, 3:3, 19) and the middle fourth of seven churches was singled out thrice with the verb “repent” (3:21, 22).
The second church of chapters 2 and 3 is a good church, while the rest is altogether bad or ugly. What kind of a church or churchgoer are you? Why are some churches progressing, while others are regressing or digressing from her foundation and faith? What and how can you contribute to get the church on track?
Reinforce and Remain
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. 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. 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. 4 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.
Recently I get a letter from the Internal Revenue Department asking me to pay 5% more tax because I did not file my (2019) tax last year. I said, “How can it be true? You even returned me a month’s check!” What happened, the man on the phone told me, was that I paid twice the previous year (for 2018 tax), so they refunded to me, but in my mind I thought I had paid for my 2019 and 2010 tax. Don’t ask me how!
How did such a big mistake happen? The man told me they did not send tax statements to my home last year and this year because I had gone on to their web and, unknown to me, had signed up for online statements. To ratify the mistake I had to send a letter to IRD or go online again, which I rejected.
The disobedience, deviation and decline of God’s church comes with a steep price – damnation, disgrace and disappearance. Reputation (v 1) is “name” in Greek, which is more pointed, provocative and personal. The noun “name” makes an alarming 8 times in chapter 3. Unlike the church in Ephesus who has persevered and endured hardships for His “name” and have not grown weary (Rev 2:3) and the church in Pergamum who remained true to His name and did not renounce their faith (Rev 2:12-13), the church in Sardis is alive but dead, active but lifeless, able but disabled. The church was church in name, by title or repute, not in fact, reality or practice. It is fake new, false positive and far-fetched.
The first command to the church in Sardis is “be watchful” (vv 2, 5 gregoreuo), the most in any chapter in Revelation, where the name of Greg or Gregory is derived. The imperative is “be” is the present tense and the participle “watchful” is also in the present tense. It’s always in the present tense as an imperative or in the context of an imperative (“BE” watchful). It means be on your feet, on your toes and on your knees in prayer. The church in Sardis is ready to die (v 2) but not dead.
The next verb - imperative “strengthen” – is translated as steadfastly (Luke 9:51), fixed (Luke 16:26) and established (Rom 1:11). Watchful is on the outside, strengthen is on the inside. It is to battle, break and best - butt heads and bust your chops if you have to, against lethargy, listlessness and laziness.
Verse 2’s “for” tells the reason they slipped. Verse 2’s “for” is the only reason in chapters 2 and 3. Their work was incomplete. It was rushed, routine and rash job. We cannot have a wishy-washy, wait and see and waver back and forth attitude.
Contrast Chart – Imperatives (vv 2-3)
Wake up
Strengthen
Remember
Hold fast
Repent
Reinforcement
Reinvigoration
Realization
Retention
Reformation
Back up
Bulk up
Bring up
Buckle up
Broken up
The next three imperatives (remember, hold fast, repent) are followed by an “ouv” conclusion: translated as “but” in NIV (v 3). The consequences of not watching are dire. Not watching A thief’s coming is unannounced, unexpected and undisclosed.
There is hope, however, for the congregation in Sardis. White garments (v 4) means unsoiled, unstained and unspotted in scandal. The word “worthy” (v 4) occurs seven times in Revelation, but this is the only time applies to believers and not to God or Jesus.
Verse 3’s hold fast (tereo) occurs four times in the chapter (vv 3, 8, 10 2x), but this is the only time it is an imperative. What are we to hold fast to? Word of God (vv 8, 10). The imperatives of “hold/keep” in other text tell us to hold fast to commandments (Matt 19:17), purity (1 Tim 5:22) and to keep yourself in the love of God (Jude 1:21). Key is verse 2 and verse 3 “watch” – one is imperative and one is me + subjunctive.
Verse 3’s remember in the imperative occurs twice in Revelation is always followed by repent in the imperative in Revelation (2:5 twice “repent”).
Rest and Rejoice
7 "To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars — I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
The author Hans-Ruedi Weber relates a story which is often told in East Africa. A simple woman always walked around with her bulky Bible. She never was parted from it. So the villagers began to tease her: "Why always the Bible?" they asked. "There are so many other books you could read." Yet the woman kept on living with her Bible, neither disturbed nor angered by all the teasing. But finally one day, she knelt down in the midst of those who laughed at her. She held up the Bible, high above her head, and said with a great smile: "Yes, of course there are many books which I could read. Yet there is only one book which reads me."
The second church in both chapters two and three is the exemplary church. The promised “key” (v 7) of David is unique to Philadelphia not to the other churches – it is foolproof, fail-safe, and faultless, because with that little strength, they were able to keep God’s word and not deny His name. The term “word” (vv 8, 10) is not associated with any church but Philadelphia. The phrase “not deny” is similar to John the Baptist (John 1:20), who did not deviate from the path, doubt the Lord’s coming and disown His calling.
The first purpose (hina) of God for the church in Philadelphia is that her enemies will “acknowledge/know” (hina subjunctive - not “bow” or “worship”) of God’s love for them. Acknowledge is more than knowledge. It is to admit, submit and commit to God’s love.
Verse 11 another “hina” is no man can take your crown. Crown is royalty rule and recognition or reward. Take (lambano) is ; no one can deprive, dispossess, deny you of your work, worth or witness. There are more crowns mentioned in the book of Revelation than any New Testament book in the Bible – more than its mention in all the Gospels put together, or all the Epistles recorded including the crown of life for the Smyrna faithful (Rev 2:10), the crowns of gold on the twenty elders (Rev 4:4, 10), and finally Christ with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. (Rev 14:14). Not in Revelation includes a crown of glory (1 Peter 5:4).
Return and Revive
14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm — neither hot nor cold — I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
A couple that has been married for fifty or more years and just long enough to really live kind of under each other's skin. The woman was especially aggravated with him on one occasion when he came home in the store and he had stolen a can of peaches. She was livid, so she hauled him down to the police station and turned him in. She said, “My husband stole a can of peaches!” as they wound up in front of a judge. The judge said, “How many peaches were in that can?” The man said, “Six.”
“I'm gonna give you six days in jail so that you will learn a lesson old man that you don't steal.” The wife, who was sitting in the back the courtroom, raised her hand and said, “He also stole a can of peas!”
DTS Chapel, The Discipline of Humility, Charles Swindoll
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E60s7vH8RGQ
Neither cold nor hot (v 15) means lukewarm, lightweight and limp - to be midway, mediocre and mild in faith. Not barely passing, but not pass succeeding. Neither hot or cold means Christians who are nominal, neutral and nonexistent. Spit (v 16) is vomit; puke, barf and throw up in USA. It means rejection, repulsion and renunciation, not stand, suffer or stomach.
V 17 Contrast Chart
“Wretched”
No shelter
Need guarantee
Exterior
“Pitiful”
No sympathy
Need grace
Interior
“Poor”
No savings
Need goods
Exterior
“Blind”
No sight
Need guidance
Interior
“Naked”
No support
Need garments
Exterior
These five terms - wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked - are exclusive to the church. The odd numbers – wretched, poor and naked are all exterior; the even terms pitiful and blind are internal.
There are four purpose clauses to end the chapter:
“hina” Purpose Chart (V 18)
“Rich”
“To wear/clothed”
“Cover”
“See”
Abundance
Attire
Appearance
Analysis
Outflow
Outfit
Outcry
Outlook
Resources
Righteousness (white)
Respect
Recognition
Physical
Material
Moral
Facial
Personal
Individual
Durable
Noble
Ignoble
Soluble (salve)
Conclusion:
What kind of a believer, church or fellowship member are you? Are you like the functional church in Ephesus – all action but no affection for Christ? Are you like the second church – the church in Smyrna, faithful and fruitful in Christ? Are you like the third and fourth church in chapter two – the church in Pergamos and Thyatira, tolerant morally and doctrinally? Are you like the fifth church – who is externally reputable is internally rotten? Or are you like the sixth church – the church who hangs on and hang tough? Are you like the last church – who has not a flame, flicker or fire for God?
