A Dead Church
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Introduction
Introduction
What is the Church
What is the Church
It has been well said that
Many a Church
Begins with a man
Reaches out with a mission
Becomes a movement
Ends up a monument
This is a polite way of saying many a church begins with life but ends in death. It has a glorious past, but a glorious past is all that it has. It is now a church of living dead. There are live bodies walking around with dead spirits on the inside and amazingly, astonishingly, only God has noticed.
The Church of the Living Dead
Spiritually there is no pulse, no heartbeat.
Spiritually they are flat-lined.
Spiritually they are a dead church.
Spiritually they are “dead men walking.”
Does the Church Need Revival
Does the Church Need Revival
In an article entitled “When does my church need revival?” (Church Herald and Holiness Banner, 11-3-00), Stevan Manley highlights 6 telltale signs of a church standing at death’s door:
A Church at Death’s Door
A Church at Death’s Door
The church is plagued with disagreements.
The preaching is ineffective.
Few can remember when a person was last saved.
God’s supernatural power is never seen.
God is not praised regularly.
No one is being called into God’s work.
Transition
Transition
What do we discover when an autopsy on a dead church is performed?
What do we discover is the cause of death?
What do we find is needed to breathe life back into that lifeless body?
An examination of the church at Sardis provides the answer.
I. Christ is characterized by discernment.
I. Christ is characterized by discernment.
1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: “This is what the one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says: ‘I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, and you are dead.
Angel (Aggelo) – messenger, pastor, representative of the church Write (imperative) – word of command conveying a sense of urgency and importance.
Sardis – a city with a great past, long considered by the Greeks as one of the greatest of her cities. Who could imagine that by the 2nd century AD she would be in decline and near death, a mere shadow of her former glory. One historian said of Sardis, “it lived on its ancient prestige than on its suitability to present conditions.” Evidently city and church had this in common.
Located 50 miles east of Ephesus the city was located on the slope of Mt. Tmolus which made it a natural citadel and virtually impregnable. Yet twice in its history, the city fell due to careless negligence on the part of its guardians.
in 546 BC it was to the Persian Cyrus
in 214 BC to Antiochus III
In AD 17 the city was leveled due to a catastrophic earthquake, but it was rebuilt with considerable help from emperor Tiberius Caesar (AD 14-37). Located on 5 major trade routes, Sardis was a city of great wealth and prestige. A large temple dedicated to Artemis (Diana) was located here. Her local and popular name was Cybele. It was believed that she had power to give life to the dead!
How the church was founded we have no knowledge. Its present condition however is clearly seen by the Christ who discerns all things.
Christ comprehends our situation.
Christ comprehends our situation.
The 7 spirits of God – not a heavenly angelic entourage, not planetary deities! It is the complete or perfect Holy Spirit; the Spirit in all His fullness. Possibly there is an allusion to Isaiah 11:2-5 or Zech. 4:1-6. It emphasizes His omnipresence (cf. Rev. 5:6), wisdom and life giving power. The Savior has the Spirit but Sardis does not. The Savior has life but Sardis has death. Sometimes we have no idea of our true spiritual condition. If the truth be known, we are out to lunch, as to our real situation. We walk about in a fog of deception, but Christ discerns how things really are.
2. Christ cares for his servants.
2. Christ cares for his servants.
The seven stars (cf. 1:20) are the angels, the pastors or leaders of the churches. In his hand means they are his possession and under his protection. He is responsible for them and they are accountable to Him. Great privilege also entails great responsibility (cf. James 3:1). • The spiritual life or deadness of a church is often governed by the spiritual life of its leadership. • No church rises above the level of its leadership. • Sardis was a ship off course because its captain was asleep at the wheel. [Where is this church in this regard?!] Christ knows our condition. Nothing escapes the attention of the Spirit or the Savior who are in the midst of the churches.
II. Christ confronts those who are dead.
II. Christ confronts those who are dead.
1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: “This is what the one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says: ‘I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, and you are dead.
This church receives no word of commendation or congratulation. There is no word of praise. In this regard she is like her sister church at Laodicea (3:14-22). Pinpointing her condition Chuck Swindoll says, “The church at Sardis was a morgue with a steeple.” Vance Havner adds, she had it all in the show window but nothing in stock.”
1. Our outward reputation can be deceiving.
1. Our outward reputation can be deceiving.
I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive. Sardis had a reputation as a beehive of activity and vitality. This was most likely a church with size, money and program that caused people to stop and take notice. She appeared to be and claimed to be a healthy fellowship. You have a name – this is perhaps an indication of Sardis’ past faithfulness and accomplishments. In the past she was something genuine. There had been a time when reputation and reality matched up. There had been a day when she was doing great things for God. Now all they had was a name, and our outward reputation can be deceiving. We think we are one thing when actually we are altogether something different.
2. Our inward condition will be revealing.
2. Our inward condition will be revealing.
You are dead (nekros) – Looks can be deceiving. A body that from all outward appearances appears strong and healthy can, upon closer inspection, be found to be racked with cancer or some other terminal disease. Our Lord performs a battery of spiritual tests on the church at Sardis. She is subjected to a divine CAT-scan, MRI and X-ray and the diagnosis is far worse than any external, superficial examination could have ever revealed: she is dead!
Infected by the disease of spiritual compromise, worldly accommodation, and satisfaction with the status quo, life had ebbed out of the body and they had not even noticed. This church was not a persecuted church because it was not bothering anyone! People may have admired it, but not for its courage, commitment or conviction.
Illustration
The story of Samson in
14 She fastened it with the pin and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And Samson woke up from his sleep and tore loose the loom pin of the web and the warp-threads.
15 And she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and you have not told me how your strength is so great.” 16 And because she nagged him day after day with her words, and pestered him, his soul grew impatient to the point of death.
20 And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he woke up from his sleep and said, “I will go out just like every other time and shake myself free,” but he did not know that Yahweh had left him.
“But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.” *Sardis was a Samson church!
What can cause a church to die?
What can cause a church to die?
Though a number of answers can be offered, Chuck Swindoll highlights 5 of the more common:
Worship of the past (“the way we were”)
Greater concern with cosmetics than with character
Love of tradition over love for Christ
Inflexibility and resistance to change
Losing evangelistic and missionary fervor.
Being a church that is alive and living for Jesus requires more than a name on a marquee, a building with a steeple, or regularly scheduled meetings on a weekly basis. Too many churches have a name that they are alive, but they are dead.
III. Christ corrects those who are dying.
III. Christ corrects those who are dying.
2 Be on the alert and strengthen the remaining things that are about to die, for I have not found your works completed before my God.
3 Therefore remember how you have received and heard, and observe it, and repent. If therefore you are not on the alert, I will come like a thief, and you will never know at what hour I will come against you.
Our God is in the resurrection business. He is continually active in bringing dead sinners to life
1 And you, although you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit now working in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all formerly lived in the desires of our flesh, doing the will of the flesh and of the mind, and we were children of wrath by nature, as also the rest of them were.
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, 5 and we being dead in trespasses, he made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are saved), 6 and raised us together and seated us together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that he might show in the coming ages the surpassing riches of his grace in kindness upon us in Christ Jesus.
He is also active in breathing life back into dead churches. When things appear their worst, God is at His best!
An autopsy has been performed. Sardis is dead. What, if anything can be done? As our Lord looks over the body, His body, there appears a weak beat of the heart, a faint but perceptible pulse. Because this church is His church there is yet hope of recovery, restoration and revitalization. The condition is critical, but not yet terminal.
In rapid-fire succession our Lord peppers the church at Sardis with 5 imperatives and 6 steps she must take if she is to once again be the church, the body of Christ, Jesus saved her to be. There is hope, but she must act quickly. There can be no delay. Time is almost gone. We do well to listen in on the treatment He prescribes.
1. We should renounce our drowsiness.
1. We should renounce our drowsiness.
2 Be on the alert and strengthen the remaining things that are about to die, for I have not found your works completed before my God.
Be watchful – (imp.) – be alert, on guard, awake. The city had fallen twice because of military slothfulness; the church should learn from its past failure. Lit. Be continually watchful. Keep your spiritual eyes and ears open 24/7. Wake up! Be watchful. Recognize the ever-present danger of the enemy’s presence and our tendency to drop our spiritual guard.
2. We should revive our dedication.
2. We should revive our dedication.
2 Be on the alert and strengthen the remaining things that are about to die, for I have not found your works completed before my God.
Strengthen (aor. imp.) the things which remain … Make firm, establish what is salvageable, but do so quickly because they are ready to die. Why? For I have not found your works perfect (complete, fulfilled) before God.
Sardis was content with a halfway completed work.
Sardis was content to be mediocre, O.K., alright. God says get going, get fired up, begin again to exercise your spiritual muscles that your fat, flabby body might become the mean, lean godly fighting machine God calls you to be!
Get moving or you will die.
3. We should remember our doctrine.
3. We should remember our doctrine.
3 Therefore remember how you have received and heard, and observe it, and repent. If therefore you are not on the alert, I will come like a thief, and you will never know at what hour I will come against you.
Remember (pre. imp.) … received (perf. tense) and heard (aor.). Don’t rest on former deeds, but never leave your foundational doctrine. Continually keep in mind what you received as an abiding trust (perf. tense) the moment you heard (aor.) and were saved.
New is not always better and old is not always bad.
You began with Jesus and the Word, stay with Jesus and the Word.
4. We should renew our devotion.
4. We should renew our devotion.
3 Therefore remember how you have received and heard, and observe it, and repent. If therefore you are not on the alert, I will come like a thief, and you will never know at what hour I will come against you.
Hold fast (pre. imp.) – keep, guard. It is one thing to recall the truth, it is another thing to do it. The truth of the Christian faith is a precious treasure never to be taken for granted. Jude says earnestly contend (fight) for the faith. Jesus says hold fast what you received and heard. Do not let it slip away.
We slide into liberalism and compromise, we don’t jump or run to it! We never drift anywhere worth going.
5. We should repent of our desertion.
5. We should repent of our desertion.
3 Therefore remember how you have received and heard, and observe it, and repent. If therefore you are not on the alert, I will come like a thief, and you will never know at what hour I will come against you.
Repent – (aor. imp.) – change your mind and change your direction concerning sin (omission – what to do / commission – what not to do). Turn from:
(1) Death to Life
(2) Compromise to Conviction
(3) Forgetfulness to Remembrance
(4) Slothfulness to Watchfulness
(5) Weakness to Strength
6. We should reflect on our decision.
6. We should reflect on our decision.
3 Therefore remember how you have received and heard, and observe it, and repent. If therefore you are not on the alert, I will come like a thief, and you will never know at what hour I will come against you.
(cf. Matt. 24: 42-44; I Thess. 5:2; II Pet. 3:10)
This is not the 2nd coming, but a soon coming of Christ in judgment on them and them alone.
Think carefully about what is at stake! Swift and unexpected judgment is just around the corner if you continue in your sin.
Immediate judgment with eschatological overtones!
IV. Christ challenges those who are dedicated.
IV. Christ challenges those who are dedicated.
4 But you have a few people in Sardis who have not defiled their clothing, and they will walk with me in white, because they are worthy. 5 The one who conquers in this way will be dressed in white clothing, and I will never erase his name from the book of life, and I will declare 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.’
For the faithful few times had been tough. They were perhaps beginning to wonder “is it worth it? Has God given up on us as well?”
To such questions our Lord provides a 4-fold promise of future blessings for those who stay faithful in the present.
1. We are promised His presence.
1. We are promised His presence.
4 But you have a few people in Sardis who have not defiled their clothing, and they will walk with me in white, because they are worthy.
Soiled, dirty garments disqualified a worshipper and dishonored God. Here it is used symbolically of our spiritual conduct and clothing.
Like Enoch (Gen. 5:22-24) they will walk with Jesus. They will fellowship and be with Him.
2. We are promised His purity.
2. We are promised His purity.
4 But you have a few people in Sardis who have not defiled their clothing, and they will walk with me in white, because they are worthy. 5 The one who conquers in this way will be dressed in white clothing, and I will never erase his name from the book of life, and I will declare his name before my Father and before his angels.
Walk in white … worthy … clothed in white Walk justified, sanctified and ultimately glorified all in His righteousness.
21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin on our behalf, in order that we could become the righteousness of God in him.
3. We are promised His protection.
3. We are promised His protection.
5 The one who conquers in this way will be dressed in white clothing, and I will never erase his name from the book of life, and I will declare his name before my Father and before his angels.
Not blot (lit. no not blot, uses a double negative) (cf. Ex. 32:32-33 for the first idea of a divine ledger; see also Ps. 69:28; Daniel 12:1). 3 views:
Loss of salvation
All are in the book of life and only those who die without Christ are removed
Promise not a warning.
This is not a warning but a promise that it will not never happen (the double negative).
Background of the city register – name removed for crime or death.
4. We are promised His praise.
4. We are promised His praise.
5 The one who conquers in this way will be dressed in white clothing, and I will never erase his name from the book of life, and I will declare 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.’
Confers – acknowledge … Father … angels
Jesus will say to the Father, “Danny belongs to me” … to the angels, “Danny belongs to me!”
32 “Therefore everyone who acknowledges me before people, I also will acknowledge him before my Father who is in heaven.
Conclusion
Conclusion
W. A. Criswell tells the story of the Covenanters in Scotland were hunted and shot down like animals. Poor, humble people gathered together in their cottages to pore over the Scriptures, to pray to God, and to exhort one another in the faith. They were called Covenanters because they covenanted together to read the Book, to pray and to exhort one another in the faith.
Isabel Weir was married to John Brown, the Covenanter. John Brown loved God and into the humble homes of the people he went to read the Word, kneel in prayer and teach them the riches of our Lord. Men hunted and tracked him down. An emissary of the church by the name of Claverhouse took six soldiers to shoot him before his own humble cottage. They brought out his wife with a baby in her arms that she could witness the execution of her husband.
John Brown asked if he might pray. He knelt down and prayed and then stood up fearlessly, courageously, as a man of God ought to stand. The soldiers lined up before him to execute him. They looked at the man of God, they looked at his noble, courageous wife and the little baby in her arms. All six of the men put down their muskets. “We cannot do it,” they said.
Claverhouse cursed them in the name of the Church, took his pistol, walked up to John Brown and blew out his brains. When the martyr fell in his own blood, the murderer turned to Isabel Brown and said, “And what do you think of your fine husband now?” Isabel Brown replied, “Sir, I thought much good of him in life and now much more in death.” “For they are worthy … and I will confess their names before my Father, and before his angels.” (Criswell, p. 156-157).