They had once been spiritually alive for Christ but now they had only their past reputation. It seems likely that this church was well known in the Roman province of Asia as the people of the Christian faith in such a prosperous and famous city. Question: What does it mean to be "alive for Christ?" Question: What does Jesus mean when He tells them they were "reputed" to be "alive" but that they are "dead?" Answer: The church at Sardis had a good reputation for being an active faith community "alive" for Christ. Verse 1b: "I know about your behavior: how you are reputed to be alive and yet are dead." After the vivid reminder of the dignity and authority of the risen Christ there is a severe condemnation of the community at Sardis. The elders of the church in Sardis desperately need to be reminded of this because they had allowed the church to fall into spiritual decay. The messengers of the churches belong to Him and they are accountable to Him for their actions as well as their inaction. They are held in Christ's right hand under His power and authority they will speak to the churches on His behalf. The seven stars, Christ tells us in 1:16 & 20, are the messengers ( angelos) of the seven churches to whom the letters will be sent. 1:4 passage, John is addressed in " grace and peace" from 1) "He who is, was, and is to come (recalling God the Father's holy covenant name "Yahweh"), 2) from "the Seven Spirits who are before His throne, 3) "and from Jesus Christ." The first and third are clearly God the Father and God the Son and therefore the most likely interpretation is that John's greeting is from the Triune God and the 7 Spirits symbolize God the Holy Spirit in all His spiritual perfection (reference Chapter 1 notes for more information on this passage). The prophets speak for God under the power of the Holy Spirit. This passage also refers to the prophetic mission of the Holy Spirit. In our discussion of this phrase in chapter 1 we commented that the number 7 is one of the "perfect" numbers and symbolizes spiritual perfection. Today Sardis is a small village called Sart.ģ:1a The Preamble: Write to the angel of the church in Sardis and say, "Here is the message of the one who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars:" Again we have a repeated pattern of chapter 1 verses 4 and 16. By the second century AD, Sardis began to seriously decline as a trading center. Both goddesses were commemorated on the city's coins. The most important religion at Sardis was the worship of the goddess Cybele but there was also a temple dedicated to the goddess Artemis. This gratitude was reflected in the city's loyalty to the Roman Empire. In 17AD city had been severely damaged by a great earthquake but, the city was soon rebuilt through the generous aid of the Roman Emperor Tiberius to whom the people of Sardis were immensely grateful. On both occasions enemy troops had scaled the hill at night and had found that the over-confident Sardians had not even bothered to set a guard. The city was built on a hill so steep that its defenses seemed impregnable and yet in the past this sense of false security had led to the conquest and destruction of the city by both the Persian king Cyrus (549BC) and by the Selucid king Antiochus III(218BC). Situated at the junction of five roads, and commanding the Hermus valley, Sardis was a wealthy commercial city. The city of Sardis was founded circa 1200BC and became the capital of the Lydian kingdom. You may want to consult the Summary of the 7 Churches in the Charts and Handouts section. "There are a few.Anyone who proves victorious." "Repent! If you do not wake up I shall come to you."
"Wake up put some resolve into what little vigor you have left." ".Here is the message of the one who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars." Ephesians 5:15-17 Covenant Treaty with Sardis: Preamble: This is why you must not be thoughtless but must recognize what is the will of the Lord." Make the best of the present time for it is a wicked age. "So be very careful about the sort of lives you lead, like intelligent and not like senseless people.