7 CHURCHES OF REVELATION - "Sardis" - [Rev. 3:8-6] - Pastor Nathan Deisem - Fathom Church (5/7)

7 CHURCHES OF REVELATION – Sardis
Pastor Nathan Deisem - “Wake Up Dead Church!”
Revelation 2:18-29

o Sardis – “The Dead Church”
Sardis is another city on this large and lucrative trade route. It was the capital of the ancient kingdom of “Lydia,” contained in the contemporary Roman province “Asia” (now called Asia Minor – Modern Day Turkey). It was situated at the foothills of Mount Tmolus in the valley of the Hermus River on a high (very defensible) Acropolis! The city of Sardis had been conquered by the Persians and fell in turn to the Athenians, the Seleucids, and the Attalids until bequeathed to the Romans in 133 BC. They did revere the imperial cult of Caesar – they had a Temple to Artemis (Diana – Goddess of the Hunt). Had a very large Jewish Synagogue (300 ft. – football field). Gymnasium, Stadium, Theater etc…
• One the Persian soldier, saw a Lydian soldier climbing down the walls to retrieve a dropped helmet and tried to follow the example. The success of his ascent set the example to the rest of Cyrus's soldiers, and they swarmed over the exposed wall and promptly took the city. (547 BC)
• 215 BC as attested to by ancient reports that, when the troops led by the Seleucid ruler Antiochus III assaulted Sardis that year, they penetrated across a section of the city wall near the theater.

Revelation 3:1-6
Description of CHRIST:
1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD and THE SEVEN STARS.
• “SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD” – A description of the Holy Spirit – Seven in its entirety!
o “Seven Stars” – (possibly seven angelic beings) – Likely 7 Pastors of the 7 Churches
 [Remember … “7 Lampstands” are these local churches themselves]

CORRECTION:
“… I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but You Are Dead.

• Matthew 23:27-28 “27 Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”
o Straight to Correction (does not start with Commendation).

COUNCIL:
2 WAKE UP, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. 3 REMEMBER, then, what you 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 against you.

• “WAKE UP” – Be Watchful – This is an act of faith!
o “REMEMBER” – The Gospel
 “REPENT” – Turn Around – Change – Get it in gear!
• A Biblical Euphemism for death is to be “ASLEAP”
o To Wake up is to “Come to Life”
 Romans 8:11 “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

COMMENDATION
4 Yet you have still A FEW NAMES in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.

• “WORTHY” – Is only granted by grace through faith!
o Clothed in Righteousness
 Romans 13:14 “Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.”

COMMISSION:
5 The one who CONQUERS will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. 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.’

• CONQUERS is not a matter of Works but Faith!
o 1 John 5:4 “4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our FAITH.”
 Nowhere in scripture does it teach that names, once written in the Lambs Book of life, will be erased. (Great White Throne Judgment Rev. 20:11-15)
• This is not a threat – IT IS A PROMISE!!!

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