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

for the glory of God and the Growth of the Kingdom!

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