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Revelation 3:1-6

“Wake up and get with it.”

Intro…What comes to mind when you see a picture like this?

Lazy, sleepy, that’s fine when it’s bed time, but when we need to be awake and alert….

In a culture like ours in America and especially Southern Ca., it’s easy to get complacent and lazy in our faith, need/desire for God.

For a lot of people there just isn’t an urgent need for God.

“Bill”….good job, about ready to get married, video games, (the bane of men’s existence) church? Ehh…don’t really care…

Text: Revelation 3:1-6

Big Pic: “Wake up and strengthen what remains and is about to die.”

IOW, Have some conviction (every great oak tree started out as a couple of nuts who stood their ground)

And the “couple of nuts” in today’s story come from v. 4…

Maps of Turkey, Asia and Sardis…

v. 1-2 What they were doing wrong:

The city of Sardis had been captured twice in its history because the guards or watchmen neglected their duty and weren’t paying attention.

The church in Sardis had a problem with misguided complacency and a lack of vigilance. (lazy)

The people were spiritually asleep. They were in a deep spiritual coma.

They may have had a “reputation” of being alive, but they were spiritually dead.

What a horrible thing to be known for as a church…my friends who are new to town and had to walk out of a few churches before they found the right one.

How often things can look good from the outside, but are dead on the inside. Matthew 23:27-28

Their works were not complete in the sight of God.

How do we avoid being a spiritually dead church?

Well, it starts with each individual, prayer, QT’s, the transfers into our worship service, bible studies, EVERYTHING…

v. 3-4 What they (we) need to do right:

Remember what you have received and heard. The fundamental truths of our faith.

My discussions with friends on FB this week on the marriage issue…

In my answers I always came back to the fundamentals on what I know is true.

Keep it (close) and repent. (Hold tight to the truth and admit when you are wrong).

They may have been approaching death, but they were not beyond the reach of Christ.

v. 3 Again, Jesus gives them (us) fair warning:

“If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief …”

This is a familiar simile used in Luke 12, 1 Thess. 5, 2 Peter 3 and Rev. 16:15

I’m sure we’ve all had something stolen…Caleb’s laptop

Getting something stolen is an awful surprise.

Seeing Christ return without being ready would be an awful surprise.

Feeling God’s wrath and judgment when you should have repented comes as an awful surprise.

Jesus is reminding the people in the church of Sardis that twice in its history they had been sacked and looted.

It’s like he’s saying, “Let’s not let history repeat itself.”

It’s one thing when something catches us by surprise and it’s not our fault.

It’s whole ‘nother deal when we’ve been warned and we still don’t repent.

Let’s take a look at the “couple of nuts” in vs. 4.

People who have not soiled their garments.

That’s what little, immature kids do…LilyAnna with the egg stain…

She was walking funny cause she had soiled her garments.

When we are walking with God, we walk upright, straight and proud in white garments.

When we continue to walk in white garments (truth) our salvation is secure. v. 5

That’s called eternal security, one of the tenants of our faith.

Total depravity, (we are sinners in need of a loving God)

Unconditional election, (there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation)

Limited atonement, (not everyone will be saved)

Irresistible grace (predestination)

Perseverance of the saints (eternal security)

v. 6 At the end of these letters to all seven churches, Jesus says the same thing: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

That’s a wake-up call! Wake up, stop being lazy, get with it!

Listen up!

What keeps us awake? God himself.

v. 1 “seven spirits of God” is a description of the Holy Spirit who issues an ultimatum to each of the seven churches.

The Holy Spirit will also appear as the Lamb’s seven eyes sent throughout the earth. (5:6)

The seven stars signify the churches true identities.

God will always know our true identity.

We may look good on the outside and fool others all the while being spiritually dead on the inside.

Conclusion:

Inside out lyrics.

Revival defined.

"Revival is the visitation of God which brings to life Christians who have been sleeping and restores a deep sense of God's near presence and holiness. This comes from a vivid sense of sin and a profound exercise of heart in repentance, praise, and love, with an evangelistic outflow."

The gospel changes us from the inside out.