Sardis: Acclaimed, But Apathetic (Revelation 3:1-6)

Happy Ever After

Sardis: Acclaimed, but Apathetic
Revelation 3:1-6
(One Lord: So Great a Salvation)
November 2nd, 2014

I. A Short Review

As we open God's word this morning, let me briefly remind of where we are in our study of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. We learned from chapter 1 that this book or letter was commissioned by Jesus himself, communicated to his servant John, and conveyed to seven churches that existed in seven cities of the First Century. These churches were all located in the western part of the Roman province of Asia Minor, what we know today as western Turkey.

But what's interesting about the structure of this Revelation is that before Jesus speaks to all the churches, He first speaks to each church individually by way of the brief messages that make up chapters 2 and 3. Not only were these letters within the letter meant to minister to each church's individual needs, but taken together, these letters should challenge, convict, and comfort any and every church. Why? Because as we've seen, the principles Christ communicates here are timeless in terms of meeting His people's needs.

So in light of this, I hope we are coming this morning with great expectations, ready to hear what Jesus, the head of the body, of the Lord of Church is wanting to say to us. Let's listen to His voice as we hear Him address the church that existed almost 2000 years ago in the city of Sardis. Turn with me to Revelation 3:1-6.

II. The Passage: “The Church in Sardis” (3:1-6)

You may have heard of a four-part harmony, but have you ever heard of a five-part breakdown? Well, once again we are going to use our 'five-part' breakdown in order to understand this letter. Remember, this is the same pattern we see in all of the micro-letters of chapters 2 and 3.

A. Description of Jesus (3:1a)

So for example, we've seen that every one of these seven letters begins with Jesus providing to the church a description of Himself, a description that is pulled from the opening vision of chapter 1. This letter is no exception. Look at the first half of verse 1...

“And to the angel [that is, the messenger] of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.'”

If we were to go back to chapter 1, we find there in verse 20 that the “seven stars” symbolically represent the seven “angels” or “messengers” of the seven churches.

You may remember that the first of the seven mini-letters, the letter to Ephesus, also contained a description of Jesus that utilized this image of Jesus holding the seven stars.

But what about the “seven spirits of God”? Well, that image does not come from the vision of Jesus that John beheld. It actually comes from 1:4, where John was greeting the readers and pointing them back to God as the source of blessing. But that image of the “seven spirits” will be part of the vision that John experiences in chapters 4 and 5. So when taken together, and given the highly symbolic nature of the number seven, I think it's safe to interpret this image as a reference to the Holy Spirit of God.

If that's true, why does Jesus introduce Himself to the Sardian church in this way? Because He wants them to know that both the messenger and the Spirit who gives the message are in His hand. He is Lord of the churches. Remember that refrain that we find in every letter: “'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

B. Diagnosis of Believers (3:1b, 4a)

So what is the Spirit saying to this church? Well, look at the diagnosis given in the second half of verse 1. This is Christ's diagnosis of the believers in Sardis. He declares...

“‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.'”

To five of the seven churches, Jesus makes the same opening declaration: “I know your works.” There is nothing hidden from Jesus, is there? There is nothing hidden about this church, is there? As we read last week in 2:23...And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart... And so, given that Christ's knowledge is exhaustive and perfect, they must take seriously His difficult diagnosis.

You have the reputation [literally, you have a name] of being alive, but you are dead. Jesus seems to be saying that this church was known for “being alive”; that it had a reputation, probably among the other churches, of being vibrant, active, energized for God. But according to Jesus, this was simply not true. It wasn't even partially true. This church was dead. And if Jesus says you are dead, you are dead.

But what exactly does it mean when a church is labeled “dead”? Well, I think the rest of the letter will clarify that diagnosis. But before we move on, let me point out that even though the unhealthiness of the diagnosis seems absolute, there is tiny glimmer of healthiness evident in the opening words of verse 4. Look at what we read there...“'Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments'”

The word “few” could be discouraging, but it should provide a bit of hope. Keep that hope in mind and look with me at verse 2.

C. Directive to Action (3:2, 3a)

In verse 2, and in the first half of verse 3, we find that Jesus gives the Sardian church a directive to action in light of the devastating diagnosis he announced in verse 1. We read in verse 2...

“'Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. [3] Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent.'”

So what we actually see here is a five-fold directive to action. Look at those commands: “Wake up!” “Strengthen what remains!” “Remember!” “Keep it!” and “Repent!”. It's interesting that repent comes last when in reality it must be first. But Jesus understands that all of this must be done in a spirit of repentance, a sorrow over their condition and a desire to go a different direction. Thus all of it can be capped off with the term “repent” because all of it embodies repentance.

I also want you to notice what these verses tell us about the diagnosis of Jesus. What does it mean that they are “dead”? Well, from the end of verse 2 we see that this spiritual deadness is characterized by a failure to work, to minister, to serve, to reach out for Christ...for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. I think the picture being painted here is that Sardis was once a vibrant church, and that it was known for how it served Jesus and how it served others internally and externally. That's how it got it's reputation.

But at some point, Sardis began to be complacent. Maybe they were saying things like, “Well we're Sardis Community Church. That means something. People know what we've done. We wrote the book on ministering to Asians in Asia Minor. People know who we are.” At some point, there was a shift where spiritual success somehow led to spiritual forgetfulness, that in turn led to spiritual apathy. For Sardis, it used to be that there was always more to do for Jesus. Now, it was simply enough to be known for what it had done for Jesus.

But like a campfire that has died, like a campfire that gives off no real light or heat, there are still embers, warm embers. And that's where Jesus directs this church: “Fan those embers into flame...strengthen what remains and is about to die.”

D. Danger to Consider (3:3b)

The Sardians needed to see the urgency of their condition. They were both “dead” and “about to die”. And along with this, Jesus adds another danger to consider in the second half of verse 3. He declares...

“'If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.'”

One bit of trivia about Sardian history that is helpful to know is the fact that the city had been captured twice in its history, and in both cases, its capture was the result of inadequate vigilance. The main city was positioned on top of a very high hill, with sheer cliffs all around. It was great in terms of defense, but awful in terms of tempting the people to become complacent. Therefore, of all people, the Sardians should have known about the dangers of apathy.

As we see here, if they remain in their apathy, there is a promise of judgment. I suspect Christ's judgment will be the same with which He warned Ephesus: ...I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. (Revelation 2:5)

I think it's important to note that the phrases “wake up” and “like a thief” were used together by Jesus long before His message to Sardis. Do you remember? Matthew 24:42-44...

Therefore, stay awake [in Greek, gregoreo (where the name Gregory comes from)...to be watchful, to be alert], for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. [43] But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. [44] Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

The encouragement of Jesus to the church in Sardis was not a new command, but an old one. Watchfulness, spiritual alertness should always characterize the follower of Jesus. But more about that in a minute.

E. Declaration of Reward (3:4b-6)

Look finally at the declaration of reward that Jesus makes to this acclaimed, but apathetic church. We read in verse 4...

Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. [and look at how this leads into the promised reward] [5] The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. [6] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

One of the biggest industries in Sardis was wool production. In light of that, when Jesus talks about garments, white garments, it may have special resonance with the Sardian believers. Why should we, why must we remain spiritually alert? How did Jesus attempt to rouse, to stir up this dying church? But setting their eyes on the prize. To be clothed with and then walk with Jesus in a white, unstained robe. Later, in 7:14 John will see another vision containing this same imagery...

I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

What is being represented here? Righteousness. And what is righteousness but rightness in our character, our conduct, and rightness with God himself? And there's only one way we can be right and right with God. We must be washed “in the blood of the Lamb”, which is yet another picture, one that points us back to the cross where Jesus died, the forgiveness that He offers to each of us, the exchange which He alone makes possible: taking our unrighteousness, our wrongness upon Himself in order to give us His righteousness.

And that righteousness is not only something given TO us, but also something that shines THROUGH us more and more. Those are the works that Jesus wants to see completed. We are not saved by our works, are we. But we are saved FOR works, to serve Jesus as those who are truly “alive”, and not dead or dying. And as we press forward, as we endure, we are carried by the comfort of knowing that nothing can take us out of His book, that nothing can trump His confession of my name and your name before the Father. Doesn't that encourage you? Doesn't that kind of grace and that kind of future motivate you?

III. The Sardian Syndrome

Like the rest of these letters in chapters 2 and 3, we know the words of Jesus here are also a warning to us, to our church. I don't think Jesus would describe us as “dead”, but I do think we could fall into the same trap; that at some point we could be affected by the 'Sardian Syndrome'. What does that mean? It means getting to the point of falling back on our accomplishments, instead of pressing forward to accomplish more. It means resting on our laurels, instead of running the race to win the prize. It means being content with what God has already done through us, instead of being hungry for the works He still has planned.

Does Way of Grace Church have a reputation? In our community? Among other churches? If we do, is it a positive one? And if it is positive, are we in danger of being pleased with that reputation to the degree that it takes the place of the pleasures of God? Brothers and sisters, we have to be on guard against these very things.

And think about how this might apply to you personally. When you think about your spiritual healthiness, how far back do you have to look? Two days ago? Two years ago? Twenty-two years ago? If you are gauging your spiritual healthiness today by trumpeting what you did several years ago, something's wrong. Why? Because there was something wrong with what you did years ago? No. It's because that choice is also a choice to NOT deal with what happened several hours ago, or several days ago. Or maybe more precisely, what did NOT happen or what is NOT happening in the present.

The church in Sardis was not willing to be honest about its present condition. But because of His great love for them, Jesus was. And He is with us as well. Are we listening? Are we open to the sometimes hard but loving words of Jesus?

If we are, individually and as a church family, then how can we be watchful? How can we stay awake spiritually? How can we be alert in terms of what matters most? Well, I love the simplicity of what we find in the first half of verse 3: Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent.'” Literally, Jesus says, “Remember HOW you received and heard.” “Received and heard” what though? Well...the truth. The truth about Jesus. The truth about life. The truth about God. The truth about hope; about forgiveness.

Do you remember the first time you truly received and heard? Do you remember the subsequent times when you have TRULY received and heard the word of God? You not only know it, you embrace it with your whole heart, right? And when you do, there is conviction, and sorrow. But then, relief, and comfort. Then there is hope and excitement and joy and passion, zeal. The Sardians had forgotten. They could tell you the gospel, the Good News about Jesus, but they forgot how it felt, both how heavy it was, and how light. The forgot the impact it had made, and therefore, could make.

Brothers and sisters, friends, here's the take away: In light of the dangerous reality of spiritual forgetfulness, and then spiritual apathy, we need to both remember and remind each other of the power of Jesus' victory, and the call to be victorious in Him.

Let's pray together for that very thing.