LESSONS FROM HIS LETTERS (Part 5 - Sardis)

        

        The church in Sardis reminds me of Sodom and Gomorrah. The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah had fatal flaws but God found two handfuls of people within worthy of saving from its demise.

"To the angel of the church in Sardis write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.

Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (Revelation 3:1-6)

        Jesus declares, like He does with four other churches, "I know your deeds;". However, the deeds of this church are worse than lacking, in fact Jesus calls some of them "unfinished" while other deeds are completely "dead". Sardis is known for displaying a sense of productivity for the kingdom of God but the notoriety is a sham built on non follow-through by its members - "I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead." - "I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God." 

        With parts of this church dying and other sections dead, the challenge Jesus makes is quite obvious - wake up! But Christ does not stop there, Jesus adds - 

• strengthen what remains and is about to die
• remember what you have received and heard
• hold fast
• and repent.

        The cost of not being a believer or church that is awake and alert, repentant and holding fast to Christ's ways is not a judgment. The penalty is missing the knowledge and understanding concerning His return - "But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you."

        The victorious few who do capitalize on staying awake and alert will be rewarded with holy attire, just a little walk with Jesus, their name forever in The Book of Life and acknowledgement or recognition by Jesus before Father God and the angels.

        The thing that strikes me about this church is the false front it feels it has to show to operate. The reputation of being alive but actually being dead or dying in their deeds is a prime example of Christ's teaching through James of faith without the accompaniment of works/deeds (James 2:14-26) being dead. So, falsehood rears its ugly head as something the church is delivering and not dealing with. 

        Jesus states He personally gets involved again by returning and the members of this church did not know it was time for or the season of His return. To me this portrays a sense of embarrassment for the church in Sardis and any Christian like them. So be genuine in your faith while staying awake and alert to His return.