Revelation: Sardis, a Church with a Name

Series Revelation

Speaker

Broadcaster

Sardis was rebuilt by Alexander the Great on a hill with three sides of sheer precipices, giving the residents false confidence in their security.
a. The lack of watchfulness due to self-confidence caused the city to fall to its enemies on several occasions.
b. This fault apparently affected the church as well, for Jesus rebuked the slumbering church with the command to wake up to watchfulness.
The city was also known for its worship of the goddess Cybele (identified with Artemis—Acts 19:27) who was known to restore life to the dead.
a. This may suggest why Jesus spoke of the church as being dead but thinking they were alive.
b. Death is used metaphorically in describing the church because spiritual death is the condition of the unsaved, not spiritually lethargic believers who only appear to be dead to the Lord.

Documents