Sardis: The Walking Dead

Intro:

Sardis was an important commercial city located about 30 miles southeast of Thyatira.

It was located on an important trade route that ran east and west through the kingdom of Lydia.

Important industries included jewelry, dye, and textiles, which had made the city wealthy.

From a religious standpoint it was a center of pagan worship and site of a temple of Artemis, the ruins of which still remain.

Only a small village called Sart remains on the site of this once-important city.

v.1:

The letter to Sardis is sad, indeed.

Sardis seemed to want to be known as a church that was alive; however, the Lord had seen their true testimony and reputation and concluded that they were dead.

This has become a sad reality in protestantism today.

The great truths which were recovered in the reformation have been lost by a compromising church.

Churches may still repeat the creeds of the church, but in practice they have dismissed them.

Programs, rituals and organizations have been substituted for the Word of God and a fruitful spiritual life.

There is plenty of activity but no action, motion without movement, and programs without power.

The outward form remains, but the inside is dead.

We have ended up with a busy, hurried and exhausted church, which leaves the main business undone." -McGee

Much of the modern church is now nothing but a lifeless illusion. It’s dead, and we are having a picnic instead of a funeral.

In this case, Christ said that He has the seven spirits (The Holy Spirit).

The Holy Spirit was no longer with the church, it had withdrawn from them. Hence, the church was dead.

His having the seven stars (pastors), flows, as a consequence from His having the seven Spirits, or the fulness of the Holy Spirit.

The human ministry is the fruit of Christ's sending down the gifts of the Spirit.

As long as the Holy Spirit is active, your ministry will be fruitful.

Since the Spirit had withdrawn from Sardis, neither the church nor its minister was bearing fruit, they were like a dead tree.

vv.2-3:

Jesus' pronouncement of death was really a warning of what was to come.

At the time this was written, the church was dying quickly, but there was one last warning, one last chance for them to wake from their slumber.

They were to be watchful and strengthen what little life they had left. (Those few people mentioned in verse 4).

The message was clear, as it is today. Repent or Christ will take you unawares.

The message is clear…Repent or face judgment

2 Peter 3:10

2 Peter 3:10 NKJV

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

1 Thessalonians 5:2-3

1 Thessalonians 5:2–3 NKJV

For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.

v.4:

These few people were the last bit of life in the church.

They were like another group that Paul spoke of in 1 Thessalonians.

Those who are saved need not fear judgment

1 Thessalonians 5:1

1 Thessalonians 5:1 NKJV

But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.

1 Thessalonians 5:4-6

1 Thessalonians 5:4–6 NKJV

But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.

1 Thessalonians 5:8-9

1 Thessalonians 5:8–9 NKJV

But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

These were those few who were not defiled, their garments were white.

The white garments of all the redeemed speak of holiness and purity.

The saints are given white garments, which represent purity

Revelation 6:11

Revelation 6:11 NKJV

Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

Revelation 7:9

Revelation 7:9 NKJV

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

Revelation 19:14

Revelation 19:14 NKJV

And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.

Such white robes are specially reserved [first] for Christ:

White robes are reserved first for Christ, then the holy angels, then the saints

Mark 9:3

Mark 9:3 NKJV

His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.

The holy angels:

Matthew 28:2-3

Matthew 28:2–3 NKJV

And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.

Mark 16:5

Mark 16:5 NKJV

And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.

and as we've seen, the redeemed saints

v.5:

This book of life records all who are redeemed, it is a promise of eternal security for the saved.

In ancient cities, names of citizens were recorded in a register until their death, at which point their names were blotted out.

Also, if one were to commit a grievous enough crime, their names would be blotted out.

In contrast, once you are saved, under no circumstances will your name be blotted out of God's book.

This is a strong affirmation that neither death nor anything else can separate us from the love of God.

Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ

Romans 8:38-39

Romans 8:38–39 NKJV

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In addition,

Christ will profess the names of the faithful before the father

Matthew 10:32

Matthew 10:32 NKJV

“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.

Luke 12:8

Luke 12:8 NKJV

“Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.

What ultimately counts is not our acceptance by this world, but that our relationship with Christ is genuine.

v.6:

Once again, the reminder that we need to heed God's Word.

While this world's churches, as a whole, may be dead or dying, the faithful can remain confident and strong.

Don't just create an illusion of life, be genuinely alive for Christ.