DAY 0 8 A Revelation 05-19-2024 PPT.pptx

05-19-2024

1. DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6 The Church of Sardis Part 1 Pastor Mark Schwarzbauer, Ph.D.

2. This is my Bible. It is the incomparable, inerrant, authoritative Word of God. I am what it says I am. I can do what it says I can do. I have what it says I have. I choose to live as it calls me to live. I am open and ready to receive from God’s living Word. DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

3. TEXT Revelation 3:1-6 DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

4. Revelation 1:11 The Seven Churches of Revelation are in Western Turkey.

5. Thyatira

6. Revelation 1:11 PART 2: “THE THINGS WHICH ARE” The Seven Churches

7. Intro to Sardis Like the city of Sardis, the church was only a shadow of its former glory. Sardis was thirty miles southeast of Thyatira. Strategically, it was also fifty miles east of Smyrna. The Roman road directly connecting them told of a time when Sardis was important. DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

8. Revelation 1:11 PART 2: “THE THINGS WHICH ARE” The Seven Churches

9. Intro to Sardis Gold and silver contributed to their original wealth, so they built it as a fortress. The fortress sat high on a 1500-foot plateau with three sides of dangerous precipices. The entrance on the one remaining side was still steep and considered difficult to access. DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

10. Intro to Sardis People were brought in to populate the city, including a large Jewish population from the diaspora. The process of dying wool was said to have begun in Sardis. Garment-making was still a thriving art at the time of the writing of Revelation. DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

11. Intro to Sardis Wall described Sardis as “Once the leading city of the Lydian valley is now a city of departed glory.” In 17 AD, Sardis was destroyed in an earthquake. Rome gave money and tax relief to rebuild it. But it would never regain its previous glory. DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

12. Intro to Sardis Like Smyrna, Sardis had Cybele as the mother goddess. She was said to have the power to restore the dead to life, but the dead idol couldn’t restore dead Sardis. Ramsay observed, “Smyrna was dead and yet lived. Sardis lived and yet was dead.” DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

13. Intro to Sardis The church of Sardis reflected the deadness of the city. This letter is often considered the most negative of the seven letters to the churches DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

14. Intro to Sardis No mention is made of persecution. There was no accusation of idolatry. No false prophets or false teaching needed confrontation. The church was just spiritually dead. DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

15. Intro to Sardis Jesus, who raises the dead, has a prescription in five commands, And precious promises for those who overcome. DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

16. The Letter to Sardis V. 1 Verse 1 - As in all the letters, Jesus says, “I know.” He is aware that the church of Sardis has a reputation for being alive, but were spiritually dead. DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

17. The Letter to Sardis V. 1 Paul would describe them as “having a form of godliness but denying its power” (II Timothy 3:5). DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

18. The Letter to Sardis V. 1 What power are they denying, resisting, or rejecting? The answer from context is the power of the Holy Spirit. DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

19. The Letter to Sardis V. 1 Jesus identifies Himself as having “the seven Spirits of God.” The seven Spirits of God is a Hebrew reference from Isaiah 11:2 for the seven-fold description of the Holy Spirit as perfect and complete. DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

20. The Letter to Sardis V. 1 The Holy Spirit is described this way again in Rev. 4:5 and 5:6. Jesus has the Holy Spirit that the dead church of Sardis needs for revival. The goddess Cybele can’t revive the dead city. But the Holy Spirit can bring revival and bring a dead church back to life. DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

21. The Seven-Fold Spirit of God Is. 11:2 1) The Spirit of the LORD (The Holy Spirit, the 3rd person of the Trinity, is GOD). 2) The Spirit of Wisdom (To know how to deal with things and choose wisely). DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

22. The Seven-Fold Spirit of God Is. 11:2 3) Understanding, (To help you make sense of life). 4) The Spirit of Counsel (To give you guidance and direction from God). DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

23. The Seven-Fold Spirit of God Is. 11:2 5) Might, (To give you the power you need to deal with everything, Zech. 4:6). 6) The Spirit of Knowledge (To know God’s will and discernment). DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

24. The Seven-Fold Spirit of God Is. 11:2 7) And the Fear of the LORD (To empower you to prioritize God above all). Invite Jesus to give you a greater measure of the Seven-Fold Spirit of God on this Pentecost Sunday. DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

25. The Letter to Sardis V. 1 Jesus also has the seven stars. Once again, using the number seven, which signifies perfection and completeness in Hebrew, Jesus is holding all the church. He is still walking among them, loving them, and has the power to revive them. Jesus is declaring Himself ready, willing, and able. DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

26. The Letter to Sardis V. 2&3 He gives five commands to bring about the change they desperately need. These five all utilize the Greek imperative. The first command is “Be watchful.” A repeated theme! Wake up! DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

27. The Letter to Sardis V. 2&3 The second command is to “strengthen the things that remain.” The command is to “become stronger in the sense of more firm and unchanging in attitude or belief.” KNOW THE WORD. DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

28. The Letter to Sardis V. 2&3 The third command is to “remember.” Remembering brings fondness back to the heart, increasing desire and rekindling motivation. Jesus stirs them to remember “how you have received and heard.” DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

29. The Letter to Sardis V. 2&3 The fourth command is to “hold fast” (NIV – “obey”). There is a powerful word play transpiring in the background here. “Hold fast” is the second of three references to watching or being alert. DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

30. The Letter to Sardis V. 2&3 The fifth command is to “repent.” Repentance changes the mindset and, therefore, the actions. Repentance brings revival. Repentance restores spiritual life. DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6

31. Closing If you don’t watch… like a thief. Prayer to be filled with the Holy Spirit. DAY 8a Rev. 3:1-6