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The Dead church  

  • 1st – The introduction… vs. 1
    • FOUR sections
      • Each of the LETTERS to the churches contains FOUR sections…
      • Introduction – Positive – Negative – and Encouragement!
    • 1st – 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!
    • 2nd – 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!
    • 3rd – 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.”
  • 2nd – The Negative… vs. 1-3
    • 1st – 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!
    • 2nd – 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!
    • 3rd – 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.”
    • 4th – 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!
  • 5th – 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!
  • 3rd – The Positive… vs. 4
    • 1st – 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!
    • 2nd – 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!

4th – The encouragement… vs. 5-6

1st – 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.”

2nd – 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…


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