Life Capsule for Today Date:6th July, 2023
Theme: To what Church do you belong (5)?
Memory Verse: Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Topic: The Church at Sardis (The Dead Church)
Text: Rev 3:1-6
1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Words of the Ministry
Today we come to the fifth of the seven Churches, the Church at Sardis (Rev 3.1-6). The Church at Sardis was known, it had a name that it was living but in reality before Jesus it was a dead Church. The Church at Sardis had a very delicate problem because while it was dead, it had an outward appearance to the world that it was alive, its reputation wasn’t as a result of its spirituality, there must have been an absence of obvious outward corruption but it did exist. It is to such that Paul writes that they have a form, of Godliness but deny the power of it, to such we are to turn away 2Thim 3.5.
Today we see a lot of such, the Churches of Sardis might find a way to manage its false teachings, its internal fighting’s among members, financial irresponsibility, sexual perversion and immorality among leaders. This they may do by organizing programmes, building mega structures, giving free food to converts, hiring social media influencers, giving money and other gifts to the less privilege etc. While all of these may deceive men for a season, the Lord sees both in secret and in the open. As far as the Lord is concerned, Such Churches are dead. When a Church promotes its past achievement among men to build reputation and not necessarily to point people to Christ, such a Church is as dead as the Church in Sardis.
There are certain pointers to the experience of the Church in Sardis they we must be careful of so as not to be in their condition. Some questions to reveal your spiritual condition include:
- Does the Church worship its reputation, past history or names of certain individuals, is it centered around a particular person or family?
- Is the Church more concerned about a form that the function of life?
- Is it more concerned about the number of members and branches rather that the spirituality of the members?
- Does the Church manage sermons to be accepted by the rich, high and mighty, they may not deny Christ but they may also not condemn sin?
- Does the Church emphasize more on investments rather than the soul of men?
Our today’s reading says they were dead, saints to be dead here is like sleep, is sometimes used as a symbol for carnality, for being out of fellowship with God, separated from Christ as the source of the abundant life (Eph. 5:14). In Rev 3.4, the Lord commended a few of them who have not defiled their garment with death, garment signifies who we are in our walk and life. To defile one’s garment in this sense therefore means to stain them with death and according to Lev 11.24-25 and Num 6.6-7 and 9, death is more defiling than sin, check yourself, where do you belong, repent and find help.
Bible in one year: Psalm 67-71
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