The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches." Revelation 1:19-20. . In Revelation 3:1, Jesus said to this church at Sardis, "I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.". 8 To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of the First and the Last, who died and returned to life. A Treasure in Clay. It was at one time the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia, and today its ruins can be visited near the city of Izmir, Turkey. 4. Pastor Robert continues his series, The Seven Churches of Revelation, by encouraging us to ask the Holy Spirit to wake up the dead places of our spiritual lives with His love, joy, and peace. When the church goes the way of the world, we all suffer. To the angel of the church in Sardis write — This city, "once the renowned capital of Crœsus and the rich Lydian kings, is now no longer worthy of the name of a city. Grant this through Jesus Christ, the firstborn from the dead, who lives with you now and always in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. The Dead Church. Church in Laodicea: tepid and wretched, but saved by grace * Revelation 3:14-22, Part 2 of 2; 26. Covers Revelation 3:1-6. Topic: The Church at Sardis-A Dead Church. In keeping with Bible terminology, "stars" and "angels" are linked. A Treasure in Clay. This Pagan church age is represented by the letter to Thyatira. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. September 18, 2021. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NASB) 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. • The work that God has been doing in our lives. Sardis began as a hilltop citadel where the king of Lydia lived. The True Gospel; Part 2: What Jesus Did so You can have Eternal Life; . 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. Revelation 3:1-6, " To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: 'I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Click button to view titles for entire series In the book of Revelation, the Church of Sardis has a name that it's alive, but it's dead. The city of Sardis was built around B.C. Revelation chapter three. FIRST READING Acts 16. Covers Revelation 3:1-6. This type of argument is known as an argument from silence. They are also used in Revelation after Chapter 3 ( Revelation 5:8, 8:3-4, 11:18, 13:7, 13:10, 14:12, 16:6, 17:6, 18:24 ), proving that the church is still there. The basis of the judgment is upon the writings of certain books. Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds . Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of . The fifth of these was to the church of Sardis. Series: Revelation: Apocalypse . As you can imagine, there are a variety of interpretations as to their identity. Their reputation was that they were alive. This Revelation Timeline Decoded Bible study will show you how the 7 churches of Revelation represent seven Church eras that have spanned throughout history, and end when the Lord returns.. They tell us this is the "golden" altar. This is a tremendous chapter because it so clearly explains to us. Now let's go to the message to the church at Sardis. The One: Write down My words, and send them to the messenger of the church in Sardis. Clearly at the end of verse 1 our Lord says, "You are dead.". I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. So the message is coming from Christ. 10 - 14, 21. Revelation 3:1-6. To the angel of the church in Sardis write: "He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: 'I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.'". To the angel of the church in Sardis. Few people support the church with tithes and offerings. Such is not the language of human messengers of God. 5 of 7. by Robert Morris. The Dead Church. (1) And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars, says this: I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 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. • And what He expects in response. Wake up! In the sixth century B.C., Sardis was ruled by a fabulously wealthy king whose name, Croesus, became a byword . Some criticism of this view include that it is difficult to line up certain movements in the church with the descriptions in Revelation. They were living off there reputation of past glory. The church in Smyrna faced bitter persecution and death, yet it emitted a fragrant . Revelation - The letter to the dead church in Sardis - (3) But . 3:2 The church has a reputation for its activity, but it is dead. 3:3 Its works are not completed. Travel to the land of the Bible with host Joe Stowell to visit the ancient sites of the seven churches described in Revelation. Smyrna: The Suffering Church. One of my favorite passages in the Bible is found in Ephesians chapter 2. The Lord's message to the church at Sardis is recorded in Revelation 3. 3:1 Christ is shown with the seven stars (the seven messengers of the churches) and the seven-fold Holy Spirit--Whom this church sorely needs. "To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. If we look at a dead church—that is, conduct a post-mortem examination—what might we find? This is important that you should really know. This age began in 606 A.D. and lasts up until the present day. When the church goes the way of the world, we all suffer. Topic: The Church at Sardis-A Dead Church. by Robert Morris. Add to Favorites Favorited! From the tabernacle in the wilderness, and from Solomon's Temple, we . . In Scripture, "stars" and angelic beings are closely related (Job 38:7; Daniel 8:10 cf. One dominant feature that is pervasive in holy scripture, testifying to its divine inspiration, is that there is no exaggerating the good nor whitewashing the evil in God's people. That is based on what the scripture doesn't say again, so refuse it. New International Version. Revelation2:1 "To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, these things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:". Revelation 3:1. We look now at the fifth of the seven letters to the churches, the letter to the church at Sardis. Thyatira: The church whose false prophetess was leading people . In other words, the church was filled with unsaved people going through the motions of . The 7 Churches of Revelation, Part V: The Dead Church (Sardis) Get a fresh perspective on the book of Revelation and Jesus' message to churches in all times. It is Christ's message to the churches. Revelation 3:1-6. The True Gospel. Travel to the land of the Bible with host Joe Stowell to visit the ancient sites of the seven churches described in Revelation. The Reformation Church ≈ 1517-1700. Jesus is calling this dead church to come back to life. Philadelphia is located on the Cogamis River in western Asia Minor, about 80 miles east of Smyrna. A church is dead if it fails to assert the supremacy of God in all things - especially on those points which the culture would ridicule. And therefore, to us as well. Add to Cart. The church in Sardis had a name of being alive, but they were dead. The Revelation was given to John, a bond-servant. They were even patient people who were eager to grow. This is a sad and tragic letter to a rather sad and tragic church because this church is dead. It's best days had come and gone. Sardis — The Dead Church (Revelation 3:1-6) -- the church that had fallen asleep (1:2). Although there were a faithful few, most people in the Sardis church were spiritually dead and dying. Sometime during or just after the mortal ministry of our Lord and Savior, the doctrine of salvation for the dead was revealed to the first-century Church. 500 and was located on a narrow plateau . Pastor John Miller continues our series "The Seven Churches Of The Apocalypse" with an expository message through Revelation 3:1-6 titled, "The Dead Church." Scripture Revelation 3:1-6 3:1 "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, 'These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: "I know your works . 5 of the 7 Churches needed to Repent of Jesus' reprove & discipline or perish. Revelation chapter 3. Teacher: Steve Holt . They were a dead church. The last four church ages will last into the Tribulation period. Count the Cost. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the . Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. David Jeremiah examines a church in Revelation that fits this description - a church about which Jesus had nothing positive to say. When Jesus had John write to the seven Asia Minor churches in Revelation 2 and 3, many of those churches were in deep trouble. Based on these facts, we can reasonably conclude the following: The Revelation of Jesus Christ was given for His bond-servants, it was . These messages were also sent to the . ( A) has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. With this background in mind, let's read Revelation 3:1-6 (The Voice). 1 To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. Series: Revelation: Apocalypse . 3:14-21. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy . John writes about it in Revelation 3:1-6. Sardis was once one of the greatest cities of the world. When our love has grown cold, we reignite it through worshipping in the Lord's presence, spending time in His Word, and witnessing about His love to others. 3 . Jesus's words in Revelation sliced through Sardis's thriving "health" to the church's spiritual realities. Bible preaching church rather than dry up and blow away in a dead church. Revelation 3:1-6 How to Revive a Dead Church. When a church is dying or dead, few people will be motivated to invest their finances into it. The church at Sardis was described as being "dead" (3:1). David Jeremiah examines a church in Revelation that fits this description - a church about which Jesus had nothing positive to say. Count the Cost. The "dead" church. "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. Sardis - The 7 Churches of Revelation // The dead Church and a call to vigilance // Sleeping church - Pastor Michael OxentenkoThis series unpacks John's mes. Revelation 3:1 (NASB) As we have learned before, the word "angel" refers to the pastor of the church. 12. Photo by Karrie Sparrow. James 2: Faith Without Works Is Dead; Matthew 10: You Must Confess Jesus before Men . As we saw earlier, Revelation 1:20 says the "stars" of the seven churches (verse 16) are "angels.". Smyrna: The Suffering Church Revelation 2:8-11. From the series Seven Churches of Revelation. The word Pergamum means Marriage or Elevation. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life in the Paradise of God. Pergamum - 2:14-15 - Teaching of Balaam, eat food sacrificed to idols, practice sexual immorality & teaching of Nicolatians. The Roman Catholic Church ≈ 590 - 1517 A.D. 5. Add to Cart. Revelation 1-3: Letters to the Seven Churches; Revelation 3: The angel to the Church in Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea; The Truth. Revelation 1-3: Letters to the Seven Churches; Revelation 3: The angel to the Church in Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea; The Truth. The "seven Spirits" represent the completeness of the Holy Spirit's ministry (5:6; Isaiah 11:2-5), which the church in Sardis had shut out of its affairs. The fourth church age is known as the Pagan Church Age. It was used to embalm the dead in the first century (Jn. These churches are Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. The short letters in Revelation chapters two and three are addressed to these specific seven churches: Ephesus: The church that had abandoned its first love for Christ (Revelation 2:4). Sardis was a church that had a good reputation, but they were dead. 7. Pergamum: The church that needed to repent of sin (Revelation 2:16). That is a way of describing our mission as followers of Jesus. Add to Favorites Favorited! Bible preaching church rather than dry up and blow away in a dead church. Revelation - The letter to the dead church in Sardis - (01) Intro is article #19 in the series: Seven Letters to Seven Churches. One writer called the church at Sardis "the perfect model of inoffensive Christianity." It appeared to be alive - had "a reputation of being alive" - looked spiritually vibrant on the outside - but was spiritually lifeless. Those who believe an overcoming soul does not die at death point us to the Scripture in Revelation 6:9, to the souls under the altar. Rise from the Dead. ; Smyrna: The church that would face severe persecution (Revelation 2:10). It seems that the church of Sardis had taken on the character of the city itself. Watch. Myrrh is a tree resin that was used in burial. In the book of Revelation, John alludes to themes from the Old Testament, such as the Exodus, and Israel's sojourn in the wilderness, and the conquest and possession of the land under Joshua, and other events in Israel's history, which are applied to the church's spiritual experience. The word "golden" is not included in the verse. 15 "'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Christ summoned them to "wake up," "remember," and "repent" ( Rev. 22 - 22.5 THE GOSPEL John 14. Revelation 3:1-6 - " And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, 'These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. See, Sardis was a prosperous church, a thriving church, and . Pastor Robert starts his new series, The Seven Churches of Revelation, by encouraging us to return to our first love. Well, let's see the 3 marks of a dead church in Rev. • Why God has done that work. . Revelation 12:4). It was at one time the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia, and today its ruins can be visited near the city of Izmir, Turkey. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect . The church was Christian in name only. There were four admonitions: •Wake up. And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings . It is a most sad spectacle; nor can one forbear weeping over . This lesson discusses the remainder of what the resurrected Lord said to the members of the church at Thyatira (see lessons 15 and 16), where the evil "Jezebel" had a tremendous influence, which unfortunately continues to this day in much of Christendom. They were living on past glories, past starlight. November 6, 2021. To the Church in Smyrna 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. August 15 marks the anniversary of the Prophet Joseph Smith's first public announcement of the beautiful doctrine of baptism for the dead. Philadelphia - The church of brotherly love that endures patiently (Revelation 3:7-13). that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the . Sardis - The 7 Churches of Revelation // The dead Church and a call to vigilance // Sleeping church - Pastor Michael OxentenkoThis series unpacks John's mes. This church must have been involved in a multitude of works, and from the outside everything looked as though . Answer: "And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds" (Revelation 20:12). If they argue that these saints are not part of the church, then ask for a scripture to prove it. The kingdom of Lydia became the dominant power in western Anatolia with Sardis as its capital. Gain insights into God's love for the world, His warning . The Seven Churches - The seven churches mentioned in Rev. The 7 Churches of Revelation, Part V: The Dead Church (Sardis) Get a fresh perspective on the book of Revelation and Jesus' message to churches in all times. Gain insights into God's love for the world, His warning . Sardis, The Spiritually Dead Church: Almost all of the people in the church of Sardis had . The True Gospel; Part 2: What Jesus Did so You can have Eternal Life; . They were walking around with the appearance and reputation of life, but they were in reality dead. The church's Exodus in Revelation. Jesus said, "where your treasure is, there your heart will be" (Matthew 6:21). The Revelation is addressed to the Seven Churches that are in Asia. Many churches look alive on the outside, with lots of events and programs, but are dead on the inside. This recalls Christ's scathing rebuke of the Pharisees who "look . Teacher: Steve Holt . The True Gospel. is article #21 in the series: Seven Letters to Seven Churches. Description: The characteristics and qualities of a dying church. The church at Pergamum and the letter Christ wrote to them best signify the Indulged church age. The Worldly Church ≈ 1900- Rapture. The Revival Church ≈ 1700-1900. Paul proclaims to the Church of Thessalonica, "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first" (1 Thessalonians 4:16).From this passage of Scripture, we are told that "the dead in Christ will rise first." Let's open our Bibles to Revelation chapter 3. 9 I know your affliction and your poverty—though you are rich! Thyatira, The Wrong Doctrine Church: The church of Thyatira had love, faith and good works. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 9 - 15 PSALM 67 page 287 SECOND READING Revelation 21. "These are the words of the One who has the seven Spirits of God[6] and the One who holds the seven stars[7]: "I know the things you do—you've claimed a reputation of life, but . Where they fell short was their doctrine, which was infiltrated by idolatry, sexual sin and pagan traditions. With apathy we can lose the Holy Spirit's power over our lives. This church may have had a good reputation, but they were spiritually lifeless. Are you aware of one? The order of the Churches corresponds to . But in God's eyes they are dead. This church age is from the year 100 A.D. to 312 A.D. and was marked by persecution. * Revelation 7:13-17; 27. Laodicea - The "lukewarm" church with a faith that's neither hot nor cold (Rev. This special group of 24 elders appears in a handful of places in the book of Revelation (4:4, 10; 5:5, 6, 8, 11, 14; 7:11, 13; 11:16; 14:3; 19:4). From the series The Seven Churches of Revelation. The seven Spirits is a reference to the Holy Spirit in all His fullness. "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: 'The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. Jesus quickly and clearly condemns the lifeless state of the Sardian church: "I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead" ( Revelation 3:2 ). Amen. Watch. Sardis was a town living in the past and on the past. But this time, Jesus very clearly points out the differences to the church. Smyrna was named for the word myrrh, an aromatic gum resin that is bitter to the taste but sweet to the smell. Consequently, in dead or dying churches very few people volunteer to serve in the ministry. The Church at Sardis-A Dead Church Revelation 3:1-6 . In the sixth century B.C., Sardis was ruled by a fabulously wealthy king whose name, Croesus, became a byword . There is an argument in some circles, that since the word 'church' is not mentioned in Revelation after chapter three, the church is absent during that period. The 7 Churches of Revelation: Sardis. A church is dead if it fails to confess the name of Jesus before men. Just six little verses tell a whole lot of information, not only about the church of that time, but also the churches of America and the West today. Philadelphia was known for its variety of temples and worship centers. All of us must be careful of apathy in our lives. The mission of Jesus was to seek and save those who are lost. 3:2-3 NIV ). A vibrant church in a dead city would be a surprise. 3 "And to the [ a]angel of the church in Sardis write, 'These things says He who. History of the City: The fifth church mentioned was in Sardis. Most pastors teach that Messiah was just addressing the churches that existed at the time it was written in 95 A.D. The mission of Jesus was to proclaim the good news to the poor, to preach freedom for the captives, to give sight to the blind, and to declare God's favor. James 2: Faith Without Works Is Dead; Matthew 10: You Must Confess Jesus before Men . June 26, 2016. The Scripture itself implies no such thing. Revelation 1:4. Church, Ecclesia. In chapter 15 of his first epistle to the . msolliesblog.com. Read the Passage: Revelation 2-3 Reminder: Revelation is structured around seven parallel sections, each describing the time between Jesus' first and second comings.These sections can be delineated into chapters 1-3, 4-7, 8-11, 12-14, 15-16, 17-19, and 20-22. Revelation 3:1 Revelation 3:1 And to the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things said he that has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know your works, that you have a name that you live, and are dead. In this church, the examination will again be about the relationships between the good and bad statements. His reprove & discipline to these 5 Churches is: Ephesus - Rev 2:4-5 - Abandoned the love you had at first. Here are some of the possibilities as given by G.K. Beale in his NIGTC book on Revelation: (1) stars (from an . 2-3 were real churches, but are also paradigmatic for . One of them was nearly at the point of death. 2 Wake up! We also begin to study the Lord's letter to the fifth church, the church at Sardis, which means "escaping ones" or "remnant," and represents . One book is the book of life. All of us must be careful of apathy in our lives. Those who lived in Sardis and surrounding congregations knew all the activity of this congregation. 6. Description: The characteristics and qualities of a dying church. Thus, a church is dead if it fails to proclaim that Jesus is Lord, that Jesus is the only Savior. This description is especially relevant to this church, just like in every letter. With apathy we can lose the Holy Spirit's power over our lives. The Church at Sardis-A Dead Church Revelation 3:1-6 . 19:39). msolliesblog.com. A church is dead if it fails to tell . From the series The Seven Churches of Revelation. Sardis was once one of the greatest cities of the world. That was covered in chapter 1 in the last Bible study. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. But I want you to think of a decaying city. Worse yet, are you part of one? Their Weak Works, vv 1-3. That is a rhetorical fallacy that uses the absence of evidence as actual evidence in support of the . Sardis—The Dead Church (Revelation 3:1-6) In this message, Christ refers to Himself as "He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars" (verse 1). Revelation 3:1-6 How to Revive a Dead Church. It lies about thirty-three miles to the south of Thyatira, and is called by the Turks, Sart, or Sard, with little variation from the original name. 23 - 29 The Collect for the weekdays of this week: Eternal God . Covers Revelation 3:1-6. Read full chapter. But Messiah clearly tells us that the prophetic events which He describes would begin to . Unfortunately for the church in Sardis, the bad news section is much worse than the good news in the Divine Knowledge portion of the letter. To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars (NASB) He begins with a description of himself. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches." Revelation 1:19-20. .