REVELATION STUDIES Gerner BA
Lesson No.6. THE CHURCH AT SARDIS
Revelation Chapter 3. vv. 1 to 6
1.POSITION OF THE CHURCH
REV 3:1 NIV "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.
(a) Assigned place
(i)SARDIS was 35 miles SE of Thyatira and chief city of LYDIA. Formerly prosperous, it suffered a severe earthquake in AD 17 and never recovered from damage done.REV 3:3 NIV 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." Notorious for its loose living, the city was dominated by wealthy people who took up the mystery cult of SYBELE.This was a soothsaying spirit which produced voices from demonic spirits. This is contrasted with the Lord Jesus here.REV 3:1 NIV "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. .
(ii) THE CHURCH was living on past reputation, We have to KNOW GOD on a daily ongoing basis, to have eternal life.
JOH 17:3 NIV Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
(b) ANGEL OF THE CHURCH
Churches and believers have angelic help
HEB 1:14 NIV Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
2.POWER OF JESUS
REV 3:1 NIV " These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.
Future is NOT revealed by the stars but BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST to those in Christ, and the Holy Spirit is seen as PERFECT AND SEVENFOLD.
REV 1:4 NIV John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne,
(a) God has FULLNESS OF KNOWLEDGE
God wishes to give this to all believers in His Church
EPH 3:18 NIV may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Jesus knows all about us by revelation
(b) God saw REAL LACK OF SPIRITUAL DEPTH in CHURCH which had general reputation of being" a lively Church."
REV 3:4 NIV Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes.
We cannot judge by what man says BUT BY WHAT GOD SHOWS ABOUT PEOPLE.
JOH 2:24 NIV But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men.25 He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.
(c) God is the great I AM NOT "I WAS" !! God will blot your name "out of the Book" if you do not CONTINUE TO LIVE IN THE GOOD OF HIS PRESENCE. A one time decision IS NOT ENOUGH
REV 3:5 NIV 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.
There is NO ETERNAL SECURITY OUTSIDE OF THIS RELATIONSHIP either in OT or NT teaching. GOD IS THE SAME THROUGHOUT ETERNITY IN THIS TEACHING. cf OLD TESTAMENT;
EXO 32:32 NIV But now, please forgive their sinbut if not, then blot me out of the book you have written." NOTICE THAT
EXO 32:33 NIV The Lord replied to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. cf NEW TESTAMENT ;
REV 13:7 NIV He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast,all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.
REV 17:8 NIV The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come.
REV 21:27 NIV Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
(d) God can GIVE YOU ASSURANCE OF SALVATION TODAY
You can KNOW NOW THAT YOU NAME IS IN THE BOOK OF LIFE.
1JO 5:11 NIV And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
(e) SECURITY only lies in remaining IN CHRIST where everything comes THROUGH CHRIST before it touches you.
You can take yourself OUT of God's hand and lose this security.
cf JUDAS WALKED OUT on Christ into the night and into suicide.
He had a ministry AND LOST IT
ACT 1:17 NIV he was one of our number and shared in this ministry."
ACT 1:25 NIV to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs."
NO CHURCH OR INDIVIDUAL CAN AFFORD TO LIVE ON A PAST REPUTATION
cf Angel told Branham that our thoughts speak louder in heaven than our words, but even our words will be judged.
MAT 12:36 NIV But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgement for every careless word they have spoken. cf MAT 24:49 NIV and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. (Referring especially to man in MINISTRY, Jesus showed)
MAT 24:50 NIV The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
VINE SHOWS that this SELFSAME SERVANT will either be REWARDED OR LOSE OUT according to the Greek.
cf VIRGINS in Matthew 25
MAT 25:5 NIV The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.ALL HAD OIL AT TIME IN PAST, BUT WISE KEPT UP OIL SUPPLY AND DID NOT RELY ON PASTY STOCKS.
#MAT 25:10 NIV "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
MAT 25:11 NIV "Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!'12 "But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'
ARE WE READY IF JESUS CAME TODAY ? Wesley was ready every day !
1CO 15:34 NIV Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning;
EPH 5:14 NIV for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."15 Be very careful, then, how you live,not as unwise but as wise,16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
MAJORITY OF SARDIS HAD BACKSLID UNDER PRESSURE
cf PARABLE OF SOWER (Mark 4:1 to 14) shows some seed fell on hard ground.
Only good ground will produce good fruit, so let us keep our hearts open to receive the Word.
3.PURITY OF WHITE GARMENTS
REV 3:4 NIV 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.
(a) Christ appeared in white a Transfiguration in GOD GIVEN PURITY
MAT 17:2 NIV There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOW PASSED ON TO US, AS WE WAIT FOR HIM
cf REV 6:11 NIV Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.
BRIDEGROOM PROVIDES CLOTHES IN MARRIAGE FEAST
OVERCOMERS will be given PURITY AND POWER
(b) Christ will give same purity and power despite WORLDLY SIN AND DARKNESS
cf NOAH in antediluvian sin, maintained perfect life
GEN 6:9 NIV This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.
HE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF CALVARY,BAPTISM IN SPIRIT ETC. and walked perfect in an age where men's hearts were evil continually, which will be like the last days before Jesus comes.
MAT 24:37 NIV As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
(c) Christ will WALK WITH US to keep us pure and white
REV 3:4 NIV 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.5 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.
HEB 13:5 NIV be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." 6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
2PE 3:11 NIV Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives
2PE 3:14 NIV So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.
Cf EXPERIMENT ON CHRISTIAN showing physicists that as he died he had positive electric signal equal to atomic bomb
ROM 6:22 NIV But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
WE ARE BORN AGAIN TO LIVE HOLY LIFE AND NOT MERELY END UP IN HEAVEN LATER
1JO 3:9 NIV No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.
LUK 1:75 NIV in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
THIS IS PROMISE OF VICTORY IN THIS LIFE WITH CHRIST
4.PROMISES REALISED
(a) Not SELF EFFORT BUT RELYING ON PROMISES OF GOD GIVES VICTORY
2CO 7:1 NIV Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
TAKE THE PROMISES AND ACT ON THEM.
1TH 3:13 NIV May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.
Gk.Here shows NO SINGLE SPOT in your character as God examines it later.
(b) Not REWARD FOR DISCIPLINE but FREE GIFT OF GOD
EPH 2:8 NIV For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith,and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God
We are GIVEN HOLINESS AT new birth with our NEW NATURE
2CO 5:17 NIV Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
JOH 8:31 NIV To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."33 They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"34 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.NO SECOND EXPERIENCE OF FREEDOM FROM SIN, BUT COMES WITH NEW BIRTH .YOU MUST CONTINUE HOWEVER TO WALK WITH JESUS
BAPTISM IN SPIRIT IS POWER FOR SERVICE
THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF CONTINUOUS VICTORY, NOT RELYING ON PAST VICTORY
YOU MUST CONTINUE IN VICTORY AS JESUS PROMISES
1CO 10:13 NIV No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.THIS IS A PROMISE OF VICTORY EVERY TIME !!
2CO 12:9 NIV But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesss, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
Illus:Mouse in granaries of Joseph in Egypt need not have worried
PHI 4:13 NIV I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
2PE 1:3 NIV His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
2PE 1:4 NIV Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine naturee and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
1JO 1:6 NIV If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin
1JO 2:4 NIV The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1JO 2:6 NIV Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. 1JO 3:2 NIV Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
1JO 3:3 NIV Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.
1JO 4:4 NIV You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
1JO 5:4 NIV for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
JUD 1:20 NIV But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.21 Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
SAVED FROM PENALTY OF SIN, BEING SAVED FROM POWER OF SIN NOW AND FROM PRESENCE OF SIN IN THE FUTURE
JUD 1:24 NIV To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy
JESUS CAN KEEP YOU TO DAY OF JUDGEMENT THIS HOLINESS WILL LEAD YOU TO CHALLENGE THE WORLD AND BE PERSECUTED because you have got LIFE, like fish swimming up stream continuously.
YOU CAN HAVE CONTINUOUS VICTORY until the day Jesus comes back.
(c) Not LAZINESS but LAYING HOLD OF PROMISES OF GOD
(i) PURITY. BE AN OVERCOMER AND LIVE out promises of God despite Tribulation
REV 7:9 NIV After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
REV 19:8 NIV Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)
REV 19:14 NIV The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
(ii)PERMANENCE BE AN OVERCOMER AND GO FORWARD IN GOD
Williams here speaks of "never blotting name out" so you get PERMANENCE
PSA 69:28 NIV May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous.
(iii) PERSONAL CONFESSION BY CHRIST OF US before the Father MAT 10:32 NIV "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.
L UK 12:8 NIV "I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God..
CONFESS CHRIST NOW BY LIP AND LIFE !!