The Church at Sardis

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: Revelation 3:1-6
Psalters: 407, 264, 88, 268
  1. The condition.
    1. The church had ?a name that thou livest, and art dead? (1b).
      1. This cannot mean that there was no spiritual life there at all, for they do have the candlestick.
      2. As a whole the church was characterized by a spiritual stupor, without a healthy spiritual life and activity.
    2. Two, Jesus declares that He had ?not found thy works perfect before God? (2b).
      1. This was their ?works? of confessing Christ, preaching His Word, sacraments, discipline, walking faithfully.
      2. Not ?perfect,? i.e., complete - they were half-hearted in following Christ.
  2. The instructions the Lord of the church gives to this congregation.
    1. First, ?be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die? (2a).
      1. It begins with watching (cf. Canons V - 4).
      2. This refers to a reformation, i.e., being re-formed by the truth of God.
    2. Second, ?remember how thou has received and heard, and hold fast, and repent? (3a).
      1. Like Ephesus we are to remember how we first received the gospel of Jesus - with great joy of faith.
      2. Repent and seek forgiveness. And fill the good activity with genuine reality.
  3. Judgment and promise.
    1. First, ?If thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief? (3b).
      1. The figure is of a coming which is very surprising and sudden, in the sense of unexpected.
      2. To come as a thief means that the Lord will take away what they have, namely, the preaching, the candlestick.
    2. Second, a promise for those who have not defiled their garments: ?they shall walk with Me in white? (4b).
      1. There where some who had not defiled their external confession.
      2. The ?white? promised is God?s judgment of their innocency and righteousness, purity and glory.
    3. Then there are wonderful promises given to those who overcome.
      1. ?The same shall be clothed in white raiment? (5a).
      2. And ?I will not blot out his name out of the book of life? (5b).
      3. More ?I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels? (5c).
  4. Therefore, ?he that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches? (6).