Rev. 3:1-6 Devotional Scripture - Wake up and Strengthen What Remains

In the letter to the church at Sardis, Jesus introduces Himself as the one who gives the Holy Spirit to the churches. 

 

"These things say, He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: 'I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.'”   Revelation 3:1

 

Sardis was a church populated by people who did not have the life and power of the Holy Spirit inside of them. It was a busy church with many meetings and something going on all the time but it was dead church.   

"Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.  Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent."   Revelation 3:2-3a

 

Jesus doesn’t have any praise for this church. Instead, He jumps right into chastisement.  Sardis had a reputation as being a Christian church, but for the most part, it was populated by people who were simply playing church and were just going through the motions.  The works they did do were pointless and lifeless.  They didn’t believe the whole word of God.  Instead, they would pick and choose what they wanted to believe. Jesus told them to examine, protect and strengthen what they have, and to repent and hold fast to the truth, the whole truth of God’s word.

 

"Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you." Revelation 3:b-4.

 

Jesus is telling them and us to wake up!  If they continue to ignore His commands He will come upon them at a time completely unexpected by them.

There was a faithful remnant in Sardis and Jesus promised them they would walk with Him in white.  

 

"He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels." Revelation 3:5.

 

 In those days, the cities wrote down the names of the citizens in a book until they died.  When they died they crossed out or erased their name.  Those who show by their lives that they have been truly born again will not be removed from the Book of Life. The overcomers were those whose righteous acts marked them as true believers.  Jesus says He will acknowledge their names openly before His Father and His angels.