It was a big church. There were plenty of programs, lots of points of entry for the seeker. Huge staff, enthusiastic volunteers. Advertisements on the local cable stations and in the papers. The senior pastor was invited to speak all over the country.
It was, by all accounts, a super church. Very busy. The doors never closed!
Thing is, it wasn’t. Not doing the business it was supposed to have been doing. Oh, they meant well, I’m sure. They did, the modern Church of “Sardis.” But they were not meeting the standards set by the Head of the Church. That is, Christ.
Revelation 3: 1″To the angel of the church in Sardis write: “The One who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says: I know your works; you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead. 2 Be alert and strengthen what remains, which is about to die, for I have not found your works complete before My God. 3 Remember therefore what you have received and heard; keep it, and repent. But if you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you have no idea at what hour I will come against you.
How many Sardisian churches are busy, today? How many are trying so hard to include their neighbor that they have left out the LORD?
Small churches can be much the same; please don’t think I’m harping on any particular kind of church. I was just moved, today, to address the issue of the churches, so I will do so for the next few days. There is one Church, and that is the body of Christ. ONE CHURCH. ONE BODY. Now, God tolerates our divisions, I’m guessing, because truly people mean to grow closer to the Lord through various avenues. As long as they come by The Way, The Truth and The Life, then what foot gear they have on that Way isn’t all that important. Sincerity of belief, true obedience to the Lord, loving one’s fellow man, all of these aspects of a life of love for God can be found in a Catholic, an Episcopalian, a Baptist, a Lutheran, a Pentacostal, an Independent Church of Christ -er. All across the spectrum of Christianity, faith can be found.
The problem lies when people get this twisted notion of THE CHURCH. Again, I believe the Lord tolerates our differences; he does not, I’m pretty sure, appreciate them. Man has – as Man always has – twisted what is right and good about establishing an organization of worship and so on. Even the disciples, who walked with our Lord, erred in choosing a new apostle to take Judas Iscariot’s spot. They cast lots. Did God honor them for trying? I believe he did, but God had already chosen a man to be that “replacement,” if you will. He had chosen Paul, to whom he would reveal himself when it was time.
But back to the churches. The Lord wanted to have his people gather to equip the saints to move on. Move out. We establish, often, many ways of bringing people IN to the Body, and that’s good as far as intent…
But how many churches today, large and small, focus on these programs and forget their real purpose? These Sardisian congregations are warned, in this final book of the Bible. Warned to get their focus where it ought to be.
I believe, too, that this applies to the individual, but that’s another post for another day.
Jesus goes on to say:
4 But you have a few people in Sardis who have not defiled their clothes, and they will walk with Me in white, because they are worthy. 5 In the same way, the victor will be dressed in white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before My Father and before His angels.
So, there is hope. :) Individuals who seek purity of purpose in their relationship with the Lord are not forgotten. They will even walk with the Lord, dressed in white, because – did you see this? – they are worthy.
Wow. Gives me goosebumps – really! – to think of it. That the Lord God would consider someone WORTHY of walking with him. That is not an adjective used lightly!
But the church that is unworthy… The Lord says he will “come against” them. How? I don’t know. But I’m fairly certain that it won’t be a pleasant church social experience.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Tags: churches, revelation, Sardis, warning, worthy
Oh, it’s not a permanent peace, but it has alleviated one small stress in his life — the deep desire to do away with digital clocks — and all of us are thankful.