Wake Up
( Rev 3:1~6 )
God notices the small things that we do to please him even in the midst of our great blunders and misdeeds and he rewards our efforts with his salvation. Thus God notices our better side even though theres not a truly good thing we do. Nevertheless, he is very severe on the church in Sardis. Why did he say 'Wake up' to the church？
1．The church had a reputation of being alive, but it was dead. The Lord said the church in Sardis was dead despite its claim to be alive, meaning that it looked beautiful on the outside but on the inside was full of dead mens bones. Sardis, built on an impregnable precipice, became a legendary city of wealth because of its tremendous gold dust. It also became famous for gorgeous clothes thanks to its dying technology. In appearance, the city looked elegant and cultured, but in reality, it was smudged with Cybele rituals and sexual immorality. It looked like a prosperous church without any trials or persecution. The church in Smyrna overcame its persecution, the church in Ephesus overcame the attack of heresy, but the church in Sardis failed to overcome its comfortable circumstance. The greatest sin we can commit is spiritual pride, rather than moral or physical sins. Nevertheless, the Lord sent his seven spirits and seven stars (v.1) to save this church.
2. The deeds of the church were not complete in the sight of the Lord. The church in Sardis had lots of things to show off. With their great wealth, they were fully ready to carry out their projects. However, God said that their deeds were not complete in his sight. On the outside, they looked godly with their prayer, service, and their lips dripping with godly words, but in reality, they didnt have their first love for worship anymore but, like the depraved church of the Middle Ages, they indulged in wealth and prosperity. They should have lighted the world, but they became a dying fire, burning lower and lower. They tried to do everything for God, but outside of His will. How then could they survive?
3. God wants the church to repent. God told them to remember how they received the gospel. His message Wake up means Repent in order restore their first love for him. In order to repent, we need to listen to the Word and obey it or he will come like a thief (v3) as the Lord of judgment. The church in Sardis enjoyed its glory for thousands years until the city fell by the attack of Persian soldiers in the 6th century, when they finally found a way up the precipice, thanks to a Sardis soldier who show the way when his helmet dropped while he was dozing. No matter how impregnable a city might be, it will fall when its citizen fell asleep. The heavenly kingdom is linked to waiting. While five of the ten virgins prepared oil for their lamps, the other five didnt. Preparing oil refers to realizing their sins and repenting of it. True faith goes along with common sense and personality. The best preparation is fulfilling the role given to us in our family and showing respect and love to one another. God is away from us because we have not yet prepared. The five foolish virgins cannot understand the Word in the face of their life incident even though they attend the greatest church. The wise virgins who prepared the oil of the Word and repentance are ready to resolve whatever incident they face, and they refuse to help the foolish five virgins. Sometimes, we need to refuse others request even though we may look hard-hearted. We need to show the world that we can refuse money and power because of Jesus. Thus the focus of todays passage falls more on our individual salvation than on mutual service.
4. God recognizes those who are worthy. God points out a few people in Sardis who didnt soil their clothes, wearing their white clothes instead of splendid worldly clothes. It is not that theyre spotless but that theyre conscious of themselves as a sinner who needs Gods forgiveness and guidance desperately. Those who confess themselves as a sinner are worthy from Gods sight. Our sins are not to be faded away, but to be piled up day by day. Thats why we need to repent every day. We need to prune ourselves in order to survive in this sinful world. QT is a way of pruning ourselves with the Word. Remember! God keeps his remnants alive.
5. God promises his reward to those who overcome. Jesus says that those who overcome will be dressed in white with their names recorded in the book of life and be recognized by Jesus before God. May God bless us all to be like one of those dressed in white, through whom more and more people can restore their worship from despair, survive, and be saved.
'Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.' (Rev 3:2)
