Revelation 03:01-06
THE CHURCH IN SARDIS
THE DOLDRUMS IS A
PART OF THE OCEAN NEAR THE EQUATOR. IT
IS AMAZINGLY CALM WITH LIGHT, BREEZY WINDS.
THE WEATHER IS HOT AND EXTREEMELY GLOOMY. THE OLD SAILING VESSELS, WHEN CAUGHT IN THE
DOLDDRUMS, WOULD LIE HELPLESS FOR DAYS AND SOMETIMES WEEKS, WAITING FOR THE
WIND TO BEGIN TO BLOW.
I.
BACKGROUND
A.
The city of Sardis was wealthy but wicked!
1.
It was the ancient capital of Lydia and situated
in a very fertile agricultural valley.
2.
It was the home of the famous Aesop (of Aesop’s
Fables) and King Croesus.
3.
The name “Sardis” means “escaping ones”
or “those who come out.”
4.
Many scholars believe that this church
symbolically represents the Reformation
Period from about 1517 A.D. to 1750 A.D.
a)
The Reformation was a time when many people were
fed up with the church in Rome.
b)
A time when men like Luther, Knox, Wycliffe, and
Zwingli decided to be among “those who came out” and stood for
the Truth - and broke away from the Roman church.
c)
It was the time of Luther’s “ninety five Theses”
being nailed to the Wittenburg church door in Germany.
d)
It was a time of The Augsburg Confession, The
Thirty Nine Articles, The Heidleburg Confession, and The Westminster
Confession.
(1)
It was a time when “the remnant” was crying out
for reform!
B.
Jude spoke of those in the church who for all
intents and purposes would call themselves Christians and would be amongst the
church’s gatherings.
1.
He describes them as “empty shells”, looking
good on the outside, but no real conviction to live for the Lord
a)
Jud 1:12 NKJV These are spots in your love feasts, while
they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds
without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit,
twice dead, pulled up by the roots;
2.
Such are many in the church in Sardis!
a)
Unfortunately instead of these “imitation
Christians” being in the minority, they had grown in number.
b)
They were now heads of boards, perhaps even
pastors, elders, and deacons.
c)
On the outside, the church looked good! But inside it was dead!
(1)
Mat 23:27-28 NKJV "Woe to you,
scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which
indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and
all uncleanness. (28) Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to
men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
(a)
Sardis was “The Church of the Dead Orthodoxy”
ORTHODOX
= (adjective) “A conforming to established teaching.”
ORTHODOXY
= (noun) “The quality or state of being orthodox.”
II.
Rev 3:1 NKJV "And to the
angel of the church in Sardis write, 'These things says He who has the seven
Spirits of God and the seven stars: "I know your works, that you have a
name that you are alive, but you are dead.
A.
Once again the title the Lord uses - is
significant to His address of this church!
1.
“He that has the
seven Spirits of God and the seven stars.”
2.
I want to remind you that we already know from Rev. 1:20 that the
“seven stars” are the angels of the seven churches.
3.
This these seven
spirits may simply reference the spirits of these seven angels in
charge of the seven churches.
a)
Or it may reference the “sevenfold” ministry of
the Holy Spirit mentioned in Isaiah 11:2
(1)
The Spirit of the Lord, Spirit of wisdom, Spirit
of understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and fear of the Lord.
4.
As we have said before, seven in the Word is a
symbol of completion or perfection. (The
Lord Rested on the 7th day.)
5.
One thing we do know for sure is that this is
speaking of the fullness of God’s Holy Spirit!
a)
Therefore
we can conclude with accuracy - that the Lord is holding this dead church
responsible for pushing the Holy Spirit out of their church!
B.
I know your works, that
you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.
1.
The name of the church in Sardis was probably
something like: “The Holy Ghost – Baptized in the Spirit – Apostles and
Prophets – Movers and Shaker’s congregation of what’s happenin’ now –in
Christ’s humility church”
2.
It is also likely that very Christian in town
knew the name of this church!
3.
The church in Sardis was very active and very
busy, and if anyone came by to visit they would have sworn it was the best church
in town!
4.
Pastors probably referred their people who were
moving into this city to the church in Sardis.
It had a good name!!!
a)
No doubt they were one of the largest congregations
in town. They had money. They had outreaches. They had missions. They had concerts. They had pot lucks. They had a large staff, and probably a pastor
for every group in the church.
b)
Everyone thought the church in Sardis was
wonderful, - everyone that is – except for the Lord!
(1)
1Sa 16:7 NKJV But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not
look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him.
For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance,
but the LORD looks at the heart."
c)
“The Holy Ghost – Baptized in the Spirit –
Apostles and Prophets – Movers and Shaker’s congregation of what’s happenin’
now – in Christ’s humility of Sardis” was the envy of every pastor within a 100
miles. BUT THE LORD JUDGED THEM AS
DEAD!!!
III.
Rev 3:2 NKJV Be watchful, and
strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found
your works PERFECT before God.
A.
The word PERFECT as used
here means “finished” or “completed”!
1.
These folks had a name among men but not before the Lord!
a)
Having a name in the Christian community is not
the same as having a name before the Lord!
2.
We often make the mistake of thinking that we
can earn God’s favor (or maybe it’s the favor of others) by works.
3.
The reality is that when we are filled with
God’s Holy Spirit, “works” are just the outflow of that relationship!
a)
AND
we are not concerned with who is watching.
b)
Isa 29:13 NKJV Therefore the Lord said: "Inasmuch as
these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have
removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the
commandment of men,
(1)
These scriptures here in Isaiah – speak of being
a man-pleaser instead of a God-pleaser!
(2)
This kind of person: and even this kind of
church may look wonderful on the outside, but when the Lord looks them over,
they work are found “imperfect” or incomplete!
4.
You can’t get any more “perfect” than the cross.
a)
When we begin to trust in anything other than
the Lord, we are found wanting!
b)
The Lord exhorts Sardis to watch and strengthen
what they have because it’s about to die.
(1)
Faith is like a muscle, if exercised it grows,
if not it atrophies and dies!
(2)
Mat 13:12 NKJV For whoever has, to
him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have,
even what he has will be taken away from him.
IV.
Rev 3:3 NKJV Remember therefore how
you have received and heard; hold fast
and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief,
and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
A.
Do you remember “how” you received and heard the
Good News of salvation?
1.
1Co 2:1-5 NKJV And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not
come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of
God. (2) For I determined not to know anything among you
except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. (3) I was with
you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. (4) And my speech and my preaching were not with
persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of
power, (5) that your faith should not be in the wisdom
of men but in the power of God.
2.
Do you remember how you received the message of
salvation as a “babe” with such simplicity and childlike faith?
3.
Do you remember how simple it was? Hold on to that!!!
4.
And with childlike faith watch and wait for His
return!
a)
Many of us have gotten so pre-occupied with
living life we don’t want Him to return right now.
b)
I read one commentator that said you can tell
the spiritual condition of a person by how they respond to the Lord’s return.
(1)
The closer they are to Him the more excited they
are to have Him come back.
(2)
Can you say MARANATHA! This morning?
V.
Rev 3:4 NKJV You have a FEW names even in Sardis who have
not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are
worthy.
A.
The word few is “small, slight,
little”!
1.
There are always a few, small, little,
insignificant remnant who will be faithful to the end!
2.
The white garments of heaven have always been
reserved for a minority.
3.
The road to heaven is not narrow to exclude
people. It is narrow because few people
travel it!
VI.
Rev 3:5 NKJV He who overcomes
shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the
Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
A.
Once again I find it necessary to quote 1Jn 5:5 NKJV Who
is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of
God?
B.
Mat 10:32-33 NKJV "Therefore
whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is
in heaven. (33) But whoever denies Me before men, him I will
also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
1.
Jesus is what and who makes us “acceptable” to
the Father and heaven!
2.
As we have said before from 2Pe 3:9 NKJV
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness,
but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all
should come to repentance.
3.
Joh 3:17 NKJV For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the
world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
4.
Could it be that ALL of mankind’s names are
written in the Book of Life when Jesus formed us in our mother’s womb.
5.
It is only later, when we chose to follow the
world rather than Jesus that our name is “blotted out”!
a)
That would certainly explain why children that
die young - need no repentance. There
name is already written!
b)
How about you?
Is your name written in The Lamb’s Book of Life?
c)
Or has sin entered the camp separating you from
the Lord?
(1)
Will the Lord have to blot it out or will you
accept His forgiveness in Jesus?
VII.
CONCLUSION
A.
Rev 3:6 NKJV "He who has an
ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." '
1.
Do you hear with your heart this morning?
2.
Do you have a relationship with the Lord?
3.
If so, is it still alive? Do you remember “HOW” you first heard and
responded?
B.
Are you still in love?