Sardis
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1 “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. 2 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. 3 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. 4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. 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.’
Show where they are on map
Show images of city ruins and explain that they were comfortable because they were safe.
No sign of persecution for these believers.
Actually is the opposite - Their problem and temptation is comfort.
They lived in a place that allowed them to fake their faith and get by in life.
I cannot get past the phrase I KNOW YOUR WORKS
This is Jesus speaking to this church.
If Jesus walked in the door right now and looked you in the eye and said “I know exactly who you are”
Would that bring comfort or fear?
To be totally exposed for who you are. Think about that.
Exposure to God can be one of the most freeing things that can ever happen to us.
This passage sounds very judgemental and there is a sense of danger when it comes to playing fake in front of God.
But because of the gospel, being seen for who we are, yet God loves us and wants us to live for him,
That is so freeing.
10 for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.
11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
What does an “Alive” faith look like?
Watch story of Jala
An observation:
This story is so extreme, but you heard them say, why us, why do we deserve this..
Every person that has lived a faithful life to Jesus can be heard saying, why Me God? I am not worthy to be saved but you God has saved me anyway.
That is the foundation for a life of Alive faith.
4 things from the passage
Alive faith is complete
v2b
Does this mean you have to be perfect?
No!
It just means that you aren’t fractured in your faith.
Stop being one way in public and another way in private.
You do not have to be the greatest, just be consistent.
Alive faith remembers
v3
Pride tells you that you have it all figured out, or that you have to look perfect, or that you are smart OR THAT EVERYTHING IS ABOUT YOU
Pride is so bizarre. For some it makes us showy,
for some it makes us two faced, I have to live a certain way in public even if i dont believe this or cannot do it privately.
But heres the most bizarre to me - mental health is based on pride. I can only focus on me and cant see passed me right now.
No one understands me
no one suffers like i do
no one wants me
no one cares about me
Remembering the gospel helps us to see our daily need for Jesus’ forgiveness.
This is the key!!! Every person that has lived a faithful life to Jesus can be heard saying I am not worthy to be saved but God has saved me anyway.
Alive faith strengthens what remains
v2
This is good news if you feel far from God.
God is assuring you in this moment that a little is enough.
NOW THIS IS NOT A EASY GUSHY GOSPEL MESSAGE THAT GOD IS ONLY LOVE
Dont play with fire here. There are serious consequences for just letting your faith die, Its not going to just be ok and God is going to take care of it in the end.
but GOOD NEWS God uses our half dead or mostly dead faith.
He wants us to grow back strong and complete.
It keeps the End in sight.
When things get hard or we begin to slip into a comfort faith coma,
or we watch a friend do it,
the temptation is to write ourselves or our friend off as lost.
STOP THAT
Live life with heaven in sight.
I think this is why we see passages like this, where things are almost dead and God speaks life back into them.
Because life is a long hard process that is nearly impossible to finish.
God says you can finish.
Exegete
Exegete
1 “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. 2 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. 3 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. 4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. 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.’
So this is the chill city. Not as much hardship here as the last few weeks. There is also a lot of wealth here. Christians are not being called to forsake what they believe to survive at this city.
1 “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.
People say you are an awesome church that is doing great things for the Lord, but I see you and you are dead.
That is sobering words from King Jesus.
This makes me take personal inventory of my own life. Do people say I am alive for Jesus but am dead for him?
Yikes, maybe.
2 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.
All hope is not gone. Jesus is calling them to wake up and giving them opportunity to get going for him. Jesus’ grace is not just for the lost but for the found as well.
So although there is a piece of you dead, there remains a part that is still alive and is on life support. Get going and get oxygen moving to those parts.
3 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.
Repenting always seems to involve remembering. Remember what God said and what he has done, then get going and repent.
The alternative is for me to come and handle this. I will not stand for it.
4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.
There is some in your church that are still walking faithful.
This makes me think of Philippians 1:27
27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,
5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.
Conquer staying faithful to Jesus. This is our goal, surviving by the power of the one who will never let us go.
6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
As always, listen if you have the ability to listen.