Sardis

Sardis

“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. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.  
Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.  
Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But 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. 
Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. 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.  
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
                                                                                     Revelations 3:1-6
Here unlike the churches mentioned before it in Revelations the Lord does not acknowledge good deeds first he says,
“I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.
The church had a reputation for being alive but was really dead. The Lords call to Sardis is to wake up. Strengthen what remains. Their work was not complete.
There are individual churches and denominations today who have reputations for being alive in Christ but on close examination you can see that they are falling short of what he wants. They are dead inside.
Their work for God is not complete.
I look at the declining church attendance in many of the so called mainline churches and some evangelical churches. They wonder why the are losing members. The answer is quite simple usually. They are not dedicated to the word of God. They have watered down their teachings or they are placing too much emphasis on the wrong things.
They are not feeding the flock.
People today are looking for meaning in life and the Christ offers that meaning. Sadly all too many churches are not presenting the ways of Christ in the right way.
Some are falling into the trap of do’s and don’ts. Some are mixing the word of God with other teachings.
Others are simply turning from Christ altogether in order to try and attract people. This is all wrong.
There are however as Christ points out those within every denomination and church congregation that still love and serve the Lord. Jesus saying,
“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.”
We need to be very aware of what is happening in our walk with the Lord. A church congregation can seem alive yet be dead.
We need to examine what is being said and done correct the wrong and draw closer to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Think about it.