WEBVTT 00:00:00.360 --> 00:00:03.120 Well, please do have a seat. 00:00:04.820 --> 00:00:11.620 You join us in week five of our eight-week series, week six of our eight-week series 00:00:11.620 --> 00:00:17.699 called We've Got Mail, looking at the letters that the risen Lord Jesus writes 00:00:17.699 --> 00:00:21.539 to various churches in Asia Minor. 00:00:22.199 --> 00:00:27.719 They are written to real churches, but they're also representative churches. 00:00:27.719 --> 00:00:33.719 And much of what Jesus is saying to these churches, he is saying to us today. 00:00:34.780 --> 00:00:36.759 He finishes every letter. 00:00:37.340 --> 00:00:44.239 Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 00:00:45.179 --> 00:00:48.719 So let's pray, and then we'll look at this letter to Sardis together. 00:00:52.659 --> 00:00:55.539 Father God, thank you that you're a God who speaks. 00:00:55.539 --> 00:01:02.079 Father, thank you that you haven't brought us here today so that we can be here while you speak to others. 00:01:03.000 --> 00:01:09.879 But Lord, that you long to speak into each of our lives and all of our lives corporately this morning. 00:01:10.799 --> 00:01:17.439 So Lord, we pray that you would give us ears to hear, that your Spirit would make this word alive, 00:01:17.439 --> 00:01:24.959 and that we would hear and act upon all that you tell us in this letter to your church in Sardis. 00:01:25.439 --> 00:01:29.159 Father, bless us and help us in Jesus' glorious name. Amen. 00:01:29.159 --> 00:01:40.539 I guess with the Olympics going on, one of my favorite stories is the story of the hare and the tortoise. 00:01:40.799 --> 00:01:45.439 I guess there's nobody in this room that doesn't know the story of the hare and the tortoise, 00:01:45.500 --> 00:01:49.819 but just in case you missed most of school, let me recap it for you. 00:01:50.340 --> 00:01:52.900 There is an arrogant, boastful hare. 00:01:52.900 --> 00:01:56.880 For the sake of our story, let's call him Usain. 00:01:57.400 --> 00:02:05.920 He is arrogant, he is prideful, and he loves to wax lyrical about his athletic prowess. 00:02:06.680 --> 00:02:15.040 It winds up all the animals until an exasperated, old, lethargic tortoise says, 00:02:15.039 --> 00:02:18.179 Right, Usain, I'll give you a race. 00:02:18.239 --> 00:02:21.519 For the sake of our story, why don't we call the tortoise John? 00:02:23.379 --> 00:02:31.899 And so the day comes, they're on the line, the hare sponsored by Puma with all the latest athletic gear, 00:02:31.899 --> 00:02:36.060 the tortoise wearing his dad's trainers that are three sizes too big, 00:02:36.199 --> 00:02:40.919 and the gun goes off, and Usain gets off to a great start. 00:02:40.919 --> 00:02:45.500 But he builds a seemingly unassailable lead. 00:02:45.699 --> 00:02:48.859 It really does look like John the tortoise is going backwards, 00:02:49.339 --> 00:02:54.879 while Usain goes over the horizon into the distance. 00:02:55.279 --> 00:03:01.560 Usain the hare finally finds himself so far ahead that he says, 00:03:01.639 --> 00:03:04.739 I can stop and have a little sleep. 00:03:04.740 --> 00:03:14.140 And so next to the tree, Usain, the hare curls himself up and starts to snore. 00:03:15.240 --> 00:03:21.400 Usain, the hare sleeps deeply, but eventually he is roused by the sound of cheering. 00:03:23.860 --> 00:03:26.980 That's the one thing about hares, they have big ears and can hear. 00:03:26.979 --> 00:03:34.639 Well, so the hare thinks, well, I better get on my way, I better get going to see what all that commotion is. 00:03:34.679 --> 00:03:35.739 I'm surely going to win. 00:03:35.839 --> 00:03:38.519 John must still be just off the start line. 00:03:38.519 --> 00:03:44.379 And so he runs off confident of certain victory, but he turns. 00:03:45.379 --> 00:03:49.419 He enters the final straight and is absolutely distraught. 00:03:49.419 --> 00:03:58.219 That John the tortoise is already in the winner's enclosure, standing on top of the podium with the gold medal. 00:03:58.819 --> 00:04:01.339 And the moral of the story is twofold. 00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:06.519 The first one, slow and steady wins the race in the case of the tortoise. 00:04:07.819 --> 00:04:12.759 But Usain the hare is a real warning about complacency. 00:04:13.959 --> 00:04:15.379 To think I've done enough. 00:04:15.439 --> 00:04:16.879 I can take my foot off the gas. 00:04:16.980 --> 00:04:18.519 I can take it easy. 00:04:18.519 --> 00:04:19.259 I can coast. 00:04:19.379 --> 00:04:20.519 I can have a little sleep. 00:04:21.139 --> 00:04:23.279 I've traveled far enough. 00:04:24.180 --> 00:04:33.919 The church in Sardis that we're going to read this letter to is very much a hare of a church. 00:04:34.680 --> 00:04:38.199 A church that seems to have started really well. 00:04:38.779 --> 00:04:41.560 A church that had so much going for it. 00:04:41.799 --> 00:04:43.359 A great reputation. 00:04:43.360 --> 00:04:48.120 But Jesus cuts through all the pomp and circumstance. 00:04:48.540 --> 00:04:50.439 He cuts right to the issue. 00:04:50.780 --> 00:04:55.439 And he says, you actually have the cancer of complacency. 00:04:55.639 --> 00:05:02.759 The cancer of complacency has crept in and it is terminal if you don't do something about it. 00:05:02.759 --> 00:05:09.699 So if you've got a Bible near you, please let's turn to Revelation chapter 3 and verses 1 to 6. 00:05:09.740 --> 00:05:13.740 If you're not familiar with your Bible, then Revelation is at the very end. 00:05:14.779 --> 00:05:21.300 And so if you find the last book of the Bible, Revelation, and look for the big number 3 and the little number 1. 00:05:21.879 --> 00:05:24.420 And I'll read this for us. 00:05:25.639 --> 00:05:29.420 To the angel of the church in Sardis write. 00:05:29.420 --> 00:05:36.420 But these are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. 00:05:37.480 --> 00:05:38.759 I know your deeds. 00:05:39.180 --> 00:05:43.720 You have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 00:05:44.140 --> 00:05:45.000 Wake up. 00:05:46.800 --> 00:05:49.220 Strengthen what remains and is about to die. 00:05:49.860 --> 00:05:53.319 For I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 00:05:55.120 --> 00:05:58.080 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard. 00:05:58.079 --> 00:06:00.300 Hold it fast and repent. 00:06:01.300 --> 00:06:09.699 But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief against you and you will not know at what time I will come to you. 00:06:10.939 --> 00:06:15.479 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. 00:06:16.120 --> 00:06:19.599 They will walk with me dressed in white for they are worthy. 00:06:20.219 --> 00:06:24.699 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. 00:06:24.699 --> 00:06:30.139 But I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life. 00:06:30.620 --> 00:06:33.920 But will acknowledge that name before my father and his angels. 00:06:34.379 --> 00:06:41.399 Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear what the spirit says to the churches. 00:06:42.740 --> 00:06:44.939 This is God's word to us this morning. 00:06:46.300 --> 00:06:49.519 And Sardis is an important city. 00:06:49.519 --> 00:06:52.560 It has a long and rich history. 00:06:52.740 --> 00:06:56.620 It is a real jewel of the ancient world. 00:06:57.240 --> 00:07:01.839 Successive empires treat Sardis with great esteem. 00:07:02.180 --> 00:07:04.959 It was the capital of the Lydian kingdom. 00:07:05.479 --> 00:07:09.539 It was a key trading city in the Persian Empire. 00:07:09.540 --> 00:07:16.140 And now at this time it was a seat of the pro-consul of the Roman Empire. 00:07:17.319 --> 00:07:21.080 The city was also strategically perfect. 00:07:22.860 --> 00:07:25.260 It's in modern day Turkey. 00:07:26.320 --> 00:07:32.400 It overlooks a very flat and fertile river plain, the Hermos Valley. 00:07:32.399 --> 00:07:36.419 But it itself sits on this kind of rocky outcrop. 00:07:37.019 --> 00:07:41.779 That it is an elevated city about 450 meters up. 00:07:42.299 --> 00:07:48.959 Surrounded on three sides by really sheer cliffs that is almost impossible to climb. 00:07:50.399 --> 00:07:53.399 And then going down onto the valley there's a very steep incline. 00:07:54.199 --> 00:07:56.000 How you get in and out of the city. 00:07:56.299 --> 00:07:59.439 It is a strategic stronghold. 00:07:59.439 --> 00:08:06.519 Think a bit like a whole city up on top of the hill where Edinburgh Castle sits. 00:08:06.980 --> 00:08:09.019 It looks over a flat plain. 00:08:09.899 --> 00:08:12.319 You can't get to it except up one way. 00:08:13.459 --> 00:08:14.980 It has massive walls. 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:17.620 It is basically impenetrable. 00:08:18.060 --> 00:08:21.579 Think of Helm's Deep from Lord of the Rings. 00:08:23.420 --> 00:08:28.639 Sardis has this reputation of being the epitome of safety and security. 00:08:28.639 --> 00:08:30.479 Impregnable. 00:08:30.979 --> 00:08:31.860 Impenetrable. 00:08:32.600 --> 00:08:36.659 And as well as being very secure it is also ridiculously wealthy. 00:08:37.080 --> 00:08:39.799 Like Thyatira we looked at with Paul last week. 00:08:40.059 --> 00:08:42.240 It has great trading routes. 00:08:42.559 --> 00:08:45.600 It's at the intersection of five major roads. 00:08:46.279 --> 00:08:50.039 It does wonderful works with dyeing clothes. 00:08:50.139 --> 00:08:51.939 Particularly dyeing them white. 00:08:51.940 --> 00:08:57.700 That Sardis textile industry is booming. 00:08:58.800 --> 00:09:00.460 You have a place of safety. 00:09:01.160 --> 00:09:02.640 You have a place of great wealth. 00:09:02.940 --> 00:09:08.900 In fact it's so wealthy that in AD 17 a massive earthquake almost demolishes the city. 00:09:10.020 --> 00:09:14.520 And the Emperor Tiberius says well we'd like to help you fund the rebuilding. 00:09:15.180 --> 00:09:17.860 And the guys in Sardis say it's alright we've got enough. 00:09:17.860 --> 00:09:20.700 Kind of like Norway in that way. 00:09:21.659 --> 00:09:22.879 We've got enough. 00:09:23.519 --> 00:09:28.659 The third thing about Sardis is it's almost unique in the ancient world. 00:09:28.720 --> 00:09:31.100 Because it seems to be a place of great tolerance. 00:09:31.100 --> 00:09:36.759 So one of the things unique about Sardis is that the synagogue is right in the city centre. 00:09:37.360 --> 00:09:40.220 That is really unusual in the ancient world. 00:09:41.240 --> 00:09:43.960 That normally you'll find the synagogue on the outskirts. 00:09:45.879 --> 00:09:51.680 And all over Sardis there is huge numbers of shrines and gods and temples. 00:09:51.940 --> 00:09:54.639 They love Artemis much like Ephesus. 00:09:54.639 --> 00:10:03.299 But it seems that they're so tolerant that they'll let the Jews have their main worship centre right in the city centre as well. 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:06.159 It makes Sardis prosperous. 00:10:06.980 --> 00:10:08.500 It makes it comfortable. 00:10:09.240 --> 00:10:12.179 It makes it seemingly very, very secure. 00:10:12.179 --> 00:10:18.979 And it seems that so with the city as with the church. 00:10:20.099 --> 00:10:26.839 Because Jesus seems to cut through all of that and diagnoses what's really wrong with the church. 00:10:26.959 --> 00:10:32.679 That the cancer of complacency has entered the church's bloodstream. 00:10:34.139 --> 00:10:39.620 Comfort has led to complacency, security to smugness, affluence to arrogance. 00:10:39.620 --> 00:10:45.820 One commentator writes this about Sardis. 00:10:46.940 --> 00:10:58.560 The church at Sardis had become content with mediocrity, lacking both the enthusiasm to entertain a heresy or the depth of conviction to provoke persecution. 00:10:59.159 --> 00:11:02.220 It was too innocuous to be worth bothering about. 00:11:03.419 --> 00:11:09.120 What a diagnosis of the church to lack the enthusiasm to entertain a heresy. 00:11:09.620 --> 00:11:13.580 Or to not have deep enough convictions to provoke persecution. 00:11:14.440 --> 00:11:19.580 It was the very epitome of what nominal Christianity looks like. 00:11:19.700 --> 00:11:23.799 Inoffensive, innocuous and utterly impotent. 00:11:23.799 --> 00:11:29.959 And this letter that Jesus writes cuts right to the heart. 00:11:30.620 --> 00:11:32.240 Cuts through all the reputation. 00:11:33.240 --> 00:11:35.519 And he tells them what it's really like. 00:11:35.939 --> 00:11:37.899 And it is a devastating letter. 00:11:39.179 --> 00:11:44.259 It's unique almost among all the letters because Jesus has very little commendation for them. 00:11:44.259 --> 00:11:48.860 All the other churches, Jesus has found something good to say about them. 00:11:50.639 --> 00:11:51.939 And yet he writes this. 00:11:52.019 --> 00:11:53.819 But he doesn't write it just to harm. 00:11:54.100 --> 00:11:55.360 He writes it to heal. 00:11:56.299 --> 00:11:59.019 It is in many ways like chemotherapy. 00:11:59.419 --> 00:12:01.240 That chemotherapy is very tough. 00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:06.139 My mother-in-law just finished her chemotherapy on Wednesday and it's nearly wiped her out. 00:12:06.139 --> 00:12:10.279 But it's not done just to hurt. 00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:11.439 But it's done to heal. 00:12:12.360 --> 00:12:14.240 And that's why Jesus writes this letter. 00:12:15.139 --> 00:12:17.620 And Jesus is the right one to write the letter. 00:12:17.699 --> 00:12:19.100 Because look how he describes himself. 00:12:19.539 --> 00:12:22.759 These are the words of him who holds the sevenfold spirit. 00:12:22.860 --> 00:12:24.340 The perfect spirit of God. 00:12:24.340 --> 00:12:30.540 The one whose spirit has gone out into the world and knows everything about the church. 00:12:30.540 --> 00:12:34.740 Who uncovers the mask and sees through the reputation. 00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:41.560 The one who holds the seven stars, the seven churches. 00:12:43.560 --> 00:12:50.740 And so Jesus is the perfect authority about what is good and what is bad about Sardis. 00:12:51.580 --> 00:12:52.960 And so let's get into it. 00:12:52.960 --> 00:12:55.519 And I want us to see three things. 00:12:56.759 --> 00:12:59.960 Jesus diagnoses a terrible problem. 00:13:01.280 --> 00:13:04.259 Jesus diagnoses a terrible problem. 00:13:04.400 --> 00:13:06.139 It's right there at the end of verse 1. 00:13:07.000 --> 00:13:08.420 I know your deeds. 00:13:08.800 --> 00:13:11.259 You have a reputation of being alive. 00:13:11.420 --> 00:13:13.240 But you are dead. 00:13:16.940 --> 00:13:20.280 Sardis is seen by others as a vibrant church. 00:13:20.279 --> 00:13:22.539 It probably has a snazzy website. 00:13:22.679 --> 00:13:23.279 Comfortable pews. 00:13:24.159 --> 00:13:27.339 A lovely worship space. 00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:30.500 It has a vibrant menu of ministry. 00:13:30.919 --> 00:13:32.399 A healthy budget. 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:34.120 A famous preacher. 00:13:34.319 --> 00:13:37.179 A sizable, maybe even growing congregation. 00:13:37.500 --> 00:13:39.539 It has a virtuoso music group. 00:13:39.839 --> 00:13:42.620 It has fresh Arabica bean coffee. 00:13:43.039 --> 00:13:46.120 It has the nicest pastries to eat in the morning. 00:13:46.120 --> 00:13:49.120 To those looking in, it looks like it's flourishing. 00:13:50.919 --> 00:13:53.120 And Jesus says, no, it's floundering. 00:13:54.779 --> 00:13:57.120 You have a reputation of being alive. 00:13:57.779 --> 00:13:59.320 But you are dead. 00:13:59.879 --> 00:14:02.879 On the outside, seemingly alive and thriving. 00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:06.179 On the inside, dead and dying. 00:14:06.299 --> 00:14:08.019 Jesus cuts through the facade. 00:14:08.399 --> 00:14:10.860 He pulls back the curtain. 00:14:14.100 --> 00:14:19.759 An example of a church more concerned with doing things right than doing the right things. 00:14:20.700 --> 00:14:22.639 That had just started freewheeling. 00:14:23.639 --> 00:14:26.980 Just started accepting mediocrity. 00:14:26.980 --> 00:14:28.940 Inoffensive. 00:14:29.039 --> 00:14:32.320 A church that had a form of godliness but denies its power. 00:14:35.139 --> 00:14:35.800 I don't know. 00:14:35.860 --> 00:14:39.639 When I was young and I went to Sunday school and you heard the Bible stories. 00:14:40.539 --> 00:14:47.300 You heard of how Jonah, how God pursued him and got him swallowed by a whale and eventually deposited him in Nineveh. 00:14:47.920 --> 00:14:50.340 You heard about Joseph who went to Egypt. 00:14:51.139 --> 00:14:56.399 He had a terrible time but all part of God's plan to make him prime minister for the saving of many lives. 00:14:56.980 --> 00:14:59.199 You heard about David and all that he got up to. 00:14:59.519 --> 00:15:00.659 You heard about the Exodus. 00:15:01.179 --> 00:15:04.879 I had this real view that my God could do anything. 00:15:06.019 --> 00:15:07.959 There was nothing too hard for him. 00:15:10.319 --> 00:15:14.059 And yet don't you grow old and you start to think, well, it's just normal. 00:15:15.179 --> 00:15:19.879 It's just a, you know, it's just a logical thing, this Christian faith. 00:15:21.399 --> 00:15:24.100 I guess that's kind of what's gone on in Sardis. 00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:26.139 So vibrant. 00:15:26.360 --> 00:15:27.139 So alive. 00:15:28.899 --> 00:15:31.540 So full of the idea that God can do anything. 00:15:31.539 --> 00:15:41.319 and then it became familiar and then it became mediocrity and then it became mundane and then 00:15:41.319 --> 00:15:45.799 it started freewheeling to the point that they're dead and they don't even know it 00:15:45.799 --> 00:15:53.099 what a terrifying diagnosis from jesus and i think jesus gives us some ideas of what 00:15:53.099 --> 00:16:00.459 is going on we see the early promise has not been fulfilled look what he says i have found 00:16:00.460 --> 00:16:06.660 your deeds unfulfilled unfinished in the sight of my god it seemed that they started well they had 00:16:06.660 --> 00:16:13.240 loads of stuff going really brilliantly but at some point they took their foot off the gas 00:16:13.240 --> 00:16:22.100 started coasting through complacency crept in and through it though it still looked healthy on the 00:16:22.100 --> 00:16:28.820 outside on the inside it was hollow the church inside has had early promise not fulfilled 00:16:28.820 --> 00:16:37.540 and it had early convictions not sustained look at verse three remember therefore what you have 00:16:37.540 --> 00:16:44.160 received and heard their problem was that they didn't they knew the gospel 00:16:44.160 --> 00:16:53.620 jesus says to them remember what you heard remember what you received they had great teaching in the 00:16:53.620 --> 00:17:03.179 past but what was the problem they let it slide they were well taught but rather than keeping hold of 00:17:03.179 --> 00:17:09.299 it they let it slip through their fingers they failed to keep the main thing the main thing they become 00:17:09.299 --> 00:17:16.380 evangelifish they had absolutely no backbone and just went wherever the tide of popular culture 00:17:16.380 --> 00:17:25.100 evangelifish they had great teaching in the past but rather than keeping hold of the past but i think 00:17:25.100 --> 00:17:32.220 that early purity not maintained the only good thing in this letter is in verse four 00:17:32.220 --> 00:17:43.420 yet you have a few people in sardis who have not soiled their clothes it seems that moral standards have 00:17:43.420 --> 00:17:51.500 started to slide and that the the community of sardis had started to infiltrate the church that the people 00:17:51.500 --> 00:17:57.420 in sardis had started compromising with all sorts of stuff that they shouldn't have compromised with 00:17:57.420 --> 00:18:05.100 it's a deliberate metaphor for sardis sardis is famous for dyeing clothes bright white 00:18:05.099 --> 00:18:13.579 and what does jesus say you've soiled your clothes place that's renowned for making things clean 00:18:14.539 --> 00:18:23.019 the people's moral fiber has ended in soiled clothes i don't know if you saw a couple of years ago but 00:18:23.019 --> 00:18:31.259 microsoft launched an artificial intelligence bot to live on the web to live in cyberspace and to learn 00:18:31.259 --> 00:18:37.339 lots of things everything it could from interacting with real people and they said it that it should 00:18:37.339 --> 00:18:42.140 last for six months and then they'd take it back and analyze all that it had learned from all the 00:18:42.140 --> 00:18:48.539 people that it interacted with online they had to take it down after three hours because it had become 00:18:48.539 --> 00:18:56.379 a racist white supremacist because that's the kind of people it was interacting with online 00:18:56.380 --> 00:19:05.500 it's the perfect example of what it means to be infected by culture and it seems that the people in 00:19:05.500 --> 00:19:11.740 sardis had been utterly infected by the culture by the few that jesus holds up 00:19:13.500 --> 00:19:22.540 so the cancer of complacency has crept into sardis and complacency is a clear and present danger for all of us 00:19:22.539 --> 00:19:31.659 us still are we still working hard for the lord or are we just keeping up appearances 00:19:32.700 --> 00:19:39.500 are we still treasuring the gospel and holding on to it remembering it rehearsing it preaching it to 00:19:39.500 --> 00:19:48.940 ourselves every day or has it just become another thing in life and what about our moral standards are we 00:19:48.940 --> 00:19:57.340 still pursuing holiness or have we been compromised in all kinds of ways are you still pressing in on 00:19:57.340 --> 00:20:04.860 god's on in god's service are you still pressing into god's word to mine treasure from it are you still 00:20:04.860 --> 00:20:11.259 pursuing holiness good diagnostic questions about whether complacency has crept in 00:20:11.259 --> 00:20:17.740 do you think the best days of your christian life are ahead of you or are they only behind 00:20:21.819 --> 00:20:28.059 what are you still trusting god for are you still trusting god for something 00:20:30.220 --> 00:20:32.779 or has that dependency just slipped 00:20:32.779 --> 00:20:41.500 what sins are you still fighting or have you just gone into a cohabiting relationship 00:20:43.740 --> 00:20:46.619 what opportunities for outreach do you still have 00:20:47.819 --> 00:20:52.779 or have you totally even stopped looking for the opportunities to make much of jesus 00:20:54.539 --> 00:20:57.980 proverbs 24 is a warning about complacency a little sleep 00:20:58.940 --> 00:21:06.140 a little slumber a little folding of the arms and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity 00:21:06.140 --> 00:21:13.420 like an armed man sleeping slumber folding of the arms that was the church in sardis 00:21:14.539 --> 00:21:20.620 and so what does jesus do in response to this terrible problem he writes an urgent prescription 00:21:21.579 --> 00:21:26.700 he confronts their complacency and says this is what you need to do about it and you need to do it 00:21:26.700 --> 00:21:35.900 now because you're on the brink of death five urgent commands first one wake up and watch out 00:21:37.660 --> 00:21:45.180 it's right there in verse two wake up and watch out you've been dozing and drifting 00:21:46.220 --> 00:21:51.819 the lights have been on but there's been no one at home the wheel's been turning but the hamster's long 00:21:51.819 --> 00:22:00.779 since been dead you need to wake up and watch out this would resonate in sardis because although sardis 00:22:00.779 --> 00:22:07.659 was seemingly impenetrable it had in fact been conquered twice conquered in the sixth century by 00:22:07.659 --> 00:22:12.700 cyrus king of persia and conquered in the second century by antiochus 00:22:12.700 --> 00:22:20.299 and why did they break in well because all the guards were asleep they managed to scale the 00:22:20.299 --> 00:22:26.539 cliff and they just walked into the city and won because everybody was asleep because they didn't 00:22:26.539 --> 00:22:32.539 think they would be conquered such was the complacency in sardis and jesus says to the church you need to 00:22:32.539 --> 00:22:42.859 wake up and watch out the second thing he says you need to strengthen what remains and is about to die 00:22:43.980 --> 00:22:51.740 their spiritual muscles are going to atrophy to such a point that they will form necrosis and be cut off 00:22:52.940 --> 00:23:00.139 jesus says this is your last chance for rehab strengthen what remains when i was on sabbatical a 00:23:00.140 --> 00:23:07.420 couple of years ago i took up running i hated it but i kept it going and then i came back and the 00:23:07.420 --> 00:23:13.980 winter came and the nights grew in and it got rainy and cold and i gave up running i've just taken up 00:23:13.980 --> 00:23:20.300 running again and it is absolute agony it's double agony not only do i remember how good i was before i 00:23:20.300 --> 00:23:25.740 gave up but i also now remember how hard it was to get to that point in the first place and so i have 00:23:25.740 --> 00:23:35.180 this battle going on in my mind jesus says remember where you were and you need to strengthen and get 00:23:35.180 --> 00:23:44.460 back to those days strengthen what remains and is about to die they're about to be atrophied to death 00:23:44.460 --> 00:23:51.259 unless they get off the sofa and do something he says remember get back to the basics put them back 00:23:51.259 --> 00:23:57.339 together verse three you had good teaching you received it you acted upon it 00:23:59.740 --> 00:24:05.579 get back to those days remember the fundamentals the gospel not just the way in but the way on 00:24:06.299 --> 00:24:08.220 you never graduate the gospel 00:24:10.059 --> 00:24:18.619 next middle of verse three hold it fast once you've remembered it don't let it slip through your fingers 00:24:18.619 --> 00:24:29.339 again remember remember don't go back into a stupor cling on guard the truth whenever i go to the airport 00:24:30.859 --> 00:24:37.339 i check for my passport every two minutes are you like that you know you undo your bag there's my 00:24:37.339 --> 00:24:43.819 passport good oh what's my passport there let me check again i think i stand more chance of losing my 00:24:43.819 --> 00:24:48.619 passport looking for my passport than i do if i just left it where it was in the first place 00:24:50.379 --> 00:24:56.460 jesus is saying to them you need to treat the gospel like john treats his passport you need to look at it 00:24:56.460 --> 00:25:04.859 all the time you need to keep checking yourself don't graduate the gospel hold it fast treat it as 00:25:04.859 --> 00:25:13.259 precious don't become complacent and then he says you need to repent it's not just about waking up and 00:25:13.259 --> 00:25:17.660 strengthening and remembering and holding on it's about doing things differently now 00:25:18.539 --> 00:25:27.740 having a change of mind leading to a change of direction you need a radical change not complacent 00:25:27.740 --> 00:25:33.259 but committed not freewheeling but fervent not assuming the truth but asserting the truth 00:25:33.819 --> 00:25:38.700 diligent not docile getting back to the days before the rot set in 00:25:38.700 --> 00:25:49.100 getting back to firm convictions pursuing purity fulfilling potential wake up strengthen remember 00:25:49.500 --> 00:25:57.900 cling to repent and jesus then gives them a view of what will happen this is like the patient going into 00:25:57.900 --> 00:26:03.580 the doctor's surgery and the doctor saying if you don't do what i say this is what's going to happen 00:26:03.579 --> 00:26:13.579 if you do do what i say this is going to happen he gives them both scenarios he gives them a terminal 00:26:13.579 --> 00:26:23.019 prognosis what they do now will affect what happens long into the future the first thing he says end of 00:26:23.019 --> 00:26:33.259 verse three if you do not wake up i will come like a thief against you and you will not know at what time 00:26:33.819 --> 00:26:44.059 i will come to you jesus himself says i'll come against you this is not jesus's second coming this is jesus 00:26:44.059 --> 00:26:50.460 coming in temporal judgment against this church it's very akin to what he says to ephesus that if you don't 00:26:50.460 --> 00:26:56.140 repent i'll come and take your lampstand away your church will cease to be a church 00:26:57.819 --> 00:27:04.059 i bought a marin mountain bike to cycle to work and i i didn't really like it it's uphill from the 00:27:04.059 --> 00:27:09.420 minute i left my house but i was committed to it i bought lycra and a helmet and everything like that 00:27:10.059 --> 00:27:16.140 i did it for three weeks and every day i would take my bike up three flights of stairs and lock it to 00:27:16.140 --> 00:27:24.540 the banister with two big padlocks and one friday three weeks in i came out my house lycra from head 00:27:24.540 --> 00:27:33.500 to toe helmet on a luminous jacket and my bike was gone stolen let me tell you if the thieves had dropped a 00:27:33.500 --> 00:27:38.780 note through the door saying dear john we're going to come tonight to steal your mountain bike they would 00:27:38.779 --> 00:27:44.619 not have got the mountain bike they would have got something totally different entirely that may 00:27:44.619 --> 00:27:48.059 have would have invite involved falling down three flights of stairs 00:27:50.619 --> 00:27:56.460 the thing about the thief is you don't know when he's coming and so the church insiders needs to act 00:27:56.460 --> 00:28:03.420 now because the space for grace and change is running out the room for repentance is shrinking all the 00:28:03.420 --> 00:28:10.620 time and jesus says if you don't do what i say it's all going to be over i'll come against you like a thief 00:28:12.300 --> 00:28:21.100 and your church will cease to be in existence serious they're not just close to death they'll be dead 00:28:23.580 --> 00:28:29.900 that's the long-term view if they do nothing but if they do something they'll be there's a wonderful 00:28:29.900 --> 00:28:31.019 three-fold promise 00:28:34.540 --> 00:28:45.259 jesus says if you do repent you will walk with me you will wear white robes and your name will never 00:28:45.259 --> 00:28:53.820 be blotted out jesus talks about those that repent and do something and have a vibrant faith who have 00:28:53.819 --> 00:29:00.939 an inward affection kindled towards the lord jesus they will be given white robes they won't earn them 00:29:00.939 --> 00:29:07.019 it is a gift from the lord jesus white robes in the book of revelation are always made white by the 00:29:07.019 --> 00:29:15.339 sacrifice of jesus and always given to his people by jesus himself it's all grace and god jesus says to 00:29:15.339 --> 00:29:22.539 them if you do it you'll be pure again there's forgiveness there's hope there's purity there's a 00:29:22.539 --> 00:29:29.659 second and a third and a fourth chance there'll be purity no need to be full of remorse and guilt 00:29:30.220 --> 00:29:37.980 a fresh start and then he says they'll walk with him middle of verse four they will walk with me 00:29:38.859 --> 00:29:46.059 the the idea of walking in the bible is this idea of intimacy this idea of being an intimate relationship 00:29:46.059 --> 00:29:52.779 friendship it doesn't say they will go on a walk with me it says they will walk with me it's a continuous presence 00:29:54.539 --> 00:29:59.740 that if you do repent you will be in an intimate relationship with the lord jesus forever 00:30:00.940 --> 00:30:03.500 that is a wonderful promise 00:30:03.500 --> 00:30:13.180 and then he says i will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life they will have 00:30:13.819 --> 00:30:15.019 eternal security 00:30:17.500 --> 00:30:24.299 their names will be written in the citizenship of heaven forever never blot them out 00:30:24.299 --> 00:30:28.940 this is security that sardis could only dream of 00:30:30.619 --> 00:30:37.419 that their names will be indelibly and permanently written in heaven's register 00:30:39.899 --> 00:30:47.180 and that jesus himself on the day that it matters most will acknowledge us before his father and the angels 00:30:47.180 --> 00:30:53.900 the acknowledgement the acknowledgement the acceptance the welcome into eternal life 00:30:54.620 --> 00:30:57.820 and let's face it that is what we're all looking for in our lives 00:30:58.779 --> 00:31:07.500 forgiveness and a second chance intimacy and security and jesus says you find it eternally 00:31:07.500 --> 00:31:19.900 by living for me trusting me loving me it's a wonderful promise 00:31:21.099 --> 00:31:24.779 the problem with complacency is you don't realize you've got it until too late 00:31:26.220 --> 00:31:29.579 and this passage is asking us to search our hearts 00:31:30.859 --> 00:31:35.900 to work out whether this is for real or this is just for show 00:31:35.900 --> 00:31:38.620 so heed the warning 00:31:41.019 --> 00:31:46.460 make sure you're not coasting or sleeping or snoozing 00:31:47.500 --> 00:31:51.180 but make sure there's an inner passion for the lord jesus that is growing 00:31:52.460 --> 00:31:58.700 you know i think we see some people in jesus ministry for whom sardis would have been a very similar case 00:32:00.060 --> 00:32:04.860 jesus says in the sermon on the mount not everyone who says to me lord lord will enter the kingdom of 00:32:04.859 --> 00:32:09.419 heaven but only the one who does the will of my father who is in heaven 00:32:09.419 --> 00:32:15.659 many will say to me on that day lord lord did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out 00:32:15.659 --> 00:32:18.299 demons and in your name perform many miracles 00:32:19.500 --> 00:32:21.659 then i will tell them plainly i never knew you 00:32:21.660 --> 00:32:28.220 away from me you evil doers that stands every chance of being sardis 00:32:29.019 --> 00:32:32.460 and i pray as a result of god's word speaking to us this morning it will not 00:32:32.460 --> 00:32:35.180 be a clear and present danger for us let's pray 00:32:42.460 --> 00:32:45.180 father god we pray that you would work in our lives 00:32:47.340 --> 00:32:49.660 father you would revive what is dying 00:32:49.660 --> 00:32:57.580 you would brighten what is dimming you would kindle what is smoldering 00:32:58.700 --> 00:33:05.900 and that in each of our lives lord there might be a fervency an earnestness an authenticity 00:33:05.900 --> 00:33:13.340 a reality lord that the lord jesus would be the most important thing in our lives 00:33:15.820 --> 00:33:19.580 lord shake us and wake us out of complacency 00:33:21.019 --> 00:33:29.500 and lord thrill our hearts with this promise of forgiveness and security and intimacy 00:33:29.500 --> 00:33:35.339 that will last forever and ever father god help us not be like sardis 00:33:36.619 --> 00:33:43.819 help us to be alive and really alive in our relationship with you we pray this in jesus name 00:33:43.819 --> 00:33:47.099 and for his sake and trusting in his help amen