What was Jesus' message to the church in Sardis in Revelation?

"And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent."

1 And to the angel of the church that is in Sardis write, These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things that remain which were about to die: for I have not found thy works complete before my God. 3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard; and keep it, and repent. If therefore thou watch not, I will come [upon thee] as a thief, and thou shalt in no wise know what hour I will come upon thee. 4 But thou hast a few names in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 He that overcometh, he shall be clothed in white garments; and I will in no wise blot out his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. 6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.

The Lord's solemn word for Sardis was, "I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead." This was their state in His sight. We must not think we can escape the edge of that word, saying we are not in Sardis. It has an application individually as well as collectively. It may be true of some of us that we have a name to live but are dead.

"And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." (Rev. 3:1-6)

"Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God" (Rev.3:2). The assembly at Sardis had not been watchful, other wise the condition of lifeless profession that prevailed would not have developed. The result of this lack of watchfulness was that the things which remained were drooping and ready to die out. There had been activity of spiritual life, but now only forms of life remained and these were languishing and needed strengthening. So the Lord calls this assembly and the church of the Sardis period to watchfulness and activity in the Spirit, also to repentance, as we shall later see.

The call to watchfulness and to strengthening the things which remain is a practical word for the church at all times. In Mark 13:33-37 the Lord spoke to the disciples and exhorted them four times to watch. "Take ye heed, watch and pray . commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore . And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch." The apostle Paul warned the elders of the church of Ephesus about men that would arise, "speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them," and then exhorted, "Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears" (Acts 20:30-31). The enemy of our souls is ever busy to corrupt and destroy and has many subtle ways of working. It was while men slept that the enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat as our Lord foretold (Matt.13:25). May we heed His call to watchfulness, individually and collectively, and seek to strengthen the languishing testimonies to His Name that remain. Let us not seek to tear down and just criticize, but to labour to build up and strengthen what is of God. "Let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober" (1 Thess.5:6).

"I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead" (Rev.3:1). This is the Lord's estimation of the works and state of Sardis, of the professing Church of the Sardis period, yea, of Protestantism. He who has eyes as a flame of fire that can pierce through everything, and He who alone can fully perceive and give a right estimate of every action and work has this to say about the works of Sardis .

It surely is not a commendation that the Lord gives here, as we have seen He always gave first in His messages to the previous four Churches in connection with the words, "I know thy works." It would seem that there is practically nothing of commendation in the Lord's message to Sardis . The only word of approval He could give was the recognition of the little remnant in verse four "Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy." These few the Lord could commend for their separated walk, but the general state of Sardis was displeasing to Him and He could only speak words of censure, exhortation and warning to this Church as a whole.

The Lord comes to the assembly bearing His name, but languishing in its care for that name; much is ready to die and more is without a spark of life, already dead. But He addresses Sardis as One having the seven Spirits, and concludes His address with the words, "He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

Another state of things in John's day the epistle to the angel of the assembly at Sardis discloses. The blinding influence of a Jezebel on the church, and the extent to which it could lead to departure from the faith, Thyatira exhibited, whilst the danger of resting in profession Sardis exemplified. How often have souls taken comfort to themselves from their connection with some body, as men speak, in their public profession of Christianity! To make a profession of Christianity, where it is real, is right — Christians should openly show themselves as such. The candle is not meant to be put under a bed or a bushel, but to give light. Our light ought to shine. But mere profession is not life, and man's estimate of us is not always in accord with Christ's; for, whilst man can see the actions, the Lord reads the heart. So He tells the angel "I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead." A correct estimate He had formed, and here expresses what it was. How startling probably this must have been to some, yet how gracious, telling the angel what He discerned whilst there was time to repent, instead of waiting to manifest it when the day of grace should be past. All that men could see, He saw and noticed; but, what man perceived not, He beheld. As the Son of God possessing judicial power He addressed the angel at Thyatira, as having the seven spirits of God and the seven stars He speaks to the angel at Sardis, and exhorts him to be watchful, lest the slumber of spiritual death should only be broken in upon by the execution of divine judgment. (Rev. 3:3.) "Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are about to die," was the work to which the angel should address himself; for the Lord adds, "I have not found thy works perfect [or complete] before my God."

As man then He here comes before us, just as afterwards in the epistle to the angel at Philadelphia He speaks in the same strain — "My God." Here the mention of such a term would serve as a reminder that the Lord has known what is man's responsibility in connection with God. There the saints would be encouraged by the remembrance, that He, who addressed them, had learnt what it was to be in the place of dependence upon earth. But, if He could speak of Himself as a man, all power and resources for men belonged to Him. He has the seven stars and the seven Spirits of God. The stars should shine in the darkness, and rule in the night, whilst all that the angel wanted for this the Lord could supply, for the seven Spirits of God are His as well as the seven stars. Thus presenting Himself He could tell what was lacking, and point out the remedy. This is of immense importance to us, whether viewed collectively or individually. The remedy was within their reach. No development of truth was required, nor was any further revelation vouchsafed. "Remember therefore how thou hast received, and heard, and hold fast, and repent." The remembrance of what they had received and heard would open their eyes to the condition of deadness, which insensibly perhaps had crept over them; to hold fast would remind them of the standard they had once accepted, and then repentance, self-judgment with the action corresponding to it, would openly follow. How simple then was the remedy, and how blessed though humbling the result!

Rev. 3:3. — “Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and keep (it) and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come (upon thee) as a thief, and thou shalt not know at what hour I shall come unto thee.” The “remember” to Ephesus (Rev. 2:5) was in view of the exceedingly rich endowment of truth revealed and grace bestowed, and from which the Church was declining; whereas the call to “remember” here is in the light of what God had recovered for them at the Reformation, i.e., the Gospel, the Word of God, and liberty of conscience. Judgment is ever according to the measure of responsibility, and that exists in a greater or less degree as flowing from what God has given and where He has set one. They had both “received” and “heard.” Protestantism was living on the renown acquired by her successful conflict with the papacy; was living on her name. The truths recovered and the Gospel heard to the joy of thousands were fading from memory and conscience; hence the command to “keep” and “repent” — to keep what they had, and to repent of the poor use they had made of their blessings.

(V. 3). To remember "how" they had received and heard, would recall to them the earnest condition of soul in which the truth had been received, and open their eyes to the present condition of deadness into which they had sunk. They lacked the power of the seven Spirits of God for the maintenance of the good: and the restraining power of Christ's ministers of light and truth against evil. To "hold fast" would encourage them to cling to the great truths they were insensibly letting slip. To "repent" would involve self-judgment for their low spiritual condition, and poor walk.

The Lord's warning follows. "If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee." Thus the Lord rebukes the low condition of His professing people in two ways: first, He calls them to remember the past. Have they declined in conduct from those early days when the truth was first received? Then He recalls them to watchfulness. Let them not only look back, but look on, for He is coming. Are they in a state suited for His coming? If not, His coming would mean judgment rather than blessing. Thus it is the Lord presents His coming in the aspect it will take towards the world, "as a thief." The Apostle Paul could write to the Thessalonians, "Ye brethren are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief." Nevertheless, he adds, "Let us not sleep as do others; but let us watch and be sober." Alas! in the day of Sardis the professing Church had ceased to watch, and was fast falling into darkness and deadness. Having appealed to the world for its patronage and power, the professing Church had become like the world, and is in danger of sharing the world's judgment. The coming of the Lord instead of bringing into blessing, as it will for all who believe to life, will overwhelm in judgment this dead Church, in common with a dead world.