The Revelation of Jesus Christ
John to the seven churches
Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.
“Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, … to Sardis…
“Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. 19 Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.
20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Christ, our risen Lord and Savior holds in His right hand the angels of the churches. Christ, our returning Lord and Savior stands in the presence of His golden churches – the believers to be taken-up along with those who have gone before us.
Yet each letter to the churches is specific to a group of believers: praise for faithfulness and call to continued faith. For not all who say, “Lord, lord,” will be taken-up. Not all who say, “Lord, lord,” will stand as a light of witness as a lampstand on His right. For some will be separated to the King’s left and He will say of those who did not glimmer with the light of Jesus, “I never knew you.”
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. – Matthew 25:46 KJV
Therefore: The warnings for the seven churches are addressed to the saints of every generation until the last.
You with ears to hear, let the scripture of Revelation speak to your eternal soul.
Revelation 3 “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.
Now here is a short letter to our MEGA-CHURCH. It’s only six verses (including the introduction above and the “let him hear…” closing).
We know ALL the things you do to witness your faith, so you don’t have anything to concern yourselves with in this short letter. “But wait,” as the commercial says (NO, not the commercial or billboard for your church, but another one), “there’s more.” Better not turn the page from Seeker-friendly Sardis too soon.
“‘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.
THOUSANDS attend our church and MILLIONS WATCH our church broadcast EVERY WEEK from their La-Z-Boys at home.
We have done everything we could think of to get more viewers and take our gospel into all of the world. Do you mean to say that our $50 million dollar annual budget is not buying enough viewers for God?
“I know your works.” Millions know your works. “I know your reputation.” Millions see you as Christ! They covet your blessings. As soon as they receive the kind of blessings you have (they think), they will do more for the church.
They know they are dead, but they want your life now; NOT Christ’s life now or ever.
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.
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.
Matthew 22: 11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
You may be an active and faithful member of a large church. Your pastor (though held to a higher standard for his preaching) may also be one of the faithful chosen, rather than the MANY called.
You may sit amongst other chosen ones, even in a congregation of most who will not wake up to remember what we have received and heard. Many are called in every church, but who with ears to hear will truly hear in his heart?
Take heart in Christ’s closing to alert the believers of Sardis:
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.’
NEXT: Philadelphia
