Week 52 Day 1

November 21, 2022

Jesus' Message to the Church in Sardis

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6(NIV)

“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Devotional

Wake up!

The city of Sardis was known for its great wealth and sophistication. Like most other communities in Asia Minor, the Gentile population had embraced the paganism of the Greco-Roman world. But they were very tolerant of the thriving and growing Jewish community in their midst. The nascent Christian community no doubt blended right in. Most believe that everyone coexisted with one another somewhat peacefully.

Perhaps that is why Jesus said to them, “I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God.” It is ever so easy to sleepwalk through our spiritual journey, doing our own thing while everybody else does theirs. Wake up!

Jesus didn’t want His followers to simply blend in with their Jewish and pagan neighbors; He wanted them to share the Gospel with them! Indeed, He went on to say, “Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you” Wake up!

It is one thing to go far away on a mission trip to share the good news of Jesus Christ. It is another thing to do so among those with whom we live, work, learn, and play. While it is a temptation to let everybody do their own thing, Jesus has commanded us to be His witnesses and make disciples of people right where we live. Wake up!

As Paul wrote, “But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you’” (Ephesians 5:13-14).

Wake up!