Number 10 In A Series of Studies on Revelation -

Sardis: The Cold Church - Revelation 3:1-6

The message to the church at Sardis is one of the most straightforward letters of the seven. It deals with one of the cold realities of life - death.

A few years ago the husband of a lady in a church I pastored underwent a kidney transplant. The surgery was a success and the man was making a recovery, until something terrible happened. A kidney dialysis bath was being prepared at the nurses' shift change and two nurses accidentally prepared a double solution which put his body in shock and caused him to immediately become brain dead. He was there, but he wasn't really there. About three days later, I was with the family in a waiting room when the doctors removed all the life support equipment and this man was pronounced dead. It is a day I will never forget.

What is true of people is also true of churches. Churches live and churches die. Churches that at one time were alive and growing later find themselves struggling to survive and living in the memory of their past success. Some churches are kept alive by nothing more than the machinery of their organization. If someone pulled their plug and disconnected their machinery, they would not survive very long.

This was the Sardis church. They looked alive, they had a reputation of life, but the Great Physician felt their pulse and declared them dead. As we listen in on Jesus' words to Sardis, let's see if we can find the pulse of this church. Let's undress and allow the Great Physician to give us a spiritual check-up today.

Two strong words dominate this sort letter.

· "Name" v. 1, 4, 5 (2)

· "Dead" v. 1, 2

1. City. Sardis was located about 30 miles south of Thyatira. Sardis was the capital of Lydia and one of the great cities of the ancient world.

It was one of the wealthiest cities, their wealth being legendary. The city was built on a hill and though to be impregnable. Yet, twice the Sardians lost their city because they did not watch.

* Once to Cyrus of Persia.

* Once to Achaeus (a-ka-us) of Greece.

Both times they thought themselves too safe to need a guard; and both times Sardis fell.

2. Church, Revelation 3:1. "Unto the angel of the church in Sardis write..." It will encourage us later to realize that God had not written off this church. Isn't it interesting - what we may think to be one way may be another way to God. Remember, the church at Smyrna was poor, but rich by God's estimation.

3. Christ, Revelation 3:1. "Unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars..."

"Seven spirits" = 1:4. This was a symbol of wisdom, perfect wisdom. This was what the Sardis church so desperately needed. Life comes from the Spirit.

"Seven stars" = 1:20. These were the seven pastors of the seven churches. Christ was in complete control of the leadership of all His churches.

4. A Commendation, Revelation 3:1. "I know thy works...."

This is actually not a compliment. This means, "I know what you are doing. I know how things really are." Nothing is hidden from the searching sight of Christ.

Christ reserved His praise for a faithful "few," but not for the church as a whole.

5. A Condemnation, Revelation 3:1. "That thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead."

It may shock you to see that nothing is said of a doctrinal departure; no satanic sabotage; no false teachers; no community opposition. Rather, Christ said you have a reputation that doesn't match the reality.

This church had a good name on the outside, but Christ said it was dead on the inside. On the outside they had people coming, worship services were being attended, money was coming in - things were happening. But beyond that, Christ saw they were the church of the walking dead.

How can this be? How can a church be dead and not look dead? How can a church be dead and not know it?

Let me illustrate it this way. During the Christmas season many people bring a green tree into their homes. They decorate it, place lights on it, put gifts under it. It really looks better than the trees on the outside. There is only one problem. It is not alive; it only looks alive. It is dead. The trees death came when it was cut off from its source of life.

After Adam sinned he didn't look dead, but he was very much dead. God had warned him, "I the day ye eat thereof, ye shall surely.." What? "Die." Adam died immediately in his spirit. He died progressively in his soul. And He died ultimately in his body.

One black preacher makes this distinction. "Reputation is the perfume we wear; character is how we really smell."

How could this be so - outward activity but inward death? There seems to be two possibilities.

(1) Most of the people in the church were carnal, not spiritual.

(2) Or a majority of its members were counterfeit -not even born-again believers. Some are Christian in name only.

"Unbelievers Proliferate in the church" was the headline in a Christian publication (Pulpit Helps). The article said that a Barna Research Group survey found an alarmingly high number of church members whose beliefs fall far short of orthodox Christianity.

Only 41% believed in the total accuracy of the Bible.

Only 40% believed Christ was sinless.

Only 27% believed Satan to be real.

"Astronomers tell us that the light from the polar star takes 33 years to reach the earth. That star could have been plunged into darkness 30 years ago, and its light would still be pouring down to earth. It would be shining in the sky tonight as brightly as if nothing had happened.

It could be a dead star, shining solely by the light of a brilliant past. The church at Sardis was like that. It had a name, but it was dead. It was shining solely by the light of a brilliant past," John Phillips.

Jim Preston suggests, "Sardis represents denominationalism at it's zenith. The modern mainline denominations offer sacraments, stain glass, and social programs but no real spiritual life."

6. Counsel, Revelation 3:2-4a. "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, 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."

Resolve. "Be watchful..." They were asleep. They were called to wake up. Christ's words are like a slap in the face; a splash of cold water; a sniff of ammonia; an unexpected shout; a loud alarm. Sardis fell twice as a city through carelessness. And now the church at Sardis had become careless. Have you ever recognized this? We always drift away from God into sin and disobedience, but we never drift into obedience and holy living.

"And strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die." They were weak. The longer they slept the weaker they got. What were the things that remained? Probably, praying and preaching and teaching and giving and witnessing. He is saying in other words, do not stop doing those things.

"For I have not found thy works perfect before God." Here the Son of God looked into the life and work of this church - and things weren't right! When God looks into your heart right now, what does He see? The question is not, "Does He see?" The question is, "What does He see?"

Remember. "Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard." They had forgotten. Do you see the word "how" in this phrase. It is not what but how. The what was the gospel, the how was they had received the gospel through the power of the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

"And hold fast." This is always connected with doctrine in the New Testament. They had become passive. False doctrine follows forgetfulness.

Repent. "And repent. " And it is likely they had become hardened.

Regret. " 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. " The people are also exhorted to watch for the Lord's return - to be prepared, to be ready. The hope of the second coming of Christ is to be a great motivation to all of us (1 Thess. 5:6-8; 1 John 2:1-2). The second coming is a time of joy and relief - but not for the lost! Christ's coming will find many unprepared!

Larry B. Williams said, "It's all right when Christ comes TO a church. It's all right when Christ comes IN a church. It's all right when Christ comes FOR His churches. But when Christ comes UPON or ON a church, it will be a punishment."

Remnant. " Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments." There were only a "few" in this church that were alive. But here is a bright spot - at least there were a few! God's has always done His greatest work through a remnant - the Master's minority.

Noah's family

Gideon's army (32,000 to 300)

Matt. 18:20 "Where two or three are gathered together in my name,there am I in the midst."

One shall chase a thousand, two shall put 10,000 to flight.

Jesus called His first church His "little flock," Luke 12:32.

Jesus said, "Few" will find the narrow way that leads to life.

The harvest is plenteous but the laborers are few, Matthew 9:38.

You might be thinking, "What kind of encouragement is that? In the world God will only have a few." Listen the encouragement is, God plus one is a majority anywhere!

What sets this "few" apart from the majority? They had "not defiled their garments." This means they were living dedicated, separated lives.

2 Cor 7:1 -

2 Timothy 2:19 "Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity."

Hospital operating room...spotless, germ free.

"And they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy." God will give you a holy escort - He will walk with you.

7. Comfort, Revelation 3:4b5 "And 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."

Three things are promised to those who overcome.

Walk. "And they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy."

Wardrobe. "And 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." This phrase might cause some concern. Some have seen this as a veiled threat that they might lose their salvation. This is actually a message of security. It seems that the book of life originally contained the names of all who have ever lived. As they come to maturity and are faced with the responsibility of accepting or rejecting Christ. Two things happen.

- Those who reject Christ are blotted of the book of life.

- Those who receive Christ remain in the book.

By the end of time, only those who are saved are in this book, and it becomes "the Lamb's book of life." In the words of the song may I ask, "Is your name written there, on the page white and fair..."

Worthy. "But I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels." Will it not be a fabulous day to be in heaven and hear our names called before the Father! The Bible tells us Jesus Christ is "not ashamed to call them (us) brethren," Hebrews 2:11. Those who have confessed Christ before men, Christ will confess before His Father, Matthew 10:32.

8. Challenge, Revelation 3:6 "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."

"This letter is a strong warning against allowing ourselves to become comfortable until we fall asleep, grow weak, forget, let go of our doctrine, and die. It can happen. We must not let it," Darrell Sparks.

Don't give up on what God hasn't given up!

Dead churches are not a problem to God, anymore than dead sinners. He is the God of the resurrection.

Prepared and delivered by
Dr. Jerry D. Locke
Lake Worth Baptist Church
4445 Hodgkins Road
Fort Worth, TX 76135-2136