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Jesus’ assessment as to whether there is life in His church, and in those who belong to His church, is based on spiritual activity as opposed to simply physical activity. In Revelation 3, Jesus has two very pointed assessments to share with the church at Sardis. In verse one, He writes, “…you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” In verse two, he adds, “…I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God.”
While the church at Sardis is in serious trouble, all is not lost. Jesus has noticed, in this dead body of believers, a faint pulse. So, instead of just letting this church die and being done with them, Jesus calls on them to, “Wake up!” (v. 2a)
Jesus wants them to wake up and realize they have become disconnected from the Holy Spirit, their source of power and life. The call to wake up is actually a call for them to give themselves back over to the Holy Spirit’s control.
Once they are awake, Jesus gives them some encouragement on how to stay awake and connected to the power and life the Holy Spirit gives:
- Strengthen what remains – sure up what is still there. It gives you some footing as you seek to build back what you’ve lost.
- Remember – what you received and heard. Remember what led you to embrace the gospel of Christ in the first place. Remember how the Holy Spirit came into your life.
- Hold – tightly to the truth. Get back to the truth and hold on to it, regardless of the pressures to compromise. Hold tightly so you don’t let your guard down again.
- Repent – literally “to turn at once.” Turn around and go in the opposite direction, now. It involves sorrow for wrong actions, but repentance must also include stopping wrong actions and beginning to do what God says is right.
What assessment would you give your own spiritual life? Actually, the better question is what assessment would Jesus give your spiritual life?
Then, perhaps the ultimate question is what will you do about it?
Your Pastor,
David Hulme
Senior Pastor