Freedom River Church Sunday Message 6/17/18
Channel: Freedom River Church
Date: 18/06/2018

Sardis
The Dead
Church
Revelation 3:1-6

Who is the letter from?

In each of the letters to the Seven Churches, John uses a direct quote or an inferred characterization from his description of Jesus in Chapter one. (Compare 3:1 with 1:20) This letter is not from John or an angel or a scribe. The author of this letter is Jesus
Christ!

(1a) – “…has the seven spirits of God…” – Remember: Isaiah 11:2 gives the sevenfold description of the Spirit of Christ. The 7 (complete) spirits are not seven separate Holy Spirits, but the single Holy Spirit proclaimed in 7 manifestations.

(1b) – “…and the seven stars…” – the spiritual leaders (Pastors, Elders) of the seven churches.

(1c) – “…name that you live and are dead…” – the reason the church is dead is because the ministry of the Holy Spirit is not being allowed to come through the Pastor (spiritual leader). The only scriptural way a dead church can come to life is when the life of the Holy Spirit brings forth light to the Word of God through the
ministry of the God called leader.

Who is this church to whom the letter is written?

 Sardis was the capitol of the former rich kingdom of Lydia – It was made wealthy by textile manufacturing and jewelry making. Wealthy Sardis citizens took up with mystery cults and the pagan goddess, Diana.

 The Church at Sardis was called a “Dead” Church – Though it had a name to live, the Lord’s evaluation was focused on the truth and not the propaganda. Sardis means, “escaping one” or those who “come out”. It is the church that existed in the period known as The Reformation. The Reformation was the period of time (AD 1500-1750) when Martin Luther and a number of other reformers protested against the false teaching, tyranny and claims of the Papal Church.


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