After
John the apostle saw the vision of Jesus in chapter one of
“Revelation”,
he began to write to the “seven
churches in Asia”. He
started with the church located in “Ephesus”,
then the “church of Smyrna”,
the “church
in Pergamos” and
then the “church
in Thyatira”. He
added “the church in “Sardis” and how He knew their “works,
that”
they “have
a name that”
they “live”,
“and
are dead”
and
he
exhorted them, “Be
watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to
die:
for
I have not found your works perfect before God.” John
instructed them to, “Remember
therefore how you have received and heard, and hold fast, and repent”
because
“If therefore you shall not watch, I will come on you as a thief,
and you shall not know what hour I will come upon you.” In
chapter
three and verse four of Revelation, John shared how Jesus told “the
church in Sardis” “you have a few names even in Sardis which have
not defiled their garments”
where
we read:
You
have a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their
garments;
and
they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
The
verse begins, “You
have a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their
garments;” John
began with the words, “you
have”
which means “the church in Sardis holds, owns and possesses” “a
few names”
or “a small and little number of what is used for everything which
the name covers, everything the thought or feeling of which is
aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing and remembering” “even
in Sardis” or
“also and indeed within the luxurious city in Asia Minor which is
the capital of Lydia and means red ones” “which
have not defiled”
which means “who have not polluted, stained or contaminated”
“their garments” or
“their cloaks, mantles or tunics”. Jesus recognized the “few”
people who did not “stain and contaminate” themselves with pagan
“works”.
The
verse continues, “and
they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.” John
added the words, “and
they shall walk”
which means “and the people within Sardis
who have not
defiled their garments will make their progress and due use of
opportunities”
“with
me”
or “along with Jesus” “in
white”
which means “with brilliance and light which is a sign of
innocence”: “for
they are worthy”
or “because these who have not defiled their garments have weight,
value, are befitting and congruous”. Jesus promised those who have
“not
defiled their garments”
that they shall “make their progress “with brilliance and light”
because they have “great value” with Him.
When
we consider John's words in this verse, we see how Jesus acknowledged
the “few” people who within the “church in Sardis”
who did not “stain and contaminate” themselves with the “pagan
works” within the world. God desires a relationship with people
through His Son Jesus, and they are to keep “their garments”
or “lives” unstained by “pagan and worldly” ways. Jesus
promised the people in the “church in Sardis” that they
will “walk with” Him in “brilliance”, and He called
them “worthy” or “of great value”.
Next
time
we see John shares how Jesus has, “he
that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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