LEARNING DAILY

 

Revelation 3:1b-2, “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.  Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.”  Jesus

 

The Lord Jesus makes it clear He is the One speaking these words and not John speaking them.  This is important because Jesus is telling this church that it is filled with unsaved people, Christians in name only and a remnant of true Believers.  The church, according to the Lord, is going through the motions of “religion”; it was spiritually dead.

 

 Historically, this was the church during the Reformation, the time of Martin Luther.  Scripture indicates it was an active church because the Lord knew their works and their works were known in Sardis with a good reputation.  There is a difference between your good name and good reputation coming from the world or from God.  It seems clear that the good reputation did not come from God.  I wonder if Jesus had in mind His words to the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23:27 when he had John write to the church of Sardis, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you are like white washed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead man’s bones and all uncleanness.”  I wonder how often people try so hard to convince people they are “spiritual” that they do not notice they are actually dead.  Those were the people of Sardis.

 

A church that goes through the motions to appear spiritual, does it for nothing.  The Lord is telling this church (and us) that He is watching; He knew what they are doing and why they were doing it. He was not pleased.  He was not pleased because their works were man made not God led.  I wonder if there was preaching about holiness.  I wonder if the preaching was focused on God’s righteousness and seeking His kingdom before everything else.  I wonder if it led to people going to the altar of repentance.  Or was it a watered-down gospel about a wide- road to heaven instead of a narrow road that leads to heaven? 

 

The letter to the church at Sardis was a wake-up call to the church to no longer do work in their own strength; instead, the church was to be led by the Holy Spirit.  The Lord Jesus not only is telling this church to wake up but to stay awake.  That means to do the work for the glory of God not to increase church attendance, not to make a name for the church, not for personal gain.  “Strengthen the things that remain” because “they are ready to die”.  If the church does not change its ways it will die.  It needs to repent; it will take time on their knees in prayer to help this church.

 

Can a church be dead even though its appearance is active in “doing things”?  The answer is yes - read the words of the Lord Jesus regarding the church at Sardis.  What about an individual?  Can one be active in all the church programs and stuff it offers and be spiritually dead?  Again, the answer appears to be yes.  So, how do we know?  The Bible tells us to examine ourselves.  What is your purpose for doing what you do – to glorify yourself in the eyes of men or to glorify your Father in heaven?  I believe it is important to know that God looks at us individually as He does the church at Sardis.  He examines our hearts to see what our motives are, why we do the things we do.  Jesus told this church “Your deeds are far from right in the sight of God” (new Living Translation).  I wonder How many churches He would say that to today!  I certainly do not want to hear Him say that to the church I attend or to me!  I find that to be a hard statement, something I must consider every day.  We need to encourage one another to be like Jesus Christ in thoughts, words, and deeds, making sure all we do is for the glory of God.  When you and I continue to place the Word of God in our heart, hungering and thirsting for His righteousness and seeking His kingdom before everything else, I believe He will bless all we do.

 

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