Letter to Sardis | Revelation 3:1-6 | 30th June 2024

This sermon unpacks Jesus' words of challenge and encouragement to the Church in Sardis. This is a Church that has been influenced by its cities culture of complacent and negligent self-reliance on external activities & perceptions. 

Jesus the one who holds the Church in Sardis and every other Church in his hands is not fooled by their external reputation. He sees into the internal spiritual health of the Church and soberingly declares them all but spiritually dead! Thus, he also introduces himself as the one who holds and gives the Holy Spirit to his Church because this is exactly what they need, spiritual renewal.

Jesus rich in love, compassion, grace, and mercy provides a path to spiritual renewal. He commands the Church to wake up to their spiritual reality, to remember what they have received & heard, to keep it, and to repent.

He ends by commending the few Christians in Sardis that have not complacently neglected their internal spiritual health. He declares the beautiful truth of their standing before him that they are justified before God through Christ & proclaims that the life of a believer is one to be walked intimately with him. 

Lord, help us where we have become spiritually dry and/or dead, help bring new life through the Spirit in us, that helps us walk hand in hand with you through life as you intend it to be.