Bible Study - Church (5) - Vigilant Against Complacency - Revelation 3:1-6 - July 4, 2021

 

Bible Study – Church (5) – Vigilant Against Complacency – July 4, 2021

This is lesson five in our series entitled, “The Church GOD Desires.”

Our focus scripture is Revelation 3:1-6:

Stay alert and focused on the things of GOD.

Complacency, is the enemy of the church. Most of the new vehicles we drive today are equipped with early warning devices to alert you when we are drifting toward the shoulder of the road or centerline of the highway. Our attention can be easily diverted to the scenery surrounding us or some distraction to cause us to drift.

The church in Sardis was located about 40 miles southeast of Thyatira at the junction of five (5) major travel routes. Location, location is important.

Sardis was one of the oldest cities in the region. It was founded 1200 BC. Sardis was a thriving city. They had a population of 120,000 people and were the first to mint silver coins. They also had a profitable wool industry.

The citizens of Sardis felt secure because the city was located on top of a mountain with the acropolis located 1,500 feet high at the summit of the precipice. They were snug as a bug in a rug.

When we feel secure, what does our human nature often do? We relax and become complacent.

But what often happens when something is deemed secure and cannot be conquered? It becomes a target of their enemy. This what happened to Sardis. The enemy watched how they got up to the top. The defenders of Sardis got slack/complacent and were not vigilant. They were conquered.

Does this give us, as Spirit-born Christians, a clue why we become the target of Satan and his forces? All Christians have an enemy, Satan, but we also are secured by the shed blood of JESUS. Christians cannot lose their salvation. They can lose their witness when they become complacent and allow the things that GOD declares evil to become things Christians either ignore or embrace.

Let’s explore!

This is the fifth church JESUS asked the Apostle John to write about as HE dictated HIS message to the church.

The church in Sardis was commended for having a faithful remnant.

Sardis was rebuked for:

-         Having the reputation of being “alive” while actually being “dead.”

-         Failing to complete their works.

Let’s read Revelation 3:1-2:

“Write this to the angel of the church in Sardis:

These are the words of the one who holds God’s seven spirits and the seven stars: I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, and you are in fact dead. ² Wake up and strengthen whatever you have left, teetering on the brink of death, for I’ve found that your works are far from complete in the eyes of my God. 

Again, JESUS instructed John to “Write” to the messenger, angel or pastor, of the church in Sardis. JESUS gives HIS credentials of authority. HE is The ONE WHO Holds GOD’S seven spirits and the seven stars. JESUS is intimate with the church in Sardis. HE “knows.” How does HE know? It is because HE walks among the church and knows the heart of its people.

JESUS knew the hearts of the Christians in Sardis and “knew” they appeared to be “alive” but in fact they were “dead.” How can that be?

Do we have churches today that appear to be alive and “on fire for GOD but are dead?” Many people are searching for the church that is alive, but is it? Are they going through the motions and appealing to their human emotions rather than that which comes from the indwelling Holy Spirit? Is truth being preached, taught and lived?

JESUS knew the “reputation” of the church in Sardis. What is the reputation of our church or the church where you worship?

Only the Holy Spirit can discern the truth. Even when the Holy Spirit discerns the truth and we are lacking, are we willing to change?

What is JESUS’ solution? It is inventory time. “² Wake up and strengthen whatever you have left, teetering on the brink of death, for I’ve found that your works are far from complete in the eyes of my God.”

We saw in last week’s lesson that GOD gave “Jezebel” time to get her act together but she didn’t. GOD gives HIS Children and HIS church/body the opportunity to change but when enough is enough, HIS wrath is unleashed. But until HIS wrath comes down, there is opportunity to change.

In the Old Testament, we read in Zachariah 4:1-4:

The messenger speaking with me returned and woke me like one who awakens someone who is asleep.

² Then he said to me, “What do you see?”
I said, “I see a lampstand
    made entirely of gold.
        It has a bowl on top.
        The bowl has seven lamps on top
        and seven metal pipes for those lamps.
³     It has two olive trees beside the lampstand,
        one to the right of its bowl and one to the left.”
⁴ I responded to the messenger speaking with me,
    “What are these, sir?”

 

Do we need for GOD to wake us up and reveal to us that the Holy Spirit is abundant, as represented by this endless supply of olive oil that goes back to the source of the olive oil, the olive tree or JESUS?  

 

Sardis was secure on top of the mountain but an earthquake eventually leveled the mountain. Was the church in Sardis complacent because they were secure? Did GOD have to show them that they were only secure in JESUS?

It is never too late to change. Once the Holy Spirit reveals that you are traveling on the wrong path and in the wrong direction, stop and change directions as the Holy Spirit leads you; That is, you as an individual or as a body of believers. The Holy Spirit is the warning sound that is the warning signal, WHO alerts us that we are drifting toward danger. We as individuals or as a body of believers must wake up and confess our inattention and ask our LORD JESUS to help us to apply the proper correction and follow HIS leadership according to GOD’S Word.

So, how do we do that? Let’s read on ----

Let’s read Revelation 3:3:

³ So remember what you received and heard. Hold on to it and change your hearts and lives. If you don’t wake up, I will come like a thief, and you won’t know what time I will come upon you. 

When we get lost when we travel, what do we need to do? We need to pause and take inventory of where we are and where we are going. What are the signs surrounding us? Does what we see help us figure out where we are? A compass and map are helpful but it may be observing the side of the tree where moss grows or the shadow produced by the sun shining onto a tree or a stick you placed in the ground for you scouts. They help us to know which direction is north.

GOD’S Word reveals the Spiritual direction that Christians and the body of believers are to travel, with the Holy Spirit as their guide.

JESUS said, “So remember what you received and heard. Hold on to it and change your hearts and lives.” Christians and the true body are fully equipped where they are planted to function and grow when they are led by the Holy Spirit. Revisit the fundamentals of the basis of their or your faith. JESUS, The CHRIST, is the rock upon which we build our faith and body of believers. Truth is always truth and does not change. The question is our body trying to modernize and embrace what the world tells us versus what the Holy Spirit is telling us? Have we become complacent or are we drifting toward Spiritual trouble and ignoring the warning signs? Are we listening? Are we capable of hearing what the Spirit says?

JESUS reveals that HE is returning. Will we be found ready for HIS return? Will HE say, Well done good and faithful servant or depart from me because I never knew you?

Was the church in Sardis a complete loss? Let’s read on ----

Let’s read Revelation 3:4-6:

⁴ But you do have a few people in Sardis who haven’t stained their clothing. They will walk with me clothed in white because they are worthy. ⁵ Those who emerge victorious will wear white clothing like this. I won’t scratch out their names from the scroll of life, but will declare their names in the presence of my Father and his angels. ⁶ If you can hear, listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

My, my, we find that GOD has a reminant in the church in Sardis who knew the truth and were listening to what the Spirit was telling them. They had not stained their clothes with compromise. Their clothes were still white and they will walk with JESUS because they have proved to be worthy.

Remember, this is after the life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension of JESUS and JESUS sending the Holy Spirit to earth. Those who had placed their faith in JESUS had experienced the miracle of Spiritual Birth and received their new clothes which had been washed in the blood of the LAMB/JESUS. They had not become complacent. They still remained faithful to their calling and were a witness to those in Sardis.

We read in Revelation 7:13-14:

¹³ Then one of the elders said to me, “Who are these people wearing white robes, and where did they come from?”

¹⁴ I said to him, “Sir, you know.”

Then he said to me, “These people have come out of great hardship. They have washed their robes and made them white in the Lamb’s blood. 

This is the first promise JESUS makes to those who are faithful to the end. Then HE makes a second promise as we read “I won’t scratch out their names from the scroll of life, but will declare their names in the presence of my Father and his angels.” WOW!!!

Did you know that as a Spirit-born Christian your name is written in permanent ink in GOD’S “scroll of life?”

The “Book of Life” is first written in Exodus 32:32-33:

³² But now, please forgive their sin! And if not, then wipe me out of your scroll that you’ve written.”

³³ But the Lord said to Moses, “The ones I’ll wipe out of my scroll are those who sinned against me. 

Let’s go to the New Testament and read in Luke 10:17-20:

¹⁷ The seventy-two returned joyously, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit themselves to us in your name.”

¹⁸ Jesus replied, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning. ¹⁹ Look, I have given you authority to crush snakes and scorpions underfoot. I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you. ²⁰ Nevertheless, don’t rejoice because the spirits submit to you. Rejoice instead that your names are written in heaven.”

Oh yes! When we, as Christians, do the work our LORD has called us to do and we see HIS power at work through us, that is something to shout about. We can get giddy. The Holy Spirit has to calm us down to help us know it is not our power but it is the power of JESUS working through us. That is such a joy of thanksgiving and time of praise.

Why? Because when we see the power of JESUS working through us, it confirms that we are in-step with our Savior and LORD JESUS.

Here, we have to be careful to remain under the direction and control of the Holy Spirit and not to start taking matters into our own hands. It will blow up in our face and we lose confidence in the ability of JESUS to show us what HE does. Why? It is because we are running on our own strength and determination.

How do I know that? It is because I have lived it. It is a tough lesson to learn but so, so necessary. Wait upon the LORD and HE will direct your paths.

The Apostle Paul refers to the “scroll of life” in Philippians 4:3:

³ Yes, and I’m also asking you, loyal friend, to help these women who have struggled together with me in the ministry of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the scroll of life.

There is a song that captures this same fact. There is a new name written down in glory and it is mine. Yes, when is your name written in the scroll of life? Is it when you were conceived in the mind of GOD as the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:4?

Consider Ephesians 1:4:

 ⁴ God chose us in Christ to be holy and blameless in God’s presence before the creation of the world.

We are all chosen by GOD but will we choose JESUS as our Savior?

Have you chosen JESUS as your Savior? That is step one. Have you made JESUS the LORD of your life? Step one secures your salvation. Step two gives you the opportunity to experience the joy and power of your salvation as you allow the Holy Spirit to reign supreme in your life.

If not, pray this prayer: FATHER, I accept JESUS as my Savior, believing that HE gave HIS sinless life upon the cross, by the shedding of HIS blood to pay, in full, for all of my sins, past, present and future. FATHER, I want JESUS also to be the LORD of my life.

If you prayed this prayer, then welcome Home my brother or sister in the name of JESUS! Blessings!!!