Welcome to Hank’s Place
We are looking at the church of Sardis, found in Rev 3:1-6, and not forgetting we are saved and kept by GRACE, not works.
This church appeared wonderfully active and alive – but most folks needed to be born-again, needed to receive salvation by grace through faith. No man’s deeds can qualify him for heaven; ours are forever incomplete before God.
Jesus exhorts them to remember what they heard: the Gospel. Then repent and hold fast to the truth. The Sardians were trying to establish their own righteousness, impressing others thru their works. But the righteousness of God comes only from God, by grace.
“Wake up,” warns Jesus, or He will come like a thief. Sardis was famous among all the cities in the region for being asleep. In 546 BC Cyrus of Persia besieged them; and they did not even bother to post watchmen. They thought they were impregnable. One soldier climbed up the cliffs in the dark, opened the city gate and the city was conquered. 300 years later the SAME THING happened with another army. Both times proud Sardis was caught sleeping.
Those soiled garments? Self righteous garments are soiled. Only Jesus can give us white clean garments, those robes of righteousness. Only Jesus makes us worthy. He died for all of us, but many refuse the truth. They are refusing Jesus’ invitation to put on His garments.
The Book of Life. It’s a record of those who inherit eternal life. The Book of Life appears several times in the Bible. Jews would think of Ex 32:33, “The Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.”” We have ALL sinned against the Lord. We need His mercy and grace! We need God to “…remember our sins no more.” Is 43:25.
Under the Old Covenant no one was good enough for the Book of Life; under the New Covenant no believer can be blotted out of it. Our names have been written in with His blood. Whoa! The pen Jesus used to write our name in the Book of Life does not have eraser. Jesus is not threatening believers. He will never under any circumstance erase our name.
Finally, what does it mean to have Jesus confess your name? The proud Sardians were were concerned about their name and their reputation. Concerned about what other people said about them. Jesus is saying what other people think of you does not matter at all. What does matter is that He will confess your name before Almighty God, and Father. That’s what matters.
Check out Mat 10:30 – and COME ALIVE!
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