History
Sardis is one of the oldest cities in Asia. It dates back to 2000 B.C. It was the ancient capital of the Lydian Empire. It became very wealthy with much gold and silver. ‘Lydian Staters’ were the first coins in the world, about 600 B.C. It’s goddess was Cybele, whose son was Midas, fabled to turn everything he touched into gold.
Sardis sits on a hill 1000ft above a broad valley. It appeared to be impregnable, but it’s cliffs were made from clay and continually eroded. This left cracks which could be exploited. The people had a false sense of security because of this impregnability and were not watchful. This eventually became their downfall. In 17 A.D. the city was destroyed by an earthquake. Today there is a small town of Start built on the ruins.
Chapter 3 Verse 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.”
Title of Jesus
The ‘seven Spirits of God’ refers to the Holy Spirit as in Chapter 1
Good News
There is no good news for Sardis. There are two letters that no good thing is said of them, this is one of those.
Criticism
Sardis is tied in with the period of church history that is the reformation - the protestant church. The return to the Bible from the heresy of the Roman Catholic church brought an emphasis on Salvation through faith and not works. But the Reformation did not go far enough. The Millennium and the Rapture of the Church are not accepted literally in most denominations today. Their earlier enthusiasm slowly cooled and became formalised.
The term ‘name’ could well be indicating denominations. There have been many splits and new denominations formed since those early days of the protestant church, Some of which could be called ‘dead’.
Verse 2
“Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.”
Sardis was not watchful and fell to the Persians, because they thought they couldn’t be got at due to the cliffs. They left them unguarded, but the Persians found a way up.
Likewise we have to be watchful or we fall!
We have to be watchful for :
The wiles of the Devil 1 Peter 5;8
Temptation Matthew 26;41
False teachers Acts 20;29-31
Today “salvation through faith” is being lost, God’s word is being changed to suit man. The protestant church is dying.
Verse 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.”
Exhortation
They have to “hold fast”, the tense that this is given in is a continuous tense, there is to be no ups or downs in their faith.
They have to “repent”, a definite action, an immediate action, no time to wait.
They have to “watch”, if they watch, God will not come as a thief in the night. The church may not know the exact day or hour when Christ will return, but if we look around us at the world, we can see plenty of signs for His imminent return.
Verse 4,5
“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. 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.”
Promise to the Overcomer
The overcomer will be clothed in white. Garment are used as a way of referring to our spiritual condition. White garments refer to righteousness - cleansed from sin.
The mention of the “Book of Life” refers to a book in Heaven that holds a list of people who will have eternal life. They are saved, walking with Him and heading to Heaven.
We have to be sure that our names are written in this book and that they stay there.
Verse 6
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”
Phrase
Again we have the phrase at the end of the letter.
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