REPLACING REPUTATION FOR REAL RELATIONSHIP

INTRO

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 4999 Alexander’s Namesake

The story is told of a soldier in the army of Alexander the Great, who was brought before the great world-conqueror for court-martial. When the emperor had listened to the charges and the evidence, he turned to the soldier facing condemnation, and said,

“What is your name?”

“Alexander!” was the reply.

Again the emperor questioned, “What is your name?”

And the second time the soldier answered, “Alexander!”

With a cry of rage, the emperor roared, “I say, what is your name?”

And when the soldier answered for the third time, “Alexander!” the great general angrily replied, “You say your name is Alexander? You are found guilty of your crime as charged, and now you must pay the penalty. Either change your conduct or change your name, for no man can bear the name of Alexander, my name, and do the things that you have done.”

—Unfeigned Faith

CONTEXT OF THE TEXT

Revelation 3:1–6 NASB 2020

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, and yet you are dead. 2 Be constantly alert, 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. Then if you are not alert, 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 The one who overcomes will be clothed the same way, 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 The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

The book begins with a vision of the risen Lord, who gives messages to seven churches, those in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea, a group of cities in the Roman province of Asia (1:1–3:22). The messages rebuke these churches where they have failed and encourage them on the path of Christian service.

For our intent and purpose this afternoon we want to shine a light on the Church of Sardis.

In Sardis the question is the relationship between reputation and reality. The reputation of the church at Sardis was life, but the reality was that they were dead.

Paige Patterson

CENTRAL IDEA

We, like the Church in Sardis, must move from reputation to real relationship.

REPUTATIONS DON’T ALWAYS REPRESENT REALITY

COMPLETE INCOMPLETE DEEDS

RUIN AWAITS THE FORGETFUL HEARER

STAY WITH THE MORAL MINORITY

THE PERFECT INCENTIVE FOR THE BELIEVER TO OVERCOME

LISTEN TO THE SPIRIT