In this episode, J. Mark explores Jesus’ message to the church in Sardis from Revelation 3:1-6. He unpacks the historical and spiritual context of the church and explains what Jesus’ words would have meant to the believers there. Sardis was a wealthy city, and the church had a strong reputation for good works, but Jesus saw beyond the outward appearance and declared that the church was spiritually dying. This lesson challenges us to reflect on how Jesus’ evaluation of Sardis applies to our own lives today.
Transcript
The beginning of a new year is a good time to reflect on the past and plan for the future. We often do this on a personal level. What have I accomplished for the Lord in the past year? How can I improve my relationship with the Lord and grow in obedience in the coming year? Am I being a faithful steward of what God has given me?
We should also do it on a congregational basis. For example, have you ever asked, “Why is our church located where it is, and what is our mission? Are we fulfilling that mission? What do we offer the community and believers that other churches do not? What have we done in the last five years that was significant?”
Those are hard questions. Yet, we must ask them, and answer them honestly, or we may eventually become like the church Jesus addressed in our text, Revelation 3:1-6.
One thing we must keep in mind as we study these letters to the churches is the historical context in which they were written. We must also remember that people think differently across cultures and historical eras. The ancients regarded local congregations as closely tied to the cities in which they were located. The cities were seen as primarily pagan religious institutions that needed to be redeemed by redirecting their worship to Jehovah.
When we examine the characteristics of the city of Sardis, Jesus’ message to the church assumes sharper focus.
Sardis was a very wealthy city. Geography played a role in the accumulation of this wealth. It was located at the confluence of five major trade routes from Lydia. The Roman historian Pliny reports that Sardis was the first place where wool dyeing was practiced. The city also manufactured textiles and jewelry. Trade in these items was lucrative. The sands of the nearby Pactolus River contained deposits of gold. Not surprisingly, gold and silver coins were first minted in Sardis, making wealth transportable.
Much of this wealth was stored in a formidable fortress, a citadel atop an acropolis rising 500 meters above the city. The Acropolis gave the town the nickname “Sardis, the Impregnable.” It was also the home of Croesus, the last of the Lydian kings, renowned for his great wealth. Today, one may hear a wealthy person described as “as rich as Croesus.”
Sardis was also the seat of the licentious worship of Cybele (Artemis), a fertility goddess whose male priests would emasculate themselves as part of their devotion. The ruins of her temple still stand. Sir William Ramsay called Sardis “the city of Death, a city of softness and luxury, of apathy and immorality, a contrast of past splendor and present unremitting decline.” Ramsay was a Scottish Nobel Prize-winning chemist, archaeologist, and skeptic turned believer. He conducted extensive archaeological research on the Book of Acts in the late 19th century that ultimately convinced him that the Bible was historically accurate and reliable.
Keep these things in mind, now, as we read the text, Revelation 3:1-6.
3 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.
2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.
3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
If you’re tuning in for the first time, I want you to know that there is a pattern in how Jesus, the Lord of the church, addresses each of the local assemblies in the opening chapters of the Book of Revelation. The general outline is commendation, accusation, exhortation, and compensation (or reward). However, not all seven follow this exact pattern. Sardis and Laodicea are distinctive in that Jesus offers no words of commendation to them. That means we begin our examination of Sardis with an accusation, a rather harsh one at that.
However, before we go there, let’s look at how Jesus presents Himself to this church. “These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars…”
The seven spirits of God refer to the Holy Spirit in His diverse manifestations. These are not angels, as angels are never called spirits in the Book of Revelation. Furthermore, we have a sevenfold description of the Spirit in Isaiah 11:2-5.
“The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. His delight is in the fear of the Lord, and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears; but with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, and faithfulness the belt of His waist.” The Septuagint adds the term “godliness” to make the number seven.
In addition, Jesus is again depicted holding the seven stars, symbols of preeminence and authority. In chapter one, the seven stars are identified as the angels, or messengers, of the seven churches. They are not, as some suggest, pastors, as I stated in an earlier episode.
Accusation
Jesus speaks from His position amid the churches. “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” You are an assembly of false appearances, with a reputation for being religious, yet you are rapidly dying. Jesus saw through the smokescreen of their good works. What were those good works that Jesus referred to?
We don’t know for certain, but given the city’s wealth and that of its citizens, it is likely that they contributed significantly to the needs of struggling churches in other areas. As I thought about that, I had to ask myself, “Does this mirror much of the Western church today, generous in activity and giving but slowly dying from the effects of wealth and acculturation?” That’s a sobering question to consider.
From this, we can see that the author of Revelation continues to view Jesus as the High Priest who examines the people’s offerings to determine whether they are acceptable as worship. Remember how Jesus observed those in the Temple bringing their offerings? The value of their offering wasn’t measured by the amount they gave, but by the sincerity of their hearts.
One thing that caught my attention in studying Jesus’ message to this church is that there is no mention of persecution. One commentator describes the church at Sardis as “a picture of nominal Christianity, outwardly prosperous, busy with the externals of religious activity, but devoid of spiritual life and power.”
The division between accusation and exhortation isn’t as sharply defined in this letter as in others. The following allegation appears at the end of verse 2. “I have not found your works perfect [complete] before God.” In other words, I have not found any works among you that meet my standard.
In the Scriptures, works are the basis for our rewards, not our salvation. However, in Matthew 7:21-23, it is not the absence of works that leads to condemnation but incomplete works, that is, works that do not flow from genuine love and obedience to the Savior. How much of what I do is motivated by selfishness or a desire to impress others? Do my works, and yours, meet Jesus’ standards for what is acceptable and complete?
Exhortation
Given these accusations, Jesus’ exhortation is “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die.” This is the message to the few in Sardis (verse 4) who still had some spiritual life. Keep becoming watchful and vigilant.
Even though it was nicknamed “Sardis the Impregnable,” the city had been conquered at least twice in its history. In 549 BC, a soldier discovered a crevice in one of the rock walls surrounding the town. Climbing the cliffs and sneaking into the city, he opened the gates to the armies of Cyrus the Persian, who captured the city.
Later, in 214 BC, the armies of Antiochus the Great captured the city by the same method: the defenders had carelessly guarded what they believed was the only possible approach to the town. In 335 years, the lessons of the past had been long forgotten. As the inhabitants of Sardis learned, pride, apathy, and overconfidence are deadly to both cities and individuals. At the time the assembly in Sardis received this letter, the town was in decline from its former glory.
Furthermore, they were to strengthen or stabilize what was on the brink of death. Paul gave similar instructions to one of his young leaders. “For this reason, I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking [the things that remain], and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you,” Titus 1:5. Are there things in my life and yours that are in danger of dying and need to be strengthened? What might they be?
Jesus exhorted the Believers in Sardis to remember what had been given to them and what they had heard. Why? So they could obey and repent! That is an interesting sequence. I would have said repent and obey. At any rate, obedience is the fruit or proof of repentance. We must remember that truth endures, even when it is ignored.
If they refused to wake up, Jesus said He would come like a thief, and they absolutely would NOT know (double negative) the hour when He would come. There was a Greek proverb that said, “The feet of the avenging deities are shod with wool.” Numerous times in Scripture, we are warned to be watchful and vigilant, considering the Lord’s return.
Here, in Sardis, despite the church’s general apathy, a few individuals were exceptions. They had not defiled their garments, that is, their purity of life. This has been the case throughout church history. God always has a faithful remnant among those who profess His name. Even in times of greatest apostasy and spiritual darkness, there are true Believers. Are you counted among them? Am I?
Compensation
To those who heed the exhortation, there is a reward. Jesus said, “They shall walk with me in white for they are worthy.” White is almost universally associated with two things: purity and festivity. The ancient Essenes of the Qumran community always wore white. So did the Greek philosophers. The writer of Ecclesiastes said, “Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do. Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil.”
In the worship of ancient Israel, purity was paramount. The priests were commanded to bathe before entering the presence of the Lord in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple. The bronze laver was situated in a prominent location in the Temple courts, underscoring the importance of purity. That purity was often symbolized by white garments, as in Zechariah 3:1-5.
“Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” Now Joshua was clothed in filthy garments and stood before the Angel. Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.”
White clothing is difficult to keep clean, and even minor stains are immediately visible. From Jesus’ vantage point, most of the Believers in Sardis were dressed in white, yet many were stained with sins that rendered them unfit for His service. Therefore, they could not walk where He did; they could not have fellowship with Him. They were in danger of spiritual death!
What would Jesus say about the condition of your garments? Are they clean and unsoiled? Have they been washed in the blood of the Lamb? The apostle Jude wrote, “And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh,” Jude 22-23.
Jesus goes on to list additional rewards for those who remain undefiled. “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” Notice the repetition of the promise of being clothed in white. The pressure to conform to pagan worship in the Roman Empire was intense, especially for Gentile followers of Jesus. It is no different for us today. Those who overcome that pressure will be especially rewarded.
White garments will be the reward of the saints according to Revelation 19:8-9. “And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’”
Not only that, but their names will also remain securely inscribed in the Book of Life. The first place in Scripture where this book is mentioned is Exodus 32:31-33 in the context of Israel’s sin of worshipping the golden calf. “Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold! Yet now, if You will forgive their sin—but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written.” And the Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.”
Daniel, too, speaks of this book. “At that time, Michael shall stand up, t he great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time, your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
And in Philippians 4:3, Paul writes, “And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.” The final reference in the Bible to the Book of Life appears in Revelation 22. So, from Exodus through Revelation, this concept is repeatedly affirmed.
Finally, Jesus said, “I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” I will protect his name, and I will openly declare his worthiness before my Father and all the holy angels. Wow, what a commitment! In this promise, Jesus repeats words He spoke while He was on earth. “Therefore, whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven,” Matthew 10:32-33.
Jesus examined this church of false appearances and pronounced its works unacceptable. When Jesus examines your life and your church, what would His message be?
