The Seven Churches of Revelation: Sardis, 3:1-6

As we get back into our Study through the Seven Churches of Revelation, let’s do a quick recap: These were seven real churches that existed in Asia Minor (Modern Turkey) during the 1st Century. These churches had real problems, but they also represent issues the current churches and induvial believers face.
Ephesus was hard-working, but lacked love—for God or mankind.
Smyrna was an outwardly poor and oppressed church but was in reality rich in its faith and relationship with God.
Pergamum was a church the held to Jesus’ name, but allowed its members to embrace wicked immorality.
Thyatira was a church of love and faith, but they tolerated wickedness. Sardis is the 5th church in our series. While the other churches faced outside persecution or infiltration of false teachers, and Jesus told them to stand firm and battle evil forces, Sardis is different. There are no Balaams or Jezebels or synagogues of Satan. There are no outside forces attacking. There do not seem to be false teachers spreading heresy. The problem here seems to be complacency. These people are comfortable, too comfortable. So comfortable, in fact, that they have died!
Spiritually, being dead is not a good thing! And note this: dead doesn’t mean boring. It means that this church is without the Gospel. Many of its members are not saved—they are not in the faith, and the few who are Christ-followers have abandoned faithfulness to teaching the Gospel.
Jesus says that the church in Sardis is dead. He then tells them to wake-up before it's too late and they lose their church. As we look at this passage, let's look for ways to apply Christ's words to our personal lives.