Part 9 | Letters to the Churches | Sardis

Revelation 3:1–6 (ESV)

“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. 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. 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. 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. 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. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

(1) Depiction of Jesus

(2) Encouragement (commendation)

(3) Correction -

(4) Instruction

(5) The Promise (given to those who endure til’ the end)

Perseverance is a common theme throughout Revelation.

Sardis Background

At one time, Sardis was a respected community, but by the time this letter was written, it was in decline.

Like the other cities addressed in chapters 2 and 3, it was full of paganism

Sardis also had a strong Jewish Community.

Judaism was a legal religion under Roman Rule, Christianity was not.

No mention of persecution against Christians, which suggests that they may have tried to blend in with the Jews and perhaps the pagan culture.

The city was thought to be impregnable as it sat on a hill with cliffs that were thought to be unscalable. Consequently, the city became lax in its security.

During the reign of King Croesus, (in 547BC) the Persians launched a surprise attack and the city was captured by Cyrus.

Revelation 3:1 (ESV)

...

“ ‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

1) Depiction of Jesus

In each of the seven letters, an element of John’s vision of Jesus—recorded in chapter 1—is applied to the church.

In the letter to Sardis, Jesus is described as the One who has the seven Spirits of God and the Seven Stars.

What does this have to do with the church?

Seven Spirits

= the perfection and completeness of The Holy Spirit

Being dead, the church in Sardis needs the power of the Holy Spirit.

It is by the power of the Spirit that God raised Jesus from the dead.

The church needs to be resurrected.

Seven Stars

= the angels of each church.

The church has available the power of the Holy Spirit AND angelic support. There is no excuse for them to be a dead church.

2) Commendation

The church as a whole, receives NO commendation from Jesus. They are on the verge of dying… not much good can be said.

However, there is a faithful remnant in Sardis that Jesus commends.

Revelation 3:4 (ESV)

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.

The robes in white represent their uncompromised lives in Christ.

The faithful remnant have persevered in faith and have served the Lord in faithful obedience.

The impending judgement upon the church is not universal— each believer will give an account for his or her own life.

3) Correction

Revelation 3:1 (ESV)

...“ ‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

Remember, the city looked strong, but collapsed when it was infiltrated by the Persians.

Similar - ly - the church looked strong… but, in fact, it was dead and on the verge of collapsing.

Revelation 3:2 (ESV)

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.

It is not that the church is failing to do any works, but their works are not complete. There is no explanation of what exactly the idea of ‘incomplete works’ refers to, but lets consider the context to help point us in the right direction:

A) Failure to Share the Gospel

They idea that their works were not complete may suggest that they were serving one another. They were likely faithful in prayer and other spiritual disciplines. They likely did good works.

However, the idea that their works are “incomplete” suggest that did these things without the proclamation of the Gospel.

Christians are called to preach the Gospel… Good works and spiritual disciplines—without the proclamation of the Gospel— are incomplete.

I think this might be the main issue:

Jesus says to the one who conquers that He will confess his name before His father in heaven (v. 5)

Matthew 10:32–33 (ESV)

So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Because Judaism was considered a legal religion, it may be that the believers in Sardis were worshipping God along with the Jews, but failed to declare Christ.

A Christless Christianity is not Christianity at all.

What happened when Christians preached Christ amongst the Jews?

Let’s consider what happened to Paul and Silas.

Acts 17:1–5 (ESV)

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd.

Though some Jews received the message of Jesus, many rejected it and persecuted the church, often turning them over to the Roman authorities.

Given that this letter mentions nothing about persecution, it is likely that the Christians were not proclaiming Christ. They appeared to be spiritual, but without the proclamation of the Gospel, their works were in vain.

B) They have given into the pagan culture

Jesus says that the faithful remnant have not “soiled their garments.”

Stained garments represents iniquity.

We see this in

Zechariah 3:3–4 (ESV)

Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.”

Here, Zechariah has a vision of the High priest, Joshua. In his own sin—like all of us—Joshua has filthy garments. But the Lord promises to take His iniquity away from Him, offering Him pure garments.

Perhaps some of the believers in Sardis have compromised their faith to make their lives easier— mixing pagan practices with their faith, thus soiling their garments.

The Bottom line is that the church is on the verge of collapse. They look alive, but they are spiritually dead.

4) Instruction

A) Wake Up & Repent

Revelation 3:2 (ESV)

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.

The Church has fallen asleep. They have become lax in their faith. Just like the city erroneously thought itself safe and secure, the believers think that because they look spiritual, that they are safe spiritually.

Matthew 7:21–23 (ESV)

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

The believers need to wake up and turn from evil and turn back to God.

Otherwise, they are will face judgement.

Revelation 3:3 (ESV)

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.

If the church refuses to repent, the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

Jesus “coming like a thief in the night may refer to the final judgment when the Lord returns, or it may refer to a less visible return, where the Lord removes the lampstand of the church at Sardis, anticipating the final judgement.

5) Promise

Revelation 3:5 (ESV)

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.

The one who conquers (those who remain in Christ and endure til’ the end) are promised white garments. Their iniquity will be removed and they will stand before the Lord in the righteousness of Christ.

Their names will not be blotted out of the book of life.

This promise is synonymous with eternal life. Those who profess Christ will face some measure of persecution in this life, but they will be acknowledged by the Jesus to the Father as belonging to Him. All those who are in Christ will receive final salvation.

Application Questions

(1) In what way can a contemporary church appear to be alive, when they are actually dead?

(2) Is our church guilty of good works without the proclamation of the Gospel?

Blessing Bags, Block Party, Missionaries

(3) Why do you think Jesus doesn’t command the faithful remnant at Sardis to leave the city and find another Christian community?