Aug 21

Aug 21 Are you Spiritual Sardis of Today?

Sardis is the fifth community of people (aka. church) that our Messiah addresses through John in the Book of Revelation.

THE MESSAGE

Messiah knows:

your works

“You have a name for being alive”,

“But you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is on the point of death, for I have not found your works perfect in the sight of The Most High.” - Revelation 3:1-2 (KJV)

Names are weighty — carrying messages and meaning. In the message to Sardis, the Messiah’s declaration implies that despite Sardis’ reputation for being alive, active and thriving… the church is actually dead in it’s works.

“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword—piercing right through to a separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” - Romans 4:12

The mere outward appearance and declaration of being followers of Christ is inadequate in meeting the standards of the Most High. Piercing right through to our joints and marrow, soul and spirit, the thoughts and intentions of our hearts will most certainly be weighed and judged.

Many authentic followers of Christ will feel convicted by this warming while journeying to salvation.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and incurable—who can know it?” - Jeremiah 17:9 (TLV)

The human heart is sinful. Christians who claim that their thoughts and intentions are always pure are either practicing deceit or are themselves deceived.

Messiah’s message to Sardis is comparable to a family doctor sharing a very high cholesterol reading at a routine check-up. Those with a sincere will to live will pause to practice honest introspection and make the necessary changes to clean up their internal and external world. Eating cleaner… exercising… abandoning addictive habits… quitting stressful jobs… whatever it takes.

Similarly, those of us who find ourselves convicted by our Saviour’s warning (at one point or another or even many times in our walk with Christ), will pause to repent and detox our internal and external world to make space for the Holy Spirit to correct, protect and guide us forward.

Prescription:

“So remember what you have received and heard—keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you.” - Revelation 3:3 (TLV)

The consequence of ignoring this warning is no different from continuing to scarf down cheeseburgers while chain smoking and binge drinking on the way home from the doctor’s office. Our salvation will no doubt be compromised — “like a thief in the night”… when we least expect it.

Not all saints will feel convicted by this warning in their walk with Christ if they stay filled with the Holy Spirit, staying active in their repentance, prayer and service.

“But still, you have a few people in Sardis who have not stained their clothes. They will walk with Me in white, because they are worthy.” - Revelation 3:4 (TLV)

Promise:

The one who overcomes thus will be dressed in white clothes; I will never blot his name out of the Book of Life, and will confess his name before My Father and His angels.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Ruach is saying to Messiah’s communities.” - Revelation 3:5-6 (TLV)

HIS WORD IN WHOLE (TLV)…

Sardis: Coming Like A Thief

“To the angel of Messiah’s community in Sardis write: “Thus says the One having the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: I know your deeds—you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead.
Wake up, and strengthen what remains that was about to die. For I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of My God.
So remember what you have received and heard—keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you.
But still, you have a few people in Sardis who have not stained their clothes. They will walk with Me in white, because they are worthy.
The one who overcomes thus will be dressed in white clothes; I will never blot his name out of the Book of Life, and will confess his name before My Father and His angels.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Ruach is saying to Messiah’s communities.” - Revelation 3:1-6 (TLV)