Letters From the Lord: "Sardis"

Introduction:

We are continuing our series in Revelation 1-3 today.

In chapter 1, we got a very detailed description of our glorified Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

As we enter into chapters 2-3, we begin reading the seven letters to seven churches, authored by Jesus and written down by the Apostle John.

The letters from the Lord were for the churches of that day but they still apply to us today.

In these letters we see what Jesus desires for His church.

We learn what things in the church make the Lord glad and bring glory to Him and what things in the church grieve Him.

Jesus has some good things to say about His church but also some hard things that can sting. But He tells them and us these things because He loves us and wants the best for us.

We’ve read the letters to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum and Thyatira.

Today we are going to look at the Letter From the Lord to the church in Sardis...

Revelation 3:1–6 (NASB)

1 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 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. 3 ‘So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. 4 ‘But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 ‘He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. 6 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Summary of Sardis:

Sardis was the capital city of Lydia. It was a very important city, located about fifty miles northeast of Ephesus, at the junction of five main roads. This made it a center for trade. Because of the massive amount of trade, Sardis became the fist city in the world to mint gold and silver coins. Sardis was also known for its wool, particularly the woolen garments they produced. But at the time of this letter, Sardis was well past its peak. The glory days of Sardis were between 600 and 400 BC. It was still an important city, but a city that had seen major decline, just a shadow of its former splendor. Sadly, the church had apparently become much like the city it that respect. It was living on its past reputation but mostly dead in the present.

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

Appearance does not equal reality.

Their appearance:

(v. 1a) “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive...

Their reality:

(v. 1b) ...but you are dead.

(Dead churches…)

Matthew 23:27 (NASB)

27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.

John 6:70–71 (NASB)

70 Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?” 71 Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.

1 “...He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this:

John 6:63 (NASB)

63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.

Why had the Spirit’s power left the church?

Some were asleep...

Others’s were only doing things half way...

(v. 2) Wake up... for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.

This is the first church that didn’t have any suffering or persecution.

Its probably why they were asleep. They were complacent and/or comfortable.

So is the American church...

And things were in danger of getting worse.

(v. 2) ...strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die...

That was their reality. It was not good news.

But there is good news...

Reality can be altered.

The Prescription:

(v. 2-4) 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. 3 ‘So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. 4 ‘But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.

3 ‘So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it...

Acts 1:8 (NASB)

8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you...

Galatians 5:24–25 (NASB)

24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

3 ‘...repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you...

Acts 3:19 (NASB)

19 “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;

Some were living by the Holy Spirit..

4 ‘But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.

2 Peter 3:17 (NASB)

17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness,

The Promise:

(v. 5) 5 ‘He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

In Closing:

What is your reality?

Are you alive by the Spirit of God or just appear to be?

Are you alive by the Spirit but living with no power of strength of the Spirit in your life?

Your current reality can be altered by Jesus. Will you trust Him today and ask Him to forgive you, change you, strength and empower you?

It is time to wake up!

Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you...

1 Thessalonians 5:2 (NASB)

2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.

Jesus is coming, are you ready?

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

Memory Verse of the Week:

1 Thessalonians 5:2 (NASB)

2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.

Discussion Questions:

What does this Scripture teach us about God?

What does this Scripture teach us about man?

Do you see any commands to obey or principles to apply?

Do you see any promises to claim or blessings to enjoy?

Do you see any truths to meditate on or Gospel messages to share?

Did anything else in the passage stick out to you?