Not in Namesake Only

Introduction:

If the bible were still being penned to us and Paul was still writing letters to the churches, we would be getting a letter!

Jesus has written a letter to us though- the Bible- and specifically today we are looking at the letter he wrote to the church of Sardis.

Sardis one of the seven churches of Revelation-seven meaning complete-therefore we deduce that this is the letters written to the universal church of Christ- that its application goes well beyond Sardis and should be regarded as a personal letter to the church today. We might as well say to the church of East Side in Muldrow write- for the truths of what transpires in these letters to the seven churches find application even for us!

So what is it that Jesus wants to write to us about in our focus today? What was the message to the church at Sardis? This is our focus for our time together in His word.

Key Text reading of Revelation 3:1-6

Jesus knows our reputation!

Jesus knows the church.

He holds the church in His hands. Rev. 3:1

Revelation 3:1 ESV

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “ ‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

He walks among the church. Rev. 1:20

Revelation 1:20 ESV

As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

He is the shepherd of the church.

Jesus knows our works...

He sees past the outer garments. He knows whats beneath the surface. What cannot be masked.

The Sardis church had a name for being alive....why wouldn't she. Sardis was positioned in what was thought to be a unbreakable fort!

Sardis was a major trade city, specializing in the dying of wool, and was rich with gold.

however by the time of John’s writing Sardis had been conquered at least twice and so There is a play on her false sense of security that the Holy Spirit is using to write to the church at Sardis.

Jesus addresses the false sense of security by pointing out the contrast of what people say to the reality of what is. For the church at Sardis, people said they were alive, but the reality was they were dead or dying.

like the whitewashed tombs Jesus compared the Pharisees and scribes to- Matt. 23:27

Matthew 23:27 ESV

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.

or like the wells without water Peter refered to: II Peter 2:17

2 Peter 2:17 ESV

These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved.

So the reputation that Sardis had was in namesake onlyu-the reality was that they were dead or dying.

Jesus gives a call for Revival!

Revelation 3:2 ESV

Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.

Wake up- come alive- become alert! The call is for the church to arise out of her slumber.

she has been carelessly rocked to sleep, she has not be vigilent to maintain her testimony, respond to the world around her. We forget the exhortation of I Peter 5:8

1 Peter 5:8 ESV

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

She has become tarnished by her compromise with the fallen society. While she was to be a light on the hill she has become darkened by her compromise and complacency. (Oh we would be getting a letter today!!)

her works are lacking- there is not sufficient fruit on her branches to qualify her reputation! like the fig-less tree that Jesus cursed: Matthew 21:19

Matthew 21:19 ESV

And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once.

So this church of Sardis is void of fruit with only the appearance of health and vitality.

Jesus Calls the church to wake up-strengthen what remains- it wasnt too late for the church to recover her health and become vibrant and truly alive spiritually. “strengthen what remains” there is still that life spark there- there is still a time for Revival.

We have not passed yet the time of revival! oh how we need it- how we need that stiring in our heart. We say we are rich in need of nothing-we confuse present riches with approval of God but the reality is we are wreched and poor! We need the Lord!

Our reputation maybe that we are alive but the reality is we need revival! How shall we be revived? Jesus Prescribes the How!

Jesus tells us how to be Revived in Two steps:

Remember! Oh how the church must remember.

remember what you have received and heard. Remember the truth of the gospel, remember the call from sin, remember how in that past life you were ashamed.

yes its time that the church ask for the old paths! Jeremiah 6:16

Jeremiah 6:16 ESV

Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Its time for the church to remember what Jesus Christ done for us at calavry that we have not been delivered to sin- for us to continue to live in the practice of sin is the acknowledgement that we have no fellowship with him! Remember who we have fellowship with: I John 1:6

1 John 1:6 ESV

If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

Remember what you have recieved and Keep it Jesus Said! Do my commands is what he is saying.

He called secondly for the church to Repent!

oh how there is need for repenteance fo the church!

We think we are past repenting? We must repent! Repent of our missed opportunities, our willful disobedience, our sluggish response to the great commission!

Repent of our perrsonal sin, our poor attitudes, our wanning commitment, Repent! What do you need to repent of?

We must repent! The call is for the church to repent! Not the world around Sardis- Jesus is calling out his church! What do we need to repent of?

He wants the church to repent so that they are not lost, so they are not overcome-he cares for the chruch and calls her to repent!

How wonderful! How tremendously wonderful that our Savior who knows us better than any one would call us to repentance so that we may be preserved!

Jesus warns the church to fail to repent would mean not being ready for His return.

Revelation 3:3 ESV

Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.

we are a church today that will not know the hour of our visitation.

will we wake up! This is your wake up call- The church gets the letter as a wake up call and its still applying to us today!

Conclusion of the matter:

Jesus knows us beyond our reputation. He sees past the mask and whats under the surface.

Jesus calls us to revival! That we wake up and come alive. Spiritual death is creeping in all over and we must wake up!

Jesus calls us to remember what has been given to us and what we have heard. Remember that glorious moment of our salvation, remember how he called us out of that sin and into his righteousness.

Jesus calls us to repent! The church i called to repent! get back to where we need to be. Repent-make a turn in our path-a course correction.

He loves us enough to write us a letter-to pursue us and call to us so that we will overcome.