BRIEF OUTLINE FOR OVERHEAD

Sardis – The Dead Church

Revelation 3:1-6 (NKJV)
1
"And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, 'These things says 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.
2
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works
perfect before God.
3
Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. 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.
4
You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in
white, for they are worthy.
5
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.
6
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." '

Revelation 3:1(a) And to the angel of the church in Sardis write…

1. History Of Sardis
Revelation 3:1(b) … 'These things says 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.

2. Spirituality Of Sardis
Revelation 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die,
for I have not found your works perfect before God.

Revelation 3:3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and
repent. 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 3:4-5 (NKJV)

4
You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall
walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
5
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.

3. Warning To Sardis

Conclusion
1) Where are we as a church?
2) Are we existing on the reputation of the church in the past?
3) Are we allowing the immorality of society around us infiltrate the church?
4) Are we awake – watching to make sure we are not infiltrated?
5) Where are those opposing us or disagreeing with our Godly stand?
6) Maybe we need to Remember and Repent also?
Revelation 7:9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one
could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and
before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

Speaking of the New Jerusalem…

Revelation 21:27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an
abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

PREACHING OUTLINE FOLLOWS

 Sardis – The Dead Church
Revelation 3:1-6 (NKJV)
1
"And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, 'These things says 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.
2
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works
perfect before God.
3
Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. 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.
4
You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in
white, for they are worthy.
5
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.
6
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." '

Introduction:
Leonardo Da Vinci painted the masterpiece, “THE LAST SUPPER.” He sought long for
one to model for Christ. From one of the churches in Rome, he located a choir member with
the features and look that he thought was the perfect picture of Jesus. The young man’s
name was PIETRO BANDINELLI.
After many years the painting was still unfinished. All the disciples had been portrayed
except one; JUDAS! A beggar from the streets of Rome was brought in, he had a face so
villainous that one shuttered when he saw him. Leonardo felt he would be perfect to
represent Judas.
After completing the painting, before dismissing the villainous bum, Da Vinci asked the
beggar his name…to everyone’s shocking surprise, the beggar responded, “My name is
PIETRO BANDINELLI!” - The same man who been chosen years earlier to represent Jesus
in “THE LAST SUPPER.”
What had happened over the years? This man had experienced a slow spiritual death,
from a faithful churchman to a gutter bum! The degrading power of sin had gradually taken
its toll – from the likeness of Jesus to that of Judas!

This is the story of the church at Sardis. It once was a thriving God
fearing church but over time it lost its relationship with God. There are
many people in the ‘church’ today in the same condition.

Revelation 3:1(a) And to the angel of the church in Sardis write…

4. History Of Sardis
A. Sardis means = “Remnant”

B. Like most of the other cities where the churches we have previously studied; Sardis
was known as an extremely ungodly and immoral city!
 1) It’s city goddess was Cybele [Cy-be-le`] – a mother goddess that represented some of
the most perverted immoral practices ever known to man.
2) Recent archeological digs have discovered that the Sardis CHURCH was built adjacent
to a Temple to the sinful goddess Diana.
3) No wonder this church was affected by the constant displays of orgies and immorality
practiced at the pagan temples in the city.

C. Sardis was built on at steep mountain, making the city almost impregnable.

1) The people felt secure and were lax in placing guards for protection. They didn’t
believe it was possible for anyone to overtake them.
2) Their great sense of security had created a mentality of looseness, their efforts were
spent on pleasures rather than on safety and protection.

D. The steep hilly terrain was a famous hangout for thieves.

1) Hiding in the caves and rocks, they could see someone approaching.
2) They could also ‘sneak out’ at night and do their mischief.

E. The main industry of the city was textiles – especially white clothe used for the
pagan temple participants of many Asia Minor cities.

1) Worshippers at the Pagan temples were required to wear white garments.

2) Not only were the garments required to be white – but clean. If it was soiled you were
expelled from the temple and excluded from any participation in the pagan rites.

F. Sardis was a very wealthy city with much gold and silver.

 In fact – they were the first city to mint gold and silver coins..

G. Sardis was not a huge city but it was an important city.

1) It’s wealth opened the door for immorality

2) The agreement of people living there to immoral practices propagated its wrong doings.

EXAMPLES = San Francisco & New Orleans

Revelation 3:1(b) … 'These things says 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.

5. Spirituality Of Sardis
A. The Church in Sardis was living a false spirituality.
 1) They were existing on reputation instead of personal righteousness.
 They were a great church in the past…
 Founders of the church stood against the immorality of the city.
 They used their wealth to assist other churches in Asia

2) They expected God’s blessings to rest on them because of their past – not on
righteousness living…..

Like many people and churches today in America – they think they will
get to heaven on the reputation of a Godly parent, a Godly leader, or the
denomination..

 One sign of how bad the Church had gotten was the fact that there was
no sign of persecution of this Church by any parties within the city of
Sardis!

 Most of the other 6 churches mentioned were experiencing tough times

from the local citizens because they did not agree with their sinful
practices…

 No persecution was a good indication that they were not opposing the
local immorality!

Revelation 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die,
for I have not found your works perfect before God.

B. They were told to “wake up and straighten up!”

1) The relaxed spirit of the city had caused this church to ‘relax spiritually’
a) First they had to “WAKE UP” and “Be Watchful”
b) Watch out for the enemy! – look around you

2) “…Strengthen the things which remain…”

a) They knew better…
b) Quit giving in
c) They needed to straighten up…

Revelation 3:3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and
repent. 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.

C. If they did not remember and repent, Jesus was coming as a thief and
remove their candlestick…
This mountain side city which felt invincible and did not guard or
protect its border, on two occasions had enemies come and
overtake it.

In like fashion, Christ was telling the Church at Sardis that if

they didn’t wake up and put some guards in place spiritually, HE
was coming to remove His Spirit from them!
Revelation 3:4-5 (NKJV)
4
You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall
walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
5
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.

6. Warning To Sardis
A. The people of the city of Sardis thought it was something to be able to
wear their man made white garments into the pagan temples – BUT

B. Those remaining faithful to Christ would be able to wear WHITE

GARMENTS PROVIDED BY CHRIST HIMSELF TO BE WORN IN
THE PRESENCE OF GOD THE FATHER IN HEAVEN!

Illustration –
A mission society once wrote the famous and great missionary, David
Livingstone: “Have you found a good road to where you are? If so, we want to
send other men to join you!”
Livingston wrote back, “If you have men who will only come if they know
there is a good road, I don’t want them! I want men who will come if there is no
road AT ALL!

C. Too many today want the easy road. They want to ‘fit in.’ They want to
be part of all society has to offer!

1) We can’t have both.

2) We have to choose God’s way or man’s way?

Conclusion
7) Where are we as a church?
8) Are we existing on the reputation of the church in the past?
9) Are we allowing the immorality of society around us infiltrate the church?
10) Are we awake – watching to make sure we are not infiltrated?
11) Where are those opposing us or disagreeing with our Godly stand?
12) Maybe we need to Remember and Repent also?

WHY?

So we can wear a ‘White Garment” with Christ in Heaven

Revelation 7:9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one
could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and
before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

AND – our names will not be blotted out of the Lamb’s Book of Life!

Speaking of the New Jerusalem…

Revelation 21:27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an
abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.