Good Morning Church!
Thank you for joining us today and I welcome each and every one of you in the name of Jesus.
Today God has something special for us, while we have all kinds of chaos around us.
Let us begin with a Psalm…
If it had not been the Lord who was on our side— let Israel now say— if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when people rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us; then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us; then over us would have gone the raging waters.
Psalm 124:1-5
Imagine if the Lord is not on our side, what will happen? God suffers the enemies of his people sometimes to prevail very far against them, that his power may be seen the more in their deliverance. Happy the people whose God is Jehovah, a God all-sufficient. Besides applying this to any particular deliverance wrought in our days and the ancient times, we should have in our thoughts the great work of redemption by Jesus Christ, by which believers were rescued from Satan.
There are two things we need to do as we study further in this Psalm…
1: We should stand firm as God is on our side.
God came for our sins and if we would have not been saved, we would have been doomed to die. Thank be to God for His great mercies that He sent His son for us. We should have hope. God brought hope through His Son. Keep trusting God.
Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth! We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped!
Psalm 124:6-7
2: We need to pray for our protection.
Blessed be the name of God. Throughout the word of God, we will read that there are multiple instances where prayers have broken the weapons of enemy several times and trust that our God is a prayer answering God.
Seek His protection, our God will deliver us.
Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 124:8
God is the Author of all our deliverances, and he must have the glory. The enemies lay snares for God’s people, to bring them into sin and trouble, and to hold them there. Sometimes they seem to prevail; but in the Lord let us put our trust, and we shall not be put to confusion. The believer will ascribe all the honour of his salvation, to the power, mercy, and truth of God, and look back with wonder and thanksgiving on the way in which the Lord has led him. Let us rejoice that our help for the time to come is in him who made heaven and earth.
The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.
Psalm 121:7-8
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
Psalm 23:4(a)
Now let us begin with the main message for today, as we call it, “The role of the Church!”
“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
Revelation 3:1-6
Let us note few features about the Church of Sardis!
1: It was a wealthy church.
2: It had a huge structure.
3: There was a large group of Clergymen.
4: There were lots of activities happening in that Church.
5: There was a lack of witnessing.
The Lord Jesus is He that hath the Holy Spirit with all his powers, graces, and operations. Hypocrisy, and lamentable decay in religion, are sins charged upon Sardis, by One who knew that church well, and all her works. Outward things appeared well to men, but there was only the form of godliness, not the power; a name to live, not a principle of life. There was great deadness in their souls, and in their services; numbers were wholly hypocrites, others were in a disordered and lifeless state. Our Lord called upon them to be watchful against their enemies, and to be active and earnest in their duties; and to endeavour, in dependence on the grace of the Holy Spirit, to revive and strengthen the faith and spiritual affections of those yet alive to God, though in a declining state. Whenever we are off our watch, we lose ground. Thy works are hollow and empty; prayers are not filled up with holy desires, alms-deeds not filled up with true charity, sabbaths not filled up with suitable devotion of soul to God. There are not inward affections suitable to outward acts and expressions; when the spirit is wanting, the form cannot long remain. In seeking a revival in our own souls, or the souls of others, it is needful to compare what we profess with the manner in which we go on, that we may be humbled and quickened to hold fast that which remains. Christ enforces his counsel with a dreadful threatening if it should be despised. Yet our blessed Lord does not leave this sinful people without some encouragement. He makes honourable mention of the faithful remnant in Sardis, he makes a gracious promise to them. He that overcometh shall be clothed in white raiment; the purity of grace shall be rewarded with the perfect purity of glory. Christ has his book of life, a register of all who shall inherit eternal life; the book of remembrance of all who live to God, and keep up the life and power of godliness in evil times. Christ will bring forward this book of life, and show the names of the faithful, before God, and all the angels, at the great day.
Men looks outside, but God sees inside. Let us take an interesting example of Taj Mahal, it is a beautiful piece of architecture, however, does the spirit of God resides inside of it? A simple answer to that is no! Just like the Church of Sardis.
Non-witnessing Christians have reputation of being alive, however the lethargy is taking them down in a routinely manner. There has to be a wekeup call, a much needed shout, in order to change the status quo. Jesus has higher expectations and a Christian can never be a low profile Christian. There is an organic collection of differences between lifelessness and the lack of witness in a Christian life.
In Chapter 2 of Revelation, there was a church, over 70kms away from the Church of Sardis, and tha was the Church of Smyrna. While it was persecuted, there was hardly any change in Sardis. If we read from the book of Revelation, we will have a better insight.
“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty ( but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’
Revelation 2:8-11
Let us shed some light on the Church of Smyrna. Our Lord Jesus is the First, for by him were all things made; he was before all things, with God, and is God himself. He is the Last, for he will be the Judge of all. As this First and Last, who was dead and is alive, is the believer’s Brother and Friend, he must be rich in the deepest poverty, honourable amidst the lowest abasement, and happy under the heaviest tribulation, like the church of Smyrna. Many who are rich as to this world, are poor as to the next; and some who are poor outwardly, are inwardly rich; rich in faith, in good works, rich in privileges, rich in gifts, rich in hope. Where there is spiritual plenty, outward poverty may be well borne; and when God’s people are made poor as to this life, for the sake of Christ and a good conscience, he makes all up to them in spiritual riches. Christ arms against coming troubles. Fear none of these things; not only forbid slavish fear, but subdue it, furnishing the soul with strength and courage. It should be to try them, not to destroy them. Observe, the sureness of the reward; I will give thee: they shall have the reward from Christ’s own hand. Also, how suitable it is; a crown of life: the life worn out in his service, or laid down in his cause, shall be rewarded with a much better life, which shall be eternal. The second death is unspeakably worse than the first death, both in the agonies of it, and as it is eternal death: it is indeed awful to die, and to be always dying. If a man is kept from the second death and wrath to come, he may patiently endure whatever he meets with in this world.
To conclude this, what do you think in a time like this? We are worried and anxious about our personal growth. But what about our spiritual growth and desire of God?
We have worship songs but there is no transformation in our life. But remember that God doesn’t sees our outer, but innerself.
What we are lacking in this time and age is the lack of witness in the Church. As people of God, we need to search for our hearts. Judgement is coming, but what about harvest? The Church of Sardis had everything, but it lacked witnessing. Which implies, it was functional, but life didn’t really existed there..
Church, today is the time to make a commitment. Examine your hearts, think about your life and ask whether or not you see picture of yourself in this message? So what are you going to do about it? The simple answer is, “Be Faithful, allow God to work in you and help you witness as a part of Church and your spiritual duty!”
May God help us in pursuing His work as this year has begun. God has called church not to enjoy at one place, but to go into the world and witness. May the kingdom of God be a priority in our life and let us make a commitment and ask God to guide us.
We hope you are encouraged today and compelled to think.Thank you for joining today. We look forward to see you all next Sunday. God bless!