6. Sardis: The Tragedy of Empty Reputation

Introduction: The Tragedy of Empty Reputation

In human terms, Sardis was a “successful” church. It had a reputation for life, likely bustling with activity and admired by others. Yet Christ’s evaluation was devastating: “You have a name that you are alive, but you are dead” (Rev. 3:1 LSB).

This is the tragedy of empty religion; when outward form conceals inward death. Sardis reminds us that Christ judges not by appearances but by reality. A church may impress men and yet appall the Lord of the church.

Exposition

Christ the Lord of the Spirit

Christ introduces Himself as the One who “has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars” (Rev. 3:1 LSB). The “seven Spirits” symbolize the fullness of the Holy Spirit (cf. Isa. 11:2; Rev. 1:4). True life comes not from programs or activity but from the Spirit whom Christ gives. As Beale notes, “The Spirit is the source of genuine vitality; without Him, churches are but corpses.”¹

Condemnation: A Church of Pretenders

Christ declares, “I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead” (Rev. 3:1 LSB). Sardis had a reputation for vitality, but the reality was spiritual lifelessness. Hendriksen observes, “The tragedy of Sardis was not persecution or heresy, but the deadly calm of spiritual death.”²

The Call to Wake Up

Christ commands, “Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God” (Rev. 3:2 LSB). Like guards asleep at their post, Sardis was complacent. Historically, the city had fallen twice because of negligence in watchfulness. Christ uses this imagery to call them to vigilance.

The Command to Remember and Repent

He continues, “So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent” (Rev. 3:3 LSB). They were to recall the gospel, cling to it, and repent of empty religion. If not, Christ warns He will come like a thief; suddenly and in judgment.

Encouragement for the Faithful Few

Not all in Sardis were dead. Christ acknowledges, “You have a few people…who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy” (Rev. 3:4 LSB). This remnant shows that even in the deadest churches, Christ preserves His people.

The Promise to the Overcomer

“He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments, and I will never erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels” (Rev. 3:5 LSB). White garments symbolize purity, the Book of Life assures eternal security, and Christ’s confession guarantees eternal acceptance.

Application

1. Beware of Outward Appearances

Sardis warns us that a church can look alive yet be dead. Numbers, activity, and reputation are not signs of spiritual vitality. True life comes only from the Spirit through the Word.

2. Complacency Is Lethal

Like Sardis’s unguarded walls, spiritual complacency invites disaster. Churches must stay awake, continually strengthening what remains through repentance and faith.

3. Remember and Repent

Christ calls His people to remember the gospel. Churches drift into death not by sudden collapse but by neglecting the truths once received. Calvin notes, “Forgetting the gospel is the root of decay; remembrance and repentance are the cure.”³

4. The Comfort of Christ’s Promise

For the faithful remnant, Christ promises eternal life, white garments, and public confession before the Father. This is the hope that sustains true believers even in spiritually barren contexts.

Call to Persevere

Sardis exposes the danger of empty religion; when activity substitutes for life, and reputation hides reality. Christ calls His people to wake up, repent, and cling to the gospel. To those who overcome, He promises purity, security, and eternal recognition before the Father. Let us not be deceived by appearances but seek true life in Christ alone.

Footnotes

1. G. K. Beale, The Book of Revelation: A Commentary on the Greek Text, NIGTC (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999), 276.

2. William Hendriksen, More Than Conquerors: An Interpretation of the Book of Revelation (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1967), 87.

3. John Calvin, Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles, trans. John Owen (Edinburgh: Calvin Translation Society, 1855), 340.