A LETTER FROM THE LORD

(5) REVELATION 3.1-6  

TO SARDIS: A LETTER ABOUT REALITY

SARDIS, THE PLACE: To appreciate Christ’s words to this church, it is essential to be fully aware of the history and background of the City of Sardis – for Christ’s letter is full of illusions to it. Also, the history and reputation of Sardis (both past and present) runs sadly parallel to that of the Church there. Both have great past reputations but have sunk through complacency into consequent decline: a city and church that basked in past glory, ‘fell asleep’ and so fell victim to prosperity and complacency.

LISTEN CAREFULLY TO SARDIS’ HISTORY

• ‘WARNING SIGNS’ to read:  All around people erect ‘warning signs’! How important to read them!  Both city and Church have a reputation out of line with reality. The ‘warning signs’ were there, if only they’d read them! How would you summarise the past reputation of the City of Sardis? To what was it due?
• In every letter so far, Christ has first listed the Church’s merits and special challenges.  What does he have to say in this regard about Sardis – about its qualities and achievements? – about its special sufferings, hardships, persecution, heresies? What conclusions do you draw?
• ‘You have a reputation’ says Christ. What is ‘a reputation’? What does the word suggest?  How do you get ‘a reputation’? What was ‘the reputation’ of the Church at Sardis? Was it a good one? (What conclusions do you draw about the Church’s past?)
• What does it mean to be ‘alive’ as a Church?
• Several things are implied in this letter about the Church’s present condition. What are they? Try to imagine and describe how these things would have shown up and affected church life.
• Is it good to have a spiritual reputation? Are there blessings? Are there dangers?
• How does a Church degenerate from one that had an excellent past to one that is ‘on the point of death’?

Discuss these suggestions:

• When it ‘worships’ past memories rather than embracing present ’challenges’. 
• When it is more concerned with old ‘traditions’ than with present and future ‘visions’.
• When it is more concerned with ‘forms’ than with ‘life’; and loves ‘systems’ better than ‘the Spirit’.
• When ‘the material’ matters more than ’the spiritual’.
• When it becomes content with ‘hearing’ rather than ‘obeying’ (3.3)
• How does our Church measure up to tests like these?            
• ‘A few....have not soiled their garments’ (but the majority had!)  What do you think Christ means by this phrase?
• How does living in unreality lead to this?
• ‘WAKE-UP CALL’ to heed What was there in the history of the City of Sardis that made his twice repeated words ‘wake up’ particularly full of meaning to people living there?
• What is involved in Christ’s ‘wake-up call’ to the Christians in Sardis? What very important things are they to do in order to ‘wake up’?
• What incentives are there for them to ‘wake up’? What does Christ threaten to do? (And what do you think that means in practical terms?)
• What is promised to those who heed the call?

CONCLUSION:

Remember!  The church is made up of individual Christians! If a whole church is living in unreality, it must mean each individual Christian is. This letter is a challenge to each of us, individually.