Rev 3:1-6, 14-22.
Rev 3:1-6, 14-22.
American Journal of Biblical Theology
Let us be reminded of the three principles we must keep in mind when reading the Revelation of John:.
- The Revelation was written to people in churches who were going through a time of great stress.
- The Revelation was intended to encourage Christians as they were experiencing these tough times.
- The Revelation utilizes an apocalyptic form of literature that symbolically describes the attributes of a person, place, or thing, rather than by its physical appearance or name.
It is one thing to be deceived by another. Self-deception is quite another. God has called every Christian and every church body to a ministry and mission that includes obedience and service. With Jesus as Lord, each Christian can find joy and fulfillment in a Spirit-led life that is filled with opportunities to minister to others, to pray and through it fellowship with God, and in doing these things we will be a positive and useful instrument in God’s kingdom. We know these things to be true, and as a church we often develop programs to assist one another in these areas. Sometimes the programs take over for the Spirit, the cares of the world eclipse the cares for the Kingdom, and the desires of the flesh eclipse the desires of the Spirit. At such times we might look very busy, doing God’s work, when in reality, we are playing a game that is far more useful to the evil one than it is to the Lord. By keeping ourselves busy in fruitless activity, we play right into the hands of Satan. We fail to be useful to God’s Kingdom, we fail to grow spiritually, and God’s true purpose for our lives goes unfulfilled. We are self-deceived into thinking that we are alive when, in fact, our actions describe us as dead or dying.
This is the state of the churches in Sardis and Laodicea. As you look around the community you will not find churches naming themselves after these two churches. These churches were, as so many churches today are, completely self-deceived. They had built programs and systems of theologies that made them feel good, but were far out of God’s will and purpose. Sardis was busy doing nothing. Laodicea was so filled with secular theology that serving God in Spirit and Truth was not their interest.
In both of these cases, we see churches that are experiencing a spiritual crisis that is extremely common today. Jesus, upon exposing their error, then provides advise that is intended to provide an opportunity for them to be restored. They are called to return to the faithfulness they once knew in a way that is very applicable to the church today.
And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars;
Sardis was "one of the oldest and most important cities of Asia Minor, and until 549 BC, the capital of the kingdom of Lydia. It stood on the northern slope of Mt. Tmolus; its acropolis occupied one of the spurs of the mountain. At the base flowed the river Pactolus which served as a moat, rendering the city practically impregnable.
The ancient city was noted for its fruits and wool, and for its temple of the goddess Cybele, whose worship resembled that of Diana of Ephesus. Its wealth was also partly due to the gold which was found in the sand of the river Pactolus, and it was here that gold and silver coins were first struck. During the Roman period its coins formed a beautiful series, and are found in abundance by the peasants who till the surrounding fields. The ruins of the buildings which stood at the base of the hill have now been nearly buried by the dirt washed down from above. The hill upon which the acropolis stood measures 950 ft. high: the triple walls still surround it. The more imposing of the ruins are on the lower slope of the hill, and among them the temple of Cybele is the most interesting, yet only two of its many stone columns are still standing." E.J. Banks
To whom is this message written? To the pastor/bishop/elder of the church in Sardis. Jesus is introduced, not by name, but by one of the seven attributes stated of Him in Rev. 1:4; a symbolic way of referring to the Holy Spirit in His fullness and perfection.
I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
How would you describe the church in Sardis? By Jesus’ knowledge of their deeds, they were, at least, doing something. By their reputation, it appears they were quite busy. This is a church with a calendar of events that is jam-packed with activity. Is a church’s crowded calendar of activities a measure of its spiritual vitality? Is an overflowing parking lot an indicator of the moving of the Spirit within the walls of its facility? Is a church that mobilizes its entire membership to go door-to-door in an evangelistic effort necessarily one that espouses the Truth and is in fellowship with God? Is a church that is growing by 10%, 20%, or more per year necessarily one that is alive in the Spirit?
All of these measures are typical for some of our modern cults. They appear alive. Of the Christian cults, one of the most active are the Latter Day Saints (Mormons) who, by measure of activity makes most Christian churches look asleep.
Like such a cult, a Christian church can, like the church in Sardis, be dying spiritually. One mainline Church has forbidden the reading of or teaching of scripture, and has forbidden any kind of prayer in church. This church is part of a denomination that was a leader in evangelism well into the 20th century. Liberal and secular theologies have eclipsed Biblical theology as the basis that defines many of our modern churches. The concept of sin is passe, and with it the need for salvation. These churches have become social clubs with a Christian theme, almost completely devoid of any real spiritual life. Welcome to Sardis.
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
What has lulled this church to sleep? Their interest in the truth has waned, and in its place has been an interest in the desires of the people of the church. They truly think that what they are doing is holy, but in reality they are spiritually unconscious. What is God’s desire for these spiritually unconscious people? It is God’s purpose and desire that they wake up! Note that they are not completely dead. Like Wesley in The Princess Bride, they are just "mostly dead."
How can a church completely die, if it has members who are spiritually alive? These members can (1) die, (2) leave the church, or (3) fail to pass their faith on to their children. We see this happening all around us today. Over half of Southern Baptist churches in America, one of the most evangelistic of the denominations, did not baptize a single convert in 1999. This is an indication of a spiritually dead church.
The church may be full of activity, or deeds, but God describes them as incomplete. What is incomplete? To be complete, a church has to be multidimensional. These churches are typically one-dimensional. They are strong in one area, usually that of fellowship. We can identify five areas that a church must be alive to be complete:
Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent.
God calls upon us to remember what brought us to Him in the first place. It was the power of the Holy Spirit, alive in our hearts, that drew us to Him. Initially we sought truth and love, finding both in Christ. We must return to that same point, follow God in obedience as we did at first, and by doing so, turn from our worldly and selfish ways and reestablish Jesus as Lord.
If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
This statement would be particularly applicable to the people of Sardis at this time. The mountains around the city were well known as a haunt for robbers. Found in the tomb of the Bishop of Sardis was an inscription "Yonder among the mountains overhanging Sardis there is a robber gang led by the notorious Chakirjali. He rules in the mountains; no government force can take him. Again and again he swoops down like an eagle out of the sky, in one quarter of the region or another." Missionary Herald (Boston, Massachusetts, August, 1911, pp. 361-62)
Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
There are no less than 66 scriptural references to the remnant. (c.f. Rom. 9:27, 11:15) The remnant are those who, despite the compromise of the church around them, maintain their pure and true faith in God. It is that remnant that preserves the faith through the ages. What is it that has soiled the clothes of the others? Sin. Replacing that which is Godly with that which is worldly, they have created a generation of lost souls within the church.
What is the reward for the remnant, those who have maintained the faith? They will walk with God, they will fellowship with Him for eternity. What does "dressed in white" mean? (remember the application of symbolism in the Revelation.) White symbolizes purity, so they will be dressed, or clothed, in purity. It does not necessarily mean that the faithful will be issued standard white uniforms. (That’s what they did to me in 1971 when I was issued olive-drab fatigues by the military service.) Only that which is pure and holy can be in God’s presence, so by virtue of the holiness of Christ, and our faith in Him alone, will we be pure, holy, and worthy to be in the presence of the Holiest God.
He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. 6He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Though the previous words were directed at the Sardis church, it is clear in each of these letters that the application is to be made throughout the entire church. Those who have accepted Jesus as Lord will be seen by God as pure and holy. Furthermore, due to the eternal nature of God and His Kingdom, how long will our pure, holy, and present state remain? Forever.
"He who has an ear…" That which is spiritual is foolishess to the lost (1. Cor 3:19). Those who are spiritual can understand and respond to that which is spiritual, and this verse encourages us to listen and respond.
What lesson do we gain from the letter to Sardis? As Christians, we must be vigilant to maintain our focus on Jesus as Lord, and to obey the Holy Spirit in truth. We can become so busy doing things that we think are Godly, that we lose sight of what God’s will truly is for us. Blackaby in Experiencing God, calls upon Christians to first determine what God is doing, and then join Him in it, rather than doing what we think is Godly and then asking God to join us in it.
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
Laodicea was a "place of little consequence until the Roman province of Asia was formed in 190 BC. It then suddenly became a great and wealthy center of industry, famous specially for the fine black wool of its sheep and for the Phrygian powder for the eyes, which was manufactured there (compare Rev 3:18). In the vicinity was the temple of Men Karou and a renowned school of medicine. In the year 60 AD, the city was almost entirely destroyed by an earthquake, but so wealthy were its citizens that they rejected the proffered aid of Rome, and quickly rebuilt it at their own expense (compare Rev 3:17). It was a city of great wealth, with extensive banking operations (compare Rev 3:18)." E.J. Banks
Again, Jesus is introduced by one of the seven attributes described of him in John’s vision. He is described as faithful and true, as the one supreme ruler. It is as if Jesus is saying, "I am the one truth, and I am in charge, not you. Listen to what I am about to tell you."
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
There has probably been more preaching on the letter to Laodicea than any other of the seven churches. Perhaps this is true because pastors often perceive their church suffering from a spiritual malaise than from any other such malady. It is profitable to compare this spiritual state to the Mugwumps of the revolutionary war: those who would not side with either the British or the Colonials so that they might maintain interests in both. They were so called because they were fence-sitters: sitting with their mug on one side and their wump on the other. They were hated by both sides of the conflict for their unwillingness to take a stand. Apparently, the noun, wump, is no longer a part of our vocabulary, but certainly deserves its place.
What does it mean to be a spiritual Mugwump? Can a Christian have interests to protect in both the Spiritual and worldly realm? Is Jesus Lord of all or is Jesus Lord of those things we surrender to Him? The answer to this question is a profound expositor of our spiritual state. What are some of the things of the world that we might fail to give completely to God? (All that we are called upon to be stewards: time, resources, gifts, talents, property, allegiance, love…)
Lukewarmth, a state of spiritual fence-sitting, surrendering neither to God or to the world, is a self-perpetuating state that is particularly difficult to remedy. To a lukewarm Christian, who has one foot planted in the world and the other secure in heaven, even a plea for repentance falls upon disinterested ears, because the things of the world are so high a priority in that person’s life. When their lukewarm state is revealed, they say, "You’re not talking about me." They can point to areas of their life that seem spiritual enough to them. When the world challenges their faith, they can say, "You’re not talking about me," as they point to the worldly component of their lives. To the world they look worldly. The the elect, they look godly.
The true tragedy is that, like the people of Sardis, these folks are self-deceived. They may be completely blind to the concept that there is any problem at all. Many, many times I have challenged the faith of worldly Christians only to be faced with indignance. At least indignance implies that there is a little remorse and an opportunity for repentance.
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
As stated in the introduction of this study, the church in Laodicea was particularly well known for their financial strength. Jesus attacks this particular area of self-sufficiency as one of the strongholds keeping them from true faith. They think that, because of their financial security they do not need God. Since their lives are comfortable, they do not see the need for spiritual growth, nor for obeying God’s call as ministers of the Gospel. Jesus said it is easier for a camel to walk through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to come to repentance (Matt. 19:24.) Why?
As Christians, we are motivated by all around us to seek all that the world has to offer. What are some of those things? (A nice house, a couple of nice cars, enough money to buy small luxuries, etc.) If we start to acquire some of those things, we begin to become comfortable, thinking that life is wonderful apart from God. God describes those who think that they are in such a wonderful state as "wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked." They think they have everything the world has to offer. They are right. But what do they have that God has to offer? What does God offer to us? True joy, fulfillment, peace, knowledge of eternal security, etc.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
How does God rebuke? He does so (1) through his word. We read the truth, and the Spirit within us inspires its understanding, training and teaching in righteousness. God’s word challenges us to obedience when we will submit ourselves to it. (2) Other Christians. Those who know and love us can often observe attitudes and actions that are clearly not God’s intention for us. We need to listen to one another when those attitudes and actions are challenged by another Christian. Likewise, when inspired by love, we need to admonish one another. Our accountability is ultimately to God, but it can be a great help when we are accountable to one another. (3) The Holy Spirit of God who abides in the heart of every Christian is always revealing truth. The Spirit convicts us of our attitudes and actions. It takes a willful act to overpower the Spirit in your life. However, personal pride, arrogance, self-sufficiency, bad theology, and a myriad of other thorns and thistles in our spirit can quiet the still, small voice of the Lord.
How does God discipline? We discipline our children by giving them what they do not want, and keeping from them that which they do. God can act in our lives in the same way. There is no shortage of stories from the elect who willfully disobeyed what they knew to be God’s will for their lives, only to find themselves calling out to God for deliverance. Sometimes giving a child what he/she wants is the best form of discipline. Some of us learn best only from our own mistakes, sometimes made in clear defiance of direction from one who is in a position to advise us.
What is the greatest motivator within us that brings about attitudes and actions that require rebuke and discipline? Most likely it is pride. There are no less than 111 references in scripture where God’s hatred for pride is described or demonstrated. Pride is an ugly monster that keeps us from listening to God.
What is the solution to this conflict with God that is offered in this verse? It is two-fold. The first word used is to be "earnest." This brings us back to the malady of the Mugwump. Our desire for obedience to God must be earnest. It must be real, true, and complete. What will happen if we try to change our attitude and actions, but we lack an earnest spirit? We will lack the commitment to make it work. Without commitment we will again stifle the Holy Spirit with our pride, failing in our attempt for repentance.
Repentance means turning from the wrong path we are taking and turn back to where God wants us. We are called upon by God to get off the fence, to plant both feet firmly on the solid rock that is Jesus Christ, and let Him care for us, dealing with the consequences that the world will throw at us.
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
There is a famous painting that illustrates an image of Jesus standing at the door. It is of interest that there is no handle on the door. It is not God’s will that our lives be invaded and overtaken by Him. It is His will that we come to him of our own desire after hearing the truth of the Gospel. Jesus stands ready to deliver us from an eternity separated from the love of God. He also stands by our side as our paraclete to support, guide, protect and defend us against the evil one. It is for us to open the door. It is for us to decide whether we are cold, with both feet planted in the world, at enmity with God, or if we are hot, with both feet planted firmly in the Kingdom, demonstrating a faith that trusts completely in Him with no real regard for the investment we have in this sinful flesh. Or, it is for us to possibly remain luke-warm. God has stated, in an anthropomorphic metaphor, that He would rather rid himself of us by vomiting, than have us be luke-warm. This is an extremely graphic and clear statement of a situation that, most likely, all of us would prefer to avoid.
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
As we have seen with all of the letters to the churches, encouragement is given to all who would overcome the maladies that are being experienced by these seven churches. We are promised that we will sit with Jesus on His throne. We will share with Jesus the joy and security of His position. We will be along side Him as He stands along side us.
Let us never forget the challenges faced by these seven churches described in chapters two and three of John’s Revelation. We see them inundated, or immersed, in the sin of a wicked world, just as we are. We see them self-sufficient and prideful, relying upon themselves for their security. We see them under attack by the world around them. There are so many things that they are dealing with that we, even 2000 years later, also must contend. We can be encouraged that we are not alone in our dealing with these issues. We know that God is aware of our sinful attitudes and actions, and that He stands ready to reward our earnest repentance. Let us look closely into our lives and see if we identify with the churches that Jesus rebuked, or with the churches that Jesus commended.
It seems we have a lot of growing to do.
