THEME: It Is Written
SERIES: Seven
TITLE: Deathbed Confession
Scripture: Revelation 3: 1-6
I. THE PROGNOSIS
Sardis was actually two cities:
1. One at the top of Mount Tmolus (1500 feet in elevation)
2. One in fertile Hermus River Valley
Survived and recovered from Cyrus and Alexander. Greatest enemy was one they could not recover from: (an earthquake) in AD 17.
Three separate spiritual strands lived in Sardis:
1. (Caesar) cult
2. Housed major temple devoted to worship of (Artemis)
3. Worship of (Cybelle), a local nature goddess.
When is a church dead?
1) When it is content to rest on its (past laurels).
2) When it is more concerned with form than (spiritual reality).
3) When it focuses more on social ills and politics than (changing people’s hearts).
4) When it is more concerned with (material things) than spiritual things.
II. THE PRESCRIPTION
He tells them 5 things they need to do:
1. (Wake up!)
2. (Strengthen) what remains and is about to die.
3. (Remember) what they had received and heard.
4. “Keep it” or (obey it).
5. (Repent)
III. THE PROMISES
He makes three promises:
1) The promise of (eternal righteousness)
2) The promise of (a place in heaven).
3) The promise of (Jesus Himself).
SERIES: Seven
NEXT WEEK: Ryan preaching
