The Dishonest Church: Sardis-Rev 3:1-6

New Testament, Revelation, Sermons

Revelation 3:1-6; Key Verse: Rev 3:1b (Exodus 32:15-35)

“I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.”

Dishonesty: So far we have covered a loveless church (Ephesus), a suffering church (Smyrna), a compromising church (Pergamum) and an elitist church (Thyatira). Today, we consider a dishonest church, Sardis. (She is the worst of the seven churches along with Laodicea, for both churches have no commendation. Jesus had nothing good to say about the church in Sardis.)

My original title was The Dead Church. A title I saw online is “The Church of the Living Dead.” But the problem is not just that they were dead, but that they gave the false impression that they were alive even though they were dead–which is dishonest. Her dishonesty stemmed from a lack of any honest self-evaluation. It gave a false dishonest impression of being alive, but are in actuality dead, like the zombies in World War Z . It is like regarding oneself as holy and spiritual, but are in reality immature and ungracious, and unwilling to honestly evaluate oneself. As Jesus rebuked the religious leaders, it is like a white washed tomb that looks very nice, impressive, clean and good on the outside, but inside are full of dead man’s bones and deadly things (Mt 23:25). Creating a false impression and having a false reputation of being alive though they are dead is terribly dishonest…and deadly.

It’s so easy to be dishonest. We human beings are naturally dishonest because as sinners we have difficulty facing the painful truth about ourselves. I like to think of myself as a person who is disciplined, self-controlled, manages his time well, does not waste time with trivia and with what is inconsequential, who does not need to have the last word, or to dominate conversations and prove and insist on my point, and that I am a fun-loving person. But that is not a very honest assessment. The truth is that I am not well-disciplined, that I wake up later than I would like, that I watch too much (and read too much about) movies, sports, celebrities, and TV, that I am argumentative, that I insist on having the last and final word in any and every conversation and church meeting, and that I am really confrontational and quite annoying! Boy, that was painful. Yet, it was tremendously liberating, because Jesus knows that I am even worse than the bad that I perceive myself to be, and yet, he still loves me (Gal 2:20; Jer 31:3).

Truly assessing and knowing oneself is necessary for life and happiness. Nonetheless, a healthy degree of self assessment, introspection and honest reflection is necessary for life and happiness. Flannery O’Connor (American writer, essayist, Catholic) said, “To know oneself, is above all, to know what one lacks. It is to measure oneself against the Truth, and not the other way around.” (The Fiction Writer and His Country.) In his Institutes, John Calvin wrote, “Our wisdom, in so far as it ought to be deemed true and solid Wisdom, consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. But as these are connected together by many ties, it is not easy to determine which of the two precedes and gives birth to the other.” (Book 1, Chap. 1, Section 1.)

No commendation. Unlike 5 of the churches which received commendations, Sardis (located some 50 miles east of Smyrna and to the north of Philadelphia) receives only a stern rebuke from Christ: “Wake up” (Rev 3:2). Or he will suddenly come in judgment (Rev 3:3). Although they are dishonest and think they are alive, in reality they are near death (Rev 3:1b). They do not reflect Christ beyond pretense and outward show. They must wake up and repent, or face the wrath of Christ who is the Lord of his church (Rev 3:1a). Consider the dishonesty of Sardis in three parts:

1. The Problem – Dishonesty (Rev 3:1). 2. The Result – Dishonesty is Deadly and Results in Dead Churches (Rev 3:1). 3. The Solution – Dealing with Dishonesty (Rev 3:2-3):

  • Wake up.
  • Strengthen what remains.
  • Remember (keep on remembering) what you have received and heard.
  • Obey (keep on obeying).
  • Repent.

4. The Reward – Dressed in White (Rev 3:4-6)

  • Walk with Jesus.
  • Dressed in white.
  • Name not erased from the book of life.
  • Name confessed before the Father.

Using the template and pattern for all 7 churches, an overview of the church in Sardis may be:

  1. The Church: Dead (Rev 3:1b).
  2. The Christ: The Judge who knows our real condition (Rev 3:1a).
  3. The Commendation: NONE.
  4. The Condemnation (Rebuke): False impression/reputation of being alive (Rev 3:1).
  5. The Command: Wake up! (Rev 3:2)
  6. The Caution: Come like a thief in the night (Rev 3:3).
  7. The Consummation (Promise): “I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life” (Rev 3:5).

I. Dishonesty is Deadly (Rev 3:1)

God is omniscient (knows all), omnipresent (present everywhere), omnipotent (almighty). “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars” (Rev 3:1a). The resurrected Jesus begins his rebuke by reminding the church in Sardis that he alone “holds the seven spirits”–a reference to the Holy Spirit (Rev 1:20), God’s one Spirit is limitless, knows all, present everywhere, and almighty. In Revelation 5 John sees the Spirit symbolized as the Lamb’s seven eyes, which “are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth” (Rev 5:6; Zech 3:9; 4:10). Jesus know the true condition of all his churches through the Holy Spirit. Jesus holds “the seven stars” indicates that he holds their future in his hand. While they think of themselves in a certain way, Jesus knows their true state, which he is about to expose.

Grandiose over-estimation disables honest self-evaluation. Jesus says, “I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead” (Rev 3:1b). In their own eyes, and in the estimation of neighbors, they had a positive and favorable reputation. But appearances can be deceiving. Despite their reputation for life and vitality, they not alive at all. In fact, they are dead. Even worse is that they are not aware of their true condition. Their grandiose over-estimation of themselves (perhaps like the elitism of Thyatira), made them indifferent to their true condition and unable to honestly evaluate themselves. During the reign of Cyrus of Persia, king Croesus of Sardis thought the city to be completely safe from attack on account of being surrounded on 3 sides by sheer cliffs, and was captured by surprise in 549 B.C. So too, the church in Sardis thinks it is alive when they are not. Their dishonesty and false appraisal about themselves was deadly.

Know yourself. Socrates said, “Know thyself.” It sounds simple enough. But it is not an easy task. Many are stuck in life because of an inability to truly know oneself. A true assessment of self is never easy. We need the honest input of friends (Heb 3:13). A true assessment of one’s church is likewise difficult and painful. The Bible tells us that all human beings (and all churches) fall short of God’s expectation of them (Rom 3:23). It is because there is no one righteous, not even one (Rom 3:9-11). We should be willing to truly evaluate ourselves (and our church) in light of God’s truth. We also need to hear the critique and criticism of others, even if it is painful to hear. Otherwise, we cannot but deceive ourselves (Jer 17:9).

II. Dead Churches (Rev 3:1)

I did a Google search on “Why churches die” and had countless results. A current estimate is that as many as 100,000 churches could be dying in the U.S. A pastor and a seminary professor wrote a book in 2005 titled, “Why Churches Die.” Other blog titles from my search include “10 Problems of a Dying Church,” “Why Churches Wither and Die,” “Autopsy of a Deceased Church,” “Why Your Church Will Die (but that’s OK).” Reasons churches die include:

  • Inability to resolve conflicts and disagreements
  • Gossip and slander
  • Coasting on or clinging to the past, maintaining past traditions rather than exploring ways to change and adapt (contextualization and relevance), obsessed with their own traditions and practices, emphasis on the past, church members idolized a past era, stuck in their own ways [“The Church that is dependent on its past history for its miracles of and grace is a fallen Church.” E. M.Bounds, Power Thro’ Prayer.]
  • Refusing to change
  • Refusing to look like the community
  • Refusing to listen to critique
  • Using insider language that outsiders don’t understand or appreciate
  • Unable to see beyond their own church (inward focus)
  • Primarily focusing on themselves and their own needs (Hag 1:2-5)
  • Acting like the church is about us (not Christ and others)
  • Misguided micro-managers
  • Pleasing old members rather than welcoming younger newcomers
  • The church getting bigger, richer and more comfortable
  • Surviving on milk not solid food (Heb 5:13-14), which is to not grow to maturity
  • Ineffectively/not empowering the next generation of leaders
  • Members were not taught the whole counsel of God (Ac 20:27)
  • Lack of joy among the saved and older members (Rom 14:17; Gal 5:22)
  • Sitting in church like at a funeral
  • Not focused on Christ and the gospel (Ac 20:24) but on other things, such as church growth, church politics, pleasing people and good outward impressions.

III. Dealing With Dishonesty (Rev 3:2-3)

To deal with dishonesty that will lead to death, requires that we first begin to honestly face the facts, no matter how painful the truth may be. Jesus found specific indictments and issues with five of the seven churches and rebuked them: Ephesus for being a loveless church (Ephesus), Pergamum for being a compromising church , Thyatira for being elitist , and Sardis for their dishonesty that led to their deadness. They need to take Jesus’ stern words to heart. Otherwise, they will continue to live in their own dishonest and false favorable self-appraisal, which is deadly. How can Sardis deal with her deadly dishonesty? In his book on Revelation, John MacArthur identifies 5 steps that can be followed:

First, Wake up from being dishonest and lethargic. Their deplorable state explains why they receive no commendation, but only a strong direct imperative and rebuke: “Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God” (Rev 3:2). “Wake up!” suggests they were asleep spiritually (Rom 13:11). They acknowledged that God loved them. But it did not move them or touch their hearts because of their spiritual slumber. They were spiritually lethargic and apathetic. They knew they should read the Bible and pray, but barely did so with reluctance, and out of fear and guilt. The church has become so comfortable with their good reputation of being alive that they remained in a state of spiritual slumber and were indifferent to their true condition of spiritual deadness. They need to wake up and face the facts. They need to wake up from their dishonest self evaluation of “We’re OK.” They need to wake up and take to heart what God is saying to them.

Second, Strengthen that which is about to die–their deeds were incomplete. The meaning of Jesus’ exhortation is explained further in the final clause of verse 2: “I have not found your deeds complete.” This suggests that they did Christian things, but did not do so completely or wholeheartedly. Perhaps like Thyatira their deeds as Christians included love, faith, service and perseverance (Rev 2:19). But their Christian deeds was lived out of duty and habit, not out of delight, joy and gratitude. What they started to do as Christians, was not finished or complete. Their deeds, which appeared outwardly Christian, gained them the approval of man, but not of God.

Third, Remember (keep on remembering). “Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent” (Rev 3:3a). The first two verbs “remember” and “obey” are present imperatives, which encourages continuing activity, i.e. keep on remembering, keep on obeying; while the third verb, “repent” (aorist) is in a tense that calls for urgent action, i.e. repent now! Like Ephesus , Jesus exhorts them to remember, to repent and to return to their first love (Rev 2:5). “Remember what you have received and heard” is the gospel that they heard at first, which transformed them. This was the message that gave them birth and established their authentic gospel witness to those around them.

Spiritual slumber and incomplete deeds come from not hearing the gospel in church. There is no mention persecution or suffering because of Christ. Sardis was not filled with pagan temples or guilds to the same degree as the other cities, yet she was every bit as idolatrous as the rest of Asia Minor. That they were spiritually lethargic, suggests that they made peace with the idolatry around them, which explains their lack of persecution. They ceased to witness to the gospel–a fault that seems to stem from their teaching and preaching. Jesus introduces himself as “the seven spirits…and the seven stars,” — indicative of the church’s witness to those around them. It seems that this church compromised with the surrounding culture until it ceased to proclaim the gospel to those inside and outside the church. What looked like signs of life and success–probably good attendance and material blessing–could not disguise the fact that this church had failed to be a light in the darkness. This church was dying, if not already dead.

Fourth, Obey (Hold/Keep) it (keep on obeying). The gospel is that which is believed (Rom 1:5; Jn 6:29), which suggests that our lives correspond to the gospel’s promises that are believed. Those who say they trust God (and Jesus for their salvation), must live like they trust God. They are to live out the gospel taught to them at first. They are to believe (and live according to) the gospel, i.e., the Christian faith. They are to live lives of gratitude before God and reject the worldly influences they have tolerated. They are to keep on obeying God in accordance to the gospel, because the gospel teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness (Tit 2:12).

Fifth, Repent (urgently). They must immediately change their minds about their dishonesty and their present course. They must wake up and realize their precarious deadly situation, acknowledge and confess their sins. If they do not do what Christ prescribes, their fate is sealed. “If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you” (Rev 3:3b).

Jesus’ return will be like a thief (Rev 3:3b). Jesus coming like a thief always carries the idea of unexpected sudden judgment. It echoes the parable of the thief in the Olivet Discourse in Mt 24:42-44. Jesus warned that his return would surprise the unwary like a burglar’s intrusion (Lk 12:39-40), while those awaiting the master’s unpredictable arrival will receive the master’s good pleasure and hospitality (Lk 12:35-38). “Thief in the night” permeates the NT (1 Th 5:2-4; 2 Pet 3:10; Rev 16:5). Since no one can predict the time of Jesus’ coming, those not living in constant preparedness will be caught off guard. This is not a reference to Jesus’ second coming. Jesus is likely referring to an unexpected visit to this church before the end of the age. If they do not repent of their dishonesty and their compromise with this age, Jesus will bring the church to an end, perhaps similar to the threat of the removal of his lampstand as in the letter to the church in Ephesus (Rev 2:5).

IV. Dressed in White to Those Who Overcome (Rev 3:4-6)

A promise to the true believers in the church. Jesus says, “Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes” (Rev 3:4a). Some members of this church have not stained their garments (the imputed righteousness they received in Christ) by their dishonest self-deception, hypocrisy and idolatry. Jesus promises those who remain faithful: “They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels” (Rev 3:4b-5). There are 4 glorious rewards for persevering and not staining our garments through dishonesty:

  1. They will walk with Jesus. They have constant fellowship with him.
  2. They will be dressed in white (Rev 3:4b-5a, 18; 6:11; 7:9; 19:13). Purity, victory and redemption.
  3. They will not have their name erased from the book of life (Rev 3:5a).
  4. Their name will be confessed before their Father and the angels (Rev 3:5b).

Hope enables perseverance.Their life is motivated by their hope for which they wait. Victors hope for white wedding garments, and strive for purity here and now. “We know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure” (1 Jn 3:2-3).

A most glorious promise in Revelation. Sinners have their filthy garments removed and replaced by spotless white garments provided by Christ. Those who walk with Christ by faith are counted as worthy. White garments reflect Christ’s perfect righteousness and the purifying work of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Jesus promises never to remove their names from the book of life, but will acknowledge his people redeemed by his blood before the Father. None of them will slip through his hands.

The Israelites plunge into idolatry after swearing an oath before God. The warning contains loud echoes from the OT. Moses came down from Mt. Sinai only to find Israel celebrating around the golden calf (Ex 32). God had just revealed his holy law. The people had already sworn the oath of covenant ratification, saying “we will do everything the Lord has commanded.” When Moses comes down the mountain and returns to them, they sing and dance around an idol. Their behavior makes them a laughing stock and a poor witness among the nations. For such idolatry, the Lord orders the death of 3,000 people, to be cut down by the sword.

Moses pleads for his people. In his office as covenant mediator, Moses pleads for them before the Lord. “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written” (Ex 32:31). This book was the book of the census in which the twelve tribes of Israel and their inheritances were recorded. Because of their sin of participating in worshiping the golden calf their names were eased from the book, eliminating them from receiving their promised inheritance. The Lord declares: “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book” (Ex 32:33). They and their children are thereby removed from the covenant and its blessings.

How can the mere appearance of one’s name in the book of life counterbalance the damning evidence contained in the books of our deeds (Rev 20:12)? This book belongs to the Lamb who has been slain in sacrifice for those listed in it (Rev 13:8). Because of this Jesus is able to assert that his victors’ names will never be erased from the book. Only for those whose names are in this book will the last judgment mean joyful vindication rather than shameful destruction (Rev 20:15). Only these may enter the new Jerusalem (Rev 21:27), for their robes are whitened by the blood of the Lamb (Rev 7:14). The Book of Life contains the names of all of the elect, all those whom God has chosen to save through his Son. But like Israel in the desert of Sinai, those professing so-called Christians in Sardis made peace with the world, and engaged in idolatry. They compromised their witness, just as Israel had done. Jesus describes them as dead. They were never numbered among the elect. Although they profess faith in Christ, they are not his. Like those in Israel whose names were blotted out of the book of the census, those in the church in Sardis who fail to repent will discover that their names were never written in the Book of Life.

Living in honesty through the gospel. Our jealous God does not tolerate the dishonesty of those who name the name of Christ and engage in spiritual adultery and idolatry. A church becomes dishonest and dead like Sardis when the gospel is not upheld because of the scandal of the cross. So, they think they are good when they are not, that they are alive when they are quite dead. Jesus founded his church on the preaching of the gospel. In Jesus’ church the redeemed come to hear the gospel. They are comforted that their names are written in the Book of Life never to be erased, and that in Christ we overcome and wear white garments of his perfect righteousness. Without the gospel being prominently proclaimed in church, we become a dishonest, dead and deadly church. But when the gospel is heard, we are a light to a fallen world which lives in darkness. “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches (Rev 3:6).” Amen!

As though erased from the book of life. Because of our sin we live dishonestly even as Christians and even in the church. We do not want to show our true colors of sin within us. We pretend to be better than we actually are. The church at Sardis is bad because of her dishonesty of keeping their reputation of being alive when she was dead (Rev 3:1). What can we do? We must know that there is One who lives in pristine purity and honesty, yet he died in dishonor and shame, so that through his death and destruction we might live victoriously, dressed in white. There is One who has lived rightly, yet on the cross and in the grave, it was as though he was erased from the book of life. But through his separation from the Father which brought forth a cry of dereliction (Ps 22:1; Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34), we who should be eternally erased from the book of life, may be included only by the grace of God. When we know this and are touched by his love and mercy through the gospel, God empowers us by his spirit to live in honesty and repentance and walk with him with our heads held high all our days.

Questions:

  1. What are “the seven spirits of God” (Rev 3:1; 1:7; Isa 11:2-5; Zech 4:2, 10)? “The seven stars” (Rev 1:20)?
  2. Why is there no commendation for the church at Sardis (Rev 3:2)? What caused her to be dead (Rev 3:4)? Are they honest about themselves? Have you ever been spiritually dead?
  3. What does it mean to “wake up” and “strengthen” (Rev 3:2; 16:15; Mt 24:42-43; 25:13; Mk 13:34-35, 37; Lk 12:37; Col 4:2; 1 Th 5:6, 10; 1 Pet 5:8)? How can you wake up if you are on the verge of death (Ps 139:23-24)? What are “the things” that remain? How important are “completed” works (John 17:4; 19:30; Rev 21:6)?
  4. What are they to “remember”? “Repent” (Rev 3:3a)? What is the “it” they are to “keep?” What are the consequences (Rev 3:3b)? What does it mean to have “unsoiled” garments (Rev 3:4; 19:8; 22:14; Jas 1:27; Jude 23)? Are we ever “worthy” of salvation (Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:4-7)?
  5. What is the “book of Life” (Rev 3:5)? How do you know that your name is in the book of Life and will never be erased? (See also 1 Cor 9:27; 2 Tim 2:12; Rev 2:17, 26; 3:12, 21)?
  6. What does “confess” mean (Mt 7:23; 10:32-33; Jn 9:22; 12:42; Rom 10:9; 1 Tim 6:12; Tit 1:16; Heb 13:15; 1 John 2:23; 4:2-3, 15; 2 John 7)?

References:

  1. Johnson, Dennis E. Triumph of the Lamb: A Commentary on Revelation. Pillipsburg: P&R Publishing Company. 2001.
  2. Morris, Leon. Revelation (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries). Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press. 1987.
  3. Sermons on the Book of Revelation. Kim Riddlebarger, Sr. Pastor, Christ Reformed Church. Anaheim.
  4. The Letter to the Church at Sardis (Rev 3:1-6). Sam Storms.
  5. Why Churches Die (Rev 3:1). David Padfield.
  6. Sardis, the Church of the Living Dead (Rev 3:1-6). Michael P. Andreas.
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