Focusing on our Works
Introduction
Since September and including today, I have had the privilege of being with you on seven separate Sundays. I’ve preached 11 different sermons and, God willing, I’ll preach two more messages today.
Because you are in this time of transition, each time that I’ve been here, I’ve come with the awareness that I may not have another opportunity to return. I want you to know that I’ve been grateful for every opportunity to preach here! And I want you to know that I’ve tried to be prayerful and sensitive to the leading of the Lord with each message that I’ve preached in this place.
The past couple of Sunday mornings that I’ve been with you, I have talked to you about…
“Sharpening the Focus of the Church”
I’ve mentioned a couple of times, briefly, that…
We should be Focused on our WARMTH / WELCOME (Cultivating a genuine fellowship among the body as well as welcoming guests who come in)
We should be Focused on our WITNESS (Through Outreach)
We should be Focused on our WORLD (Through Missions)
We should be Focused on our WILLINGNESS (To Serve, Give, etc.)
And in a more specific way, I’ve highlighted the fact that the church (not just your church, but every church) needs to Focus on the WORD of God.
Last Sunday, I magnified the fact that the church needs to Focus on WORSHIP.
Today, it’s on my heart to speak to you about how this church (and every church) needs to be…
Focusing on our WORKS
When Christ instructed the apostle John to write to the seven churches of Asia, He focused quite a bit on their “works.”
In Revelation 2:2, He said to the church at Ephesus, “I know thy works…” Then in verse 5, He said that the Ephesian believers should “repent, and do the first works.”
In Revelation 2:9, He said to the church at Smyrna, “I know thy works.”
In Revelation 2:13, He said to the church at Pergamos, “I know thy works.”
To the church at Thyatira He said, “I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first” (Revelation 2:19). In other words, Christ knew there former works and their recent works, and He recognized that they had been doing more. They had made improvement.
In Revelation 2:23, Christ was saying that He would bring severe judgment upon false teachers. And He said, “all the churches shall know that I am He which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.”
In Revelation 2:26, Christ made a promise and said, “he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations.”
In Revelation 3:8, He said to the church at Philadelphia, “I know thy works.”
In Revelation 3:15, He said to the church at Laodicea, “I know thy works.”
And in Revelation 3, verses 1 and 2, the risen, exalted Christ said to the apostle John…
“ … unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith He that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. {2} Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.”
Albert Barnes said of this repeated phrase, “I know thy works,” that it is …
The common formula with which all the epistles to the seven churches are introduced. It is designed to impress upon them deeply the conviction that He was intimately acquainted with all that they did, good and bad, and that therefore He was abundantly qualified to dispense rewards or administer punishments according to truth and justice.
Essentially, Jesus was saying, ‘I know all about you. I know what you’ve done. I know how you’ve conducted yourselves. I know everything about your church.’
When Jesus dictated His message to Sardis, He made a very sobering statement. He said ‘Sardis, I know about you too. I know that you have a name (a reputation) that you are alive. But in reality, you are dead!’
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia says that…
In Revelation 3:1-6 Sardis is condemned more completely than any other city except Laodicea (vv. 14-19). … E. M. Blaiklock (Cities of the NT [1965], p. 115) called Sardis “the city that died” and ascribed its destruction to the crumbling of the rock ridge on which a part of the city was built (though most of it, as revealed by excavation, was down in the plain).
Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary says that…
During its days as a Roman city, Sardis became an important Christian center. However, the church at Sardis was evidently affected by the complacency of the city and its reliance on past glory: “You have a name that you are alive, but you are dead” (Revelation 3:1). Sardis, the dead church, was like (Jesus’ scathing description of the Pharisees in Matthew 23:27) -- “whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.” Its thriving, healthy appearance masked an inner decay.
Last week, I quoted Thom Rainer, the President of LifeWay Christian Resources. Last year, Dr. Rainer wrote a book called Autopsy of a Deceased Church.
In Part 1 of the book, Rainer assumes the role of a “church coroner,” and he shows the results of his “Autopsy” and some of the varying causes of death in churches. In fact, Dr. Rainer derived his common findings from 14 different churches in varying denominations and locations; 14 churches that were once living (perhaps even thriving) but that died and no longer exist as an active congregation.
“Is There Hope for the Dying Church?” That’s the question Dr. Rainer addresses in Part 2 of his book. Over the progression of the last three chapters he offers a treatment plan for churches that are either sick, very sick, or dying. In the last chapter, for those churches that are in fact, terminal, he advises them on how to die with dignity.
One of the most lethal elements that Rainer highlights is found in Chapter 3 of his book. It is what he calls “The Common Thread” in dying churches. He makes the point that dying churches typically hold on to the past at the expense of their future. He says…
The most pervasive and common thread of our autopsies was that the deceased churches lived for a long time with the past as hero. … And when any internal or external force tried to change the past, they responded with anger and resolution: “We will die before we change.” And they did.
Rainer indicated in Chapter 6, that “the Great Commission” in these deceased churches became “the Great Omission.” The church budgets focused more on satisfying the folks inside the church than reaching the folks outside the church. Auditoriums and facilities became memorialized landmarks rather than lighthouses and places to worship God. One member of a church that ultimately closed its doors and died had this to say: “We stopped praying with the passion we once had. That’s it. That was the beginning of the decline that led to our death. We stopped taking prayer seriously. And the church started dying.”
If a person (or church) is sick (perhaps even dying), they have to admit that they’re sick (even dying) before they can begin treatment and, hopefully, get well and become healthy again. Jesus put it like this in Mark 2:17: “They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick.” Churches across our country need to realize and admit that they’re sick (and even dying).
I don’t know how it all happened at Sardis. The statements that Christ makes here are somewhat general. But He says enough to where we can make some observations about…
I. The HEALTH of this Church
A. Sardis Had a DISTINCTION
(Revelation 3:1) … I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest …
The Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary says that…
Sardis was famed among the churches for spiritual vitality.
The UBS (United Bible Societies) New Testament Handbook says that …
here name means reputation, fame. Or the meaning may be expressed this way: “You seem (or, appear) to be alive ....”
[We believe that a “church that’s alive is worth the drive!” That’s the reputation that Sardis had. Everybody thought: ‘Here’s a church that is vibrant and alive.’]
Matthew Poole said…
The ministry of this church had a name, that is, were reported as famous for their faith, diligence, and holiness.
J. Hampton Keathley III said…
They had a reputation; they were known far and wide, and they were active, filled with activity, action, and programs, just like a great deal of the church today all across America. By the world’s standards they were successful and they were probably proud of their church, but our Lord says not so, “you are dead.”
Not only did Sardis have a Distinction, but…
B. Sardis Had a DEADNESS
(Revelation 3:1) … thou … art dead.
The reputation of this church didn’t mesh with the reality of this church. Jesus said they had the reputation of being a vibrant church that was alive, but in reality there was a deadness there.
The UBS (United Bible Societies) New Testament Handbook says that …
Both alive and dead refers to their spiritual condition. So this sentence may be expressed as “You appear to be faithful believers in me; but actually you do not follow me anymore.”
The Pulpit Commentary says there may be…
The deceitful semblance of life though death lurks within.
The online IVP (InterVarsity Press) New Testament Commentary says…
You are dead (v. 1) is a dramatic way of saying “you are spiritually asleep” (compare Ephesians 5:14), for the angel is then told, Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die (v. 2).
There may have been, as Paul said, “ a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof ” (2 Timothy 3:5).
They might have veiled their true condition from others, but Christ said, “I know…”
John MacArthur shared come insightful comments about this verse when he said…
This church had a reputation that it was alive but in fact it was dead. Astronomers tell us that the light from the [closest] star takes years to reach the earth. What that means is, that star could have been plunged into darkness years ago and its light would still be pouring down to earth. It would be shining in the sky tonight as brightly as if nothing had happened. It could be a dead star, but we wouldn’t know it was dead. The church at Sardis was like that. It had a name. The name appeared to say it was alive. It was shining solely by the light of its brilliant past. But in the present it was dead.
It’s a common tragedy, I think. There are many churches that still have some light from their shining past but the reality is they are now dead. It is death under the guise of life.
Now remember, this was an actual church in an actual city, a historical place in Asia Minor. But as each of these churches is this one also is a symbol of dead churches throughout all the ages of the church. It speaks of a certain kind of church. We have this kind of church today. So as we look at the letter we’re not only learning history but we’re dealing with relevancy for the church today. (http://www.gty.org/Resources/Sermons/66-11)
Not only did Sardis have a Distinction and a Deadness, but…
C. Sardis Had a DEFICIENCY
Jesus said…
(Revelation 3:2) … I have not found thy works perfect before God.
The online IVP (InterVarsity Press) New Testament Commentary says…
The message to Sardis lists no specific enemies, internal or external. There is no name calling -- no liars, no Balaam or Jezebel, no deep secrets of Satan, no synagogue of Satan, no throne of Satan. Consequently, of all the congregations in Asia, we know least about Sardis and its problems. Yet no other message is more damaging or more urgent than this one. … Too often, when we encounter no spiritual adversaries, it is because we are the enemy. The only enemy named at Sardis is the angel to whom the message is addressed.
(https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/Rev/Message-Sardis)
The Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary says that Jesus’ statement means that their works were…
Lacking in living faith as the motive of works.
The UBS (United Bible Societies) New Testament Handbook says that …
“Works” are not just specific deeds but the manner of life, the behavior of these people: “I know the life that you have lived,” which is more inclusive than “I know what you have done.” (And what you haven’t done.)
… Christ has investigated what the Christians at Sardis have done, and He has [“found,” i.e. perceived] that their works do not measure up to the standards set by God. The word perfect here … means to complete, fulfill, bring to perfection. Moffatt translates “nothing you have done is complete.” The implication seems to be that the Christians at Sardis had begun to do things as Christians but had lost their enthusiasm and not finished what they had begun.
Like the Jews in Haggai’s day who had started but not finished the rebuilding of the temple, and the Lord said… (Haggai 1:4) Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste?
Richard Brooks said…
Before God the church was the very opposite of what she was before men. There were deeds, there was activity — but there was the vital ingredient lacking: true spiritual life. There was form without power. There were lots of dead people hard at work! (Welwyn Commentary Series)
Not only does Christ point us to the present predicament and the possible prognosis of this church as He shows us some things about the Health of this Church. But He also gives a pointed prescription that, if taken, could lead to …
II. The HEALING and HELP of this Church
Christ said that this church needed to…
A. Be ROUSED
(Revelation 3:2) Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
Albert Barnes explained…
[Be watchful] Be wakeful; be attentive and earnest – in contradistinction from the drowsy condition of the church.
The UBS (United Bible Societies) New Testament Handbook says that …
This word … means “Become alive again,” “Wake up from death,” or “Begin living as Christians (or, followers of me) again.”
Marvin Vincent said the word “watchful” means…
Literally, “become awake and on the watch.” Become what thou art not.
It is reminiscent of Jesus saying to the widow’s son at Nain and to Jairus’ daughter, “Arise!”
Christ said that this church needed to Be ROUSED. Then He said that this church needed to…
B. Be REINFORCED
(Revelation 3:2) Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
Just as Paul told Timothy to ‘fan the flame,’ to “stir up the gift of God” within him in 2 Timothy 1:6, Christ told the church at Sardis to “strengthen the things that remain.”
The UBS (United Bible Societies) New Testament Handbook says that …
The verb “to strengthen” means, in this context, to restore to strength, to renew, to invigorate, to put strength (vigor) back into.” NJB translates “put some resolve into what little vigour you have left. And what remains refers to their Christian virtues or activities that had been neglected and were about to die, that is, about to disappear completely.
You may not have what you once had, and what you have may be ready to die. But to use one of Vance Havner’s book titles, He’s the “Lord of What’s Left”!
You may not have the breadth and scope of ministries and members and money and music and missions that you used to have. But invigorate and put strength and renewing into what you still have! Breathe some new life back into the Worship, and the Warmth, and the Welcome, and the Willingness. Don’t give up yet!!
Be ROUSED. Be REINFORCED. And then Christ said that this church should …
C. Be REMEMBERING
(Revelation 3:3) Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
The UBS (United Bible Societies) New Testament Handbook says that …
Remember then what you received and heard: the two verbs received and heard (refers to) their having been taught the lessons of the Christian faith. “Remember the truths (or, lessons) you were taught.” (One resource) translates “remember how you first heard the message.” (Another resource translates it as) two separate events: “keep remembering the faith you have received, and the instructions you heard.” And then…
[“hold fast”] the verb … here means not only to preserve but to put into practice, to obey, to follow. So another way of expressing this clause is “You must follow (obey) these truths.”
Get back to the Book! Think back on those days when you first heard the gospel; think back on that time when you first got saved, and how you started learning things about the Lord and His Word. Look back to those things again, and then live those things again!
Be ROUSED. Be REINFORCED. Be REMEMBERING. And then Christ said that this church should …
D. Be REPENTING
(Revelation 3:3) Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Notice the Word in this verse -- “repent”
The UBS (United Bible Societies) New Testament Handbook says that …
Repent: this can be rendered “change your ways,” “Turn from your sins”, “turn your back on sinning,” or “stop sinning.” The aorist imperative designates a decisive act: “change your attitude”; “turn back to God.”
Dr. Grant Richison said…
Repentance implies a change of life because of a complete change of thought and attitude. While the emphasis in the English is on sorrow or contrition, the Greek word carries the idea of a total change in thinking and behavior with respect to both how we think and act. … Jesus wants the Christians at Sardis to completely change their thinking and orientation about their sin.
(http://versebyversecommentary.com/revelation/revelation-33/)
Notice the Warning in this verse
(Revelation 3:3) Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
John MacArthur said…
The consequences if revival did not come would be severe. Christ warned them if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. The picture of Jesus coming like a thief always carries the idea of imminent judgment. The threat here is not related to His second coming, but is that the Lord would come and destroy the Sardis church if there is no revival.
John Phillips said that…
The thought is that the Lord will come suddenly upon this church, which has nothing but an empty reputation, and will break it up. A thief comes to spoil and to remove everything of value. The Lord warns this local church that if there is not self-judgment, He will come suddenly and break up the testimony once and for all.
Be ROUSED. Be REINFORCED. Be REMEMBERING. Be REPENTING. And then Christ said that this church should …
E. Be RECEPTIVE (listening)
(Revelation 3:6) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
The UBS New Testament Handbook notes that “this injunction appears in all seven letters.”
Dr. Grant Richison said…
The Holy Spirit said something powerful to the church at Sardis. It is a penetrating message for churches of our generation that put emphasis on activity over integrity, the end-result over fellowship with the Lord. There is nothing wrong with being end-result oriented or activity oriented. It is a matter of what is priority. The phrase “let him hear” is a decisive and imperative command. Jesus wants the churches attention about this matter.
Christ points us to the present predicament and the possible prognosis of this church as He shows us some things about the Health of this Church.
He gives a pointed prescription that, if taken, could lead to the Healing and Help of this Church.
The Lord also shows us some positive points in this passage that helps us to understand …
II. The HOPE of this Church
A. There’s Hope Because of the FORMIDABLE CHRIST
(Revelation 3:1) And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith He that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
Do you remember singing, “He’s got the whole world in His hands”? Well He has even more than that! According to Revelation 3:1, He has “the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars.”
John MacArthur said…
The letter to Sardis draws … from the salutation in 1:4, where the phrase seven Spirits also appears. That phrase may refer to Isaiah 11:2, where the Holy Spirit is described as “the Spirit of the Lord..., the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” It may also refer to the symbolic depiction of the Holy Spirit as a lampstand with seven lamps (a menorah), presented in Zechariah 4:1-10 (cf. Revelation 4:5). In either case, the reference is to the Spirit’s fullness. Jesus Christ is represented in His church through the Holy Spirit.
The seven stars are the seven messengers or elders (cf. 1:20), one from each of the seven churches, who likely carried a copy of the book of Revelation back to their respective churches. The imagery shows Jesus Christ, the sovereign Lord of the church, mediating His rule through such godly leaders and pastors.
Christ’s introduction of Himself does not hint at the severity of the situation in Sardis. Surprisingly, He did not introduce Himself as the divine Judge (as He did in 2:18 to the church at Thyatira), although the church at Sardis faced imminent judgment. Instead, He depicted Himself as the One who sovereignly works in His church through the Holy Spirit and godly leaders. That introduction served as a reminder to the Sardis church of what they lacked. Devoid of the Spirit, the church at Sardis was dead, populated by the unredeemed.
If He has the Holy Spirit, then as we become watchful and strengthen the things that remain and remember and repent and listen, then He can (by the Holy Spirit) revive and breathe new life into dead or dying churches!
If He has the stars (the messengers, or pastors) then He can work through those pastors to bring new life into churches that are willing to accept His prescribed actions here!
Church, He has what you need!! He has the Holy Spirit, and He has a pastor for you! There’s HOPE for the church, there’s HOPE for this church because of the Formidable Christ! And then…
B. There’s Hope Because of the FAITHFUL CHRISTIANS
(Revelation 3:4) Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
(Revelation 3:5) He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before His angels.
As discouraging as the situation was, God had a remnant. There were still some folks “even in Sardis” who had trusted God and stayed faithful.
John Phillips said that these believers represented “a Virtuous Remnant” for they had “not defiled their garments,” and they were “a Victorious Remnant” who would “walk in … white” with those that “overcometh.”
John MacArthur said…
Christ described the faithful remnant as those who have not [defiled] their garments. [Defiled] is from molunō, which means “to stain,” “to defile,” “to smear,” or “to pollute.” It was a word that would have been familiar to readers in Sardis because of the city’s wool dyeing industry. Garments symbolize character in Scripture. The faithful remnant could come into God’s presence because they had not defiled or polluted themselves, but manifested their godly character.
They have not conformed to the worldly colors. “They shall walk in white.”
There’s HOPE for the church, there’s HOPE for this church because of the Formidable Christ!
There’s HOPE for the church, there’s HOPE for this church because of the Faithful Christians. And then…
C. There’s Hope Because of the FUTURE CONFESSION
(Revelation 3:5) He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before His angels.
John MacArthur said that…
Christ further promises every true Christian that He will not erase his name from the book of life, but will confess his name before the Father and before His angels. Incredibly, although the text says just the opposite, some people assume that this verse teaches that a Christian’s name can be erased from the book of life. They thus foolishly turn a promise into a threat.
… In John’s day, rulers kept a register of the citizens of a city. If someone died, or committed a serious crime, their name was erased from that register. Christ, the King of heaven, promises never to erase a true Christian’s name from the roll of those whose names were [written in the Lamb’s book of life] (13:8).
On the contrary, Christ will confess every believer’s name before God the Father and before His angels. He will affirm that they belong to Him. Here Christ reaffirmed the promise He made during His earthly ministry: “Everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32).
We have APPAREL in Christ. “white raiment”
We have ASSURANCE in Christ. “I will not blot out his name out of the book of life.”
And we will have ACKNOWLEDGEMENT in Christ! “I will confess his name before my Father.”
Conclusion
How many of you have ever been to a funeral visitation or the funeral itself? Of course, all of us
have. These are gatherings that have deadness at the center of what is going on.
But one preacher friend of mine (Rick Safriet) made the observation when I was around him recently that funerals, ironically, are geared to look like life.
We dress up the corpse and try to make them look their best. You’ve heard the comments. ‘They look so natural.’ ‘They look good, don’t they?’
We bring in flowers and play music and gather a crowd. Again, as the Pulpit Commentary says there may be, “The deceitful semblance of life, though death lurks within.” It looks like a lively situation, but it’s all about death.
And all too often, that is the case in our churches!
But, you know, I’ve been studying these Resurrection Scenes that are scattered throughout the scriptures. Besides the resurrection of Jesus Himself, there were eight individuals who had died but were raised from a state of death. Eight individuals. If you study Biblical numerology, 8 is the number of “new beginnings.” And eight times, God showed us that He can bring life out of death. Eight times, God showed us that He can offer “a new lease on life” and bring about a ‘new beginning’ even where there is deadness.
If there is deadness in your church (or in your heart), don’t try to cover it up under the deceitful semblance of life. Bring it to Jesus who can bring life out of death!