Hello Friends!
Welcome Back! Let’s continue our journey through “Revelation:
Jesus Speaks to His Church!”
Revelation:
Jesus Speaks to His Church! (Chapter 3:1-6)
This week we will begin
our reading of verses 1-6 in chapter 3 of
Revelation where Jesus Speaks to the Church of Sardis…
It
was NOT easy to live the “Gospel,” preach the “Gospel” and uphold the “Gospel” in that terrifying period of time
during the end of the first century. The Lord “Jesus
Christ” had been rejected, most of the “Apostles” had been killed and the “church” was under fierce persecution.
And our Lord recognizes the character of each “church” as well as their issues
and He sends a personal “letter”
to each of them. These are seven unique “churches”
and yet they are representative of the “churches”
that exist in ALL periods of time in history, including TODAY!
These “letters” are timeless
and have spoken for God
through the Person and Work of Jesus
Christ through the indwelling “power”
of the Holy Spirit right up to the present.
And they will continue to be “read,”
“preached” and “understood”
by every
“believing” generation – Until the end of the age!
The
Lord Jesus Christ introduces Himself here in a very interesting way. And this “message” from Him is one of “deadness” and that is one of the worst
things that could be said about a “church”
body of which is claiming His Name. The “church”
by Biblical definition is to be spiritually “alive”
and well. WHY? Because it is a very special
place where all “believers” live out their “sanctified” lives together for GOD! We
have been given “salvation” from the Lord and
the “church” is to be a “fellowship”
of them who posses this “eternal life”
only THROUGH Him, are “watchful” always FOR Him and will seek to “strengthen” each
other IN Him. However, in the concerning
case of this “church” it was totally – DEAD!
Therefore,
let’s begin by reading about the FIFTH
“church” described in chapter 2 ~ The “Sardis”
fellowship:
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. Be watchful, and strengthen the things
which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect
before God – Revelation 3:1-2
This
“church” represents one of the “seven stars” of Jesus
Christ’s “body” but it is “ready to die” as
their “works” were not “perfect” in “God’s”
eyes. WHY? Because they were not “watchful” and were
being “led astray” by FALSE leaders of whom were VOID of the illuminating & enabling Holy Spirit and thus His “life“ & “power”
were NOT present. There was no “strengthening” of the
“things” that the Lord
graciously allowed to “remain”
among them and they were unknowingly “ready
to die” according to God’s GREAT
displeasure. There was no godly “leadership”
present and as a ravaging result, this “church”
was completely – DEAD!
Therefore,
this comatose “congregation” in “Sardis” was the OPOSITE
of the championed “church” in “Smyrna.” HOW?
The “church” in “Smyrna”
was literally being put to “death”
and yet “lived” richly in Jesus Christ. In stark contrast, “Sardis” had appeared to be “alive” in “name”
only but was actually “dead”
in SPIRIT and hence they were – Living a religious LIE!
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: What does it mean here
when Jesus mentions the “seven Spirits of
God” of which appears several times in the book of Revelation? Isn’t there only ONE Holy Spirit? YES! The Old Testament Prophet Isaiah gives us some tremendous insight to
this amazing “truth” of God:
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 – Isaiah
11:2
WOW! – The “Spirit”
of “God” is ONE
and there are SEVEN identifying Holy characteristics of Him. He is the “Spirit of the LORD,” the “Spirit of wisdom,” the “Spirit of understanding,”
the “Spirit of counsel,”
the “Spirit of strength,”
the “Spirit of knowledge” as well as the “fear of the LORD” in worship. This is the FULLNESS of the “Holy
Spirit” within the Blessed TRINITY! It is Jesus Christ
the “Son” who holds the “seven stars” in His “hand” and HE
is the One who had “sent” the “Spirit of the Lord”
to INDWELL and SEAL
all “believers” who are IN
Him – The Power of God!
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: The city of “Sardis”
was “rich” in gold and silver but was very “sinful” indeed. It stood 30 miles
southeast of “Thyatira” in the fertile
Hermus valley near a range of mountains elevated 1,500 feet high making it
almost impregnable. It was the ancient capital of the Lydian kingdom, 1,200
years before Jesus Christ. There are historical indications
that it was the first city that had minted coins and there was a river that was
rich in gold from which it was mined to mint these coins. Because of its vast
wealth, it was a city that endured many wars but they were usually victorious
because of their elevated geographic location. They also became a center for
the “dying” of wool particularly common
in the ancient world. By the time of the New Testament era, there were “pagan” temples erected to the false god Caesar
and the Empress Livia. And sadly, “Sardis”
history was one of doom and destruction – A spiritually DENEGRATED
church!
Therefore,
Jesus Christ offers these “watchful”
words to this “church” of whom was found in
dire
straits by Him:
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 – Revelation
3:3
To
the remaining
true “believers” present in “Sardis” Jesus Christ says “Remember” what you “received”
and “heard” from the Lord, “hold fast” to it and “repent”
NOW! And
if you DON’T do “these things,” you will be DESTROYED!
And with such stern warnings from our Lord Himself, sadly many “churches” of TODAY
simply – Go through the RELIGIOUS motions!
To
the DEAD Jesus says: “Watch”
and “Repent!”
To
the SLEEPING Jesus says: “Remember” and “Repent!”
To
the FAITHFUL Jesus says: “Strengthen” and “Holdfast!”
This
is amazingly CARING counsel sent to
the various “believers” of whom are found
within a DEAD and spiritually
malnourished “church” body – Come ALIVE in Jesus Christ our Lord!
CONTEXTUAL COMMENTS: How did the “church” in “Sardis”
get started and what do we know about it? Basically nothing.
We don’t know who founded it nor do we have names of people associated with it
in Scripture. We do know it was birthed in that period of history when out of “Ephesus” all of “Asia
Minor” was reached with the “Gospel”
of Jesus Christ as detailed in the book of Acts
chapter 19. We do have one name of a “pastor”
from that “church” at a later time in
history by the name of Melito and some historians believe
he wrote the first commentary on the book of – Revelation!
Although
there’s no mention of “persecution”
against this “church” in “Sardis,” no mention of bad “theology” being “taught,”
no mention of any “false teachers” present, no
mention of compromise with the “world”
nor were there any blatant “sin”
issues noted – THIS
church was spiritually DEAD!
And
although there is absolutely NO
specific COMMENDATION mentioned
towards this “church” as a whole,
Jesus Christ does provide some “hope”
for a small number of them to CONTEND
with:
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 – Revelation
3:4
Here
Jesus Christ describes the “few”
true “believers” present in that “church” in “Sardis”
of whom were “unspotted” from the wicked “world” around them. Their “garments” (lives)
were not “not defiled”
by Satan’s system of sludge. There were a “few”
genuine
among the hypocrites, a “few”
humble among the proud, a “few” spiritual among the carnal and a “few”
true “Christians” leading pure
and wholesome
Christ-centered lives in the midst of corporate chaotic CORRUPTION.
As a result, these “few” beloved “names” were “worthy” to “walk” with Jesus in “white” and their OBEDIENT godly CHARACTER
was eternally
intact – They have not DEFILED their garments!
And
now a final word of PROMISE from our Lord to
the “overcomers” that are “clothed in white raiment” and have
an “an ear to hear”
Him:
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 – Revelation
3:5-6
Here
AGAIN Jesus is referring to a true “Christian” who “believes
that Jesus is the Son of God” of which John speaks of in his first epistle to the “church” as a whole:
Who is
he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of
God? – 1 John 5:5
And
Jesus Christ also says: “I will not blot
out his name out of the book of life” which is a very
important PROMISE from our Lord. WHY?
Because God will never “blot out”
the “name” of His own from – The Book of Life!
But there’s more! One final hopeful comment: “I will confess his name before My Father, and before His
angels.” WHY? Because genuine “faith”
in Jesus Christ means that “we”
receive ALL the PROMISES of “eternal
life” in Him NEVER
to be removed – Praise the Lord!
REAL REFLECTIONS: Beloved, as is common
in all these looming letters Jesus says: “He that hath an
ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”
Again, Jesus wants to know – Are YOU are listening… REALLY listening?
In closing:
There
are “churches” around TODAY
that are greatly attended and led by many professing
people who do NOT really “believe” that the Bible
is God’s inspired, inerrant, preserved
and all-sufficient Holy Word. Nor do
they really “believe” in Jesus Christ as “Lord
and Savior” of their soul. Nor do they really “believe” the “Gospel”
message of “Salvation” in Jesus Christ ALONE. They are therefore spiritually “DEAD” indeed – Spiritual
POISON!
And
this was certainly true just 30
short years AFTER the founding of
the “church” in “Sardis”
during the first century. And ANY
professing “church” is in dire DANGER of “dying”
when it COMPROMISES with the “world” and TOLOERATES
various “sin” and thereby ABANDONING its “first
love” for Jesus Christ – There is a PRAGMATIC
and PENDEMIC sinful progression!
Therefore,
we can easily define and DISCERN
a completely “dead church” of TODAY within our midst. HOW? It
will be centered on RELIGIOUS rites of tradition,
form,
liturgy
and systems
of man. It will be PRIMARILY
concerned with welfare programs and social ills of the
day. It has an “unholy” evil tolerance
of sin and holds a godless “love”
for the material things of this wicked “world”
system. However, it will NOT
be interested with the spiritual things concerning the
“soul” and eternity. A “dead church” does NOT
proclaim the exclusivity of the “Gospel”
of “repentance” from “sin”
nor does it uphold the “Scriptures”
as the only source of authority and it certainly does NOT pursue personal “holiness”
empowered by the Holy Spirit through the Person
of Jesus Christ. These worldly “churches” are SPIRITIUALLY
and DOCTINALLY found “dead”
and thus consequently, little by little – UNREPENTANT sin KILLS the soul!
With
this information as a foundation for your personal studies, please read through verses 1-6 of the Third chapter of Revelation.
We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
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Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><
Encouraging Concepts
Truth for Today
"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"Lighthouse Publications <><
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