ARE YOU LIVING?

by Tammy Phillips
September 20, 2021

TO:                 To the angel (messenger, pastor) of the CHURCH OF SARDIS (The Dead Church) Sardis was a very wealthy city from gold found in its river.  “Sardis was the place where modern money was born. Its people were notoriously loose-living, notoriously pleasure-and luxury loving. Sardis was a city of decadence.” (Barclay) Sardis was a spiritually dark, overconfident city on a mountain that did not watch for the enemy.  They thought they were impenetrable because of their location.  Reminds me of Paul instructions to the Corinthians and us, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:12 NKJV). They were conquered twice because they lacked discipline and failed to watch for the enemy.

CC:                 (Future Churches and Future Followers)

FROM:          Jesus, “He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars.”  (Rev 3:1)  Jesus, the completeness of God and the Church.  Jesus was and is everything needed, if the church would only hear what He was saying. Are your a hearer? 

I LIKE THIS:            “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive…” (Rev 3:1) Sardis had a reputation that they were alive and doing good works.   There were a few who Jesus considered worthy, but over all He saw them as dead.  

Think about this…do you have a good name in the church?  Do people think you are a good person?  Is your reputation that of a good Christian person? It does not matter what others say, it matters what Jesus say about how we are living.

I DON’T LIKE:        …BUT you are dead.” (Rev 3:1) “I have not found your works perfect before God.” (Rev 3:2 NKJV). They seemed well, but Jesus saw death.  They had not finished what they started with Him.  After investigating their overall works, He gave them failing and incomplete marks.  The church of Sardis had not become all Jesus had called them to be.  Are we living up to the call of Jesus?  Are our works found complete in Him?

DO THIS:                  “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die…³ “Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent.” (Revelation 3:2-3 NKJV).  Jesus had not given up hope.  He told the church to become watchful, wake up, pay strict attention to their lives and to BE ALIVE. They were falling apart and needed to strengthen, stabilize and to stand up immovable.  Sardis had forgotten things that they need to remember.  They need to remember how they how received and what they heard about Jesus. They needed to hold on for dear life and turn to Jesus. 

Are we living up to our name?  Are we worthy to be called Christian? Are we following His commands? Are we loving well?  Are we the united church body?  Are we watching? Standing? Remembering? Holding fast?  Are we repenting and turning to Him? Are we overconfident in our stand and paying attention, lest we fall?

OR ELSE:                 “Therefore, if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.” (Rev 3:3NKJV). I hear Jesus saying, “I have told your over and over to watch.  I am going to show up and clean up when you least expect it.

If Jesus showed up in person at my physical house at this very moment, I would be so embarrassed. We have been so busy with things that our house is dirty and badly needs cleaning.  I have let it get this way because the few days I have been home, I have not been self-controlled, paid attention, nor worked to keep it clean.   We can get away with this for a bit in our physical house, but not our spiritual house.   We have to watch, lest we fall and if we fall, we have to repent and be cleansed in Him.  No time to waste because He could come at any time.

REWARD:                “You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. ⁵ “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” (Revelation 3: 4-5 NKJV).

Perpetual overcoming pleases God. White is the Greek word, leukos.  It means bright, brilliant, dazzling, and shining. An overcoming attitude dazzles God. Overcomers walk with Him, cleansed in His blood, and clothed in His righteousness.  I want to walk with Him.  I want to overcome every and any obstacle that keeps me from being who I am called to be.  I want to dazzle God.  I want to be alive in Him.  How about you?

I enCOURAGE you to watch and stand.  Would He count your alive in Him?  “Live” up to the name He has called you.  Remember, His word and what you have heard.  Complete the works He has called you to.  Hold fast and repent.  Return to Jesus.  It is not, nor ever, too late, as long as you have a breath in your body.  He loves you and wants the best life for you. He desires to walk with you.