TO SARDIS--WAKE UP!
Key verse: 3
NIV
To the Church in Sardis
3 “To the angel[a] of the church in Sardis(A) write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits[b](B) of God and the seven stars.(C) I know your deeds;(D) you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.(E) 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent.(F) But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief,(G) and you will not know at what time(H) I will come to you.
4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes.(I) They will walk with me, dressed in white,(J) for they are worthy. 5 The one who is victorious(K) will, like them, be dressed in white.(L) I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life,(M) but will acknowledge that name before my Father(N) and his angels. 6 Whoever has ears, let them hear(O) what the Spirit says to the churches.
Footnotes
- Revelation 3:1 Or messenger; also in verses 7 and 14
- Revelation 3:1 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
Cross references
- Revelation 3:1 : Rev 1:11
- Revelation 3:1 : S Rev 1:4
- Revelation 3:1 : S Rev 1:16
- Revelation 3:1 : S Rev 2:2
- Revelation 3:1 : 1Ti 5:6
- Revelation 3:3 : S Rev 2:5
- Revelation 3:3 : S Lk 12:39
- Revelation 3:3 : Lk 12:39
- Revelation 3:4 : Jude 23
- Revelation 3:4 : ver 5, 18; Rev 4:4; 6:11; 7:9, 13, 14; 19:14
- Revelation 3:5 : S Jn 16:33
- Revelation 3:5 : S ver 4
- Revelation 3:5 : S Rev 20:12
- Revelation 3:5 : Mt 10:32
- Revelation 3:6 : S Rev 2:7
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
To the Church in Sardis
3 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him (A)who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.
“‘I know your works. You have the reputation (B)of being alive, (C)but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works (D)complete in the sight of my God. 3 (E)Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, (F)I will come (G)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 (H)soiled their garments, and they will walk with me (I)in white, for they are (J)worthy. 5 (K)The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never (L)blot his name out of (M)the book of life. (N)I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. 6 (O)He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
Read full chapterCross references
- Revelation 3:1 : See ch. 1:4, 16
- Revelation 3:1 : 1 Tim. 5:6
- Revelation 3:1 : See Luke 15:24
- Revelation 3:2 : Acts 14:26
- Revelation 3:3 : [2 Tim. 1:13]
- Revelation 3:3 : ch. 2:5
- Revelation 3:3 : ch. 16:15; Matt. 24:43; 1 Thess. 5:2, 4; 2 Pet. 3:10
- Revelation 3:4 : Jude 23
- Revelation 3:4 : ch. 6:11; 7:9; [Eccles. 9:8]
- Revelation 3:4 : [Luke 20:35]
- Revelation 3:5 : See ch. 2:7
- Revelation 3:5 : See Ex. 32:32
- Revelation 3:5 : ch. 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27; Phil. 4:3
- Revelation 3:5 : Matt. 10:32; Luke 12:8
- Revelation 3:6 : [See ch. 2:7 above]; ver. 11, 17, 29; ch. 3:6, 13, 22; 13:9
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Strengthen what remains (1-3)
The church in Sardis looked spiritually alive--but it was dead. When one lives in the sight of men rather than in the sight of God, he is dead on the inside, even though he maintains a facade of false spirituality. The Lord commands them and us to wake up--to repent and strengthen the faith we have by remembering God's grace and by studying and obeying his word. Time is running out, for Jesus will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night.
2. A few who walk with Jesus (4-6)
Even though the church in Sardis was full of deadness and superficiality, there was a faithful remnant who kept a pure love for Jesus in their hearts. Jesus promises that he will never blot them out of his book of life. They will walk with Jesus, dressed in white. They are those who live by faith and overcome the world.
Prayer: Lord, help me to wake up and walk with you and overcome the world.
One Word: Wake up and repent
