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07 Revelation PPT

The document discusses the church in Sardis that was mentioned in Revelation 3:1-6. It summarizes that Jesus criticized the church in Sardis for being spiritually dead despite outwardly claiming to be alive. He counsels them to strengthen their faith, remember his teachings, and repent or else face unexpected judgment. However, a few faithful members in Sardis will be rewarded.

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191 views

07 Revelation PPT

The document discusses the church in Sardis that was mentioned in Revelation 3:1-6. It summarizes that Jesus criticized the church in Sardis for being spiritually dead despite outwardly claiming to be alive. He counsels them to strengthen their faith, remember his teachings, and repent or else face unexpected judgment. However, a few faithful members in Sardis will be rewarded.

Uploaded by

r_mukuyu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS

IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION

Bereans Adult Bible Fellowship


Placerita Baptist Church
Place in the Book of Revelation

I. What you have seen (Rev 1).


II. What is now (Rev 2–3)—the seven
churches of Asia Minor.
A. Ephesus (2:1–7)
B. Smyrna (2:8–11)
C. Pergamum (2:12–17)
D. Thyatira (2:18–29)
E. Sardis (3:1–6)

• Capital of Lydian empire.


E. Sardis (3:1–6)

• Capital of Lydian empire.


• Gold.
A Christmas Thought

• The wise men brought


Jesus gifts of
– Gold (10x in Revelation)
– Frankincense (1x in
Revelation)
– Myrrh: not mentioned in
Revelation, except in
the name Smyrna
(Greek for ―myrrh‖).
E. Sardis (3:1–6)

• Capital of Lydian empire.


• Gold.
• Bishop Melito.
E. Sardis (3:1–6)

• Capital of Lydian empire.


• Gold.
• Bishop Melito.
• Acropolis on an imposing hill.
E. Sardis (3:1–6)

• Capital of Lydian empire.


• Gold.
• Bishop Melito.
• Acropolis on an imposing hill.
• Temple to Artemis/Diana.
E. Sardis (3:1–6)

• Capital of Lydian empire.


• Gold.
• Bishop Melito.
• Acropolis on an imposing hill.
• Temple to Artemis/Diana.
• 5 acre complex for bathhouse and
gymnasium.
E. Sardis (3:1–6)

• Capital of Lydian empire.


• Gold.
• Bishop Melito.
• Acropolis on an imposing hill.
• Temple to Artemis/Diana.
• 5 acre complex for bathhouse and
gymnasium.
• Large synagogue.
E. Sardis (3:1–6)

• Capital of Lydian empire.


• Gold.
• Bishop Melito.
• Acropolis on an imposing hill.
• Temple to Artemis/Diana.
• 5 acre complex for bathhouse and
gymnasium.
• Large synagogue.
• City of death.
Revelation 3:1–6

1 ―To the angel of the church in Sardis write:


He who has the seven Spirits of God and
the seven stars, says this: ‗I know your
deeds, that you have a name that you are
alive, but you are dead.
2 ‗Wake up, and strengthen the things that
remain, which were about to die; for I have
not found your deeds completed in the
sight of My God.
Revelation 3:1–6

3 ‗So remember what you have received and


heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if
you do not wake up, I will come like a thief,
and you will not know at what hour I will
come to you.
4 ‗But you have a few people in Sardis who
have not soiled their garments; and they
will walk with Me in white, for they are
worthy.
Revelation 3:1–6

5 ‗He who overcomes will thus be clothed in


white garments; and I will not erase his
name from the book of life, and I will
confess his name before My Father and
before His angels.
6 ‗He who has an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches.‘
E. Sardis (3:1–6)

1. Characterization of Christ (v. 1)


– He possesses power and authority over the
seven Spirits of God and over the seven
messengers of the churches (see 1:4, 16;
2:1).
E. Sardis (3:1–6)

2. Commendation from Christ


– He does not commend the church at Sardis
for anything.
E. Sardis (3:1–6)

3. Complaint by Christ (vv. 1b, 2)


– He complains that the church at Sardis holds
to a dead orthodoxy.
2 Timothy 3:5

. . . holding to
a form of godliness,
although they have denied
its power;
avoid such as these.
E. Sardis (3:1–6)

3. Complaint by Christ (vv. 1b, 2)


– He complains that the church at Sardis holds
to a death orthodoxy.
– He complains that the church at Sardis has
failed to complete their works for Him.
Question for Discussion

How does
______________________
fail to complete works
for Christ?
E. Sardis (3:1–6)

4. Counsel from Christ (vv. 2–3a)


He counsels the church at Sardis to
– wake up to spiritual reality.
– to strengthen what they have left.
– to remember the teaching they had
received.
– to keep/obey the teaching they had
received.
– to repent of their deadness and failures.
A Christmas Thought

1 Timothy 3:16—Jesus‘ incarnation:


By common confession, great is the mystery
of godliness:
He who was revealed in the flesh,
Was vindicated in the Spirit,
Seen of angels,
Proclaimed among the nations,
Believed on in the world,
Taken up in glory.
E. Sardis (3:1–6)

5. Caution by Christ (vv. 2a, 3b)


– He warns the church at Sardis that they are
about to die.
– He warns the church at Sardis that He will
come and judge them when they least expect
Him.
E. Sardis (3:1–6)

6. Commitment of Christ (vv. 4–5)


– The worthy few at Sardis will walk with
Christ and be dressed in white.
– The overcomers at Sardis will not be erased
from the book of life.
– Christ will confess the overcomers‘ names
before the Father and His angels.
Matthew 10:32

Therefore
everyone who confesses Me
before men,
I will also confess him
before My Father
who is in heaven.
E. Sardis (3:1–6)

7. Practical Implications
– Carelessness and a lack of urgency can
benumb a church‘s spiritual life.
– Spiritually immature believers can come to
dominate a church and bring it to the point
of going out of existence (dying).
– A lack of knowing and obeying the teachings
of the Word of God results in a spiritually
sleeping church.
– Spiritual slumber results in a fleshly and
worldly spirit in the church.
Question for Discussion

What does
______________________
need to do in order to awaken
from spiritual slumber?
A Christmas Thought

O little town of Bethlehem,


How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by,
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.
A Christmas Thought

For Christ is born of Mary,


And gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars together,
Proclaim the holy birth,
And praises sing to God the King,
And Peace to men on earth!
A Christmas Thought

How silently, how silently,


The wondrous gift is given;
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His Heav‘n.
No ear may hear His coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still,
The dear Christ enters in.
Implications Regarding Jesus Christ

• He has authority over the Spirit of God.


• He has authority over the leaders of the
churches (and over the churches).
• He knows His church‘s works.
• He knows His church‘s spiritual condition.
• He calls His church to repent.
• He can come at any time to judge His
church.
• He rewards the faithful few even in a dying
church.

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