Dr Will Ryan Th.D. and Matt Mouzakis with Expedition 44
Revelation 3:1-6

Background
Sardis was a fortress city. It was surrounded on 3 sides by extremely steep cliffs. As a result, it was considered to be so impenetrable that “to capture the acropolis of Sardis” became a euphemism for achieving something impossible.
In the 5th century BC Cyrus king of Persia caught Sardis’ army by surprise and besieged the city. Even after this the people of Sardis believed they were safe but on the 14th day of this siege a few Persian troops claimed the cliff where no man was stationed because the cliff was so steep, and they thought it to be impenetrable there. But their lack of vigilance to an area they thought needed no attention was the downfall of Sardis at this time.
In AD 17 an earthquake ripped apart Sardis and brought sudden destruction to the city once again.
Just prior to John’s day Sardis was a city of wealth and security once again but Jesus and John use their history of being overtaken or sudden destruction to talk about spiritual matters in the church

Description of Jesus
Seven Spirits
Isaiah 11:1-2, Enoch 61:11, Psalms of Solomon 17:37
It’s about the fruit the Holy Spirit produces. The idea is that this spiritual fruit is rooted in Jesus and resembles Jesus’ life.
Seven Stars
The big thing about Jesus’ description that is important for Sardis to notice is that It’s spiritual in nature. Sardis is said to have an appearance of being alive on the outside but are actually dead or dying spiritually

Jesus’ Correction
Alive but dead
Sardis had the reputation (a name) to those in the community of being alive, but Jesus says they are actually dead. They are playing church
Col 1:9-10- Bearing fruit, growing in the knowledge of God

Strengthen what remains
Jesus tell the church to “wake up”. Which is better translated as “be watchful”, echoing the story of the defeat of Sardis we mentioned earlier where they were lax in their protection of the city.
Sardis is similar to the Pharisees in Matt 23:25

Notice also in Galatians 5:19-26 with the acts of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit- All the acts of the flesh are just external actions, and the fruit is internal and spiritual that overflow into action.

Consequences
If they do not repent Jesus is coming to them like a thief in the night
Matt 24:36-44
Jesus attributes this coming to being a thief in the night here as well. The message is that is Sardis doesn’t “strengthen what remains” and “be watchful” (of their spiritual state) their lamp-stand will be removed and not be counted as a faithful witness. They will be overtaken like the acropolis of Sardis was in the past.

Soiled garments
Jesus mentions that there are some that are faithful in this church. Not all are spiritually dead. They are the remnant. Soiled garments is usually a way of talking about impurity by being stained by sin or the world (Jude 22)
“they walk with me in white, for they are worthy”- This has echoes of Eden and walking with God in the garden.

Conquerors
Jesus gives 2 rewards to the conquerors- White garments and their name not erased from the book of life

White garments
White garments are mentioned a lot in Revelation (3:18,4:4, 6:11, 7:9, 7:13, 19:14)- white represented purity. It was what the early church wore when being baptized. IN revelation it is the wardrobe of those identified with the Lamb and the kingdom of God. White garments would have meant something to those in Sardis. Sardis was known for their red garments. Someone in a white garment would have stood out from the world.

Book of life
Jesus promises salvation to his faithful followers who complete the journey. This also implies that those who do not finish faithfully can be blotted out from the book of life.

The idea that you can be blotted out goes back to Exodus 32:32-33 where God tells Moses “whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book.” In Psalm 69:28 David calls it the book of life praying that his enemies will be “blotted out of the book of life” and “not be numbered among the righteous”. Paul uses the term of his coworkers in the gospel “whose names are written in the book of life” (Phil 4:3).

In the first century many cities, including Sardis, had an official register that listed the names of the citizens. If a citizen was condemned for a crime the city authorities would first blot out the name from the book (removing their citizenship) so that the death sentence could be fulfilled without damaging the city’s reputation.

If the Christians in Sardis follow Jesus advice and wake up spiritually they may experience some persecution, they might lose their citizenship in Sardis as a result, but they will not lose their eternal citizenship in God’s kingdom.