THE DEAD CHURCH

"The Dead Christian"

To the Church in Sardis

1“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.

“‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. 4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

What does a dead church look like?

Reputation of a dead Church (vs. 1)

Reviving a Death Church (vs. 2-3)

5 Commands

1. wake up (3:2).
2. strengthen the things that remain (3:2).
3. remember what they had received and heard (3:3).
4. keep the truth they received and heard (3:3).
5. repent (3:3).

Promises to the Living Church

1. They would walk with Christ in white (3:4-5).
2. He would never erase their names from the Book of Life (3:5).
3. Christ will confess their names before His Father and before His angels (3:5).

Marks of a Living Church: