Christ to the Church in Sardis

THE LETTER TO THE CHURCH IN SARDIS: 

-ESVSB: Sardis's capture twice in its history while watchmen neglected their duty became a cautionary tale of misguided complacency and lack of vigilance (see note on vv. 2–3). Although Jesus' rebuke identifies no specific source of attack, this congregation was similarly asleep, at death's door.

-

-RHSB: Sardis (modern Sart), the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia, was a city of great wealth and fame. Its acropolis, a natural citadel on the northern spur of Mount Tmolus, rose 1, 500 feet (457 m) above the lower valley. Sardis was full of sophisticated paganism. The lack of mention of persecution probably reflects the secure position of its Jewish community. Jesus’ followers evidently coexisted peacefully with the synagogue community and city establishment. Unaccustomed to opposition, they had grown comfortable in their relationship with the world. Their spiritual state (deadness) prevented them from realizing that Jesus’ resurrection power was available to them.

CHRIST’S Self-ID: has the seven spirits (Holy Spirit) and the seven stars

Seven Spirits: the Holy Spirit

Revelation 1:4-5 (see the Triune God here!)

4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood

NOTE: the seven spirits = the Holy Spirit in His perfection, reflecting

Isaiah 11:2

2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,

the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

the Spirit of counsel and might,

the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

NOTE: The seven stars = the angels of the churches...the heavenly beings charged with Christ’s oversight of the individual churches...their protection, etc.

Hebrews 1:14 ministering spirits sent out to serve those who inherit salvation

WHY does He identify Himself as the one who has the 7 spirits of God and the seven stars? We will see...

WHAT CHRIST KNOWS: NO COMMENDATION here!

NOTE: reputation (name) of being alive but you are dead. They are dangerously close to being a zombie church...a corpse.

Looked outwardly to be alive...very alive, but in all the activity or impressive show there was NOT the LIFE OF CHRIST!

As with Ephesus, it appears they had become neglectful, timid in their witness for Christ...

What Christ COMMANDS: Several things:

1. WAKE UP: history says this city was taken by enemies twice by not being alert and protecting their walls...

Jesus says: WATCH! BE ALERT! Much can be stolen when we are not alert to our soul’s enemies...be aware of the danger you are in!

1 Peter 5:8

8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

YOU HAVE A NAME in this pagan city because you have not been faithful to MY NAME! You have been unwilling to sacrifice for my sake!

2. STRENGTHEN what remains and is about to die...all is not dead, but if it is not strengthened, it may all die...there needs to be some resuscitation! There needs to be some life put back into your church...living and sacrificing for the name of Christ...

-for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God: somewhere along the line you left off your work, you gave up...never completing it...you settled into the complacency of a pagan culture...

IT SEEMS AGAIN that this is talking about their witness...that a clear and bold witness for Christ had been silenced to live comfortably within a pagan culture...

3. REMEMBER, then, what you received and heard.

Remember the gospel, the good news about CHRIST...the good news that is often not acceptable news to the culture...remember the charge you received to go into all the world and make disciples...beginning in SARDIS!...they seemed to have forgotten this in their compromise with the culture

4. KEEP IT, and REPENT...Just like Ephesus, they needed to...remember and return to obeying what Christ charged you with doing when you came to Him...repent...turn from the way you have been going towards death and keep Christ’s command to live radically for Him...and His gospel...AND HIS GREAT COMMISSION...

NOW HERE IS WHERE WE SEE THE GLORY AND GRACE OF HOW CHRIST IDENTIFIES HIMSELF TO THE CHURCH IN SARDIS...

-and almost dead church, fallen asleep to their commitment to Christ...they have settled down and become comfortable and identifiable with the pagan culture...what HOPE is there for them?

CHRIST! The One they have been unfaithful to, whose gospel they have compromised...The ONE Whom they are unwilling to suffer for, HE is the one who has the HOLY SPIRIT to give...Who has all they need to regain their love and boldness and LIFE! He is the Spirit of life!

2 Timothy 1:7

7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

SO THERE IS HOPE FOR NEW LIFE, even in this ALMOST DEAD state...

AND...the seven angels...the heavenly servants to the church...Christ may be saying, my angels are present to protect you in your witness...nothing can touch you unless I decide it will be so, for my angels will protect you...so be BOLD, know that you are under my sovereign protection, and suffering and persecution will only come your way WHEN I DETERMINE IT SHOULD BE SO...and then I will preserve and strengthen you in it by My Perfect Spirit...

What Christ WARNS:

V3: 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.

NOT Christ’s second coming, but a coming in some kind of judgment: eg Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5) or the saints in the Corinthian Church...(1 Cor 3, 11)

What Christ PROMISES:

Revelation 3:4-5

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.

Not all are dead, not all have compromised their witness...they have not soiled their righteous witness...they will walk with me in white: ie, they will suffer for Christ and so be with Him forever...(those who walk in white garments in Revelation are primarily those who endured through suffering...even death)

I will never blot his name out of the book of life: no unbeliever is ever said to be written in this Book of Life...only those chosen by God, the elect...to say He will never blot out their name is a negative way of saying: “that faithful one’s name will be in the book of life forever.” It is SECURE! This we know because Jesus has just said in vv4-5 that He is talking about these who have not soiled their garments and who WILL walk with Him in white.

And Christ will confess this faithful one’s name as belonging to Him before the Father and his angels...this is what Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 10:32 about those who acknowledge Christ’s name before men...also in the context of persecution.

Final COMMAND:

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches:

listen and wake up and repent...because the Spirit and Christ’s very angels will empower and enable you to be strengthened where you are weak and to come back to life!