9. THE EPISTLE TO SARDIS - Revelation 3:1-6

 

As we have previously seen, the angels of the various churches are to be recognized as the elder or elders of the churches, who are protected by the Lord Jesus Christ (1:16,20).

 

Please Read Revelation 3:1-6

 

Verse 1: The city of Sardis was located 80km due east of Ephesus. The oldest part of the city was situated upon the near inaccessible Mt Timolus, overlooking the Hermus Valley, with its almost perpendicular walls rising 1500m. It has had a long history, being since ancient times the capital of Lydia.

Access to the city was along a very narrow neck of easily defended land to the south. Being so easily defended, the people were extremely arrogant, over-confident and obviously complacent. In 549 BC it became the seat of Persian rule in the area, after Cyrus captured the city. The Persian soldiers had ascended through an unguarded crevice and opened the gates from inside. In 218 BC a similar feat was accomplished by Antiochus the Great.

As the city grew, so more land was required and the city grew to both the north and west of the Mount. The old city then became its acropolis.

In 17 AD the city was largely destroyed by an earthquake, but was rebuilt with massive Roman aid. It had a Roman theatre and stadium, and a temple dedicated to Artemis (believed to have the power to restore life). It was here in Sardis that gold and silver coins were first struck and wool was first dyed.

Little is known of the origin of the church in Sardis, but it does seem to have been spared both heresy and persecution in the first century.

The Self-designation of Christ as usual comes from the initial vision of John recoded in chapter 1 (1:4,5,20). Christ has the seven Spirits, which symbolises the Holy Spirit in His fullness (Is 11:2-5; Zech 4:1-10) as subordinate in His role to the Son. The seven stars are of course the elders of the churches as identified in 1:20 (2:1, etc).

The point of such symbolism is to designate Christ as He who is sovereign in the pouring out of His Spirit and also of His control over both the elders to protect and to judge. Clearly the message to Sardis is that God has both the right and power to remove their lampstand. The Lord Jesus Christ is omniscient, therefore being under His scrutiny ensures both a perfect knowledge of their case and a right judgment (2:2,9,13,19; 3:8,15).

The church had a reputation of being alive, but in reality it was a dead church. There was no evident heresy or external corruption, yet before God they were in reality dead (2 Tim 3:5).

QUESTIONS: Give practical examples of how a church may appear to be alive, but yet be dead?

 

How is a church dead?

 

Verse 2: This verse clearly implies the existence within the church of still living members, though they seem ready to die (Ezek 34:4,16). Those who still lived had works that were considered as being not ‘perfect before God.’ This means that they were not complete, for something was missing from them. Before man they were perhaps acceptable, but before God they were not. It could well be that they lacked the right spiritual motives and attitudes in their works.

These ones that still live needed to be watchful and not be complacent, which is a clear reference to the past history of Sardis. These ones needed to be strengthened and established and to take heed.

Verse 3: What these believers needed to do was first remember how they had received and heard the gospel. To remember was to send their minds back to those first days of their Christian experience and recall how the truth is to be both received and heard. They were to hold fast, to be steadfast and to repent from their present state.

If these people continued in their present complacent state, and did not become militant, Christ would come in providential judgment against them with unexpected speed, falling upon them unawares (Mt 24:43). This again is a reference to the history of Sardis as a powerful lesson for the church. That this verse refers to an imminent judgment and not the Second Advent is clear, for the Second Advent does not depend upon the repentance or non-repentance of Sardis.

QUESTIONS: How had Sardis become complacent? Are there lessons here for the church today?

 

Why would remembering how they had first received and heard the gospel be part of the remedy for their current state?

 

How would repentance be evidenced in believers at Sardis? What would be involved in such repentance?

 

NOTE: INDIVIDUAL DISCOVERY QUESTION HERE: What is it to ‘walk with Me in white, for they are worthy (3:4)?’

 

Verse 4: Christ’s commendation to the church in Sardis is directed to the very few that in spite of the general defilement in the church had not fallen into sin and destroyed their Christian witness (14:4). These true believers would walk with God in white, symbolising holiness, purity and perfection in glory (Is 61:10; Rev 17:9,10; 14:4; 19:8).

Being worthy refers not to exaltation purchased through human merit, but to faithfulness in withstanding the pressure to fall into sin.

Verse 5: The overcomer is the one that perseveres to the end. Such a person shall be ‘clothed in white garments,’ that is the spiritual bodies of the resurrected life (Mt 13:43; 2 Cor 5:1,2; Philip 3:21; Rev 7:13,14; 19:8). Such a person will be granted his/her place in the eternal Kingdom, for the Lord Himself will vouch for his/her testimony at the last day (Ex 32:32,33; Ps 69:28; Dan 12:1; Mt 10:32; Mk 8:38; Lk 9:26; 12:8).

Verse 6: As has been previously seen, only the regenerated shall hear and heed the spiritual message and warning given to the church.

QUESTIONS: What future blessings are promised to believers in these verses?

 

What is implied in these verses as to the future state of unbelievers?

 

INDIVIDUAL DISCOVERY

What is the ‘key of David (3:7)?’

 

What is the ‘New Jerusalem’ in 3:12?

 

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17/10/2006

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