Bible Study of Revelation
Chapter 3
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.
Jesus identifies Himself as “He that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars” [verse1].
This again would show His deity, and it shows His authority over the “seven stars” or pastors that shepherded the churches. It would also show that He extended His protection to these seven pastors and by prophetic message, show His protection over all pastors that yield themselves to the authority of God and the Holy Scriptures.
According to Clarence Larkin the name Sardis means “the escaping one, or “those who come out.” I could not verify that so I won’t say that we can depend on it. However, the characteristics that followed this church gave evidence to that understanding of that name. Personally, I believe that the name came from the ancient precious stone sardonyx. This stone was a layered gem of mixed colors particularly that color of the onyx. One of the main trades of Sardis was the crafting of precious jewelry. The mixture of the colors of the Sardis stone and the onyx stone would indicate the mixture of the true religion and the false religion.
The church at Sardis represents the church age from the year 1520-1750. It was during this time period that the “Great Reformation” took place.
Again, I remind everyone that this church at Sardis had some people in the early church, that John was instructed to write this letter to, that was indicative of what would later, and when I say that I mean during the church age represented, become a serious problem that Jesus would have to renounce. It was in 1517 that Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Catholic Church at Wittenburg, Germany. Martin Luther had been raised a devout Catholic until he began to see that all the rituals were not showing justification by faith. His was a protest against many of the false teachings and claims of the Catholic Church. It had the image of being a “living church” but in reality, it was a church dead in ritualism and superstition. However, this reformation, while breaking from the church at Rome, brought out of the Catholic Church much of its formalities and rituals. Among them the hierarchy that gave councils and higher boards of staff control over the local church, which Jesus never intended. No doubt there were not enough of them to identify it with the Catholic Church, but nevertheless it remained a stiff and formal church. It had the “form of godliness but without the power.” Later there became a struggle between the Protestant Church and the Catholic Church which would be the state church in the various countries. It had become more of a political battle than a real Christian movement. We also need to remember that there was still a faithful remnant that had never been a part of the Catholic Church and therefore was not a part of the Protestant movement.
It should be mentioned that at one time many of the Protestant Churches were very fundamental and they had many great preachers that God used.
The condemnation: Jesus said that Sardis had a reputation of being alive, but it was actually dead. It had become a church in name only, a pretend church, one that was just going through the motions. It is unacceptable for a church to focus on ritual and ceremony instead of on worship and service. The idea is not to have a meeting but to create and maintain a relationship, Either God is God, or he is not. If He is, it’s dangerous to put on a show, if He isn’t, it’s foolish to pretend He exists.
There are many churches like that today. They have the name of Christian Church, but in reality, deny many of the very things that are taught in the word of God [promoting women preachers]. They have become tolerant of sin [allowing homosexual membership], compromise with the world in their standards [music and entertainment], preach a social gospel [replacement theology]. They are in many instances leading more people away from a close relationship with the Lord than to salvation. They are in all respects like this church at Sardis, have a name that they are alive but are dead. They are like the “whited sepulchers” that Jesus spoke of that were lovely to look at on the outside but were full of dead man’s bones.
And then again as Pastor Johnson has said on occasion, there are many Gospel preaching churches but not many Soul winning churches: Meaning that they preach the gospel but are not evangelistic; perhaps they have no calling program, or bus ministry etc.
There is no commendation to this church. I want to make an observation; if the Catholic Church is the true church that has gone astray, and if/or the Reformation and the Protestant were now the true church, why didn’t Jesus have something good to commend them for? If that were all true, certainly Jesus would commend them for their reformation movement.
The exhortation: [verse 2] “Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.”
Jesus told the church in Sardis to “wake up, and stay awake,” He was telling them that there were certain aspects of their faith and practice that were still alive, but they needed to be more serious about their worship, study, and ministry. He was calling on them to overhaul their relationship with God. The steps they had taken were good, but they had not yet reached God’s standards. It is not enough for a church to hold right doctrines or go through a ritual or form of worship. The truly alive church has a real relationship with Jesus, and has a Holy Spirit vitality that impels it to go and give the gospel of salvation to everyone it comes in contact with. It has a deep and abiding love for the Lord, and for the lost and dying souls around them. It has a mission because it has a commission.
Verse 3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Jesus wanted his followers to recall their better days; to reflect on what they had received and heard. They had received forgiveness of their sins, salvation, eternal life, and future rewards in heaven. They had heard the preaching of the true word of God with its clear and correct teachings. Jesus wanted his followers to recognize that they had backslid and needed to return to his teachings.
There are two admonishments given to this church:
(A) “Be watchful.” This is the only church that this is given. Perhaps the others are already mindful to be watchful and didn’t need to be admonished.
We, as a church, and I mean as a whole, need to take heed to all the admonitions, all the warnings, all the instructions given to any of these seven churches.
We need to give heed that we don’t lose our first love, [Ephesus]; that we not fear what is to come upon the church [Smyrna]; that we do not allow compromise to infiltrate this church [Pergamos]; that we do not permit sin to go unchecked in our midst [Thyatira]. We as a local church need to be watchful that we stay on the straight and narrow way.
The advice which he gives to this Church at Sardis is, in a way, universally suitable to human nature: “Be watchful; be more careful; carry out more completely and thoroughly what you have yet to do, for hitherto you have always erred in leaving work half done and incomplete.
If you are not watchful, you will not be ready at the moment of need: my arrival will find you unprepared, because ‘in an hour that ye think not the Son of Man cometh.; any one can make ready for a fixed hour, but you must be always ready for an unexpected hour.
(B) “strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die.” The true worship and love for the Lord and His work that still lives and lingers among you. Whatever there was of that love and worship among them, it was of importance to strengthen it, that the love of the Savior might not become wholly extinct. An important duty in a shallow and diminishing state of worship is, to "strengthen the things that still survive." It is to cultivate all the graces which do exist; to nourish all the love of truth which may linger in the church; and to confirm, by warm exhortation, and by a reference to the gracious promises of God's word, the few who may be endeavoring to do their duty, and who, amidst many discouragements, are aiming to be faithful to the Savior.
In the lowest state of religion in a church there may be a few, perhaps quite obscure and of humble rank, who are mourning over the desolations of their church, and who are sighing for better times. All such it is the duty of the ministers to comfort and encourage; for it is in their hearts that piety may be kept alive in the church-it is through them that it may be hoped religion may yet be revived. In the apparent hopelessness of doing much good to others, good may always be done to the cause itself by preserving and strengthening what there may be of life among those few, amidst the general desolation and death. Barnes' Notes on the New Testament
Vs.4 “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.”
The Lord made special mention of those who had not compromised their faith: “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis that have not defiled their garments” According to the Expositor’s Bible Commentary, (and I’m quoting here) the pagan religion of Sardis forbade its followers to come before the gods in garments that were stained or soiled. Those who did so were removed from the public ledger as citizens of Sardis. Christians who soiled their garments were seen as mingling with the pagan life of the city and compromising with sin. Those not defiling their garments would “walk with the Lord in white; for they are worthy. They had gone before their God in a state of cleanliness.
Verse 5 “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before His angels.”
This verse gives three promises to the overcomers:
(A) The overcomers would or will be clothed in white. White garments are what the Bride of Christ will wear to the Marriage Feast of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7-8) “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”
(B) It promises that our names would not be blotted out of the “Book of Life.” Most people think that this book is the same book as the “Lambs Book of Life” [Revelation 20:27]. However, it must be noted there is a difference. This Book of Life that is mentioned here in verse 5, is the book that will record the name of every person ever born. If any of those die without Christ, their names will be blotted out of this book as though they never existed. It will be as Jesus said in Matthew 7:23 “depart from me, ye that work iniquity, I never knew you.”
The Lamb’s Book of Life is for those that have been born twice. Those names are sealed forever. It would be impossible for God or Jesus to say He never knew them if they had at some time became a child of his through faith in the finished work of Christ. Their names will never be blotted out.
(C) He will confess their names before His Father and before His angels. This promises believers the assurance of eternal citizenship. Christ is our advocate and our mediator in heaven, acknowledging us before Him assuring us that God the Father is forever our Father too.
In verse 6 we again see the appeal of Jesus for all to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. This shows the importance of not only reading these messages to these churches but of understanding and examining not how our churches operate but how we live our lives personally and to examine ourselves to see if we are guilty of any of these things that Jesus finds repulsive.
The Church at Philadelphia Verses 7-13
The name Philadelphia means “brotherly love.” This comes from the two Greek words “philo” which means a fraternal love, and “adelphia” which is the word for brother. This is a love such as David had for Jonathon.
The time- period of this church age is from 1790-1930. It was during this time- period that some of the greatest revivals, awakenings, missionary endeavors, and soul winning took place. Some of the greatest preachers and evangelists lived and served during this time- period. We will talk about some of this later in verse 8.
Verse 7. “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hat the key of David, he that openth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth and no man openeth.”
Jesus identifies Himself as “He that is holy, He that is true, He that hath the Key of David, He that openeth and no man shutteth, and He that shutteth and no man openeth” (verse 7).
The “key of David” alludes to the time that is found in Isaiah 22:20-22 “And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah; And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand; and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so, he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut; and none shall open.
Jesus has no words of condemnation for this church age. This was the church and church age that was spiritually alive. There had been an influx of European formalism. It was during this time that the American churches were suffering from the inroads of German Rationalism.
We use the word “rationalism” in this context to mean that they did not believe the Bible and did not believe in God.
Germany had some of the finest Universities in the world. People came from all over the world to be educated in German Colleges and Universities. In the United States’ most if not all, of the early colleges and Universities were started by Christian Churches, and Theology was required (Harvard, Yale, Penn State, William and Mary and Notre Dame, to name just a few). These Universities were infiltrated by those people that were educated in Germany and they instituted that form of “rationalism.” They in turn turned out pastors and ministers that were unsaved and non-believers. This led to a formal type of worship that was void of any true spirituality. It became dry, dead and defeated. They prospered financially but were what Jesus called “whited sepulchers full of dead man’s bones.” Alters were abandoned and soon disappeared. For the majority of the people they were turned off and tuned out. This was a holdover from the previous church age that of the Sardis. As noted before, Jesus said that Sardis had a name that they were alive but were dead. It was a cold and dead church age. America along with much of the world was ripe for a re-awakening or revival.
Verse 8 “I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hasty a little strength, and hast kept my word, and has not denied my name.”
This open door that Jesus had placed before this church age of the Philadelphians, led to some of the greatest outreach evangelism the world has experienced since the days of the Apostles.
Quoting from J. Edwin Orr, he says this: “In the mid1800s, people began to be converted at the rate of 10,000 a week in New York City. The movement went throughout New England. Church bells would bring people to prayer at eight in the morning, twelve noon, and six in the evening. The revival went up the Hudson and down the Mohawk. Baptist had so many people to baptize, they couldn’t get them into their churches. They went down to the river, cut a big square in the ice, and baptized them in cold water. In one year (1857), more than one million people were converted. The revival crossed the Atlantic, broke out in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England, South Africa, South India; anywhere there was an evangelical cause, there was revival- and its effect was felt for 40 years. End of quote.
Accrding to Wikipedia there were three Great Awakenings, or revivals in America. The first was from 1730-1743 with the effect to last for many years, led by Jonathon Edwards and the message/ sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” The ministry of George Whitefield was instrumental during this time. The second was from 1790-1840, and the third was from 1850-1900.
Verse 9 “Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.”
These were those Judaizers that plagued the early church. We find them in most of the epistles. While these Judaizers were advocating legalism in this early church at Philadelphia, it was just a seed that was growing until it reached this church age of the Philadelphians. There were those who wanted the church in Philadelphia to deny the name of Jesus. They refused to believe in Jesus or the gospel. They worshiped at a synagogue and said they were Jews, but Jesus called them impostors. He called their place of worship the synagogue of Satan.
Ironically there is a group of people that call themselves Christian who believe themselves to be among the 144,000 mentioned later in Revelations. These 144,000 of Revelation are truly Jews; 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. These people who believe their selves to be a part of this, are the Jehovah’s Witness. They are in reality, claiming to be Jews. Herbert Armstrong also claimed that the missing tribe of Israel, descended into what now is the people of Western of Europe, of which America is a part; this is another claim of being Jewish and are not.
Jesus promised that these people would one day pay for their bowing down at the feet of true Christians is another way of saying that they will admit they were lying and will acknowledge that Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
This church’s commendations are sowed throughout this letter:
1. He knows their work, and has set before them an open door. The doors of church planting, evangelism, missionaries, gospel preaching. And even though we are living in the Laodicean church age, the door is not closed. We still have the same advantages, the same opportunities, the commission they had. The question is; Do we still have the same desire?
2. They had a little strength of their own, but great strength in the Lord (verse.8) See 2 Corinthians12:7-10.
3. They had kept the word of Jesus and had not denied His name (verse 8).
4. They had kept the word of Jesus’ patience (verse 10).
5. They had a crown laid up for them (verse 11).
Their reward: verse.12 “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
1. They would be made a pillar in God’s Temple, showing their security. This is like saying we have pillars in our church or community.
2. They would be given the name of God written upon them. This would show their special relationship and position with the Lord.
3. They would also have the name of the New Jerusalem written upon them to show their new and permanent dwelling place.
Now we will look at the opposite of that church age: The church age of the Laodicean Church.
It would be easy to spend several weeks studying this church period, however we have many chapters to cover and we will only touch on the obvious problems of the time- period.
Our question tonight is Temple Baptist Church becoming a Laodicean church? If we are not, how can we prevent becoming one? If we are, how do we change? From all the evidence we see around us, it is evident that we are living in the “Lukewarm Church Age.
The Church at Laodicea vv.14-22
The name Laodicea in the Greek is written and pronounced Lah-uh-dik-e-ah. It is derived from two Greek words. The first is Laos, or people, and the second is dik-e-own which according to Strong’s Concordance means justice, judgment, punishment or vengeance.
The time period is from about 1930 to present. Its message is for a church age when Christ is going to bring in God’s justice, judgment, punishment upon the people that have rejected Him. It is also the time- period just prior to the rapture and the Great Tribulation. It will begin with this lukewarm, self-satisfied, self -absorbed, indifferent people of this age. This church age may have been the reason that Jesus asked the question; “When the Son of Man returns, will He find faith on earth?”
While the condition of this church period is true of many, if not most people living in the past 90-100 years, it does not include all real Christians that love the Lord, and His people. Also, while it does include many of the churches that have prospered greatly in wealth and people while remaining apathetic to the lost and dying of all those around them it is not speaking to all churches. There are still many good Bible preaching and teaching churches that have a heart for wining souls.
The real question is personal; Where do we as individuals stand? How is our heart? Where are our values and commitments? Where is our love directed?
You see, we can have a Laodicean heart in the midst of a Philadelphian church, or we can have a Philadelphian heart in the midst of a Laodicean age. What is a Laodicean heart? We will find out in the next nine verses.
There are no commendations only condemnation.
Jesus identifies Himself as “Amen” or in other words “trustworthy” or “truly.” Jesus is both truth personified and wholly trustworthy. He sums up that thought with the statement “The faithful and true witness.”
He goes on to say that He is the “beginning of the creation of God.” This is not saying that God created Him as the first of His creation, because Jesus was not created. He was God from the beginning. It is saying that it was He, Jesus that was the beginning of creation. He was the One
Seeing as there are no commendations let’s look at the condemnations; there are three:
1. Their being lukewarm verses 15-16 “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.
.Of all the rebukes that Jesus gave the other six churches, this is the most dangerous place for a church to be in.
They were not cold, but they were not hot; they were not infidels, yet they were not earnest believers; they did not oppose the gospel, neither did they defend it; they were not working mischief, neither were they doing any great good; they were not disreputable in moral character, but they were not distinguished for holiness; They had prayer meetings but few came, because they liked quiet evenings at home: When they did attend the regular church meetings, nothing ever changed in their lives. They sat piously in their pews and left much as they came.
If you think that I have been too hard on churches, I will tell you that the words just quoted came from Charles Spurgeon in a sermon from July 26, 1874. If he was concerned in his day, what must it be now? What would Mr. Spurgeon have to say to the churches of today?
He goes on to say; “Things are respectably done, the rich families are not offended, the skeptical party is conciliated, and the good people are not quite alienated: things are made pleasant all around. The right things are done, but as to doing them with all of your might, soul, and strength, a Laodicean church has no notion of what that means. They are not so cold as to abandon their work, or to give up their meetings for prayer, or to reject the gospel; if they did so, they could be convinced of their error and brought to repentance; but on the other hand, they are neither hot for the truth, nor hot for conversions, not hot for holiness, they are not fiery enough to burn the stubble of sin nor zealous enough to make Satan angry, not fervent enough to make a living sacrifice of the themselves upon the altar of their God. They are “neither cold nor hot.” End of quote.
I believe Mr. Spurgeon has said it all, and I couldn’t improve or add much to it. I will say this, Mr. Spurgeon preached in the church age of the Philadelphian time period. However, he saw the seeds of the Laodicean church age taking place during his day.
Discussion question: Is Temple Baptist Church becoming lukewarm?
2. It is a self-glorification church verses 17-18. “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see.”
“Because thou sayest.” This was their estimation. It was how they saw themselves. They saw themselves as rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing. Today there are many churches like that. They have huge congregations and huge budgets to work from. They have invested much of their money in church buildings and superficial trappings that do nothing to honor the Lord. They were built to draw even bigger crowds. They were built to impress people. Meanwhile, people are dying and going to hell because in a lot of these self-glorified churches the gospel is not being preached and lost people are not being reached. They have no bus ministry, no visitation programs and no community outreach programs. Jesus says they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. This is a far cry from how they see themselves.
Clarence Larkin (1850-1924) says this about this type of church “Revival meetings are held, but instead of waiting on the Lord for power, evangelists and paid singers are hired and soul winning is made a business, The cause of “lukewarm” is the same as that of the church of Laodicea-self-deception.”
Discussion question: What do you think of Clarence Larkin’s estimation and comments about revival meetings?
3. Jesus is outside of the church (verses.20-21); “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that over-cometh, will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His throne.”
Most people use this portion of scripture to apply to lost sinners. However, it is to the church that this is written. It shows that it is possible for a church to be outwardly prosperous and yet not have Christ in its midst, and be unconscious of the fact.
Again, Clarence Larkin says this, “Excluded from His own nation, for they rejected Him; excluded from the world, for it crucified Him; excluded from His church, for He stands outside its door knocking for entrance.”
How did Jesus get outside the door? There are many reasons.
1. Worldliness. The more that the church allows the world to form its values, the further it gets away from Christ, His word, and His Holy Spirit. This comes in many forms; wealth, entertainment; programs; appeasement by being more politically correct than biblically correct.
Discussion question: Do you see worldliness creeping into Temple Baptist Church?
If so how? Discussion question: What can we do to change this?
2. Comfort. The more comfortable we get in church, the more at ease we get hearing sermons, the less we are stirred by them. While we may think of creature comforts in this context, it is more of a spiritual comfort. Another way of putting this is we get too satisfied with our spirituality. We no longer grow spiritually. We get stagnant, and don’t want to try any new ministry. We are in our comfort zone and we don’t want to be bothered.
Discussion question: Do you see this church getting too comfortable with its spiritual life?
The better question is Do you see yourself becoming too comfortable with your spiritual life?
Discussion question: What can we do about this problem?
Do you feel comfortable witnessing to other people?
Do you feel comfortable allowing others to see you pray or read your Bible in public?
Do you feel comfortable embarking on a new ministry?
3. Apathy. We heard a good sermon on forgetting where we came from [Pastor Monte]. When we forget that we were once lost and deserved hell, we become apathetic to others that are in that same condition that we were once in. We don’t want to hear about hell, and we don’t want to see that as Pastor Johnson says, “the greatest tragedy today is that there are people dying and going to hell today.” Apathy causes laziness, carelessness, indifference in our devotions, bible study, church attendance, giving and all other areas of our spiritual life.
Discussion question: Do you see this church becoming apathetic to spreading the gospel and wining souls?
Question: Can you see this church becoming lazy; careless; indifferent?
Do we see that too many attenders are not faithful in coming to church and supporting the church?
4. Allowing sin to go uncorrected. This comes from not preaching against particular sins, preaching only in general terms.
We need to pray for the presence of Jesus in every church service; in every church ministry; in every church endeavor that requires using our Spiritual gifts.
What is the answer for this church age? Jesus said, “I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
Even though this letter is meant for a particular, local church and a particular church age, it has a personal invitation. It is my understanding that Jesus will not refuse to fellowship with any of His children that truly invites Him to come in. The church is made up of born-again Christians. Jesus is said to be standing outside of the church, but if any person will invite Him in, He will respond.
We need to pray that our church would remain a Philadelphian Church in a Laodicean church age.