“To the angel of the church in Sardis write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.
Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.
He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Revelations 3:1-6.
Here is some very strong words, Jesus says,
“These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.”
Again like all the seven churches mentioned in Revelations this church represents churches today. They may think they are alive. They may appear to be alive. They are doing all the right things it seems. As one friend pointed out these are the people that are putting the Amen’s and hallelujahs in the right places but are not truly doing the work of God.
There work for God is incomplete. They need to turn back to the basics. Turn away from any judgemental attitude they have.
Start studying the scriptures in context and interpreting them in the way God intended. They need to start showing the love of Christ. Ministering the gospel of Love. Truly making God real in their life.
They need to be doing as Francis of Assisi said,
“Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love,
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”
Francis of Assisi.To those who are faithful to Christ there is this assurance, Jesus saying,
“He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.”
As this new year dawns take a few moments to pray and ask God if you or your congregation resembles what he is talking about here to the church Sadis.
Are you truly serving God in a way that will make him happy?
Think about it.
