March 9, 2025
Evening Service

John while exiled on the island of Patmos was given a vision and a directive:

Rev 1:11 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," and, "What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."

            We have made it through the first four churches and tonight we will study the message to the fifth church, Sardis.  First let do a quick review of what we have seen so far.

Ephesus:  The loveless church, was praised for their works, patience, labor, and stand against false teaching.  But they were called out for losing their first love.  Their compassion for their calling had fallen away and Jesus calls them to repent and return to the first works.

 

Smyrna: The persecuted church, was praised for enduring persecutions, poverty, and pressure from their community to compromise their faith.  They were warned that more persecutions were coming and encouraged to stay faithful unto death.

 

Pergamos:  The compromising church, were praised for holding fast to their faith even facing martyrdom.  But they were called out for allowing the teaching of the Nicolaitans into the church which was allowing sacrificing to idols and sexual immorality to be done inside of the church.  They were called to repent or face the sword of judgement.

 

Thyatira:  The corrupt church, were praised for their works, love, service, faith, patience.  But they, like Pergamos, were guilty of compromising their faith as well allowing a woman Jezebel to teach and seduce a similar doctrine of the Nicolaitans.

 

Sardis:  The dead church.  Sardis means the “escaping ones or those who came out.”  It was a very wealthy city that had the older section of city built on the mountain side and as it grew it expanded to the valley below as the population out grew the older part.  It was a wealthy city that was known for its minting of silver and gold coins.

 

Rev 3:1 "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.

            Jesus describes Himself to them as the one who has the “seven Spirits of God and the seven stars.”  The seven Spirits represent His spiritual completeness.  Isaiah describes these the best:

 

Isa 11:1-5 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.  (2)  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.  (3)  His delight is in the fear of the LORD, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears; (4) But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His Lips He shall slay the wicked.  (5)  Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, And faithfulness the belt of His waist.

            Jesus does not beat around the bush, but quickly points out their fault that they are a dead church.  They were a functioning church doing works, but they were not allowing the Spirit to control them.  They were busy with programs and doing church stuff, but lacked the correct motivation in doing it.

  In our time we have seen many churches flourish for a short time because they had an exciting youth program or very entertaining music, but their success often seemed to be short lived for much of the same reason Sardis is called out for.  We must always stay grounded to teaching the truth and stay the course allowing the Spirit of God guide us in everything that we do.  It goes beyond just the teaching, but how we conduct business, youth programs, and making help available to our community.  We stay focused on mission not appearance or presentation.  Jerry did an excellent job of establishing us to always operate under those parameters.  Preach the truth in love and the Spirit will draw the Bride to come.  The message continues.

 

Rev 3:2-3 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.

            Here, this seems to be more of a call to awaken those who are asleep within the church more than those who are dead.  It like a call from the sentry to awaken an army guarding a city to watch to move into action.  Much like what Paul called the Ephesian church to do:

 

Eph. 5:14Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light."

            We must always be awake and aware of things around us looking to Christ to illuminate our understanding.  It is often good, prosperous times that lull us to sleep opening us up to a fall.  Watch and make strong the things that you have.

 

Rev 3:3 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.

            Jesus calls them to remember, hold fast, and repent.  We are often forgetful of all that God has done for us and seem to easily lose our edge of staying faithful to the path we have been called to walk.  That is why we partake of the communion service every week to remind us of the price that was paid to get us this point in our life.  Remember and hold fast to the course.  If not, Jesus warns them of a quick judgement that will come upon them as a “thief in the night.”

 

Rev 3:4 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.

            Though the overall health of the church was dying, there were those who remained faithful.  White often stands for righteousness showing the true character and works of this group of believers.  Jesus now makes to them a reward if they remain faithful to Him.

 

Rev 3:5 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.

            Overcomers will be clothed in white showing that they are “set apart or sanctified” for Him and made pure. He assures them of their salvation promising that “I will not blot out his name in the Book of Life.”  He will call out each one who overcomes by their name before His Father.  “There is Rhonda, she is mine.”  This book symbolizes God’s knowledge of who belongs to Him guaranteeing them a home in heaven.  He closes again with a call for all us to listen to what He is saying.

 

Rev 3:6"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

            The message to the church is Sardis is one that warns churches who are full of activity, and housed in beautiful buildings to be careful to not be found lacking the evidence of spiritual life.  They are called again to remember, hold fast, and repent.  We too must be diligent to keep our eyes on Jesus, and hold fast to the course He has charted for us, individually and collectively as a church.

 

Pray

 

Final thoughts.