Revive Your Dead Spirit

Welcome, dear friends, to this sacred space, a sanctuary where we gather, not just as a congregation, but as a family. This is a place where we come together, bound by our shared faith, our shared love for Christ, and our shared desire to grow closer to Him. Today, we find ourselves standing on the threshold of a profound discussion, one that will lead us to a deeper understanding of our spiritual lives and the path we tread in our pursuit of Christ.

[Title: Revive Your Dead Spirit]

Our focus today is drawn from the book of Revelation, specifically Revelation 3:1-6. This passage, though often overlooked, holds a profound message for us all. It is a message that resonates in our hearts and echoes in the depths of our souls. It is a message that calls us to take stock, to evaluate where we stand, and to renew our commitment to Christ.

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘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. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.

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. 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.

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. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

Revelation 3:1-6

In this passage, we hear a call to recognize spiritual decline, to reconnect with Christ, and to be receptive to the Holy Spirit. This is not an easy task, but it is one that we are called to undertake, not just as individuals, but as a community of believers.

As we embark on this discussion, I am reminded of the words of the great Christian author, J.I. Packer, who once said, "Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life's problems fall into place of their own accord." This quote speaks volumes about the importance of recognizing our spiritual state and striving to strengthen our relationship with Christ.

Now, let's embark on this discussion, not as a task or a chore, but as an opportunity to grow, to learn, and to draw closer to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Recognizing Spiritual Decline

When we look at the church in Sardis, we see a community that was once vibrant and full of life. They were known for their deeds, their actions, and their commitment to the faith. But something had changed. They had a reputation of being alive, but they have become spiritually dead. This is a stark reminder for us all. We can be active in our churches, we can be involved in various ministries, we can even be known for our good deeds, but if our spiritual life is not thriving, if our relationship with Christ is not growing, then we are no different from the church in Sardis.

The first thing we need to understand is that spiritual decline is not something that happens overnight. It's a gradual process, often so subtle that we don't even realize it's happening until it's too late. It starts with small compromises, little deviations from the path of righteousness. We start to neglect our prayer life, we start to skip our Bible study, we start to prioritize worldly things over spiritual things. Before we know it, we are far from where we once were, spiritually speaking.

An old man was lying on his deathbed. He had only hours to live when he suddenly smelled chocolate chip cookies. He loved chocolate chip cookies more than anything in the world, so with his last bit of energy, he pulled himself out of bed, struggled across the floor to the stairs, and headed down the stairs into the kitchen. There his wife was baking cookies. As he reached for one, his wife smacked him. “Leave those alone,” she said. “They’re for the funeral!”

Now, I use this illustration to show how our worldly endeavors, although we believe they are being used for Godly purposes, get in the way of the purpose of our worship and service. The wife was so consumed with preparing for the funeral that she forgot all about the one who was dying. We too fall into this trap when we emphasize tradition over simply preaching and teaching the Word of God. We fall into this trap when we place more emphasis on church hierarchy and less on serving the people. We too, like the wife smack the hand of the person simply seeking to know Jesus because we believe they have not gone through the proper process.