Dear Church, Pt 6 - The Church in Sardis... Wake Up!

September 14, 2008
Dr. David Uth

Is there a difference between how you see you and others see you? Are you who we think you are?

A hypocrite is someone who complains about the violence on TV that they recorded to watch.

Revelation 3:1-6
God had nothing good to say about this church. It is the only church out of all seven that doesn't get a positive mention. The strongest words were to hypocrites in the New Testament. Matthew 23:7

Sardis is on a ridge of mountains. There is one way in and out via a narrow path down to a valley. It was easy to protect and they thought... they were conquered two times. It used to be a great city but they are living off their history-their glorious past.

The Charge Against the Church: You are dead!
Church is living off history, yesterday's commitment isn't good enough today. You spirit or passion for God is dead. You can stay alive even when your body struggles.

Image - on the surface the church was doing well. This isn't always reality or truth. They appear to have it all together but you can't fool Jesus! The church had a reputation but Jesus knows.

The Call: Wake Up and Repent!
1. Wake up! (Chase sleep, be watchful, be on guard) Look at the way you live your life.

2. Strengthen what remains - we are not bad, there is something good in us.

3. Remember what you received and heard
Received is in the perfect tense which references it is continual
Heard is in the aros tense which references a point in time
We have heard truth but that is it. Hear and receive like we heard it for the first time-like it is fresh. We have heard too many sermons to be living the way we live.

4. Hold Fast - Hang on!

5. Repent! Get honest about sin and turn around from it. This is the secret of how God uses your life and blesses you. If you don't God we get you like a thief in the night according to His word.

The Promise - We will walk with Jesus in White.

Be honest & repent we will walk with Jesus.
Revelation 7:14

Three Things Will Happen:
1. We don't have to have a perfect life. Jesus has already provided a way through His blood on the cross. Isaiah 1:18 We can't make our own garments white.
2. He won't blot our name out
3. He we confess us before the Father
We are the bride, the church is the bride. Love your bride like you love the church.

Jesus says Wake Up! Because he wants to put us in front of the Father as white. Why do we allow sin in our life? We have to wake up and get honest. Jesus will have mercy on us.