Through the 7 churches in Revelation, Jesus told us the problems they faced. 3 of 7 were both praised and rebuked. 2 were only praised but not rebuked. 2 were only rebuked and only praised.

The 2 churches that were only rebuked was the church in Sardis and Laodecia. The church most severely rebuked was the church of Sardis. What exactly did they do to be so severely rebuked by the Lord?

Rev 3:1-2
The Lord said to the church in Sardis, “You have a name that you are alive but you are dead.” They’re alive in name because they’ve been baptised in the Lord Jesus. They’ve been reborn and have the hope of everlasting life. But they’re dead because they’re just Christians in name. They haven’t seriously been a Christian.

1 Tim 5:5-6
Paul speaks of 2 different kinds of widows in church. The first is a true widow. They trust in God continue in supplications and prayers night and day. The second is one who lives in pleasure. “She is dead while she lives.” Living in pleasure is not necessarily sin. But only living in pleasure and not worshipping God can result in slowly drifting away from God. There’s a danger in the end times - men become lovers of pleasure and not lovers of God. These widows like to indulge in their worldly lusts and don’t like to worship God. They don’t tread on the new and living way opened by the Lord Jesus. They continue to tread on the old path. We have to understand that if we tread on the old path, we can’t arrive at the new place. When Jesus comes, the new heavens and earth will come. Only those who tread on the new path and are new men in the Lord can enter. If we’re an old man and tread on the old path how can we arrive at a new place? The Bible reminds us to put off the old man and put on the new. We have to walk on the path of the Lord and not the path of men.

The Lord also tells the church of Sardis that their work is imperfect before the Lord. It’s not that they didn’t do any good works. They did have good works, but none of them were perfect. For example, they worship God. But they only pay lip service and don’t truly repent. They pray but their prayers are all about worldly things. They come for services but they’re often late and don’t concentrate in service. They zealously serve in church, but once someone pours cold water on them, they lose their zeal. They’re willing to offer, that’s a good work, but they constantly murmur why the Lord hasn’t repaid them.

“I have not found your works perfect before God.”
Let us not just stop at doing good works but further reflect on whether we do it sincerely/out of a pure heart.

The believers came for services and participated in activities. They didn’t do any bad deeds to shame God. They had something good in everything. But in the eyes of God, this was a dead church, because their goodness is just on the surface and not internally. They have a zealous appearance but not a zealous interior.

Like what Jesus said, “The people draw near to Me with their lips but their hearts are so far from Me.” The people look close to God but are actually far away.

This is the crisis of the church in Sardis and the crisis of our church today as well. Jesus doesn’t want acts that are superficial. If we continue to do so, then we are alive in name but in reality dead. We need to be serious in our faith; in repenting, believing and obeying the word of God.

The Lord says to Sardis to strengthen the things that remain and are ready to die.

In actuality, the church of Sardis is corrupted. There’re some who’re ready to die but have not. We have to grasp hold of the opportunity to save them while we still can. We may think, “But so much has been corrupted already, what difference would we make?” Nevertheless, saving one is still saving one.

Many many fish were washed ashore. A group of children hurriedly tried to throw them back into the water. The adults saw what they were doing and said, “Don’t waste your time. There’re so many fish, you’ll never be able to throw all of them back in. It won’t make a difference.” A child threw yet another fish back into the water and said, “It made a difference to this one.” It doesn’t matter how many can be saved, saving one is still saving one.

That’s why Jesus said we have to be like little children. The thinking of adults and little children are very different. We have lost the naive thinking of little children. Our strength is limited and we can’t save everybody. But saving one is still one. At the end, Jesus won’t ask how many we have saved and how many lost sheep we’ve turned back. Many people focus on the results, but the Lord Jesus doesn’t. Instead, He looks at whether we have put in any effort. Have we stretched out our hand to pull him? Have we spoken words of comfort?

Rev 2:3
There’re 3 steps to take in being watchful - recall, repent and obey.

1. Recall 回想
   Recall how we have received the word in the beginning. Recall how we listened to the word in the beginning. If a person is willing to think back of his original faith, then he will realise whether his current state of faith has improved or regressed. Many people don’t think their faith is deteriorating. They think they’re much better than other people. But in comparison to the faith they had in the beginning, they have deteriorated. Jesus doesn’t ask us to compare our faith to others. It’ll make us self righteous and think we’re still alright. Jesus wants us to compare our faith to that in the beginning. It may seem like we were led by our friends/family to believe in the Lord. But if we recall, we realise it was the Lord Jesus who brought us to the Lord through various matters. If not how would we have had the feeling of being moved? The Lord Jesus doesn’t force one to believe, but wills for all men to believe. Hence the Holy Spirit works in men to help and move them. To have a feeling in their hearts to recall their past and remember they need God. God won’t force you, He’ll only help you. This is His guidance. Are we willing to accept this guidance? Many people have a moving/realisation in their hearts, but have put it aside. This is rejecting the guidance of God. We can’t say, “God, You’ve not guided me or given me grace.” But actually He has guided and given us much grace. It’s whether we recall it or not. “Remember how we have received and heard.” Constantly think back about our original faith, led by the Lord and true.

2. Repent 悔改
   There’s a saying in the city of Sardis that if you’re not watchful, you’ll be attacked. What’s special about the city of Sardis is that it’s built atop a mountain. Only a small road led up to it. No matter how large an army faces them, they could only gain access through the small path. The people thought their city was very difficult to attack.

King Cyrus brought his army and failed to conquer the city of Sardis. But later they found an alternative path that led to the city. When the Persian army attacked, the guards were asleep. The city was breached. But that didn’t wake them up. Years later, the Greek army led by Herod attacked the city of Sardis. The guards were asleep. The city of Sardis was breached again, because they weren’t watchful. Jesus hence reminded the church of Sardis to be watchful lest they be breached like the city.

The problem in Sardis wasn’t like the church in Ephesus which had the Nicolaitans, Pergamos which had the teachings of Balaam, Thyatira which had the teachings of Jezebel. They weren’t facing heresies. They weren’t oppressed like Smyrna who had to worship the king. The environment of Sardis was peaceful and comfortable. But that’s what caused to be sleeping and not watchful in their faith.

When you put a frog in water and slowly increase the temperature, it won’t notice. It’ll just become accustomed to it. When it becomes too hot, it’ll be too late. By then, the frog is hurt by the temperature. This is where the Chinese phrase 日水煮青蛙 comes about. Some people say this isn’t accurate. After some searching on the web, the speaker found that it is accurate.

“Chinese phrase”
We are able to thrive in calamity but we die in peace and calm.

We have to be watchful when we’re in a comfortable environment. Don’t sleep. If we realise we are sleeping, then we have to repent, and not let our faith continue sleeping. Don’t let the water get warmer and warmer and cook us. Realise the danger we’re in and jump out. Some people say, “I regret and want to change but I can’t do it.” Many Christians are as such. We know our weaknesses but don’t repent. That’s because we don’t set our hearts to repent. We only regret and know we have to change but don’t resolve to repent.

This is just like the parable of the prodigal son. Do you think he regretted? He did early on. His friends abandoned him and was forced to take care of the pigs to survive. Especially for the Israelites where taking care of pigs was against God because they’re unclean. He regretted. But why didn’t he change and repent and return? Because he wasn’t resolved. He was still willing to endure this environment. What caused him to be resolved and return home?

One day he was so hungry, he had to take the pigs’ food. Only when one is hungry to the point of death would you resort to that. But the men didn’t want him let him even have the pigs’ food. This was inhumane. Such inhumanity caused him to wake up. “Must I starve here? Even the servants in my father’s house have food. Do I not return just because of face? Is my face or life more important?” This was when he resolved to repent and return home. He resolved, and that’s why he had the courage to arise and return home. When his father saw him from afar, he ran to him. Seems like such a coincidental fabrication in the story. So coincidental the father comes out and sees him and runs out.

But it’s not a coincidence. We are the prodigal son. God is the father. He long for us to return everyday. If we repent and resolve to return everyday, He’ll welcome us back with open arms. But we often have guilt in our hearts and that we’re unworthy before God. This unworthiness should cause us to cherish His grace more. We receive His grace not because we are worthy but unworthy. Some people may say, “Leave this place, you’re not worthy.”

When some people who haven’t come to church for a while are encouraged to come back, they say, “I know I regret. But I’m not worthy.” Their unworthiness drives them away from God.

The prodigal son said he was unworthy to be his son, at least let him be a servant in his house. This is true acknowledgement of unworthiness. He didn’t care what status he would have, he just wanted to be home.

Some people say they want to return home. But then ask, “Can I be a deacon? If not I don’t want to.” He knows he should return home but wants to be how he was before - a deacon. Isn’t this such a pity? Wanting to return to be a deacon but not for your own soul.

Many a times our face, status and conditions make us unable to return home.

When will we awaken like the prodigal son? Satisfied as long as we are able to return home.

Actually the Heavenly Father is waiting for us to return home. He’ll say, “As long as you’ve returned home. Everything else doesn’t matter.

Don’t just repent with our mouths. Repent with your hearts.

1. Obey 遵守
   Why are those who once endeavoured to be Christians in their hearts become just Christians in name? Some had some agenda and once it was fulfilled, they left. But what about those who were sincere in heart but later left? One reason is that they listen to the word but don’t do the word. If we just look at the table laid with food, will we be full? Only if you eat it will you have strength. We may read the Bible and pray, but don’t act according to the word of God. We’re just a believer in name.

Only obeying the word of God makes us a true Christian. Only then will we be able to receive eternal life.

We don’t just need to read the Bible and listen to sermons, we also need to ask Jesus to help us obey the word of God.

Some Christians were originally very zealous to obey the word of God. You ate yesterday, why are you still hungry today? Being a Christian is not a one-off thing. It is a continual thing. Our obedience 10 years ago can’t ‘clear’ our disobedience today. We have to strive to spiritually nurture ourselves and strive to be obedient EVERYDAY. We don’t know which day we may fall. But we know that as long as we are vigilant, we won’t fall. Many people fall not because they’re not strong but because they’re not watchful.

Jesus tells us to be watchful, in 3 steps, recall, repent and obey.

Rev 3:4-6
The Lord says, “You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments.” Is this a happy or sad thing? Only a FEW names have not defined their garments. Every soul is precious, but so many are asleep and aren’t willing to be watchful and repent. “We’re all brothers and sisters, we don’t talk about each other.” Just like frogs cooked in warm water and don’t know when they have died. “Don’t rebuke each other. If not there’ll be unhappiness.” That was the church in Sardis. There’re a few names in Sardis that haven’t defiled their garments and walk with God in white. They’re so few that no one notices them. But even though they were so few, the Lord Jesus knows them. Let’s not be concerned how the rest of the people are, be concerned about how you are. “Even the deacons and elders don’t come to church, why should I come?” We should have the thinking: even if others don’t come, I will come. It’s their choice not to obey, but I choose to obey.

The Lord Jesus knows them. “There’re a few names who have not defiled your garments and will walk with Me in white.”
Being dressed in white means they’re victors. In the olden times, when the Roman General is victorious in war, there’s a special procession. It’s not for general people but for those who have fought the war and been victorious. They’re to wear white.

Just like Jesus saying those who are victorious will walk with Him in white. Moreover, He won’t blot our names from the book of Life. We have the hope of heaven. But remember God can blot our names from the book of Life. If we don’t repent and don’t obey His words, He will blot our our names.

“You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments”
This goes to show how few will be saved. It also shows that even though so few didn’t defile their garments, God doesn’t think “oh so few?” and force people to repent. He doesn’t force.

Would you want forced love? That’s why during a wedding, the couple is still asked, “Are you willing? Or are you forced?” It’s not a superfluous question. The minister asks on behalf of God. The ceremony is holy and the parties should be willing.

The church has been betrothed to God; we are the bride waiting for Jesus. He didn’t force us to be baptised or obey His words. Even though the church in Sardis was so degenerate, the Lord didn’t force them. He just said, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

If we have heard, let us arise, return and obey our God.