Pastor Nate Prazuch, lead pastor at Christ the Word Church in Elko New Market, Minnesota, exposits the Scriptures of the Bible verse by verse. Expository teaching and preaching sermons and classes are available here at the Exposit podcast.
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The Scholar Series is a battery of multi-week Bible classes focused on a deeper dive into Scripture using an expository approach.
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[00:00:19] We are on week 5 of the Seven of the... of looking at the churches in Revelation.
[00:00:28] We've gone through four already and today we're looking at the church in Sardis, and I always ask every week
[00:00:33] We want to look at how our church might fall along the path here, are we like Ephesus?
[00:00:38] Are we like Purgumum, Thyrotirah, Smerna, and today's Sardis?
[00:00:42] Or are we individually like one of these churches?
[00:00:46] Where does our heart fall among these churches?
[00:00:48] Jesus has a specific message to each of them, and I believe that there are effective messages for any church at any time
[00:00:57] and any part of the world including our own hearts.
[00:01:01] And so we'll be in Revelation 3 today if you open your Bibles there, we're going to be beginning in verse 1.
[00:01:06] But if you think back, Ephesus had a lot going for it and they had good doctrine.
[00:01:13] Remember that?
[00:01:14] But they... what? They lost their first love.
[00:01:18] Smerna was harshly persecuted and Smerna was not condemned at any way.
[00:01:23] And Jesus said, keep the faith. Keep the faith until death because some of you will die from persecution.
[00:01:31] And we all know, unless he returns before we do, we'll all face death, we'll all die.
[00:01:37] He says, keep the faith.
[00:01:39] Purgumum was it managed for compromise, compromising with the world.
[00:01:44] Thyrotirah was condemned for tolerating sin, not just in the world but in their own churches, in their own church.
[00:01:54] And so where do we fall as a church? Where do we fall as a person?
[00:01:59] We'll look today at Sardis and we'll begin reading here in verse 1 of Revelation chapter 3.
[00:02:07] Jesus speaking here, John writing the words down, Jesus says, and to the angel of the church and Sardis writes,
[00:02:14] The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars, I know your works.
[00:02:21] You have the reputation of being alive but you are dead.
[00:02:29] Wake up.
[00:02:31] And strengthen what remains in his about to die.
[00:02:35] If I've not found your works complete in the sight of my God, remember then what you received and heard, keep it in repent.
[00:02:44] If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief.
[00:02:48] And you will not know at what hour I will come against you.
[00:02:52] Yet you still have a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments and they will walk with me in white.
[00:02:58] For they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blood his name out of the book of life.
[00:03:07] I will confess his name before my father and before his angels.
[00:03:12] He who has a near let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
[00:03:16] This is the Word of God.
[00:03:19] Let's pray.
[00:03:21] Dear Heavenly Father, you have given us this letter in Revelation, a letter within a letter really.
[00:03:30] And there are words of your Son, guided by your Spirit.
[00:03:36] And from your heart, so, Lord, please let us understand what they mean for us today.
[00:03:42] Because they meant something to these real people in this real church thousands of years ago,
[00:03:47] but I know that they would mean something to us today.
[00:03:51] Let us take what you intended us to take from it.
[00:03:54] And I pray that you would always guide me in these people's hearts as the Jesus name we pray.
[00:04:04] It was a summer of 1949.
[00:04:07] A search party had found the body of Harold Mason jar, a hiker and troubled former soldier lying motionless beneath the beating sun of the Mojave Desert.
[00:04:19] He had been missing for just over a week.
[00:04:22] They found him half buried and drifting sand, his face turned toward the horizon as if he died gazing towards something,
[00:04:30] but without the strength to continue.
[00:04:33] His clothes were torn, his lips cracked and dry.
[00:04:38] Clutched to his chest was a small leather-bound diary in a bone dry canteen.
[00:04:44] And his front breast pocket, they found the final words he had written,
[00:04:48] scrolled in shaky handwriting on the last page.
[00:04:53] The diary can enter he conveyed a hope which had unraveled into a realized despair.
[00:04:59] It was the written record of this man coming to terms with the fact that what he thought was there wasn't.
[00:05:09] Harold had been looking for water.
[00:05:12] He thought he saw water.
[00:05:16] No, he did see water.
[00:05:18] Just ahead practically within reach, but it was just an illusion.
[00:05:26] He saw a mirage.
[00:05:29] His final inscription reflected his thoughts,
[00:05:32] while he still had strength to scratch out the words.
[00:05:35] His last battle was one of fighting to keep any withering hope alive and facing the truth.
[00:05:42] It was chronicle by his penciled words which read,
[00:05:49] I thought there was water here.
[00:05:54] I can see more ahead, but I'm afraid it'll just be more sand.
[00:06:08] Because he saw water all around him.
[00:06:11] He saw it.
[00:06:13] For some time he didn't need the water because he had brought water.
[00:06:17] He brought his own water for a while, it sustained him,
[00:06:19] but when the time came through he plenishes canteen, replenish his water.
[00:06:25] He went to this other water.
[00:06:26] In a distance only to find that it didn't exist.
[00:06:35] If you're taking notes today it's an early note.
[00:06:37] Your first note here says something about you.
[00:06:40] The Christian.
[00:06:41] The Christian should be able to discern the truth from a lie that Masquerades is truth.
[00:06:52] Looks can be deceiving.
[00:06:57] In fact, this count I just read to you is also a mirage.
[00:07:08] It's not real.
[00:07:10] It's a fictional made up story.
[00:07:14] You may find still that it does carry some emotional weight to it.
[00:07:18] But if you really dug in and did your homework and looked into the story,
[00:07:22] you could find that there's really nothing to it.
[00:07:26] Harold Nason-Giar just like the water he was searching for never existed.
[00:07:35] Looks can be deceiving.
[00:07:38] What you hear can be deceiving.
[00:07:41] You might think well but a mirage can't cause your death, can it?
[00:07:44] An illusion can't cause your death, a delusion can't cause your death.
[00:07:50] Or can it?
[00:07:54] This letter was written to the church in the city of Sardis.
[00:07:59] It was located on a high mountain ledge and it was protected by steep walls of rock.
[00:08:04] It was fortified.
[00:08:05] Hardly ever attacked, very strong fortified city.
[00:08:10] People could always be seen coming if you're either merchants or armies to attack.
[00:08:15] They usually came from the east and they were over the high ledge.
[00:08:17] So they had plenty of time to prepare.
[00:08:19] These people felt safe.
[00:08:22] They had a river coming off of the mountain top where people could pan for gold
[00:08:26] and it was a constant source of gold which meant this city was basically rich too.
[00:08:32] They had everything they needed.
[00:08:34] They had peace, their security, they had wealth, nothing to really worry about.
[00:08:41] We look at this church in that city.
[00:08:44] Let me see what Jesus had to say about it.
[00:08:46] It was a lively church, apparently it was.
[00:08:51] Was it a loving church, apparently?
[00:08:53] Looked that way or was it all just an illusion?
[00:08:59] They'd look good but maybe it really wasn't.
[00:09:03] Was it just as herald would say, just more sand.
[00:09:10] You read in verse one.
[00:09:14] Jesus says, and to the angel, again this means messenger, angolia,
[00:09:18] or angoloi, messenger, angel.
[00:09:20] To the angel, the church in the start is right.
[00:09:23] The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.
[00:09:27] And every letter Jesus introduced to someone a particular way.
[00:09:30] Here he uses this introduction for himself.
[00:09:33] And we know from the first verse of Revelation, one one that this book
[00:09:37] is meant to be interpreted using signs and symbols.
[00:09:42] In fact, in the first chapter, Jesus tells us what they mean.
[00:09:46] It tells us what the stars are.
[00:09:50] And in any case, the Greek, Dijk Núo means to show, to signify,
[00:09:56] to exhibit.
[00:09:57] I'm showing you something.
[00:09:58] I'm not just telling you something.
[00:10:01] In Revelation 120, Jesus tells us that these seven stars represent the seven angels of the seven churches.
[00:10:07] And again, the angels are the messengers.
[00:10:11] Referring to those people who are leaders in that church,
[00:10:13] maybe the leaders that had come to visit John on the island of Patmos when he was
[00:10:17] exiled there when he wrote this letter.
[00:10:19] Under Great Christian persecution.
[00:10:23] And then we get to the part where it says,
[00:10:25] the seven spirits of God.
[00:10:28] And we think what's the seven spirits of God?
[00:10:30] What does that mean?
[00:10:31] I've heard of the Holy Spirit.
[00:10:33] But what is this seven spirits about?
[00:10:36] And I think the NLT, the new living translation,
[00:10:38] gives us a better understanding of how to read this passage.
[00:10:43] This phrase.
[00:10:44] A renders instead of seven spirits of God.
[00:10:47] It renders the sevens fold spirit of God.
[00:10:51] The seven fold spirit of God.
[00:10:53] And I'll get to why I think that in a minute.
[00:10:56] But we know the number seven has some kind of significance in the Scripture.
[00:10:58] Don't we?
[00:10:59] We hear that a lot.
[00:11:00] We see it a lot.
[00:11:01] There's many, many sevens in Scriptures and the Scriptures.
[00:11:05] And seven traditionally symbolizes perfection, completion,
[00:11:10] wholeness.
[00:11:13] If we go back to Isaiah, the prophet who saw the vision of God on his throne and
[00:11:17] Isaiah six and he realized how sinful of a man he was just because he had
[00:11:21] unclean lips before the Holy God sitting on his throne.
[00:11:26] And Isaiah six, he also had something to say about the Holy Spirit and Isaiah 11.
[00:11:30] It's a beautifully trinitarian passage.
[00:11:34] And in verse one and two of Isaiah 11,
[00:11:36] Isaiah also gives us an idea of the Holy Spirit.
[00:11:39] He says this.
[00:11:41] He says out of the stump of David's family,
[00:11:43] he will grow a shoot.
[00:11:44] Yes, a new branch, bearing fruit from the old root that's Jesus,
[00:11:48] the branch, the root of Jesse.
[00:11:52] Jesse is David's father and he goes on and he says,
[00:11:56] In the spirit of the Lord will rest on him.
[00:11:59] The spirit of wisdom and understanding,
[00:12:02] the spirit of counsel and might,
[00:12:04] the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
[00:12:09] Isaiah mentions the sevenfold spirit here in Isaiah 11.
[00:12:13] It's the spirit of God, of the Lord.
[00:12:16] The spirit of wisdom,
[00:12:18] the spirit of understanding,
[00:12:19] of counsel, of might, of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
[00:12:24] It's the sevenfold spirit.
[00:12:25] And it's also the complete spirit, the whole spirit.
[00:12:27] Jesus says in this first line in the letter to
[00:12:30] Sartis, I'm the one who's bringing the whole spirit with me.
[00:12:36] The son of God speaking,
[00:12:39] the Holy Spirit, he's bringing with him
[00:12:41] and they all have been sent by the Father.
[00:12:44] He says, God's coming to you in fullness,
[00:12:49] listen up.
[00:12:50] He says, wake up.
[00:12:53] Your next note here says,
[00:12:55] We serve at King with all authority in heaven and on earth
[00:12:59] and he is concerned with each one of his churches,
[00:13:02] even this one.
[00:13:05] The complete and whole and perfect God of the universe with all authority
[00:13:08] is concerned with this church in Sartis
[00:13:11] and here today.
[00:13:16] What will he say to this church?
[00:13:18] Imagine receiving a letter from our Lord.
[00:13:22] Would we be excited or would we be worried?
[00:13:26] Because they got one, this church got a letter from Jesus.
[00:13:30] Would we be anticipating his words?
[00:13:31] All right, this is great.
[00:13:32] We've been doing such a great job.
[00:13:34] We were so loving.
[00:13:34] We understand the gospel.
[00:13:36] We're really concerned with doctrine and we help others
[00:13:38] and we're doing everything correctly.
[00:13:40] Or is it the other way around?
[00:13:42] Uh-oh.
[00:13:45] Second part of verse one says,
[00:13:47] I know your works.
[00:13:48] Jesus says, I know what you've been up to.
[00:13:52] Again, I like how his words could be taken this way or that way.
[00:13:55] Well, it depends on if I've been doing well or not.
[00:13:57] Or if I don't love the things of God,
[00:14:00] you know my works.
[00:14:03] I know your works he says.
[00:14:05] You have the reputation of being alive.
[00:14:08] Great.
[00:14:10] But you're dead.
[00:14:13] Not so great.
[00:14:15] Coming from the lips of our Savior,
[00:14:19] say you have a reputation for being alive.
[00:14:22] Well, that's a good thing.
[00:14:23] We all want a good reputation.
[00:14:25] But he says, but I know you.
[00:14:31] That's enough to stop you dead in your tracks.
[00:14:36] Hopefully.
[00:14:38] In a way, he's kind of saying,
[00:14:39] Your church is just an illusion and I know it.
[00:14:44] Your church is just a mirage.
[00:14:45] Your church is just more sand.
[00:14:51] Jesus is telling them that they have a false sense of security.
[00:14:53] Maybe someone that we're comfortable.
[00:14:54] We've got enough money.
[00:14:56] There's no war.
[00:14:57] We're set up here in a cliff.
[00:14:58] There's gold coming off the mountain.
[00:14:59] There's no worries.
[00:15:00] Everything's fine, right?
[00:15:05] But he's telling them, you know,
[00:15:07] you're the church of the walking dead.
[00:15:10] You look alive.
[00:15:12] But you're dead.
[00:15:13] You're dead inside.
[00:15:15] Imagine hearing that from Jesus.
[00:15:17] Because you think, apparently this church thought they were doing well.
[00:15:20] Fine.
[00:15:20] Good.
[00:15:20] Everything's fine.
[00:15:21] We don't really have any troubles.
[00:15:22] We really don't have any persecution.
[00:15:26] And Jesus might say to them,
[00:15:27] what's sort of persecute.
[00:15:29] Your church is dead.
[00:15:35] Jesus spoke of another group of people in the same way.
[00:15:37] You think, back to Matthew 21 through 24 really.
[00:15:41] He's dealing with the Pharisees and he's in Israel and in Jerusalem.
[00:15:45] Matthew 21, the story is familiar to us.
[00:15:48] He says in the morning, Matthew writes,
[00:15:49] as he was returning to the city, Jesus,
[00:15:52] he became hungry and seeing a fig tree
[00:15:54] by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it,
[00:15:57] but only leaves.
[00:15:59] And he said to it,
[00:16:00] may you know fruit ever come from you again in the fig tree
[00:16:04] withered at once.
[00:16:09] He saw a fig tree in the distance.
[00:16:12] It looked good.
[00:16:14] It looked fruitful, but there's no fruit on it.
[00:16:18] There's two pictures here of fig trees.
[00:16:20] One of them has fruit.
[00:16:22] One of them doesn't.
[00:16:23] Can you tell me which one has fruit?
[00:16:25] Because I can't tell the difference.
[00:16:29] I see words here.
[00:16:33] There you go.
[00:16:35] You tell me which one has fruit and which one doesn't.
[00:16:39] They look the same, basically to me.
[00:16:41] Why is I missing something?
[00:16:43] So from the distance, they both look good.
[00:16:45] They both look alive.
[00:16:45] They both look fruitful.
[00:16:49] Jesus walked up to one of them and he realized,
[00:16:51] no fruit on this tree.
[00:16:54] So he cursed it in a fig tree withered.
[00:17:00] Your next note here says,
[00:17:01] anyone can appear to be a fruitful believer
[00:17:06] until they're closely inspected.
[00:17:10] Jesus, you know, he's all knowing and I'm not sure.
[00:17:15] He walks up for our sake.
[00:17:18] And he says, this tree has no fruit.
[00:17:20] Come on guys, let's go to get some fruit.
[00:17:22] Well there's no fruit here.
[00:17:25] Once he closely inspected it,
[00:17:27] it was plain for all the sea.
[00:17:30] We're here too, Jesus.
[00:17:31] We see no fruit either.
[00:17:32] From afar, from a distance you can look good.
[00:17:35] You can look like a good fruitful person, Christian, church.
[00:17:38] But Jesus knows what's inside.
[00:17:40] If people come to inspect you, your works, your heart.
[00:17:45] What are they going to see?
[00:17:47] We always like to keep up appearances in America.
[00:17:51] For some reason we do that.
[00:17:54] Like I just got a use truck, a new use truck.
[00:17:57] Does that make sense?
[00:17:58] A new use truck?
[00:18:00] It looks good on the outside and on the inside.
[00:18:03] But if you get in there underneath and you can see rust,
[00:18:06] this isn't a new truck.
[00:18:07] This has been around.
[00:18:10] As you closely inspect that you can see that truth.
[00:18:15] We think about the fig tree anyway.
[00:18:16] What is a fig tree symbolized traditionally in Scripture?
[00:18:19] Signifies Israel.
[00:18:20] It symbolizes Israel.
[00:18:21] It's a picture of the nation of Israel, the fig tree.
[00:18:25] One step further lets inspect here a little bit.
[00:18:27] What's the most prominent symbol of first century Israel?
[00:18:29] But can you think of one that's more prominent than the temple system?
[00:18:36] And so it's significant here why this is in Scripture,
[00:18:38] where it's in Scripture.
[00:18:39] Matthew 21.
[00:18:42] Because it's interesting when Jesus does what he does here.
[00:18:46] Because the very next day he goes into the temple.
[00:18:51] And he scolds the Pharisees with the seven woes.
[00:18:55] And I'm going to read to you the fifth and sixth woe.
[00:18:59] For Matthew 23.
[00:19:01] Jesus speaking to the Pharisees said,
[00:19:02] Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites.
[00:19:07] For you clean the outside of the cup in the plate,
[00:19:10] but inside they're full of greed and self-indulgence.
[00:19:12] You see how the outside looks good.
[00:19:15] Insights, wicked.
[00:19:16] It's unclean.
[00:19:19] You blind Pharisee.
[00:19:21] First clean the inside of the cup and the plate
[00:19:23] that the outside also may be clean.
[00:19:26] You got to clean the inside first and then you'll actually be clean.
[00:19:28] Not just look clean.
[00:19:30] See how the fig tree and then the next section here is connected.
[00:19:34] The next woe, 2027 woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites.
[00:19:39] That's what a hypocrite is.
[00:19:40] You know the word for hypocrite and Greek means a one who wears a mask.
[00:19:44] They were actors back then.
[00:19:45] That's why he's in drama, the happy and the sad face they're masked.
[00:19:49] Drama, but the actual term maybe Randy, you could confirm this story.
[00:19:53] From the Greek for the actors, what's hypocrite?
[00:19:57] I don't know.
[00:19:57] It's probably pronounced like hoople, critos or something,
[00:20:00] but you look up it up and it's a mask wearing person.
[00:20:03] I'm not really the character on stage.
[00:20:06] I'm really me, but I'm acting like this other person.
[00:20:09] I'm acting like a fruitful Christian, but it's really not me.
[00:20:14] He says, well do you scribes and Pharisees?
[00:20:15] Hypocrits for you are like white wash tombs which are literally a pure beautiful.
[00:20:20] But within our full of dead people's bones
[00:20:22] and all uncleanness, so you and also outwardly appear righteous to others
[00:20:27] but within your full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
[00:20:32] You look nice on the outside, but you're just more sand.
[00:20:39] You're just more sand for those looking for living water.
[00:20:41] We don't want to be a church like that.
[00:20:43] Look good, come in, there's nothing but desert.
[00:20:49] A few verses later, Jesus went out from the temple.
[00:20:51] After schooling the Pharisees and he left the Pharisees with this message.
[00:20:56] Matthew 23 verse 37.
[00:20:57] He says, oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it.
[00:21:04] How often would I have gathered your children together as a hand-gathered,
[00:21:06] her brood under her wings and you were not willing.
[00:21:10] See, here it is.
[00:21:11] See, your house is left to you.
[00:21:13] Desolate, your house, the temple.
[00:21:20] God removed his presence from the temple, the Holy of Holies.
[00:21:24] The Ark of the Covenant was in the temple.
[00:21:25] He says, now it's going to be desolate.
[00:21:29] And when then 40 years the temple did not exist.
[00:21:34] Rome, sect, Jerusalem.
[00:21:36] Now one stone was left upon another.
[00:21:40] His prophesy by Jesus, your house is left to you to desolate.
[00:21:46] Like when Samson thought he had all this power and the reason he had the power was because the spirit of God was with him.
[00:21:54] And after his hair was cut, which there was no power in the hair,
[00:21:57] it was symbolic of him losing his power.
[00:22:01] The spirit left him.
[00:22:02] Anyone out to fight the last battle and it's so sad, I didn't look up the verse here,
[00:22:07] but it says, look it up in kings.
[00:22:10] He went out and he did not know the spirit of God had left him.
[00:22:16] And the Old Testament, I believe the Holy Spirit has administered a little differently that is in the new,
[00:22:22] but the spirit of God left Samson and he didn't know it.
[00:22:26] God forbid we ever lose the spirit moving in this place and not know it.
[00:22:30] Because we're still concerned about other things.
[00:22:35] We gotta be concerned about the inward things first.
[00:22:39] And the Old Word's stuff will take care of itself.
[00:22:44] The Pharisees, with their false worship and their false system,
[00:22:49] they look spiritually alive.
[00:22:51] Oh, wordly.
[00:22:53] Just like when Jesus said to the church in the start,
[00:22:54] you have a reputation for being alive.
[00:22:58] People talk about how great your church is.
[00:23:00] People know this, but I know you're dead.
[00:23:03] And he's calling him out.
[00:23:06] So Jesus left their house, the temple, desolate,
[00:23:11] like the fig tree that appeared to be fruitful, weathered, he cursed it,
[00:23:16] weathered away.
[00:23:17] Your nextinal here says,
[00:23:19] if you have any integrity at all,
[00:23:23] let it be strongest in your Christian walk.
[00:23:26] At least have that be real.
[00:23:29] And if it is, the other things should work themselves out.
[00:23:37] A name for someone who is in Tegral certainly isn't hypocrit.
[00:23:43] Those two don't go together.
[00:23:44] So let's be integral.
[00:23:46] Especially in our faith can't help but ask the hottest archers
[00:23:51] look on the outside, we're a new, new, new, new, new church.
[00:23:54] What are people going to say about us once they visit?
[00:23:56] Once they visit our home,
[00:23:58] is it going to align to what we say we're like?
[00:24:02] Do they feel the love of Jesus through us on a personal level?
[00:24:07] And on a personal level, is this spirit dwelling within you?
[00:24:10] Do you look good?
[00:24:11] I mean y'all look good to be.
[00:24:15] But what do you really like because God knows?
[00:24:18] And really that's the only person that matters.
[00:24:21] You're not going to answer to your friend on judgment day.
[00:24:23] You're answeredly the Lord.
[00:24:26] We read on verse 2,
[00:24:29] to this church where Jesus says,
[00:24:31] you look alive but you're dead.
[00:24:33] The next line says,
[00:24:34] wake up.
[00:24:36] And strengthen what remains is about to die.
[00:24:38] He's saying there's time to get up, wake up,
[00:24:41] snap to it, become aware and strengthen what remains is about to die.
[00:24:46] If I have not found your works complete inside of my God.
[00:24:49] Remember then what you received and heard that sounds like
[00:24:52] Ephesus, you lost your first love.
[00:24:54] Go back to that.
[00:24:54] Remember that.
[00:24:56] Go back to that.
[00:24:58] Remember what you received and heard, keep it and repent.
[00:25:02] If you do not wake up,
[00:25:04] I will come like a thief.
[00:25:07] And you will not know what hour I will come against you.
[00:25:10] He says, I will come.
[00:25:12] Many times in Scripture it says,
[00:25:14] I will talk to Jesus coming about.
[00:25:15] I think it's seven times in Revelation.
[00:25:17] But when he comes,
[00:25:21] this is actually an interesting totally different study,
[00:25:24] but through Scripture the coming on the clouds,
[00:25:27] that's usually but I'm coming to get you.
[00:25:29] I'm coming against you and judgment.
[00:25:32] And he says, here he confirms it.
[00:25:35] If you will not wake up,
[00:25:36] I will come like a thief against you.
[00:25:42] We're not coming to have a cup of tea.
[00:25:45] I'm coming against you.
[00:25:47] But he says, if you don't repent.
[00:25:49] So there's still a chance.
[00:25:52] Yeah, there's still hope.
[00:25:54] But if you don't,
[00:25:55] judgments always come in.
[00:25:59] And in his divine patience, Jesus had
[00:26:01] cursed this church yet.
[00:26:03] He gives him opportunity to repent
[00:26:05] what a gracious Lord.
[00:26:08] He says, wake up.
[00:26:10] If there was no hope and no chance,
[00:26:11] he wouldn't say it.
[00:26:12] He said, you're dead.
[00:26:13] You guys are done.
[00:26:15] But he says, wake up.
[00:26:16] There's hope.
[00:26:18] He gives him opportunity
[00:26:19] to strengthen what remains and is about to die.
[00:26:22] He says, if you don't change your ways,
[00:26:23] if you don't repent and wake up,
[00:26:25] all the good you have is going to die.
[00:26:27] And you will be desolate too.
[00:26:30] Remember what you received go back to that?
[00:26:34] They were too comfortable.
[00:26:36] Like I said, Saras was on a hilltop basically.
[00:26:38] The city was basically impenetrable.
[00:26:43] Basically impenetrable.
[00:26:45] Remember King Cyrus from the Old Testament.
[00:26:48] He was spoken in a good light even though
[00:26:49] as a Gentile king from Persia.
[00:26:52] I believe he was one of the ways
[00:26:53] God used to get his will done.
[00:26:59] In 547 BC King Cyrus from Persia,
[00:27:02] sent spies into Saras.
[00:27:05] To overtake it because they couldn't get in from the front door.
[00:27:09] He said that he got to be a way to get in there.
[00:27:11] He sent spies.
[00:27:12] They found a path on the steep wall around back
[00:27:18] to take a get in and they found an unprotected doorway.
[00:27:24] Leading up to an entrance to the city.
[00:27:26] So he confirmed it sent more men in.
[00:27:31] And the city was lost without a fight
[00:27:35] because the infiltrated it from the back door
[00:27:39] like a thief in the night.
[00:27:42] And apparently in Saras, they knew that phrase
[00:27:46] because that's how Saras fell.
[00:27:48] They somebody snuck in the back like a thief in the night.
[00:27:52] So when Jesus refers to him saying,
[00:27:54] I'm going to come to you like a thief.
[00:27:57] Remember that guy?
[00:28:00] Because it was in their past.
[00:28:01] They knew exactly what he was talking about.
[00:28:04] Not a shot was fired.
[00:28:06] No arrow was shot.
[00:28:09] The city fell.
[00:28:12] He said, that's how I'm coming.
[00:28:13] You'll never know it.
[00:28:16] If you're on repentance,
[00:28:17] you'll never know it.
[00:28:21] But for those of us who are in Christ
[00:28:23] and were in the light,
[00:28:25] we do anticipate his coming.
[00:28:27] And as we'll see, there are believers here in service.
[00:28:31] His coming is anticipated by us.
[00:28:33] But it's going to be a surprise to unbelievers.
[00:28:36] And it's not going to be a pleasant one.
[00:28:39] The Apostle Paul speaks about the day of the Lord.
[00:28:42] Judgement day in 1st, thus, Lonnie's 5,
[00:28:44] another familiar passage you may know.
[00:28:47] And in 1st, thus, Lonnie's 5, Paul says,
[00:28:49] you yourselves, he's speaking to believers.
[00:28:52] You yourselves are fully aware
[00:28:54] that the day of the Lord will come like a thief
[00:28:56] in the night.
[00:28:58] You're aware of it.
[00:28:59] Won't be a surprise for you.
[00:29:01] Well, people are saying there's peace
[00:29:02] and there's security, kind of like service.
[00:29:06] Then sudden destruction will come upon them.
[00:29:09] And labor pains, as labor pains come upon
[00:29:14] a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
[00:29:17] But you are not in darkness.
[00:29:18] You are the believers.
[00:29:20] You are not in darkness, brothers again.
[00:29:22] Brother in Christian brethren.
[00:29:23] For that day to surprise you like a thief.
[00:29:27] It's not going to be a surprise to you.
[00:29:29] The day of judgment, the Lord is coming.
[00:29:31] Because we're already expecting it.
[00:29:33] For you are all children of light,
[00:29:35] children of the day, we are not of the night
[00:29:37] or of the darkness.
[00:29:39] Your next note here.
[00:29:41] Says those who do not believe will face
[00:29:45] surprise judgment.
[00:29:47] But those who do believe do not fear his coming.
[00:29:53] We sing songs that say come, Jesus come.
[00:29:56] I mean we are to anticipate and hasten is coming.
[00:29:59] Peter tells us to hasten the Lord is coming.
[00:30:01] But for those who are unbelievers, they're going to be surprised.
[00:30:04] And it's not going to be a happy surprise.
[00:30:08] We're children of light.
[00:30:09] We live in the light.
[00:30:10] Not in the darkness, but we don't want to be surprised when he comes.
[00:30:14] But we'll be surprised for them who are not expecting him.
[00:30:17] In verse 4, back to Revelation 3.
[00:30:20] Jesus says, yet you still have a few names in service.
[00:30:24] People who have not soiled their garments and they will walk with me in
[00:30:27] white for they are worthy.
[00:30:31] There's still a few believers here in service.
[00:30:32] Few believers that haven't soiled their garments,
[00:30:37] and they're going to walk with me.
[00:30:39] That's a great promise to hear.
[00:30:42] You can just maybe hear some of the people in service.
[00:30:44] Some of the true believers seeing what's happening around them
[00:30:47] in their church thinking, God, this is a mess.
[00:30:51] Please come quickly.
[00:30:52] We say those things.
[00:30:53] I can't fix this whole thing.
[00:30:55] Lord, please come take me now.
[00:30:59] He says, they're a good people there.
[00:31:02] And you'll be with me.
[00:31:03] Don't worry.
[00:31:04] I know what's happening there.
[00:31:06] Don't lose hope.
[00:31:07] God knows his flock.
[00:31:08] He knows his people.
[00:31:09] He knows each of us individually.
[00:31:11] He calls us by name.
[00:31:12] And we all come to him.
[00:31:14] This is an encapsulation of John chapter 10.
[00:31:16] Remember the good shepherd.
[00:31:18] I know my sheep.
[00:31:19] They know me.
[00:31:19] They recognize my voice.
[00:31:20] I call to them and they all come to me.
[00:31:23] Even if you're in service, one of the 10% of true believers in a church.
[00:31:29] God knows who you are.
[00:31:31] He'll come for you.
[00:31:32] And a good way.
[00:31:33] He'll bring your home.
[00:31:34] That's a hopeful message in the midst of a dark letter here to service.
[00:31:41] What are these garments?
[00:31:42] They're going to wear white garments.
[00:31:43] This again, in seven times in Revelation,
[00:31:47] we see people dressed in white robes.
[00:31:50] What are these garments?
[00:31:51] These robes that they haven't soiled.
[00:31:54] Well, from context we learned that the white garments are is the righteousness of Christ.
[00:31:59] That's what he covers us with so we can enter the kingdom, enter the wedding feast.
[00:32:03] Remember the parable of the wedding feast?
[00:32:05] There was a man in the feast and the master says,
[00:32:07] How did you get in your home?
[00:32:09] You don't have a wedding garment on.
[00:32:12] He says, Why just can it came in tonight?
[00:32:13] It just was top of myself to the food.
[00:32:17] The wedding banquet is the marriage supper of the lamb.
[00:32:19] The believers come together with their shepherd forever.
[00:32:24] But if you don't have Christ's righteousness on the wedding garment on,
[00:32:28] you've got to go and they threw him out into our outer darkness, no less.
[00:32:33] You need the righteousness of Christ to enter the kingdom, the wedding banquet, salvation.
[00:32:40] Otherwise you don't belong.
[00:32:43] This is what these white garments are.
[00:32:45] These white robes were covered with the righteousness of Christ.
[00:32:48] And when we're covered with these white robes, the righteousness of Christ,
[00:32:52] when God sees us on judgment day and he looks to us, he sees Christ.
[00:32:58] That's how we make it on judgment day.
[00:33:00] We're not declared guilty anymore then because he doesn't see your sin.
[00:33:03] He sees Christ's life, his sinless perfection, because you're wearing it.
[00:33:07] That word in Greek that we say, Put on Christ.
[00:33:10] Paul uses a lot.
[00:33:13] It means to be clothed in.
[00:33:16] When you get dressed, we have clothing for every single part of our body.
[00:33:21] Our socks, our shoes, our jackets, cover your arms, your legs, your face, even your hat, your ears.
[00:33:26] Everything's covered. He says that's how it means that this word means covered.
[00:33:30] Covered in Christ. You put on Christ. He covers your sin.
[00:33:35] And then on judgment day again, you don't bring your case about how you think you should be able to get into heaven or not.
[00:33:40] You bring the case of Christ.
[00:33:43] And you're not declared not guilty again. You're declared innocent, which is better.
[00:33:50] Because of these robes.
[00:33:53] Galatians 3 Paul mentions this.
[00:33:57] He says, for as many of you as we're baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
[00:34:03] If your baptized into Christ in these two words are very similar, baptize,
[00:34:08] the people who translated baptized into English didn't really do that a word because the Greek word is baptized so.
[00:34:13] So we just kind of said, let's just use that.
[00:34:17] Baptize, it means immersed. It means dunk all the way under.
[00:34:21] For as many of you were immersed in Christ have put on Christ. You've been clothing him and it doesn't mean to be dunked literally in water.
[00:34:31] We're talking about spiritual baptism. If you are spiritually immersed in Christ, he's all over you.
[00:34:39] And that's the white robe of righteousness.
[00:34:44] Your next one here says, all believers are clothed with a white robe.
[00:34:48] And that robe is the righteousness of Christ.
[00:34:52] All believers are covered with that white robe.
[00:34:57] You don't have to earn it once you believe or something, it's you get it.
[00:35:01] Because you're an heir now to Christ.
[00:35:08] Back to Revelation, but in Revelation 6, another mention of these white robes. He says,
[00:35:13] John speaking here, after this I looked and behold a great multitude that no one could number from every nation from all tribes and peoples and languages standing before the throne and before the lamb
[00:35:23] Closed in white robes, the righteousness of Christ. These are believers.
[00:35:28] Saints with palm branches in their hands signifying victory, we made it.
[00:35:35] And crying out with a lot of voice, salvation belongs to our God who sits in the throne and to the lamb.
[00:35:40] What a day that will be, what a day every joycing that will be.
[00:35:46] Then one of the elders is still John speaking. Then one of the elders address me saying, who are these cloven white robes from where have they come?
[00:35:53] And he said to me, these are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white.
[00:36:00] How in the blood of the lamb? That's how you make your robe white.
[00:36:07] And once you have that robe, you're not going to lose the robe. It might get sold once in a while here and there. We're not perfect but it's always on you.
[00:36:19] We all receive the righteousness of Christ, the white robe through our faith in Christ.
[00:36:24] It's the gospel. We don't earn it. He bestows it upon us through our faith in Him.
[00:36:30] And Jesus tells those few people in Sardis, I see you, I see you among the darkness, I see you because you have white robes on.
[00:36:38] And I'll bring you home and you're going to walk with me. Good promise from our Lord, verse 5.
[00:36:49] Jesus goes back to the similar ending as the other church is the one who conquers He says will be clothed thus in white garments and I will never blood out his name of the book of life.
[00:37:03] I will confess His name before my father and before His angels, He who has me and here let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
[00:37:14] Your salvation is secure because you are in Christ. You are hidden in Christ, in God.
[00:37:24] Go ahead and try to jump out of that. Because if you try, he's going to come and get you and bring you home. Like He just said, I'm going to bring you home.
[00:37:32] You're mine. You're not your own anymore. I bought you with a price. You are not even your own.
[00:37:39] And that's should be a good feeling. Your salvation is secure in Christ. Jesus here doesn't say that He blots out names of the book of life by the way.
[00:37:51] He says that He will never blood out your name of the book of life. We always say, you're either in or you're out.
[00:37:59] You're not in and out, in and out. Like the burger joint. You're either in or you're out. One or the other.
[00:38:06] And He's the one that saves you. He's the one that gives you that robe.
[00:38:11] And so we have security in Jesus. I can't mess it up to the point where He says, you know what? I don't like you anymore. Go away.
[00:38:17] Because He's going to prevent us. He's going to convict our hearts. Once we go down that path and become more comfortable with sin and start tolerating sin.
[00:38:23] He's going to check us in our hearts to the point where we say, I feel sick doing this.
[00:38:28] I've got to go back there and stop doing this sin. You ever had that feeling later in life later maybe you're a Mormon,
[00:38:35] you're Christian now. Hopefully we all are. Hopefully we don't live the same way we used to before we met Jesus.
[00:38:42] And if we went back to the lifestyle, I hope it would. In some of our cases make us physically sick.
[00:38:48] Why am I doing here? This doesn't feel good anymore. I've got to go home.
[00:38:53] That's him pulling you back home. He'll bring you home. Don't be comfort with your sin. Even though you had a security, don't have that false sense of security.
[00:39:04] Thinkin' everything's fine, everything's good. I got enough money. I have peace. Don't be too secure about your salvation and live like you're not secure about it.
[00:39:13] Don't get comfort with sin. Don't tolerate sin. Don't compromise with the world. We're supposed to reflect Jesus.
[00:39:21] We should be hungry for righteousness and thirsty for it. And be repenting always every day we repent. Wake up, repenting.
[00:39:28] Lord, what can I change? What do I have to change in my life?
[00:39:32] No, your salvation doesn't weigh in the balance there but your sanctification does and your righteousness and your holiness does.
[00:39:40] And what are we to do but be conformed into the image of Christ? That's the point of the rest of our lives.
[00:39:47] Your next note here says, do not soil the white robe he's giving you.
[00:39:52] Through your faith in him. He's giving you a white robe if you believe if you're a faithful believer he's giving you a robe.
[00:39:59] Don't soil it. The church in Sardis receives no commendation for a good job here.
[00:40:08] One of the two churches that don't receive some kind of hey good job, pay a little pat on the back. Only two.
[00:40:17] Sardis receives no commendation. There's also no mention of persecution we mentioned earlier. No mention of persecution.
[00:40:24] And you may ask why would there be? They're not doing anything for the Lord. They're not really Christians.
[00:40:31] At least from the close inspection because Jesus knows the close inspection. They might look good on the outside.
[00:40:39] But they're really when I remember meets the road, they're not really building gods came to him and they're not requiring any kind of things.
[00:40:45] They're not really persecution from the enemy because it's really not doing the Lord's work. But they look like they are. It's just a mirage.
[00:40:57] If it churches dead, what sort of persecution? There's also no mention of false teachers like Jezebel or person like Jezebel in church.
[00:41:04] They weren't being burned at the stake. They thought everything was fine. They had enough money and security peace. Good reputation. Good credit score.
[00:41:14] They went to church on Sundays and they provided for themselves.
[00:41:21] On the face of it seems like a pretty good church to me. It might be comfortable in that church.
[00:41:29] It might be a little too comfortable in that church. Jesus says, maybe you got it too good.
[00:41:36] And that might just cost you your eternal lives.
[00:41:42] And my friends today, here I love all of you and I want to tell you, and I just noticed this is not a pun that I intended.
[00:41:53] Jesus message to the church in Sardis is a grave warning.
[00:42:00] No pun intended.
[00:42:01] It's a grave warning to a church which is on the brink of desolation. It's on the doorstep and it's even on the pier.
[00:42:10] It's just outside or as it's fine, it's good. It's a source of living water. Looks really good. Only to be a mirage.
[00:42:19] It's not real. It's an illusion. It's just more sand. They look like a fond of blessings but they were just as materialistic as the world around them.
[00:42:32] And Christ reckoned them to be just as dead as the world around them.
[00:42:37] Can an illusion cause your death? Your spiritual death? Can a strong delusion cause your spiritual death?
[00:42:51] A final warning for a church on the brink of desolation, Paul again in the second of theologians, two says,
[00:42:57] The coming of the law this one. Again talking about the end times your judgment day.
[00:43:02] The coming of the law this one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders.
[00:43:07] All false signs and wonders.
[00:43:12] All illusion, Raj, fake signs and wonders. Don't be fooled.
[00:43:18] And with all wicked, here's another one. This exception, Mirage is a trick. It's an illusion. It's not real.
[00:43:25] I'm not really Christian but I look at for those who are perishing because they refuse to love the truth and so be saved.
[00:43:33] The coming law this one is the activity of Satan with all powers, false signs and wonders.
[00:43:40] With wicked deception for those who are perishing the ones who are not believers because they refuse to love what?
[00:43:47] The truth and be saved from it.
[00:43:50] Therefore, once the last time you read this passage,
[00:43:54] therefore God sends them a strong delusion so that they may believe what is false.
[00:44:11] In order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness, this is the bring-in home moment here.
[00:44:20] God will send a strong delusion as a judgment to seal what you want.
[00:44:28] He'll give you what you want. For all these years, he's been sending people to you, missionaries, friends, family members with the gospel.
[00:44:34] You've been invited to church a thousand times and you don't go, maybe you go once in a while just to appease your friend.
[00:44:43] And you live your life showing, proving to God what you want, what you love and it's not the truth.
[00:44:49] And at some point he's going to give you what you've shown him you want.
[00:44:54] You want that? Fine, I'll give it to you.
[00:44:58] He sends false teachers to teach strong delusions as a judgment upon those people who've shown him that's what they want.
[00:45:09] He can use false teachers as a tool for his judgment.
[00:45:13] They don't love the truth. They don't want the truth.
[00:45:17] Their entire lives at this point has been proof of that.
[00:45:22] So, we ask, do you love the truth? Do I love the truth?
[00:45:30] The truth of the gospel or do you take pleasure in unrighteousness?
[00:45:36] Do I love my sin or do I hate it?
[00:45:40] Because at some point when you refuse to love the truth without repenting,
[00:45:44] God will give you what you want.
[00:45:48] He'll give you what you want. He'll seal the deal for you as a judgment.
[00:45:54] Because if shown him and you've proven to him what you want, what you love,
[00:46:00] and he'll guarantee you get it like last week's proverb,
[00:46:05] I hope you get what you're looking for basically.
[00:46:08] Should that make us ask the question, what am I looking for?
[00:46:11] Because I'll probably get it. Be careful.
[00:46:16] Can I am a Raj and illusion of righteousness cause your spiritual death?
[00:46:21] Yeah, they can.
[00:46:23] You're following things that aren't really there.
[00:46:29] Here's good news.
[00:46:30] Jesus says there's still hope, even to this church in Sartis, he says, wake up!
[00:46:34] That means you can wake up.
[00:46:37] And strengthen what remains, even if you have a flailing faith,
[00:46:39] strengthen it. Go back to it. Go back to the gospel.
[00:46:42] He says, look, you look like you're alive, but you're dead.
[00:46:45] And he still says to this church, wake up.
[00:46:49] Save what you can, save what's left.
[00:46:53] Remember your faith, keep it repent.
[00:46:55] Remember the gospel that you're saved through faith in Christ alone.
[00:47:01] In our churches, when things look like they're slipping away,
[00:47:05] we can still repent. They're still time.
[00:47:10] When we feel like through life's stuff, we're just about to die or just throw in a towel.
[00:47:15] They're still hope. Wake up. Think about some important.
[00:47:18] Go back to that. Enjoy that first love.
[00:47:22] And these people even in Sartis, we might even die.
[00:47:25] Jesus says, just long as you keep the faith.
[00:47:28] Just keep the faith.
[00:47:31] In Sartis, he doesn't say, I'm going to come save all of you and y'all won't die.
[00:47:35] No, he says, some of you will die, but you have to keep the faith.
[00:47:39] In reality, we're all going to die unless you come. Keep the faith.
[00:47:44] How fast are that, which is good? Repent always.
[00:47:48] Don't sell your garments.
[00:47:50] Which you've already received by the way, if you put your faith in Christ.
[00:47:56] This is a stark warning for a church.
[00:48:00] I hope none of us think that we're like Sartis, but you just never know.
[00:48:05] I can't see into your hearts and you can't see into mine.
[00:48:10] It's an important warning. Next week, there's a hopeful church coming.
[00:48:17] So, there's good news coming. Right? Fill it up with you.
[00:48:21] With that, please stand with us and we'll pray together.
[00:48:32] And you're Lord. Your words are so powerful,
[00:48:37] and they should all cause us to question what we're doing at all times.
[00:48:46] So with the weighty words from today, I pray that our lives, if they need to change in Sartis, do change in Sartis,
[00:48:52] right now. I know that we do have security in you and I believe everyone here today is in your hands as a believer in Christ,
[00:49:03] but I don't know who's listening here and I don't know who will listen in the future,
[00:49:05] but Lord, and even there may be people in this room that are not aware of that need to change their heart.
[00:49:12] But you know Lord, work in their hearts, work in my heart.
[00:49:16] There's always room for us to look more like you because we do not want to be a desolate place.
[00:49:24] We don't want to wake up when they realize that you left what we're doing here.
[00:49:30] Keep us close. Keep our garments clean. The ones we receive from you through faith.
[00:49:37] We love you, Lord. We pray in Jesus name. Amen.