The Dead Church, Pt. 2

Sardis: Passionately reach others for Jesus

Picking up where we left off in Revelation with the sermon series Touring the Churches, we continue with the church at Sardis. Sardis had a reputation for being alive, but that wasn't what Jesus saw when He looked in on them. As we saw last week, a church and its membership can be killed through a lack of unity around reaching people for Jesus, as well as a lack of power in worship. But that's not all; when Jesus looked at the Sardis's works He found them inadequate and incomplete.

What is the work of a church? Teaching, baptizing, and making disciples for God. Over time, the church at Sardis had gotten distracted and had abandoned the task that God had given them. Like that church so long ago, if we grow complacent or lazy or inattentive and don't complete the work God has given us, we seal our own fates.

But Jesus offered a remedy for the church and for us: wake up! Jesus gave the people a wakeup call to realize and acknowledge the fact that they had lost their passion for God and reaching people. He emphasized the urgency for them and for us to wake up the church before there is nothing left to wake up to. He called on Sardis to strengthen what remains, what they have all seen and heard and know in their hearts: the message and mercy of Jesus. Take a lesson from Sardis and stop to check what direction your life is headed. Are you headed toward God? If not, it isn't too late. Stop and return to Him. When you move toward God you move toward life and joy, peace and purpose.