Jesus Speaks to His Church! - The Church at Sardis

Wake Up and Strengthen What Remains! Revelation 3:1–6 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Introduction

In this passage, Jesus addresses the church in Sardis, exposing a harsh reality: despite their reputation for being alive, they are spiritually dead.

This passage reveals Christ as both the active judge and redeemer of His Church.

It reminds us that God desires genuine relationship over superficial appearance. (Didn’t He say to Samuel when considering a king “man looks at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart”).

His call to the church—and to us—is to wake up, strengthen what remains, and repent before it’s too late.

Spiritual complacency can easily mask our true condition before God. But Christ calls us to awaken, repent, and restore our vibrancy in faith.

In this sermon, I want us to recognize the signs of spiritual complacency and understand the urgency of spiritual renewal.

Our goal is to encourage self-examination and realignment with God's call to live vibrantly in faith, even amid challenges.

This involves a spiritual inventory—assessing our spiritual health regularly, repenting from lifeless rituals, and pursuing authentic faith that reflects our relationship with Christ.

Historical Context of Sardis

Understanding a little about Sardis provides valuable insight into this message. Once a city of great prominence, Sardis was situated between Smyrna and Thyatira and served as the capital of Lydia. Its wealth was legendary, exemplified by King Croesus (585-546 BC) - the Bill Gates of his time - whose legendary riches were seized by Cyrus.

N.T Wright tells us that “The city had been thought, for a long time, completely impregnable. It was secure, sitting on top of its steep hill. Attackers might come and go, but the citizens were quite content to see them do so. They knew they could never be captured. Until one night, during the reign of the famous King Croesus, the invading Persian army found a way in. Someone, greatly daring, got up part of the sheer cliff and managed a surprise attack. Because nobody was expecting it, the result was all the more devastating. Cyrus the Persian, who features in various biblical stories as well, conquered Sardis in 546 BC: a never-to-be-forgotten moment. Though Sardis remained an important city, the lesson had been learned.”

And this serves as a powerful illustration of the danger the Church was now in. Satan brought down this Church, not by the direct assault of persecution or evenheresy but by worldliness!

Later, Sardis was conquered by Persians, Macedonians, and Romans. Today, only a village remains near the ruins.

The lesson? No city, no matter how secure, is immune to downfall AND no Church, if complacency and worldliness take hold is likewise immune!

1. Reputation vs. Reality – Revelation 3:1

We often care deeply about our reputation—both personally and as a church. We want to be seen as faithful and vibrant.

But Christ challenges us: outward appearances can be deceiving.

“In spite of their faults, in all the churches so far addressed, Christ has recognised much good. What will he find to commend in Sardis? Nothing. The only ‘good’ she has is a good reputation, for which there is in fact no basis. Christ’s verdict on her is devastatingly brief: in name she is alive, in fact she is dead.” (Michael Wilcock)

Sardis had “a reputation of being alive,” even among fellow believers, but inwardly, they were spiritually dead. This was true not only in their spiritual state but also in their complacency and laziness. No mention is made of persecution or heresy, only a lack of zeal and passion. They had become complacent because they pursued comfort over conviction, and in doing so, they drifted away from authentic faith.

They appeared healthy outwardly, but inwardly, they were decaying.

This passage then teaches us:

The Danger of Backsliding

I’m not much of a gardener and I have been known to buy a beautiful, healthy plant—vibrant, green, and full of life and plant it in the right soil with the right sunlight exposure as directed by the experts, and for a time at least to water it regularly, and feed it occasionally so that it flourishes, producing new leaves and even flowers.

However, my good intentions are not always followed through and I start to neglect the plant, missing a few watering days, not pruning the dead leaves, etc and ignoring the signs that the plant’s growth is slowing and its leaves are starting to wilt slightly.

But because it’s still rooted in fertile soil, it continues to cling to life and to an untrained eye, it appears ok but all the while the plant is becoming weak, and some leaves turn brown and fall off.

Without attention, it may eventually stop producing new growth altogether and eventually it dies. Why? Because I did not take time to sustain the life of the plant!

You get the point of the illustration. If we neglect our spiritual lives and begin to detach ourselves from God as the source of our true spiritual sustenance we will begin to decay, wither and die. If left unchecked, our faith can become lifeless, and we risk falling away completely.

Jesus said: John 15:1–5 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

We need to regularly examine our hearts and stay connected to Christ, and tend to our faith through prayer, Scripture, and fellowship. Small acts of neglect —through neglect of personal devotional life: reading the Word, prayer, and worship can over time lead to our downfall and this will in turn lead to impacting our public expressions of faith—our attendance, our conduct among believers and unbelievers, and our spiritual resilience.

The danger lies in ignoring these signs until it’s too late. Christ, who knows all things (the “seven spirits of God” and the “seven stars”—Rev 1:20), sees our true state. He is able to diagnose and, more importantly, to revive.

2. Christ’s Power and Invitation

Christ holds the “seven spirits of God” (a reference to the fullness of the Spirit) and the “seven stars” (the messengers/angels of the churches, especially that of Sardis) to demonstrate that His ability to see and revive is complete.

His call is that, “If Sardis remembers, heeds, and repents, he will do so.” (Wilcock)

Christ’s call is not one of rejection but of invitation. He sees our condition but also offers renewal—through His Spirit and His Word.

How do we evaluate ourselves? How do we present ourselves before Christ?

He knows our hearts fully—yet He still invites us to repentance, to renewal, and to revival. His desire is to restore us to vibrant, genuine faith - Revelation 3:20–21 “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.”

Let us examine our own spiritual health at this point.

Are we living in the truth of Christ, or are we merely maintaining a façade?

Jesus calls us to wake up, strengthen what remains, and repent—before it’s too late. He invites us to live authentically in faith, renewed by His Spirit and His Word.

Let us heed His call, turn from complacency, and pursue a vibrant relationship with Him—one that truly reflects His life within us.

So I ask myself as I ask you, how do I evaluate my spiritual health? Are there areas where I’ve become complacent? What steps can I take today to pursue genuine renewal in Christ?

2. Repent and Restore - Revelation 3:2–3

Let me share an apocryphal story—though I believe it illustrates a spiritual truth well.

Many years ago, a pastor attended his prayer meeting on a Thursday evening, but that night, no one showed up—not even the Church caretaker. After waiting half an hour, he realised he was alone. He then tolled the church bell, a signal that a death had occurred in town. The townspeople, hearing the bell, gathered in concern, asking, “Who is the dead?” The pastor, descending the steps, responded simply, “This church is dead.” And in that moment, he locked the doors and walked away.

This story serves as a stark wake-up call. It reminds us of the importance of vigilance in our spiritual lives—of waking up, assessing our condition, and acting before it’s too late.

The apocryphal story serves as a wake up call and in a few moments I shall tell you what can happen when a Church does wake up BUT here we have Christ’s Wake-Up Call to the Church in Sardis - “Wake up, and strengthen what remains, which are about to die.”

As we have noted, the church in Sardis is an active, successful church on the surface, yet inwardly spiritually dead AND Jesus’ words imply that they are unaware of the danger they’re in.

The problem is that their works, their witness, and their testimony are lacking the fruit that authenticates their faith.

They need to wake up and address this spiritual decline, or else Jesus will come to them unexpectedly like a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10; Matthew 24:43).

The Grace of God and the Call to Repentance

Despite the warning, we must recognise the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. His patience offers us an opportunity to turn back—to repent, to renew, and to restore our spiritual vitality. His grace is an invitation—an open door to renewal.

Can I encourage you today? Embrace this opportunity to renew your commitment to Jesus.

This is a call to spiritual revival.-Psalm 85:5–6 “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?”

It begins not just with grace but with our active response—repenting, seeking His face, and renewing ourselves through prayer, meditation, and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Repentance can be seen as opening the door for God to enter and work in a person's life or a Church’s life. It will involves: 

Cleansing and Healing from God - acknowledging sin and asking for forgiveness, which can lead to spiritual cleansing and healing, making it easier for God's Spirit to work. 

Renewing our Relationship with God - When we repent, we can renew our relationship with God, fostering a deeper connection and intimacy.  Repentance often leads to a hunger for more of God, a desire for His presence and power in our lives. 

Transforming our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit - Repentance, when genuine, can lead to a powerful transformation in individuals and communities, bringing about revival and renewal. 

Now, back to my apocryphal story which I want to replace with a TRUE STORY - I could give many examples of this but let me suffice with this from the 1904 Revival in Wales:

Only 17 people were present at the first prayer meeting conducted by Evan Roberts in Moriah Chapel, and many of them had come out of curiosity. He told them why he had called the meeting and of his vision of the promised revival. They all made a commitment to the Lord that night.

From there the Revival spread quickly and within six months it is estimated that over 100,000 were converted. Not only were individual lives changed by the power of the Holy Spirit, but entire communities were renewed. Drunkards, thieves, gamblers were transformed. Miners prayed together before commencing their shifts in the pits. Even large numbers of football and rugby teams players were converted and fixtures designated for a Sunday has to be abandoned. Pubs were empty and dance halls were deserted. Magistrates had very few cases before them.

It continued in some parts for up to two years. Evan Roberts was a principle preacher at the time and the press gave much coverage to these meetings with one leading journalist of the time W.T.Stead, Editor of the British Review of Reviews, reported: “People pray and sing, give testimony or exhort as the Spirit moves them...You can watch what they call the influence of the power of the Spirit playing over the crowded congregation as an eddying wind plays over the surface of a pond'. Such reports widely circulated in the press brought many visitors from many countries. Some were simply curious and others yearned for spiritual renewal. Other prominent visitors to the meetings stressed the positive aspects, which seemed to them to far outweigh any negative results. 'They say it is the Spirit of God. Those who have not witnessed it may call it what they will. I am inclined to agree with those on the spot'.

The revival evoked much criticism from many sources not least the press. Some insisted it was nothing more than typical Celtic qualities: 'instability of character, a tendency to exaggeration, a greater love for music and oratory than for veracity and purity'. Even the London Times took issue with this view, maintaining that those who knew 'the squalid, brutal lives' of Welsh miners were 'profoundly thankful for any influence that can awaken them to the hope of better things'.

Dr Campbell Morgan of Westminster Chapel, London visited Revival meetings and was deeply stirred by the movement's intensity. 'It is Pentecost continued, without a single moment's doubt', he reported. 'The meetings are absolutely without order, characterized from the first to the last by the orderliness of the Spirit of God'. 'There were organs', he continued, 'but silent; ministers, but among the rest of the people, rejoicing, and prophesying, only there was no preaching. Yet the Welsh Revival is the revival of preaching to Wales. Everybody is preaching. No order, and yet it moves from day to day with matchless precision, with the order of an attacking force'.

Campbell Morgan's view drew its imagery from the Acts 2 Pentecost account: 'If you put a man in these meetings who knows nothing of the language of the Spirit, and nothing of the life of the Spirit, one of two things will happen to him. He will either pass out saying, 'These men are drunk' or he himself will be swept up by the fire into the Kingdom of God'.

Morgan challenged Christians to discover the movement's principles: 'Let us listen for the Spirit, confess Christ, be absolutely at his disposal. Get things out of the way for God... your habit that you know is unholy; your method of business that will not bear the light of day; your unforgiving heart towards a church member'.

3. Resilience and Righteousness - Revelation 3:4

While many in Sardis had fallen into spiritual decline, there was a faithful remnant—an exception—who remained focused and walked worthily of Christ, despite the prevailing complacency.

Their perseverance is not unnoticed; it is rewarded by Christ’s promise of righteousness and acceptance. Christ honours their faithfulness, promising them white robes —symbols of purity and eternal life.

Their perseverance highlights an essential truth: enduring faithfulness amidst a culture of spiritual decline is both vital and commendable.

Our perseverance in faith is essential—not to earn salvation, but as a response to God's grace and as evidence of genuine faith.

So let us:

Remain Faithful Despite Cultural Pressures - Even when the culture around us promotes complacency, worldly values, or spiritual decline, we are called to stand firm in our faith. Like the faithful remnant in Sardis, choose today to remain committed to Christ, resisting the temptation to conform or compromise.

Cultivate Daily Perseverance - Perseverance isn’t a one-time act but a daily commitment. Make intentional choices to form the right habits that lead us to pursue holiness, prayer, and obedience, even when it’s challenging. These daily habits add up to a life of faithfulness, leading to a resilient Christian life.

Prioritise Inner Purity and Righteousness - The white robes symbolise purity and eternal life. Jesus said: “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” This does not mean “see God when they die and go to Heaven” it means seeing God in the every day life as we pursue His way and experience a closer communion with Him, enjoying His presence, and seeking His glory.

Encourage and Support Fellow Believers who are struggling on the journey - “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.”(Gal 6:1-2).

4. Reassurance and Reward - Revelation 3:5–6

Christ’s promise to those who overcome is one of reassurance: “He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.” This imagery depicts victory—white robes symbolising triumph and purity, reminiscent of triumphal processions or baptismal rites.

Their names remaining in the book of life (see Rev 13:8; 20:12, 15) signifies eternal recognition and acceptance by God but as N.T. Wright pointes out: “The idea goes back within ancient Israelite thought to God’s book, referred to in Exodus 32:32. That’s not an encouraging reference, since there almost all the Israelites had deserved to be blotted out of that book, and it was only God’s fresh act of mercy that rescued the situation. Closer to Revelation in time, many Greek cities had an official register of all citizens. Some places kept the grim custom that, when a citizen was to be condemned to death, his name would first be blotted out of the book, so that sentence could proceed without any stain on the city’s reputation through one of its citizens facing the ultimate penalty.” So, it could logically raise the question, can someone’s name be blotted out of the “book of life” but that is to ask a theoretical question when a hard-hitting practical consideration is needed and N.T Wright goes on to state that Jesus “is holding out a standard early Christian warning, going back to those of John the Baptist, Paul and Jesus himself. It’s a warning against presuming that belonging to the community of the people of God, irrespective of behaviour within it, is all that is required.”(N. T Wright). In the language of Revelation 21:27 “Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

The promise for those who endure is profound: a deep, intimate communion with Christ

Those who strive after righteousness now will find themselves settled in everlasting goodness.

But remember that spiritual renewal and resilience are ongoing pursuits. Let us strive daily to reach toward Christlike purity, trusting that with each step, your dangers diminish, temptations lessen, and your victory in Him becomes more assured.

CONCLUSION:

Let us heed this call to wake up, repent, and restore our hearts to Christ.

His patience and grace are extended to us—an invitation to live in spiritual vitality and perseverance.

May we be among those who remain faithful, who persevere in righteousness, and who look forward to the glorious reward of eternal fellowship with our Lord.

Are you ready to renew your commitment today?

Is there an area of your life where you need to wake up spiritually?

Are you persevering in faith amidst challenges?

How can you actively respond to God's call to repentance and renewal?

Let us respond with humility and determination, trusting that His grace is sufficient and His promises sure.