Wake up
We’re continuing our hard-hitting journey through the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3 with a look at the letter to the church in Sardis. This church gets only the slightest of commendations and a stern warning to “Wake up!” This is a timely message because many professing believers were lulled into a sleepy sense of complacency over the last two years. The #1 issue facing churches around the world is finding people to serve as they did pre-pandemic. But to claim to be a Christian and not be serving is an act of hypocrisy, according to Jesus.
I won’t hide it from you: this promises to be another difficult message to hear.
Series: Great & Amazing - Revelation
Message: 7–Wake up
Text: Revelation 3:1-6
Todd Dugard
Harvest Bible Chapel
May 15, 2022
Hypocrite: one who pretends to be something they’re not
Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, exposes our hypocrisy, so we must…(v. 1)
…acknowledge the problem (v. 2)
…return to the gospel (v. 3a)
8 Habits for Growth (https://www.amazon.ca/8-Habits-Growth-Darryl-Dash/dp/0802423655/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2T91ZAMXGE3ZV&keywords=darryl+dash+habit&qid=1652562943&sprefix=darryl+dash+habit%2Caps%2C71&sr=8-1)
A Habit Called Faith: 40 Days in the Bible to Find and Follow Jesus (https://www.amazon.ca/Habit-Called-Faith-Pollock-Michel/dp/1540900533/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3DY2GFD56221&keywords=40+habits&qid=1652562974&sprefix=40+habits%2Caps%2C67&sr=8-2)
Opening Evangelism’s Overlooked Back Door, Jen Pollack Michel (https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/opening-evangelisms-overlooked-back-door/)
The Leadership Series (https://theleadershipseries.church/)
The gospel is central in my life when I…
• Start or keep attending worship every week;
• Start or keep reading the Bible daily;
• Start or keep praying even when I’m not sure what to say;
• Start or keep connecting with the community of faith.
…anticipate his coming (v. 3b)
The Christians in Sardis must take heed and prepare themselves spiritually so that Christ’s coming will not have that hostile character to it. Buist M. Fanning
…get with faithful believers (v. 4)
Bad company corrupts good character.
1 Corinthians 15:33
…long to hear Jesus say our name (v. 5-6)