Sardis - Revelation 3:1-6

Revelation 3:1-6 ESV
Chapter 3
To the Church in Sardis
“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write:‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.
“‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 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. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. 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. 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. 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. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. ’

He has the seven churches because they have His Spirit. He is the angel of the churches and their source of light.

One Spirit embodies these churches. It is that same Spirit which is present and speaks through those that lead a body of believers. It this way when two or more are gathered, for they give witness to that Spirit. Jesus said He will there. He is "God With Us".

Christ knows our works because of His intimate relationship and position in the church. Not only is He the Lord, He is the head of the living body of believers. We are ever before Him, with no hiding place. He can see through all pretense to the reality underneath. One's reputation is not important, but the reality of our heart is. It's that reality where we are judged. An outward deed is not complete in the eyes of the Lord unless it arises from a pure and loving heart. Though the leaves on a tree might appear to be green and vital, it is the fruit which reveals the truth. This tree of the church has grown hollow and the life of faith is fading in their midst. Fruit of the Spirit is hard to find.

The grace and patience of our Lord is displayed here. "Wake up" He says. Though they have erred, there is still time to turn around, return and live. It is because He loves us He does this.

Dead -νεκρός * nekros * nek-ros'(CWS). A corpse. They are the walking dead in the eyes of Christ. They breathe the air of the world, but are void of the breath of life.

πνεῦμα * pneuma * pnyoo'-mah * From G4154; a current of air, that is, breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively a spirit, that is, (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, daemon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy spirit: - ghost, life, spirit (-ual, -ually), mind.(CWS).

I like the interpretation of the seven spirits of God as that "vital k,principle" of God. Christ represents God. He is the word spoken and is God. The seven spirits before the throne are possessed by Christ. It is this Spirit which is the true "angel" of the churches, who binds the body of believers reveals the truth of God.

He Who has the Spirit knows who does not. What others cannot see are clear to Him. This is a dying church because they have forsaken the Spirit of life. Still He leaves room for repentance, though He warns that the time grows short.

There are still some in this gathering who remain followers of Christ. Their garments are clean for they remain in the living water. The true church is seen within this church gathering.

They were like those disciples that Jesus left in the garden to pray. They fell asleep, and more than once. They closed their eyes. They no longer remembered who they were and why they were there.

The book of life makes another appearance. Not only are our names written in that wonderful book, but Jesus will confess us before the Father. Blessed yet?


Colossians 2:13-15
And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

Isaiah 57:12-13
I will declare your righteousness and your deeds,
but they will not profit you.
When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you!
The wind will carry them all off,
a breath will take them away.
But he who takes refuge in me shall possess the land
and shall inherit my holy mountain.

Daniel 5:27
Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting;

Matthew 23:28
So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Ezekiel 34:16
I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.

Matthew 24:42
Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

Job 16:5
I could strengthen you with my mouth,
and the solace of my lips would assuage your pain.

Luke 22:31
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

Hebrews 2:1
Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.

1 Timothy 6:20-21
O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.
Grace be with you.

Isaiah 61:10
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;
my soul shall exult in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Ecclesiastes 9:8
Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head.

Exodus 32:32-33
But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.” But the Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book.

Matthew 10:32-33
So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Jude 1:24-25
Doxology
Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.