Havasu Christian Church
February 11, 2024
Revelation 3:1-6
Sardis, the “mostly dead” Church.
INTRO: Cut from the Princess Bride.
“Mostly dead.” If you’ve seen the movie, Miracle Max revives him, but Wesley can’t move. His body eventually begins to work again, and finally, by the end of the movie, he’s back to normal.
The Church we’re going to read about today had the same problem. They were “mostly dead.”
Jesus writes this letter to help revive them!
Revelation 3:1–6 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write:
He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.
2 ‘Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.
3 ‘So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.
4 ‘But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
5 ‘He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and 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.’
- The Church in Sardis is “alive but dead.”
- They are alive, but they are in a coma.
- How did they get into this state?
- Was there some catastrophic event that knocked almost all the life out of them?
- Persecution?
- Famine?
- A giant fight in the Church?
- People who were the most active “doers” in the Church moved or died?
- Or perhaps it more gradual?
- Did they just slowly drift off to sleep?
- Maybe this happened little by little.
- They get “comfortable.” They quit doing what they should be doing and wait for someone else to do it instead.
- When no one else steps up, it just doesn’t get done!
- When Jesus says “for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.” He may be saying “you’ve never finished anything you started!”
- Becoming comatose can easily happen to us if we aren’t careful!
- This can happen to us as individuals…
- Just letting our walk with the Lord become less and less important to us.
- Hoping that “someone else will do it.”
- Being selfish with my time or resources.
- This can happen to us as a Church!
- When enough of us “nod off” it affects the rest of us!
- When we see others “going into a coma” we need to warn them!
- Jesus tells them to “WAKE UP!”
- If a person is in a coma, with modern medical technology, they can live quite a while.
- Back then, if you didn’t wake up pretty quick, you just died!
- So, if they don’t wake up pretty soon, they never will!
- HOW can they wake up?
- They need to “strengthen the things that remain.”
- They aren’t dead yet. They are “mostly dead.”
- We’re talking here about intensive rehab.
- This isn’t an overnight process.
- Rehab is hard work, followed by rest, followed by more hard work.
- If it’s easy, you aren’t doing it right!
- As you regain your strength, it does become easier and more enjoyable!
- Jesus gives them their prescription for what to do in Rehab. He tells them “remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent.”
- Remember what they are supposed to be doing.
- They received it…
- They had been given the gift of the Holy Spirit living inside of them.
- they heard it!
- They were taught by the Holy Spirit
- They were taught by those who shared the Gospel with them.
- Both in word and by example.
- When they remember, they need to DO it!
- Begin to live sacrificially for Jesus and for each other again.
- Live in such a way that people see Jesus IN THEM!
- Jesus also calls them to Repent!
- It’s time to truly repent. To turn around and go the right way!
- It’s time to get back to being faithful!
- The remedy is here for us!
- WAKE UP!!!
- Strengthen the things that remain.
- Get into Rehab! Use what you have! Start serving again! Jesus will help to strengthen you!
- The Church in Sardis is given a warning, and some promises.
- The warning…..
- if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.
- At some point, if they don’t turn things around, Jesus will say “enough is enough.”
- That will be the end of them.
- That’s a pretty scary warning!
- The Promises….
- To the folks who are still faithful…
‘But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
- Some of them have stayed pure.
- They are promised that they will “walk with Jesus” in white. (purity)
- They have done their best to serve Jesus and they are going to always be with Him!
- To those who return to faithfulness. (Those who overcome)
- They will be “clothed in white garments”
- Jesus will get rid of their sinfulness!
- He will help them become the people He wants them to be!
- They will not be erased from the book of life
- Apparently, they are in grave danger of this happening, but if they return to Living for Jesus, His promise is that it won’t happen.
- I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”
- When Jesus returns for His people, He will tell the Father and the angels, “He’s one of mine.”
- These promises and warnings are for us as well!
- If we don’t heed the message of this letter to Sardis, Jesus may come to us…. But not in the way we want Him to!
- He will say “Enough is Enough!!!”
- Destruction of His church?
- Discipline?
- Whatever He does, we won’t like it!
- Those who have remained faithful will not be punished, but will instead receive the promise of Eternity with Jesus!
- Those who Return to Faithfulness will receive the same promise!
- Walking with Jesus in purity!
Conclusion: Let’s learn the lesson of Sardis and be sure that we never allow ourselves to lapse into a coma!
If we find ourselves “feeling sleepy,” WAKE UP!
