The Seven Churches - Sardis

Rev 3:1 “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.”

The Lord introduces Himself as the person who owns every church and the provider of every goodness or support to the churches. This introduction is relevant here because this church had nothing to be encouraged initially except for a few members who kept themselves pure.

The problem with this church is that it thought or is believed to be alive by the world. Everybody thinks that this church is so active with their eyes. That’s why the Bible is keen on saying sight is not always true (2 Cor 5:7). Many churches have a lot of convincing proofs to the world that there is action there. They pray for hours or show off many spiritual gifts. This is a very important factor that the world’s judgment of a church is not always right. If the world credits a church to be great and majestic, it will give a false assessment to the church and it will fall.

The solution given to the church is to first wake up from the false reputation and dream that it is living in. This is very important as unless we realize that we are sleeping, we will never attempt to wake. In Ephesians 5:10-14, we read how it is important to stop taking part in the works of the darkness but expose them to the light and this coming to the light where all our works are transparent is waking up. Verse 10 wants us to try and discern what is pleasing to the Lord. This is important as this is instructed to Sardis in verse 2. It is God who evaluates a church and not the world. The reputation from the world means nothing.

The verse wants us not to bring our dead parts to life but look for what portions in our church has life and we have to strengthen them. This strength will then pass into the other dead areas to bring life to the whole church. Also, this instruction is given because the works are not complete. So, to have complete works we should not work in every single area we can but perform complete, perfect and acceptable works in whatever we are working on.

The next verse wants us to remember what we already know, which means stop learning new things. New knowledge to a dead church is nothing. We have to ensure what we preach is practiced in the church or otherwise, there is no hope of waking up. The truth will set free, but a free person can still be sleeping. To be awake, it is important to ensure our deeds to be acceptable to God. The knowledge alone cannot keep a person or church alive. The Lord will come like a thief in an unknown hour upon the church and look for what life it has.

There are people in Sardis who have not stained their clothing. They will be honored but the church is still dead. Just because there is one or few holy people, a whole repentance only will be able to bring the church to life. The one who conquers is the same one who has ensured to not soil his clothing.