Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6, 1 Corinthians 1:20-25, Romans 4:18-25
In our considerations of the first 3 of the 7 messages to the churches of Revelation, we have read that the One who is speaking to John, that is, Jesus Christ, is holding 7 stars, and today we will also read that He also holds 7 spirits of God. But we have yet to talk about what these introductions mean for churches in the 1st century, as well as for those of us today.
The stars represent the “angels”, or leadership, of each church, and the “spirits” refer to each of the churches themselves. And when we read that Christ “holds” both the “stars” and the “spirits”, it refers to the authority that God has over each and every one.
The authority that He has over the stars, is the Lord’s right to command, instruct, and guides those who lead the churches, both in that day and in this. Whether that “leadership” is intended to be singular, or all inclusive, they are called to follow the word of Jesus Christ in its entirety, and to never deviate from it. They are also required to hold each other accountable to the truth of Christ, and to never deviate from that authoritative word.
As God also has a hold on those “spirits”, or churches, who are receiving these messages, each and every member of those bodies must understand that the messages themselves, whether praises for faithfulness, or warnings of errancy, are directed toward each of them personally. And when the Lord speaks, the objects of His words will know for certain which words are specifically for them, and which are for someone else.
As we have seen in previous messages, the church’s leadership, in several cases, have not been holding the people to strict account for all that they have been doing. False prophets and teachers are not being challenged for the lies that they are spreading. And false teaching must always be addressed for the harm that it is doing to those who are listening to them.
And what harm is being done to the church in Sardis?
Read Revelation 3:1-6
It appears that the “spirit” of the church in Sardis has a reputation for faith and truth, but since the “angel” of the church hasn’t been holding check on the falsehoods that are being taught, a false impression of the depth of faith in Sardis has been spreading to other communities. Jesus tells them, in no uncertain terms, that their faith holds no life for them – that they are dead as far as the Lord is concerned. Sound familiar to the situation that many churches find themselves in today?
Condemnation is certain, unless they mend their ways. In our human context, death is an absolute certainty when life no longer exists within us. And Jesus tells the churches that death isn’t quite complete or final yet, that there is still a chance for them to turn back to the full life of Christ. Their false deeds can still be rejected, but Godly truth must first be restored to their heart, mind, soul and strength.
With the other churches, we didn’t see this opportunity being offered to Ephesus at all, but for Pergamum and Thyatira, they were called to repentance, which is exactly what the people of Sardis were also being given – a second chance to be true to the word of Christ Jesus once again.
That’s what an “awakening” is all about. Have you read much about the spiritual awakening that came upon the church at Asbury University a month or so ago? Confessions were being made, praises were being lifted up, and the Holy Spirit was active and vital for over 2 weeks throughout that campus and into the lives of all who came to that Blessing.
When we repent of our sinful existence, our Death can also be “overcome” by the Spirit of God, and the promise of Life will be restored to our eternity. And the proof of that new hope will appear in the pages of the Lord’s Book of Life – our name will be restored to Christ’s Book, and our name will even be acknowledged before the Father and the heavenly host.
Repentance will be available to all while their humanity is still intact, and the only point of no return will occur at the end of this lifetime.
This passage, in essence, is a comparison between Godly Wisdom, and the worldly kind. God’s point, basically, is that even though humanity may think that their wisdom is highly developed, and that they can learn anything else that they need to know, and that they are able to understand anything that they set out to grasp, and that there is nothing that can match their intelligence, they haven’t got a clue when it comes to understanding God and His ways!
As a matter of fact, Godly wisdom is so vast and perfect that it sets the human version so far behind it can’t even come close to being aware of the fullness of God’s ways. Our only hope is to believe that it is! And for those who believe that God’s word is nothing more than foolishness, it far exceeds anything that humanity can come up with, even that which is held in the dark recesses of their own imagination!
And for those who refuse to accept the truth that Christ brings to our world, their wisdom and their strength will always pale in comparison to that which lives and thrives within each and every word that Jesus offers for all who will believe.
Read Romans 4:18-25
Paul offers the faith of Abraham as an example for each of us, that our faith might be as complete and as strong as this man’s was. As unbelievable, as improbable, as impossible as it may seem in human terms, he never gave up trusting that the Lord God Jehovah’s covenant to make him the father of many nations, regardless of the Lord’s timing, regardless of the age that he and his wife may be when it comes, or anything else that worldly issues might have been an obstacle to God’s way, it would still come to be. (Genesis 17:1-8) And all that they had to do was trust and believe.
And the power, the wisdom, the authority, the truth that resides in the Father, also fills and enables the Son of God and all that He teaches. Human authority, worldly wisdom, and the limited intellect that we all are subject to, will never be able to understand or come against that which God proclaims – even when we rely upon the shallow depth of our own intellect and the uncertain wisdom that Satan has instilled within our hearts and minds, we will always fail when we strive to turn against the truth of our Almighty God.
We must repent of that which the false teachers have placed within our hearts and minds, and when we do, we will be restored and revived from the death that is currently upon us. May those who have an ear, “hear loud and strong, what the Spirit says to the Church”.
