SARDIS: GODLY ON THE OUTSIDE GODLESS ON THE INSIDE

Scripture Rev 3:1-6
SARDIS THE CITY (known as Sart)
•King Croesus, 560 BC, Capital of the Lydian Empire
•River Pactolus and King Midas
•Production of Woolen and dyed cloth, coins were first minted here
•Last city on the Royal Road, Temple of Artemis, Worship of Cybele
•Known for its softness and luxury, apathy and immorality
Concern (v.1)
•Jesus uses two imageries…7 Stars and & 7 Spirits (Rev 5:6)
•God the Father: Giver of the Message, Jesus: Holder of the Message and the Holy Spirit: The Speaker of the Message
•The church seems to have a physical appearance of teeming with life but from within it is dead
Caution (vv. 2-3)
•Wake Up!
  1. •Cyrus & Antiochus Invasions
  2. •AD 17, Tiberius
•Actions Words:
  1. •Strengthen
  2. •Remember
  3. •Hold Fast
  4. •Repent
  5. •Lack of action sees a consequence
Comfort (vv. 4-6)
•There were a few who had not fallen into the deadness that was prevalent in the church
•Two images of reward:
•White Clothes (Rev 7:9,14)
•Name in the Book Of Life (Rev 20:12b)
CALL TO THE CHURCH TODAY
•“…growth without depth” J. W. Stott
•Wake Up!
•Being in a church by virtue of membership does not save us
•Going through certain traditions does not make us ‘born again’
•Faith in Christ counters the ‘worldview’ with the ‘wordview’… the church does not merge with the ‘worldview’
Take Away: GUARD YOURSELF FROM THE SLUMBER THAT MAKES ONE DEAD TO THE MISSION OF THE MASTER