5. THE CHURCH OF SARDIS

 THE CHURCH OF SARDIS

5.               5. Sardis — The Dead Church (Revelation 3:1-6) -- the church that had fallen asleep (1:2).

History of the City: 

The fifth church mentioned was in Sardis. Sardis began as a hilltop citadel where the king of Lydia lived. The kingdom of Lydia became the dominant power in western Anatolia with Sardis as its capital. Sardis is located on the banks of the Pactolus River in western Asia Minor, 60 miles inland from Ephesus and Smyrna. Popular ruins include the decadent temples and bath houses. The ancient city was noted for its fruit and wool, and claims this is where the art of dyeing wool was invented. The city’s wealth was partly due to the gold which was found in the sand of the river Pactolus, and it was here that gold and silver coins were first struck.

Sardis was also involved in pagan worship and had a temple to the pagan goddess Cybele, whose worship was similar to that of the goddess Dianna in Ephesus. Tradition has it that Sardis was the first in its area to be converted by the preaching of the apostle John. It also may have been the first city that revolted from Christianity and one of the first that was laid to ruins. Revelation is the only place that Sardis is mentioned.

(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.” With this church there are no commendations; Christ begins immediately with a rebuke: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” This church is dead. This church was full of what we today would call “nominal Christians”—Christians in name only. This church may have had a good reputation, but they were spiritually lifeless. They had not followed the steps of salvation in Acts 2:38. In other words, the church was filled with unsaved people going through the motions of religion. 

(Revelation 3:2-3), “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.” The Bible says much about “receiving” God’s Word and how it is received. Whether or not you receive God’s Word determines whether or not if you have received salvation. On the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, three thousand people were saved and soon joined the church. And how did that come about? They asked Peter and the apostles, what shall we do? Peter said unto them, repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38). The Bible says “they gladly received the Word and were baptized” and began to follow the Lord (Acts 2:41). “Remember how thou hast received and heard,”Where do we receive and hear God’s Word? From the Holy Bible and the preached Word of God. You must know the Bible for yourself! Strengthen what remains, hold fast to God’s Word and do what it says. “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.” Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at evening, or at midnight, or at the cock crowing, or at morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you, I say unto all. Watch! (Mark 13:35-37) How important is it that we watch? “Watch” means to stay wide awake. In the metaphorical and spiritual sense, it means, to be vigilant and on guard, fully awake, aware, alert and intently focused. In other words, the closer we draw to the second coming of Christ, the more urgent it is that we awake out of spiritual sleep! Indeed, we have entered into the fearful end-time years that is the darkest time of all human civilization. If ever there was a time to pay attention and get prepared, it is now! 

Furthermore, none of us knows when we shall die, being spiritually prepared for the end of life should be our top priority. 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4, “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon woman with child; and they shall not escape. By ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.” If you do not watch, Jesus will come upon you as a thief in the night. Most people, right after they’ve been robbed, say they didn’t expect it would happen to them, but that’s exactly how Jesus’ appearance will be. There will be no warning of Jesus’ coming, just as a thief in the night comes without warning. People won’t be expecting it. Although some believers won’t be caught off guard, I believe many will. And certainly, the unsaved will be shocked or stunned in “that day” to find that Jesus has come again, and they will mourn because they know their judgment is coming. 

Matthew 24:42-44, “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” In this day and hour we live in, we lock our doors and windows, we install cameras, we protect our homes from being broken into. 

On a personal note: My home was once broken into. I had left my front door unlocked and arrived home to find an intruder. I was unprepared and shocked to find myself so. That’s just how it will be when Jesus comes if we are not watching and made ourselves ready! Jesus will return at any moment, like a thief in the night, church let’s get ready!

(Revelation 3:4), “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.” Jesus encourages those in Sardis who have remained faithful. The faithful remnant had not soiled their garments (participated in sin). They are worthy. The idea of walking worthily is found in:

Ephesians 4:1-3, “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

§  Colossians 1:10-13, “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son:”

§ 1 Thessalonians 2:12-13, “That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto His kingdom and glory. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.”

§  Matthew 10:38, “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.”

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.” Jesus makes a final promise to the believers in Sardis. The one who “overcomes” is anyone who is born again (1 John 5:4). An overcomer is one who is victorious over the temptations, trials, and evils of this world. The overcomer will receive a white garment (a token of righteousness, Revelation 19:8), he will never have his name removed from the book of life (a promise of eternal security), and he will be confessed by Jesus in heaven (Luke 12:8). There is hope for those that do what Jesus has directed. He promises eternal life for those that repent and submit to Him (1 John 2:25).

(Revelation 3:6), “HE THAT HATH AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAITH UNTO THE CHURCHES.”

LESSONS FOR US:

Jesus is calling this church to start paying attention to their need for salvation, to their spiritual lifelessness, to stop being careless about their heart’s condition before God. We MUST be born again to enter into the kingdom of heaven (John 3:1-5).