TEACHING NOTES Part 7: The Church in Sardis Introduction In this session we are continuing our study of the seven churches to which Revelation was written. The church in Sardis is one of two churches in Revelation that receive only negative comments from Jesus. The main issue with the church in Sardis is that they look alive out the outside but are dead on the inside. The Church in Sardis (Rev. 3:1-6) Location: (see map) Historical Context: Sardis was located in the Hermus River valley, which was a major trade center. Sardis was wealthy because the river valley had an abundance of gold. Sardis was known for its fortified acropolis atop Mt. Tmolus. This fortress was so difficult to penetrate that it took King Antiochus III two years to capture Sardis in 215-213 BC. Sardis had a reputation of being safe and secure. Sardis had a large Jewish presence from as far back as 215 BC and became a very influential group in Sardis by 133 BC. Emperor Augustus allowed Jews in Sardis to keep the Torah laws, build a synagogue, take collections for Jews in Jerusalem, and were excused from compulsory worship of Roman idols. This is significant because even Jews in Jerusalem were forced to make offerings/sacrifices to the Roman emperor! Sardis was mostly destroyed by an earthquake in AD 17. Emperor Tiberius personally gave Sardis 2.5 million Denarii to rebuild and waived their taxes for five years. Sardis built a temple to honor Tiberius for his generosity. After rebuilding, Sardis became the hub of Roman highways in the region and the population grew to over 100,000. The city boasted a stadium and several theaters, one which sat 15,000 people. The church in Sardis was in danger of total failure by the time John writes Revelation. Of the seven churches in Revelation, Sardis receives some of the harshest criticisms from Jesus. However, Sardis must have heeded Christ’s warnings and repented because the church became faithful and influential all the way into the 11th century. Eventually, Sardis was overtaken by Muslim warlords who eventually destroyed the city in 1402 and left it abandoned. This is still a common practice in radical Islam today. They love to destroy ancient artifacts and structures that once belonged to Christianity. Introduction of the Son of Man ​ Revelation 3:1 ESV 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. “ ‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Him who has the seven spirits = The concept of God’s seven spirits is also mentioned in Rev. 1:4 where John says that there are seven spirits before the throne of God. John sees these seven spirits as seven burning torches of fire in Rev. 4:5. John also sees a vision of the Lamb of God with seven eyes, “which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth” (Rev. 5:6). Seven stars = From the vision of the Son of Man in Rev. 1:16. The seven stars represent the seven angels of the seven churches (Rev. 1:20). It is possible that the seven spirits are also the seven angels, since angels are spirits. Angels were often called “watchers” in the Jewish mind (Dan. 4:13, 17, 23). Why does Jesus introduce Himself this way? Jesus wants this church to know that He is spiritually present in Sardis and that He sees what is really going on. This church has a false reputation and Jesus reminds them that He sees the truth. The Positive ​ Revelation 3:4 ESV 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. Still a few names = There are only a few people in the church in Sardis who have remained faithful to Jesus. Who have not soiled their garments = This is likely a reference to avoiding immorality. Jude 23 says “save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” This language seems to picture blood seeping through a garment. In Revelation, white garments are a symbol of purity and are often mentioned in contrast to sexual immorality (Rev. 7:9, 14; 14:1-5). Therefore, soiled garments may be a metaphor for how inner sin has become public sin. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy = This is part of the promise that those who remain faithful to Jesus are pure and will be given white garments (purity, righteousness) in the next life. More on this below. The Negative ​ Revelation 3:1–2 ESV 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. “ ‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 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. Reputation of being alive = The Greek word for “reputation” used here is onoma, which is word for “name.” In Sardis, the church’s name was alive. The church is Sardis had the appearance of being alive. Sardis was known for its security because of its fortified acropolis on top of the mountain. This cultural mindset may have crept into the church. It is also likely that this church was visibly successful (large in number, financially wealthy). You are dead = Jesus declares that their reputation was a false facade. Thought they appeared secure and successful, they were spiritually dead. In 1 Tim. 5:6, Paul refers to self-indulgent people as dead even though they are physically alive. In the parable of the prodigal son, the father refers to his sinful son as dead, even though the son was still physically alive (Luke 15:24). Therefore, the church is Sardis may have been self-indulgent in the things of the world. Jesus declares that those who trust in worldly success are dead. Wake up, strengthen what remains and is about to die = Being asleep is a metaphor for being complacent. The church in Sardis was content and complacent in their false reputation. But this church is in danger of becoming totally dead. Jesus wants them to strengthen anything good that remains. I have not found your works complete = While this church had something good going on, it was not complete. This must mean that this church was missing the most important and authentic works. Instructions ​ Revelation 3:3 ESV 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. Remember what you received, keep it, repent = This is a call to remember the truth, obey it, and repent of their disobedience. If you will not wake up = This is a call to repent of their complacency and false security. I will come like a thief against you = In the New Testament the language of coming like a thief refers to the context of Jesus coming to judge those who are evil (Matt. 24:42-44; 1 Thess. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10). In Rev. 16:15 we read, “Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!” While the coming of Jesus will be a wonderful day for faithful believers, it will be a dreadful day for those who have rejected Jesus or were false followers. Promises ​ Revelation 3:5–6 ESV 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.’ The one who conquers = Again, this is a recurring theme in Revelation and is one of the main themes of the entire book. Those who conquer are those who have overcome by remaining faithful to Jesus. White garments = This image represents purity/righteousness (Isa. 61:10) and is mentioned several times in Revelation. Jesus is going to counsel the church in Laodicea to buy from Him white garments to cover their shame (Rev. 3:18). In John’s vision of the throne in heaven, he sees 24 elders dressed in white garments (Rev. 4:4). Those who were killed for their faith are given white robes (Rev. 6:11). John sees a great multitude of people from every nation in heaven dressed in white robes (Rev. 7:9). We learn that these robes/garments have been washed white by the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 7:14). Therefore, those who remain faithful will inherit sinless eternal life. I will never blot his name out of the book of life = It should first be noted that this verse implies that we CAN be blotted out if we are not faithful. Only those who remain faithful are promised NOT to be blotted out. The “book of life” is the biblical image of God’s list of the living. The first mention of being blotted out of God’s book is in Ex. 32:32 when Moses offers his life in place of Israel. This book is also mentioned in Daniel when God is revealing the time of tribulation (Dan. 12:1). In Revelation, the book of life is mentioned several times (Rev. 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27). It is described as a book that has been “written before the foundation of the world” which refers to God’s foreknowledge. It is also described as the “Lamb’s book of life” which indicates that Jesus is the judge of who is on the list. Those who are not written in the Lamb’s book of life at the last judgment receive eternal death and are destroyed in the lake of fire (Rev. 20:11-15). Does this “blotting out” imply that we can lose our salvation? A popular modern view teaches that people who pray a prayer and get baptized are eternally secure in their salvation, even if they do not remain faithful. This issue has been debated for centuries. However, the Bible (both OT and NT) teaches that we must remain faithful and repeatedly warns us that those who do not remain faithful will not inherit eternal life (Matt. 7:21-23; 10:22; 1 Cor. 4:1-2; Col. 1:21-23; Heb. 3:14; Heb. 10:26-31, 38-39; 11:6). The only way to ensure that we remain faithful is to stay in Christ and instep with the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 1:6-9). If we choose to walk away from Christ and no longer believe, we are choosing death. I will confess his name before my Father = This echoes what Jesus said in Matt. 10:32 “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,” For the one who remains faithful, Jesus will declare their name to the Father as one who belongs to Him. Application for Today Churches can display all kinds of external “evidence” of success, while being spiritually dead on the inside. Followers of Jesus must remain faithful to Jesus to inherit eternal life and the unfaithful are at risk of eternal death. Faithful followers of Jesus will be announced in heaven as the righteous children of God.