Title: Church, Wake Up!
Text: Rev. 3:1-6
Tracing: Preached 6/17/90 at SDCC.
Topic:
Theme: The Danger of Routine
Nutshell:
Objectives:
Prim Goal :
Intnd Aud.:
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Intro.:
Once ÿupon a time, ÿin a place not so very different from here,
there was a church which met regularly, had pretty good attendance,
held occasional social events, and, overall, functioned in much the
same ÿway that it always had. ÿNo one seemed to notice that ÿthere
were ÿfew new people or that very little ever happened that ÿhadn't
been ÿdone ÿbefore. ÿÿThis ÿchurch was not ÿgoing ÿdownhill, ÿÿnor
advancing -- just standing still.
This ÿdescription ÿcould ÿfit ÿany ÿof ÿthousands ÿor ÿtens ÿof
thousands of modern churches, ÿand, ÿin some respects, ÿit probably
describes ÿus! ÿBut one day, ÿknowing that many churches ÿthoughout
history would fit this description, ÿJesus sent them a letter which
was ÿalso ÿintended ÿfor ÿall ÿthe other ÿchurches ÿwith ÿthe ÿsame
characteristics. ÿÿPlease ÿturn to Rev. ÿ3:1-6, ÿwhere we find ÿthe
letter to the church at Sardis.
THE TOWN:
Sardis was not a shocking city (like Ephesus with its temple to
Artemis, ÿÿSmyrna ÿwith the "Synagogue of Satan", ÿPergamum ÿ"where
Satan has his throne", ÿor Thyatira with its trade-guild idolatry),
but quite ordinary. ÿIts only really notable characteristics ÿeven
in its glory daysÿwere its arts and crafts, its wealth, its gold and
silver mint. By the time of the writing of this letter, ÿeven that
was ÿmostly ÿgone. ÿÿSeveral decades earlier, ÿthe city ÿhad ÿbeen
ravaged ÿby ÿa severe earthquake. ÿEven ÿthough Rome ÿsent ÿmassive
amounts ÿof ÿassistance and helped ÿto rebuild the city, ÿÿso ÿmuch
damage had been done that the city would never really recover.
THE CHURCH:
Read v. ÿ1 - Like the city itself, the church was in decline.
It ÿhad ÿseen ÿbetter ÿdays ÿ- ÿat least ÿenough ÿto ÿgive ÿthem ÿa
reputation. ÿÿBut now the church was very close to death - not ÿin
appearance, ÿbut in reality. ÿLike the church at Ephesus, ÿit ÿhad
fallen -- only farther.
Read ÿv. ÿ2 ÿ- ÿThey had to act immediately to revive or ÿthey
would ÿdie altogether. ÿThe tragedy of that was that they had ÿnot
completed ÿany of the things which Jesus had for them to do. ÿÿThis
slumber preceding death is one into which individuals, nations, and
churches ÿcan fall. ÿSocrates diagnosed it in ancient ÿGreece ÿand
said ÿhis ÿrole ÿin society was to be ÿa ÿ"gadfly", ÿÿannoying ÿthe
slumbering ÿbeast of his society until it woke up again. ÿÿInstead
the ÿslumbering beast swatted that gadfly and slept on ÿuntil ÿRome
conquered ÿit. ÿÿToday ÿI ÿbelieve that America ÿis ÿin ÿthe ÿsame
predicament ÿ-- ÿÿwe ÿwant ÿto sleep ÿand ÿignore ÿthe ÿthreatening
2
developments around us. When forced to face the facts we are often
more ÿangry ÿat ÿthose ÿwho ÿwoke us ÿup ÿthan ÿat ÿthose ÿwho ÿare
manipulating our demise. Similarly, ÿthis church slept while Satan
played ÿand began shoveling dirt on the coffin into which they ÿhad
crawled.
Read v. 3 - Like Ephesus, they had fallen (only farther). Like
Ephesus, they were told to Remember, Repent, and Obey (Ephesus told
to Repeat since they had once been obedient). If they did not,
Jesus would come unexpectedly as they slept to judge them.
Read v. 4,5 - Not everyone in a dead church is dead! Those who
have not slept and those who rouse from their sleep will be
rewarded and dressed in white and honored before God by Jesus.
Body:
If the cure is Remembrance, Repentance, Obedience: What are we to
remember and do?
I. God's Power
- More than we imagine! Eph. 3:20
- Gates of Hell (defensive) Mt. 16:18
- We WILL bear fruit. Jn 15:5
Thus,
- Go on the attack
- Ask God for needs 1Jn.5:14-15, Js. 4:2b
II. Remember Jesus' Uniqueness
- The Gate Jn 10:9
- Way, Truth, Light, No One comes... Jn 14:6
Thus,
- Emphasize Jesus not "ought-tos"
III. Our Responsibility
- Love Jn 13:35, 1Jn 3:14, 4:7-8,20-21.
Thus,
- Witness! Don't sidestep the issue.
Conc.:
People act according to what they really believe, rather than what
they profess.
Illus. - High wire over Niagara.
What do you really believe? Can He Save you?
Comments:
Prepared by Scott L. Purcell
Minister of Stokelan Drive Christian Church
1501 Stokelan Drive
Malden, MO 63863
(314) 276-2343
Reproduce, modify, and use freely
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