Revelation 3:1-6
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Introduction
Introduction
This is the fifth church
3 of the 4 churches that we have visited follow the same pattern
Introduction of Jesus
Commendation
Condemnation
Correction
Conclusion
The exception to this is the church at Smyrna
The church at Smyrna received no condemnation
They had nothing to repent of
This morning we are visiting the fifth church - This church breaks the pattern, too.
But in an opposite way than the church at Smyrna.
Jesus has no commendation for this church.
He goes straight to the condemnation
The Description of Jesus
The Description of Jesus
Unlike the two previous churches, the description of Jesus appears to be non-threatening. However, His description says much to the content of the letter.
Jesus describes Himself in 2 ways
He has both the seven spirits and stars in His hand
The seven spirits do not represent 7 different spirits of God; .
Isaiah 11:2
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 of the fear of the Lord;
7 speaks of completion - Which speaks of the fulness of the Spirit of God
The Holy Spirit as as Dove in Matthew 3:16 and flame of fire in Acts 2:3 and the 7 spirits
It does say 2 things
Jesus Christ works through His churches with the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit comforts, guides, and assures.
The Holy Spirit is essential for a church to have life.
From the very outset of this letter, Jesus had life that was needed for the church.
The seven stars
Stars = angels = messengers = elders of the 7 churches!
The life and authority these elders had was dependent upon Jesus Christ.
Rebuke
Rebuke
Revelation 3:1
And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
Usually, after - “I know thy works” Jesus commends the church - Not this time
He gives a rebuke that says:
You have a reputation of being a living church - the church was alive in name only
But you are dead
The significance of the rebuke
This church thought it was alive. Not only that, this church had a reputation of being alive.
The shocking truth - The church was dead.
No longer possessing life.
What makes a church alive is the presence of God
The Holy Spirit’s presence was absent from this church
Matthew 18:20
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
There are some things we can surmise that led to death by comparing this church with the previous churches; especially the church at Ephesus.
The church at Ephesus was in the verge of being removed from the candlestick - yet, Jesus had some good things to say about that church:
The church labored
Had patience - succeeded through trials
Intolerant of sin
Doctrinal soundness
Compare
Ministry not connected with God’s word - This church had works. just not the right works
Revelation 3:2
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
This church did not have patience
Tolerant of sin
Doctrinal fractures
If this church was dead, and Jesus had nothing commendable to say about the church, then how could it be viewed as a living church?
Ecclesiastes 1:9
The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
Today churches are viewed alive if three things are happening
Activity
Energy
Growth
All regard her as a flourishing, active, successful church - except Jesus.
In short, churches are pragmatist instead of biblicist.
On Easter Sunday in 2015, Hope invited him to a church that she knew other gym members attended. That was when Broome heard the gospel for the first time.
"That moment changed my life," Broome said. "I was able to relinquish not just the shame and the guilt from porn, but the shame and the guilt from feeling like I wasn’t good enough my entire life."
1 Corinthians 1:17-18
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
2 Samuel 10:9
When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians:
Ministry
A third observation that further solidifies the second observation - there is no mention of trials.
Every church to this point endured trials to some degree.
There are only two of the seven churches where no mention of suffering or persecution: The church at Sardis and Laodicea
There are only two of seven churches no mention of commendation: The church at Sardis and Laodicea
Counsel - Revelation 3:2-4
Counsel - Revelation 3:2-4
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
Be watchful - To awaken from your slumber - Recognize there is a problem.
Strengthen the things that remain - Those unfulfilled items
Command
Resolved
Remain
What is left of the church
Things - does not refer to people but spiritual realities
Remember and repent
Revelation 2:5
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Received and heard
They need to go back to the truth of God’s word.
What made the difference in their life
2 Peter 3:15-16
And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
Hold fast to God’s word - God’s word is not a book of pragmatism
Repent
Punishment Revelation 3:3
Punishment Revelation 3:3
Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Everything hinges upon being awake
The picture is of imminent judgement
Jesus will come and destroy the church
Hebrews 10:29-30
Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
Conclusion - Revelation 3:4-6
Conclusion - Revelation 3:4-6
Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Few - speaks of a very small handful - Speaks of puny
There were a few sincere among the hypocrites. a few humble among the proud, a few separate among the worldly, and a few stalks of wheat among the tears.
There names speak of their clean garments
Their garments were stained free
a familiar word to Sardis with its wool and dye industry.
Garments reflect character
Jude 23
and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
Isaiah 64:6
But we are all as an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;
And we all do fade as a leaf;
And our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Over-comer
Clothed in white garments
Erase his name from the Book of Life
In John’s day rulers kept a register of the citizens of a city. If someone died. or committed a serious crime, their name was erased from that register.
A large Jewish community - One of the largest synagogues excavated in the ancient world
The curse of the Minim was added to the 18 benedictions prayed daily by the Jews in the ancient world. The curse of the minim reads: “May the Nazarenes and the Minim suddenly perish, and may they be blotted out of the Book of Life and not enrolled along with the righteous.”
I will confess His name before the Father
This letter is silent about sexual immorality, and idolatry, there is no reference to the teaching of the Nicolaitan or Jezebel. The silence may indicate that the church at Sardis was not compromising with Rome but Judaism.
Perhaps they were silent about Jesus.
Matthew 10:32-33
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Revelation 12: 11
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Confessing the Biblical Jesus is to conquer.