The Church in Sardis Revelation 3:1

John the apostle saw the vision of Jesus in chapter one of “Revelation”, and 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”. Jesus told each of the churches, “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches”, and in chapter three and verse one of Revelation, John shared how Jesus address “the church in Sardis” where we read:

And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things says he that has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know your works, that you have a name that you live, and are dead.

The verse reads, “And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things says he that has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars;” John began with the words, “and unto the angel” which means “toward the messenger, envoy, one who is sent and by implication the pastor” “of the church” or “pertaining to the assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting” “in Sardis” which refers to “a luxurious city in Asian Minor and the capital of Lydia which means red ones” “write” or “delineate or form letters on a tablet, parchment, paper or other material”. “These things” or “that which John is about to write” “says” which means “utters, proclaims and declares” “he that has” or “Jesus who holds, owns and possesses” “the seven Spirits” which refers to “the seven ways which emphasizes personality and character” “of God” which means “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Son of God” “and the seven stars” or “the seven stars was though strewn across the sky”. Jesus referred to both the “seven Spirits” and the “seven stars” which were attributed to Himself in Revelation chapter one as he instructed John to “write” to the “messenger or pastor” of the “church” located in “Sardis”.

The verse continues, “I know your works, that you have a name that you live, and are dead.” John added, “I know” which means “Jesus perceives, notices, discerns, pays attention to and observes” “your works” or “the church in Sardis' business, employment and that which they are occupied”, “that you have a name” which means “that which 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” “that you live” or “that the church in Sardis is active, blessed and full of life”, “and are dead” which means “and actually are deceased, departed, inanimate and spiritually without life”. By knowing the “business and occupation” of the “church in Sardis”, Jesus knew they were “spiritually dead” even though they appeared to be “alive”.

When we consider John's words in this verse, we see how Jesus knew the character of the “church in Sardis”. Though they appeared to be alive, they were actually “spiritually dead”. The “church in Sardis” relates to the Protestant Reformation, and though it began, it carried with it many of the pagan practices which were originated in Babylonian religious systems. The “works” of the Protestant Reformation were not complete, and many of the “relics from the Babylonian religion” exist today. Jesus knew the “church in Sardis”, and He knew their actual works. Though the “church in Sardis” appeared to be “spiritually vital and alive”, they were actually “spiritually dead”. God knows the “works” of every person and “every church”, and He desires to have a “lively” and “active” relationship with each of them through His Son Jesus.

Next time we see John share Jesus' words to “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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