Patmos

Sardis: •Geography of the city

✴Acropolis is 1,500 ft above the valley floor✴It was situated at the junction of 5 main roads✴It was a natural trading post and military center✴The acropolis formed an impenetrable fortress that is currenlty believed to be 1/3 the size that it was under Roman Rule✴Former capital of Lydia; during the writing of this letter the city was only a shadow of it’s former self

Sardis: •Geography of the city •History of the City

✴Large Jewish population✴At least twice the acropolis was taken by invading armies because the guards were asleep or not paying attention due to the overconfidence.

Sardis: • Address - “To the angel of the church in Sardis write:”•Identification - “These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.”

✴ Seven Spirits - (Ref. 1:16) ✴ Holds (has) the seven spirits - echo (has)✴ The seven spirits - The Holy Spirit

✴ Stars - interpreted by 1:20 - Angels of the seven churches (pastors)

Sardis: • Account: “I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.”

✴ No Commendation ✴ Reputation - Living on past glory - Our pastor calls this the institutional phase of a churches lifespan. When people desire sentiment rather than the spirit of God.✴ “But you are dead” - Hyperbole ✴ Parallel to the city’s current state

Sardis: • Assessment: “Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God”

✴Wake Up✴ Drawn form city’s history✴ First step to renewal is honest awareness that something is wrong

✴Strengthen what remains - ✴Unfinished - (Pleroo - full or filled) not fulfilled the standard set by the Lord - God sees all!

Sardis: •Exhortation: “Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.”

✴ Remember...Received and heard- Sounds like Ephesus “first love”✴ Come like a thief - Cities history, overthrown✴ Soiled their clothes - committed sins of compromise.

Sardis: •Promise: “The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my father and his angles.”

✴ Blot out their name - Promise not a threat✴ Book of Life - Book referenced from Ex. 32:32-33, Ps 69:28 - also mentioned in Rev. 13:8, 17:8, 20:12

✴Curse of the Minim - 12 of 18 benedictions used after the fall of temple in Jerusalem.✴Modus Vivendi - an arrangement or agreement allowing conflicting parties to coexist peacefully, either indefinitely or until a final settlement is reached.

Sardis: ✴ Curse of the Minim -"For the apostates let there be no hope. And let the arrogant government be speedily uprooted in our days. Let the noẓerim and the minim be destroyed in a moment. And let them be blotted out of the Book of Life and not be inscribed together with the righteous. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who humblest the arrogant."

Sardis: •Promise: “The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my father and his angles.”

✴ Blot out their name - Promise not a threat✴ Book of Life - Book referenced from Ex. 32:32-33, Ps 69:28 - also mentioned in Rev. 13:8, 17:8, 20:12

✴Curse of the Minim - 12 of 18 benedictions used after the fall of temple in Jerusalem.✴Modus Vivendi - an arrangement or agreement allowing conflicting parties to coexist peacefully, either indefinitely or until a final settlement is reached.

Sardis: •Call: “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”