Revelation 3:1-13
Ours
is a society that accepts the ideal that “image is everything”. That mind set was apparently part of the
church at Sardis. The description of
that church could apply to many churches and individual Christians today, “You
have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” We will go to great lengths to appear to have
it all together. The problem is that the
facade will only last so long. Many a
church and individual Christian have worked hard to appear to be spiritually
healthy, while not addressing more fundamental and spiritual issues. Sooner or later the truth always comes
out. A church or believer with
significant problems can only be restored by directly and honestly addressing
those issues. The nature of the problem in the church at Sardis was not the
issue we typically get worked up about.
They were not having a problem of worship or music or style, personality
or leadership, budgets or spending. It
was a problem of deeds or works. Our
works do not save us, but when we neglect works we end up neglecting the
relationship that ought to prompt or motivate our works. It is vitally important that we notice the
metaphor of the thief coming. We often
associate this metaphor with the lost being left out or left behind. This warning is not for non-Christians, but
for the church. It is the Christian, the
church that needs to be concerned with being caught unaware at Christ’s
return. It is the church whose works are
incomplete that is being warned in this passage.
Related
to the letter to the church at Sardis is the warning to the church in
Philadelphia. This church is on the
other side of the coin; it is sort of an opposite, mirror image. They have not missed their opportunity to
complete their deeds as Sardis had; they were facing their opportunity. If the door was closing on Sardis it was just
beginning to open for Philadelphia. The
opportunity for Philadelphia was disproportionate to the strength. It was
because they had little strength that they were given such wonderful
opportunities. In addition to their
little power they had two other qualifications for great opportunity. First, they have kept the word of the Lord
and their lives reflected His command and authority over them. Second, they have not denied Him when the
pressure was on; they remained loyal to Him.
Here is good news for every disciple-all three of these qualifications
are easily within our grasp. We need not
wait until we have achieved some level of capacity in order to take advantage
of God given opportunity. Never say “no”
to an opportunity because you lack some credential. If it is the good work the Lord has prepared
for us, our loyalty to His word and person is all the credential He thinks we
need. This does not mean an absence of
hardship. Hardships are promised, but in
those hardships He will keep us. There
is nothing wrong with degrees or training, but what makes a disciple is
loyalty.
Questions
to ponder:
It
is well known that behavior predicates emotion.
We tend to do what we do and do it more often. With that being known why would is it
important for us to engage in the acts of service associated with being a
disciple? What disciplines of being a
disciple are the most difficult for you to practice? Could it be that these are the ones we most
need to engage in or start? Why or why
not?
If
you can accomplish all that you want to do, when it is done who will get the
glory you or God? We often pray, “God,
show me what You want me to do?” If that
is our prayer who is the one doing the work?
Who will get the credit for the work done? A better prayer may be, “God, what do you
want to do through me?” Think about and
discuss how is this prayer is different.
