The Church in Sardis: A Dead Church
Today’s passage: Revelation 3:1–6
Focus verse: “I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” (Revelation 3:1)
As with the churches in Smyrna and Pergamum, Scripture provides no additional information about the church in Sardis other than what occurs in the book of Revelation.
Whereas Jesus has affirmed positive traits in each of the prior four churches, his feedback to the church in Sardis is a stinging rebuke.
Just like the other churches, he knows their deeds, the things they do. Though they have a reputation of being alive, they are not.
We can assume that a positive reputation was at one time deserved, but it’s no longer true. In fact, they’re on life support. The church in Sardis is all but dead.
As a dead church, there’s little they can do for Jesus.
He urges them to wake up.
He tells them to strengthen what little good remains. If they don’t, their death will become final. As far as he’s concerned, their work is unfinished. They have more to do, but they can’t complete it in their present state.
Jesus calls them to remember the earlier days of their gathering, to recall what they received and heard. He urges them to hold on to it, to wake up and repent.
I wonder what churches he would similarly rebuke today. I wonder which of his followers he would say that to.
After his call to wake up and repent, Jesus adds a warning. He says he will come to them like a thief in the night, at a time they do not know.
Though he doesn’t indicate what he’ll do when he shows up, we can assume punishment awaits them if they don’t correct their errors.
This warning applies to most of the people in the church in Sardis, but not all. A few, Jesus notes, have not soiled their clothes. They’ve kept themselves clean and have continued to walk with him as worthy followers.
He promises that their names will be forever written in the book of life.
Questions:
- What does our church’s deeds say about it?
- What do our own deeds say about us?
- What is the reputation of the church we attend?
- Despite our church’s reputation, what might Jesus say?
- What do we need to repent from?
[Discover more about Jesus’s book of life in Philippians 4:3, Revelation 20:15, and Revelation 21:27. Read about a good reputation in Esther 9:4 and 1 Timothy 3:7.]
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Read more in Peter’s devotional Bible study, A New Heaven and a New Earth: 40 Practical Insights from John’s Book of Revelation.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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