THE DEAD CHURCH 

Scripture: (Revelation 3: 1-6) The seven churches in the book of Revelation represents the kinds of churches throughout all of church history. That is, the churches of Revelation find their counterparts in churches throughout the world and throughout the history of the church. The seven churches were not just illustrations or examples, they were made of real people, in a real church, in a real city. Though the New Testament does not record the founding of the church of Sardis, it most likely occurred during the three-year ministry of the apostle Paul. When the apostle John wrote these letters to all the seven churches, each of these letters were intended for the leaders and all the members of the church to read. The message did not come from John, but was a message given most likely to the Pastor of the church from Jesus Himself. 

Some things that Jesus had to say to each one of the churches were positive and some were negative. People like positive things said about their church but most people do not like negative things. But, Jesus was negative when He needed to be. For Jesus is the Lord of His Church, and He will continue to build His Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Nearly 40 to 45 years later, after the church at Sardis was planted, the apostle John writes to this church; a message from the Lord saying, "the church is dead." Whenever there is a loss from the high view of the authority of Scripture and accurate teaching of the Word of God, then know that spiritual decline has begun. Then the next step in the spiritual decline of the church, is the death of the church. Therefore, Christ's words to this dead church stand as a timeless warning to all churches, in all locations, throughout all time. 

When Jesus dictated this letter to the church at Sardis, through the apostle John, He began first with a message of His description, saying, "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, "These things say He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, " He describes Himself, through the Holy Spirit as the One who sees all that happens in His church, because He is the source of its life. The seven Spirits who are before God's throne are the seven different manifestations or moves of the one Holy Spirit. And, the seven stars are the seven spiritual leaders that are elders or pastors. Then second, Jesus tells the leadership of the church, "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead." Which means, "I know" the state of this church, no matter of what the appearance may be. You may have a name, you many think you are alive, but you are dead. By earthly standards, one could have passed by the church and thought it to be a thriving community of faith. But, the Lord saw it differently. Like a command with a warning, the command is "wake up". Jesus told the churches to "Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God" (vs. 2). 

The first step for any church to do if they are willing to repent is to "Wake up." Then the second step was to strengthen what remains before it dies. There were some spiritual activities, some wholesome biblical activities that still survived, but the church collectively, was dead. Jesus said, "for I have not found your works perfect before God." Like a judicial investigation of the facts in the courtroom of God, their deeds look good to their contemporaries, but not to God. They have only two choices , repent or die. Of the seven churches addressed in the book of Revelation, five churches were told to repent and the church at Sardis was one of them. Jesus said to this church, "Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent," meaning, there is still time to change if they will wake up. In other words, remember what you have received, remember the scripture and what you have heard; the truth they had once heard in the church. This is, believe and act on these truths. 

However, the warning is that if they will not repent and be watchful, Jesus said, "I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you" (vs 3). Basically, wake up and repent and do it quickly, or I will come to you with judgment. However, Jesus did commend the church at Sardis of having true believers who did remain true to Christ and the gospel. Saying, "You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in what, for they are worthy" (vs. 4). They are described as those who have not defiled their garments, which describes holiness and purity, and sin that separates a person from their life in God's presence. But to those who have not defiled their garments, Jesus promises these true believers that they will one day be glorified, and they will walk with Christ in white garments. 

Jesus then makes a final promise to the believers at Sardis, saying, "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels." (vs. 5). The overcomer is any person who has been born again by the Spirit of God. The overcomers those who by faith in Jesus are more than conquerors, will receive cleansing from sin and will have a name that will never be blotted out from the Book of Life. Jesus concludes this letter to Sardis, as the Lord says to all the churches, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (vs 6). It is a challenge to the church and all churches; whoever hears and reads these leters, pay close attention to what the Spirit is saying to all the churches through His Word. Amen. 

Conclusion When Jesus came into Jerusalem the next day after His triumphal entry, He was hungry and saw a fig tree, but found nothing but leaves and no fruit. The tree had form. It had leaves. It had the shape, but there was no fruit. In response Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again" (Mark ll:14). The tree was cursed and as good as dead. Likewise, the church at Sardis had only one choice to hold fast and repent or it too would be as good as dead. So, how does a dead church repent? When any church attempts to operate from any other power source than Christ, through His Holy Spirit, that church can officially be identifiied as dead. But the problem with a dead church, is its refusal to recognize its own condition. They may function in their 'own' power, programs, pomp, and attribute, but not realize when the (Spirit of the Lord) has departed. 

This can only make the church ineffective and even dangerous as parading itself as if it were alive in Christ. What a church looks like in the sight of men is probably the opposite in the sight of God. But if a church is alive, it is alive because it's the Word of God that brings life. And if it is alive, it is alive because the Spirit of God brings life where there is no life. Jesus tells the church at Sardis, if it wants to have life again, it needs to remember the Scripture it received in its early days, teach the Scripture to its members and to keep it; live it. Then they are to be strengthening the things that remain, receive, and hear, and hold fast and repent. They are to overcome, keep on guard and watch, remember the treasure they have received and keep on obeying the truths. Because the only hope for a dead church is the Holy Spirit of God giving life...and dwelling within each one. Many churches today may look good from the outside, have many programs in the inside, but is the church alive or is it just a building? It has been said that the Nation of America closes more churches every year than any other nation. One poll shows that between 8,000 and l0,000 local churches died every year, while only about l,000 new churches are planted every year. In a book written by Thom Rainer called, 'Autopsy of a Dead Church', he says, "we will do the sad work of visiting a cold morgue to see the coroner pull out the corpse of a local church." Then we will visit the church of Sardis to hear the description of how that corpse died, so we can be warned, we can be revived, we can be revitalized." And then we ourselves as a church that desires to be alive, can be renewed in our zeal for Christ. For a church to stay alive, it must fear God and flee deadness. We must be on guard constantly that we do not slide into false doctrine. And we must be strengthened by the Word of God and avoid sin. Then we must be watchful, for if we do not watch and stay awake, the Lord will come upon us as a thief. So, be alive and ready, watchful, and repented. Amen. 

CLOSING PRAYER: May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the life of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. Life-Light Ministries would like to thank Pastor Charles Tharp for his contribution to the message of our website. He is the Pastor at the East Iron Hill Church, ll755 l50th Street, P.O. Box 734, Maquoketa, Iowa 52207 WATCH, REPENT, PREPARE, BE READY! May, 2024