In preparation for this evening's Bible study (we are currently walking through Revelation), I found myself looking deeper at Revelation 3:1-6 - the Church at Sardis - and doing some soul-searching. Sardis - The Dead Church. What comes to mind when you think of "dead"? The church at Sardis was pronounced dead by the Lord because, while the surface looked like a living church, the core was actually dead as a doornail.
But what makes a church "dead"? It means that something has caused it to die in the eyes of the Lord... and what is connected with death throughout the Bible? Sin. While these six verses represent the only biblical reference to this church, what we can surmise about the death of this church is that some form of un-dealth with sin had brought the church down.
But again - what constitutes a dead church? Maybe it would be better to look at what a "living" church is. Is it the number of people attending or a membership roll? Is it a big beautiful building or sprawling campus? Is it a great worship band, or a charismatic popular preacher? No. A living church is one that is completely obedient to God. A living church is one that, as Christ put it, keeps His commandments - the chief of which is to "go and make disciples..." (Matthew 28:19). Of course - we can step further back to an earlier commandment of Jesus, one that should be a driving force to push us to share Christ and make disciples - to love our neighbors. If you love people, then you will want to share Jesus with others. If you love the Lord, you will go. You won't just rely on others to go for you - but you will go. A church that is alive is constantly on the "go" to share Christ, but not to leave it there as so many have done for far too long, but actually discipling them into maturing Christians who then in turn are sharing Christ and leading others in spiritual maturity. A living church is not defined by the attendance or property, it is identified by the heart -
So what does a dead church look like? It could have high attendance. A dead church could have lots of programs and even the best worship band around. A dead church could even have a charismatic preacher that people really like. But if it relies on putting up a facade of "stuff" instead of the Word of God, the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the empowering of the Holy Spirit, then it might be dead. Does your church rely on past glory, ignoring its current condition, it might be dead (or on its way). If a church is more focused on material things than spiritual things - it might be dead. If a church is more focused on the social troubles of the world than seeing hearts and lives changed through the Gospel... it might be dead. If your church is more hung up on ritual and history than the Word of God, then it might be dead. If a church is more concerned with pleasing men than God, it might be dead.
But this passage also contains real hope (Revelation 3:2). If the real, born-again believers will wake up (be watchful), honestly and completely look at their condition, and be willing to make the changes necessary beginning with confronting sin and non-biblical teachings. If they will "strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die". In other words, if they will build on spiritual truths - solid biblical doctrine - and build on it by uncompromising teaching and preaching of those truths.
Another component of real revival of a dead (or nearly dead) church is the believers must keep (hold fast) to these truths - in other words - they must not just read, study, and preach those truths - they must LIVE them (Jesus said if we love Him, we would keep His commandments). And finally, and possibly the most important component of revival - believers must repent. While there is no salvation without repentance, we are also commanded to repent of our sins even after accepting the gift of eternal life. Repentance helps us to remain humble to the Lord, eliminates roadblocks to our spiritual growth, prayer life, and our own witness for Jesus. Unrepented sin is like a virus or cancer to our own spiritual life, and to the life of the church as well.
The only hope for a dying or dead church is real revival that only comes from following Christ's instructions here - and as long as there are faithful, born-again Christians there who are willing to repent and rebuild on the only real foundation - the truth of God's Word, living that Word, and to wake up!
