TEXT:  Rev. 3:1-6

INTRODUCTION:

A.  LETTERS TO CHURCHES OF ASIA.

          1.  Name the 7 churches.

          2.  Good information for us (1 Cor. 16:1;  4:17;  14:33).

B.  FORM OF THE LETTERS:

          1.  Salutation.                                                        5.  Warning or threat of judgment.

          2.  Jesus’ self designation.                                      6.  Exhortation.

          3.  Commendation of good.                                   7.  Promise.

          4.  Condemnation of evil.

C.  WE WILL FOLLOW THIS FORM.

I.      TO SARDIS.

A.  PRINCIPLE CITY OF LYDIA – FIRST TO MINT GOLD AND SILVER COINS.

          WEALTHY..

B.  RUINED IN AD17 BY EARTHQUAKE – NEVER FULLY RECONCILED..

II.     JESUS’ SELF DESCRIPTION (vs. 1).

A  HAS THE 7 SPIRITS – FULL MEASURE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?..

B.  HAS THE 7 STARS (Rev. 1:20)..

          1.  Inner character..

          2.  Meaning is easier (Rev. 1:20;  2:1, 5).  Jesus controls their fate.

III.    COMMENDATION (vs. 1, 4).  I KNOW YOUR WORKS.

A.  GOOD REPUTATION – OBVIOUSLY EARNED IN PAST (vs. 1).

B.  A FEW NAMES THAT DID NOT DEFILE THEIR GARMENTS (vs. 4).

          1.  Clean Garments à Righteous Behavior.

                   a.  Past life (Eph. 2:1-3).

                   b.  Cleansed (1 John 1:6-7).

                   c.  We should then walk worthily (Eph. 4:1;  Phil. 1:27).

          2.  Clean clothes can be dirtied (2 Pet. 2:20-22).

          3.  They walk worthily à They walk with Jesus (1 John 1:6-7).

IV.   CONDEMNATION (vs. 1-2).

A.  DEAD.

          1.  Outward Appearance Deceiving (Matt. 23:27-28).

          2.  An empty insincere show. (Matt. 6:1;  Matt. 15:7-9).

B  NO WORKS PERFECTED – NO GROWTH (2 Pet. 3:18).

          1.  Dead Things Don’t Grow!

          2.  Immaturity a problem (Phil. 3:13-16).

          3.  Same urging by Paul (Eph. 5:14).

V.    EXHORTATION (vs. 2-3).

A.  WATCH

          1.  Devil (1 Pet. 5:8).

          2.  2^nd Coming (1 Thess. 5:1-3;  vs. 3b).  Coming chastening, not 2^nd coming.

          3.  Each other (Heb. 3:12-13).

B.  ESTABLISH THAT WHICH REMAINS (2 Tim. 1:13-14;  1 Tim. 6:20-21;  Titus 3:8)..

C.  REMEMBER HOW YOU HEARD (1 Cor. 2:2;  Rom. 1:16).  Gospel and Salvation.

D.  KEEP IT – OBEY! (Luke 6:46;  Matt. 7:21;  James 1:22;  2:17, 24).

E.  BE HONEST & REPENT! (2 Cor. 13:5;  1 John 1:6-7, 9).

VI.   WARNING – NOT AT 2^ND COMING (vs. 3b).

VII.  PROMISE TO THEM THAT OVERCOME (vs. 5).

A.  ARRAYED IT WHITE – JUSTIFIED! (Rom. 3:23-26).

B.  THE BOOK OF LIFE

          1.  In this book(Rev. 13:8;  17:8;  20:12-15).

          2.  In other places (Luke 10:20;  Dan. 12:1;  Psa. 69:28;  Ex. 32:32-33;  Phil. 4:3).

          3.  List of those going to heaven – a figure of speech?

C.  “I WILL CONFESS HIS NAME” (Matt. 10:32-33;  7:22-23).

CONCLUSION:

A.  DOES THIS DESCRIBE US AS A CONGREGATION?

          1.  Commendation?

          2.  Condemnation?

C.  IS MY NAME WRITTEN THERE?