The Dead church  

• 1^st – The introduction… vs. 1
  • FOUR sections
    • Each of the LETTERS to the churches contains FOUR sections…
    • Introduction – Positive – Negative – and Encouragement!
  • 1^st – The Angel…
    • To the angel!
    • As you will recall – there are TWO thoughts on WHO this ANGEL was…
    • FIRST – a guardian ANGEL – who watched over SARDIS – Hebrews 1:14
    • SECOND – it could be the PASTOR of the church…
    • ANGEL [ἄγγελος] – means messenger – one who gives Gods WORD…
    • Therefore – Jesus is talking about the PASTOR – who gave His church His Word!
  • 2^nd – The City…
    • Of the church in Sardis write!
      • SARDIS is the modern city of SART – just a SMALL village today…
      • It is about 100km east of SMYRNA – and about 60km south of THYATIRA…
      • It is located in the fertile Pactolus river valley!
    • Biblical times…
      • SARDIS used to be a VERY large city – it had a population of over 120 THOUSAND…
      • It was famous for being the city where the first COINS in history were minted…
      • The story of MIDAS – gold touch – comes from the city of SARDIS…
      • The ruins of the city today are VERY extensive – some of the most impressive in Turkey…
      • Near the acropolis of the city – the ruins of the TEMPLE of Diana [more intact than Ephesus]
      • There is a HUGE gymnasium complex – it covers over TWO hectares…
      • The LARGEST ancient Jewish synagogue outside Israel – seated over 1000 people…
      • It is located in the MIDDLE of the town – on the CARDO – main street of the city…
      • Everything about the CITY was meant to LOOK impressive…
      • But the city did NOT last – it DIED – so that there are only RUINS left today!
      • The fate of the CITY of SARDIS – was the same as the CHURCH…
      • Impressive on the outside – but it was just a facade – the church was DYING…
      • And the WARNING Jesus gave – was for them to REPENT – before it was TOO late!
  • 3^rd – The Tone…
    • Describing Jesus…
      • In His INTRODUCTION to each of the Churches – Jesus looks back…
      • Highlighting specific CHARACTERISTICS of the Vision from – Revelation 1:11-18
      • The choice of CHARACTERISTICS – will set the TONE for the LETTER to that church…
      • The TONE to SARDIS – was one of REPENTANCE because of they were spiritually DEAD!
    • The SEVEN…
      • These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars!
      • SEVEN – used 54x in REVELATION – is a number we will see a LOT in this book…
      • In the Bible the number SEVEN – is used to represent COMPLETION…
      • God created the world in SIX days – and He rested on the SEVENTH day – Genesis 2:2
      • Because the WORK was COMPLETE – nothing else needed to be done!
      • Therefore – the SEVEN Spirits – is a reference to the COMPLETE [Holy] Spirit…
      • Who is described as being in the PRESENCE of the THRONE of the Father – Revelation 1:4
      • STARS in the hand of Jesus – are the ANGELS [pastors] of the churches – Revelation 1:20
      • It is the SPIRIT of God who can empower the PASTORS – bring LIFE back to a DEAD Church!
    • Spirit gives LIFE…
      • Israel as a NATION died – they ceased to exist in 70 A.D.
      • But Ezekiel was given a Prophecy regarding the REBIRTH of Israel…
      • God showed him a valley of DRY bones – Ezekiel 37:1-14
      • God told the PASTOR [Ezekiel] to SPEAK the Word of the LORD to the DEAD bones!
      • Ezekiel 37:5 – “I will cause [My] SPIRIT [רוּח] to enter into [them] – and [they] shall live.”
      • If a CHURCH is spiritually DEAD – the solution is to give them the WORD of God…
      • Because the TRUTH of the WORD – will fill the people with the SPIRIT of God…
      • And the SPIRIT of God can bring LIFE – from DEATH!
      • John 6:63 – “It is the Spirit [πνεῦμα] who gives life – the flesh profits nothing. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”

• 2^nd – The Negative… vs. 1-3
  • 1^st – Jesus KNOWS… vs. 1
    • I know your works!
    • KNOWS [εἴδω] – to SEE and UNDERSTAND – Hebrews 4:13
    • Jesus will make this statement to all SEVEN churches – He sees [perfect] EVERYTHING…
    • What He saw in SARDIS was a lot more – BAD than GOOD…
    • So much so that the order is REVEARSED here – NEGATIVE is given FIRST!
  • 2^nd – The Problem… vs. 1
    • You have a name that you are alive – but you are dead!
      • The church in SARDIS had a REPUTATION [name] that they were ALIVE [ζάω]
      • But in SPITE of what people said – the TRUTH was they were spiritually DEAD [νεκρός]!
        
    • DEAD church…
      • If a person receiving medical treatment DIES – the doctor will try and REVIVE them…
      • There is no need to REVIVE them – if they are still ALIVE!
      • We hear a lot about REVIVAL in the church – we are encouraged to PRAY for it…
      • The word itself means to bring back to LIFE – something that is DEAD…
      • Meaning we pray for REVIVAL – because the church has DIED!
    • History of REVIVALS…
      • Throughout history there have been many REVIVALS…
      • The SPIRIT of God will move in a particular church or place…
      • But it never seems to LAST – inevitably – only the REPUTATION remains…
      • One reason we have so many DENOMINATIONS – is because of repeated REVIVALS…
      • When one denomination DIES – the SPIRIT of God moves on and starts again!
    • The path of SARDIS…
      • SARDIS at one time must have been ALIVE – a vibrant church…
      • But as has happened so many times since – they church DIED!
      • When the SPIRIT of God is poured out in a church [Pentecost] – there is LIFE…
      • Eventually though – men get a hold of the MOVEMENT – and make it a METHOD…
      • They no longer do they LOOK to God to ask how He wants to WORK…
      • They start to dictate to God – this is how the church MUST work [tradition]
      • That is the beginning of the END – when a church starts to DIE…
      • Like a GRAVESTONE – that church remains only to mark the place of a once great REVIVAL!
  • 3^rd – The Examination… vs. 2
    • Be watchful – and strengthen the things which remain – that are ready to die!
      • Be [imperative] WATCHFUL [γρηγορέω] – to be CAUTIOUS – pay close attention…
      • And STRENGTHEN [στηρίζω] the things that remain [imperative]
      • Because even what LITTLE is left – is ready to DIE!
      • If someone is DYING of heart disease – and goes to the DOCTOR for advice…
      • And they are given a strict DIET and EXERCISE – that will allow them to live LONGER…
      • It is a WISE patient who pays CLOSE attention – so they can STRENGTHEN their heart…
      • Because to IGNORE the problem – means the END will come quickly!
    • For I have not found your works perfect before God!
      • God had EXAMINED [εὑρίσκω] the church in SARDIS – and found a HEART problem…
      • They were NOT abounding [πληρόω] in their WORKS before God…
      • Their LACK of WORKS – was the evidence of a PROBLEM in their HEARTS!
      • Like a HEART patient – who can no longer walk up a flight of STAIRS…
      • The church of SARDIS – no longer had a HEART to do GOOD works for the LORD!
      • It is EASY to talk about living for the LORD – even to have a REPUTATION…
      • But the question is do we have a life that ABOUNDS with GOOD works today…
      • We MUST [imperative] be WATCHFUL – and EXAMINE our HEARTS!
      • II Corinthians 13:5 – “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith.”
  • 4^th – The Solution… vs. 3
    • Remember therefore how you have received and heard!
      • What is the REMEDY for a church that is DYING – Jesus gives THREE commands…
      • FIRST – REMEMBER [imperative] – the church needs to recall what they RECEIVED…
      • What had the church RECEIVED – the power [δύναμις] of the Holy Spirit – Acts 2:33
      • And they needed to REMEMBER what they had HEARD…
      • Speaking of the WORD of God – the BIBLE – go back to what God said – Romans 10:17
      • In the late 1960s church attendance was plummeting – what remained was dying…
      • There was a little church in Southern California called C

• alvary Chapel…
• The pastor there was in a denomination that had him rotate churches every TWO years…
• But he LOVED to surf – and did not want to change locations [Huntington beach]
• He needed MORE teachings – so he taught through I JOHN – the church doubled in size…
• He went on to teach ROMANS – the church DOUBLED again!
• About that time the HIPPIES [sex – drugs – rock and roll] movement was at its peak…
• Up till that time the church was defined by SUITS – TIES and HYMNS…
• The SPIRIT stirred the pastor to open the church to JEANS – TSHIRTS – and GUITARS…
• When these REBEL youth heard the WORD of God – REVIVAL took place!
• We need to be so careful what we use to DEFINE the church…
• If we are holding onto TRADITIONS – this is what we have ALWAYS done…
• Then we are NOT going to have LIFE – we need to REMEMBER…
• What brings REVIVAL is going back to the WORD of God – teaching the Bible…
• And being led by the SPIRIT of God – open to how He wants to move in His CHURCH!
• Romans 16:25 – “Now to Him who is able to establish [στηρίζω] you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ…”

• Hold fast!
  • SECOND – HOLD fast [imperative] – to not let go – cling to…
  • Because it is NOT just about a revival TODAY – we want to CONTINUE to live!
  • It is heavy to think – EVERY revival in the history of the church – eventually came to an end…
  • The reason – people FORGOT about the POWER of the HOLY Spirit…
  • And the NEGLECTED the importance of the Word of God!
  • There are some churches who still have the SPIRIT – but no WORD…
  • Others – have the WORD – but no power of the SPIRIT…
  • Unless a church HOLDS fast to BOTH – the TRUTH and the POWER – there is no LIFE!
• Repent!
  • THIRD – REPENT [imperative] – the church needs to TURN around…
  • Jesus commanded SARDIS to give an HONEST look at who they were…
  • Realize they had FORGOTTEN – the power of the SPIRIT – and importance of the WORD…
  • And come back – because it was NOT too late for a REVIVAL!
  • The final instructions Jesus gave to His disciples before His ascension – was to WAIT…
  • The Disciples had THREE years of living – following – being taught by Jesus…
  • They had witnessed His crucifixion and resurrection…
  • And had even been taught by Jesus FORTY days after the resurrection…
  • But that is NOT enough – they were still to WAIT to bring the Good News to the world…
  • Because if the disciples had tried to build the church on their own – if they had NOT waited…
  • The book of Acts would have ended with chapter ONE – there would be NO church…
  • They NEEDED the POWER and the TRUTH to REVIVE a dead world!
  • Acts 1:8 – “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you – and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem – and in all Judea and Samaria – and to the end of the earth.”
  • We – the CHURCH – need to be HONEST about how effective we are…
  • Do we have a REPUTAITON – a NAME – people talk about us…
  • Or do we have POWER – we see the evidence of lives transformed around us…
  • If we do NOT see the POWER of the Spirit working through our lives…
  • If we are NOT living according to the TRUTH of the WORD…
  • The answer is simple – we need to be REVIVED – REPENT and come back to Jesus!
• 5^th – The warning… vs. 3
  • 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!
    • If [subjunctive] the church did not WATCH [γρηγορέω]
    • Jesus will come on them like a THIEF – because you never KNOW when a thief will come!
  • The RAPTURE…
    • I Thessalonians 5:2 – “You yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.”
    • We NEVER know when a THIEF will come – the RAPTURE will be the same way…
    • No one knows the exact day or hour – only the FATHER knows – Mark 13:32
    • With NO warning – it will happen in the BLINK of an eye [ἄτομος] – I Corinthians 15:52
    • The trumpet of God sounds – the call for the church to go home – I Thessalonians 4:16
    • But some will NOT be ready – a portion of the church is DEAD…
    • Living in EMPTY traditions – filling seats on Sunday mornings – but NO life…
    • And if they are not REVIVED – they will MISS the RAPTURE of the church!

• 3^rd – The Positive… vs. 4
  • 1^st – A few names…
    • You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments!
    • Not ALL of the church in SARDIS was DEAD…
    • There were a FEW [ὀλίγος] whose clothing [lives] were NOT defiled…
    • DEFILED [μολύνω] – to be STAINED black with permanent ink!
    • There is a CONTRAST here – SARDIS had a NAME [ὄνομα] it was ALIVE…
    • But there were only a few NAMES [ὄνομα] who actually were not STAINED black!
  • 2^nd – Worthy…
    • They shall walk with Me in white – for they are worthy!
    • Those FEW – would WALK [future] with Jesus – because they are [present] WORTHY…
    • Do NOT miss – it was their choice NOW – that dictated where they would walk LATER!
    • The LESSON of SARDIS is one of going against the FLOW…
    • Though most people go to CHURCH as a TRADITION – just to have the NAME Christian…
    • We want to be one of the FEW – those who have WHITE clothes…
    • SINNERS who have been washed in the BLOOD of the Lamb…
    • Who KNOW one day we will WALK with our Lord – because He has made us WORTHY!
    • Revelation 7:14 – “They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

If we are willing to LISTEN to what His SPIRIT has to SAY!

4^th – The encouragement… vs. 5-6

1^st – The PROMISE … vs. 5

He who overcomes!

This same CONCLUSION – is given to all SEVEN churches…

There are a variety of REWARDS described – but all with the same CONDITION…

OVERCOME [νικάω] – to those who have VICTORY [present]

For SARDIS – VICTORY – meant REPENTANCE from DEAD tradition!

Shall be clothed in white garments!

There was one man who came to God – wearing the wrong clothes – Matthew 22:11-14

This man came in HIS clothes – HIS righteousness – HIS own good works…

When God questioned him about it – the man was speechless…

And the LORD had him cast into outer darkness – weeping and gnashing of teeth!

Everyone will one day stand before the Great white throne – Revelation 20:11

There are only TWO options as to what we can WEAR as we stand before a HOLY God…

We can stand in OUR clothes – OUR good deed – OUR righteousness…

And we will be judged by OUR works – speechless – as we are cast into HELL…

OR we can be clothed in the WHITE robes of the righteousness of Jesus – Revelation 3:5

I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life!

Those who are CLOTHED in WHITE – will NEVER [οὖν μὴ] have their name BLOTTED out…

What does it mean to be BLOTTED out of the BOOK of LIFE – THREE views:

FIRST – when we are BORN – everyone has their name in the BOOK of LIFE…

But those who REJECT Jesus – the Gospel – get their name BLOTTED out!

SECOND – those who REJECT Jesus – NEVER have their name written in the BOOK of LIFE…

Therefore their NAMES were ERASED – in that they were never WRITTEN down!

THIRD – when we BELIEVE in Jesus – our names are written in the BOOK of LIFE…

But if we turn away from the LORD – DEAD church – our names can be ERASED!

But I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels!

The PROMISE is if we are CLOTHED in WHITE – the Lord will NEVER erase our names…

Instead Jesus will BLOT out our SINS – Colossians 2:14

And He will CONFESS us before the FATHER and the Angels!

Luke 12:8 – “I say to you – whoever confesses Me before men – him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.”

2^nd – LISTEN … vs. 6

He who has an ear – let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches!

This was NOT written just for the church in SARDIS…

It is for ANYONE who has an EAR – they MUST [imperative] LISTEN…

Because the SPIRIT of God is SPEAKING [present] to ALL churches [plural]

This LETTER is for us – Jesus is writing to us TODAY…