Podcasts about Sardis

Hosts Pastor Robert Baltodano and Pastor Lloyd Pulley Question Timestamps: Carrie, YouTube (2:40) - If you have the ashes of a believer, and you are an unbeliever, will they come out of the urn? Coty, email (3:49) - Why did God direct us to move when the new house would be a source of trouble for us? Veronica, HI (6:44) - Why does the text say that Jesus took away "many" sins and not "all" sins? Steve, YouTube (8:29) - Is it okay to leave a job with a pension, even if your wife doesn't want you to? I am miserable there. Carey, KY (11:09) - What is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit? Fabian, GA (14:37) - Can you pray for my marriage after my wife asked for a divorce? Mark, TX (18:30) - How do we apply the messages to the churches of Sardis and Laodicea? How do I do better in the sight of Jesus? Mark, GA (24:50) - How will babies or toddlers appear in the New Jerusalem and new heaven? Bridgette, NJ (33:35) - Is Calvary Chapel pro-Zionist? Lucinda, YouTube (41:08) - Can you explain Proverbs 6 verses 32 and 33? Bobby, VA (44:51) - What is my purpose now that I've had a stroke and I'm stuck at home? Scott, NY (50:33) - Can you explain Matthew 5 verse 32? Would a good woman who is divorced be able to remarry? Ask Your Questions: Call: 888-712-7434 Email: Answers@bbtlive.org

In this episode, Fr. John and Mary continue their series on Jesus' words to the 7 Churches in the Book of Revelation. Today, they look at Jesus' devastating words to the Church in Sardis, reminding us all that He knows us through and through. Connect with us and our community on our websites and social media. Or simply reach us via email at [mission@actsxxix.org](mailto: mission@actsxxix.org) ACTS XXIX - Mobilizing for Mission Web: https://www.actsxxix.org Instagram: @acts.xxix Facebook: @ACTSXXIXmission The Rescue Project Web: https://rescueproject.us Instagram: @the.rescue.project Our Streaming Channels Web: https://watch.actsxxix.org/browse YouTube: @actsxxix (https://youtube.com/actsxxix)

Revelation 3:1-6 - Sardis Letter to a Dying Church 3-8-2026

Rector's Forum from 3/8/2026 at Church of Our Saviour in Jacksonville, FL.

Apocalipsis 3 https://www.bible.com/bible/149/ROM.8.RVR1960

The only way to be sure that he confesses your name on that day is to keep believing and keeping the gospel. Don't give up. Stay vigilant. Brett McDonald | Senior Pastor

"Theophylact was from the east; his native city is unknown. In Constantinople he became a close friend of Tarasius, who afterwards became Patriarch of Constantinople (see Feb. 25). Theophylact was made Bishop of Nicomedia. After the death of Saint Tarasius, his successor Nicephorus (see June 2) called together a number of Bishops to help him in fighting the iconoclasm of Emperor Leo the Armenian, who reigned from 813 to 820. Among them was Euthymius, Bishop of Sardis (celebrated Dec. 26), who had attended the holy Seventh Ecumenical Council in 787 — he was exiled three times for the sake of the holy icons, and for defying the Emperor Theophilus' command to renounce the veneration of the icons, was scourged from head to foot until his whole body was one great wound, from which he died eight days later, about the year 830; Joseph of Thessalonica (see July 14); Michael of Synnada (see May 23); Emilian, Bishop of Cyzicus (see Aug. 8); and Saint Theophylact, who boldly rebuked Leo to his face, telling him that because he despised the long-suffering of God, utter destruction was about to overtake him, and there would be none to deliver him. For this, Theophylact was exiled to the fortress of Strobilus in Karia of Asia Minor, where after 30 years of imprisonment and hardship, he gave up his holy soul about the year 845. Leo the Armenian, according to the Saint's prophecy, was slain in church on the eve of our Lord's Nativity, in 820." (Great Horologion)

Wake up! In this message, Lead Pastor Jamie Nunnally shares Jesus's message to the church of Sardis.  Sardis had once been one of the most powerful cities in the world. Unlike the other 7 churches in Revelation, there's no mention of persecution, idolatry, or false teaching, by Jesus but they had gotten complacent. Revelation 3:1 The seven stars are symbolic of the seven angels or messengers which refers to the pastor or leader of each church.  Revelation 3:1-2 You can fool the crowd, but you can't fool Christ.They're asleep, so their movement is just sleepwalking. Church activity is not church vitality. Revelation 3:2-3 Repentance is a mind change that results in a behavior change. It's turning toward a new direction. It's not just feeling bad, it's doing good. Repentance happens when heart transformation leads to behavior modification. Revelation 3:4 God doesn't just examine our actions, He examines our intentions.  Revelation 3:5-6Hearing from Jesus always requires a response. And that's the letter to the church of Sardis and what it meant to them. So, what are the timeless truths for us in this letter, and how can we respond to what Jesus has revealed? 1. Your reputation is not as important as your righteousness.Matthew 23:27Yesterday's victories can become today's excuses. We'll be tempted to embrace programs over presence, structure over Spirit, and appearance over anointing. There are seasons of rest in the life of a Christian, but there are never seasons of complacency. Yesterday's obedience does not cover today's calling. God isn't impressed by your highlight reel; He is looking for present obedience. 2. Wake up before spiritual drift becomes spiritual death.Spiritual sleep happens one ignored conviction at a time.Romans 13:11Jesus doesn't want to write us off, He wants to wake us up.  3. Strengthen what remains.God can do a lot with a spark, but you have to stop pouring water on it and start fanning it into a flame.Strengthening what remains means you stop coasting and start pursuing God again.Spiritual renewal does not come from willpower; It comes from the power of the Holy Spirit.Isaiah 11:2Romans 8:11Revival rarely begins with something spectacular. It usually begins with someone returning to the basics.  Some of the stars we see shining above us are actually already dead. Because many of them are light-years away, the light they produced years ago is still traveling through space. In other words, we may be seeing the glow of something that no longer exists and died years ago.And that's exactly what Jesus says was happening in Sardis.  It's the same for us. Church, there are too many "bored-again" Christians who are trapped in the rut of religion, regurgitating Christianese phrases, and mindlessly attending, but not engaging.Wake up! Strengthen what remains. Repent, and return to the Lord. Are you spiritually alive, or just known for being spiritually alive?

Welcome to Week 5 of our Letters to the Church series. Today we will look at the letter to the church in Sardis. The church in Sardis was described in the letter as being "dead". We will learn from this message that the only way to cause a dead church to come to life is through releasing the power of the Holy Spirit. We hope this message encourages you, thanks for listening. 

Part of the Revelation series: Know What's NextWhat happens when Jesus examines a church?In Revelation 3:1–6, Christ delivers one of the most searching messages in the Bible to the church at Sardis—a church with a reputation for life, yet declared spiritually dead. In this message, Pastor Bill Monroe explains Christ's warning to watch, strengthen what remains, remember the truth, and repent.The Lord also gives a promise to the overcomer: their name will never be blotted out of the Book of Life and will be confessed before the Father.Scripture: Revelation 3:1–6

In Week Five of our Love Letters series, we unpack Jesus' sobering words to the church in Book of Revelation, a church in Sardis that had a reputation for being alive but was spiritually dying. In Revelation 3:1–3, Jesus calls them to wake up, strengthen what remains, and return to readiness before complacency destroys what's left. We explore how you can have activity without intimacy, noise without nourishment, and reputation without responsiveness. We learn that spiritual life is sustained not by occasional inspiration, but by watchfulness, discipline, and daily obedience. This message is a loving but urgent call: Wake up before you dry up.

Scripture:  Revelation 3:1-6 Dr. Stephen Kim continues his series of classes from the book of Revelation, covering the Church in Sardis. Slides download Revelation Notes Download

“The Seven – Sardis” based on Revelation 3:1-6, given by Pastor Ryan Landt at Cornerstone Church in Pella on March 1, 2026. Continue reading The post The Seven – Sardis first appeared on Cornerstone Church.

Your church might look alive — but what does Jesus actually see? We're examining Christ's sobering words to the church of Sardis, a congregation with a glowing reputation, full calendar, and zero spiritual pulse. Come ready to ask the hard question: beneath the activity, the programs, and the appearances — is there real life?1) The rebuke2) The remedy3) The rewardText: Revelation 3:1-6

We're blessed to hear from Campus Pastor, Brant Cole, this morning as he brings us a new message in our series of messages about Jesus's words to the 7 churches in Revelation, called "Seven". In this message from Revelation 3:1–6, we explore Jesus' sobering words to the church in Sardis—a church that looked alive on the outside but was spiritually asleep on the inside. This sermon challenges us to examine whether we are relying on reputation, routine, or past spiritual momentum instead of pursuing fresh, Spirit-filled obedience today. With both urgency and hope, it calls us to wake up, strengthen what remains, and reignite the fire of authentic faith so that our lives and our church are marked not just by activity, but by true resurrection power.

Jesus' letter to the church in Sardis delivers a sobering warning to a congregation that looked spiritually alive but was actually dead. This message calls us to trade reputation for repentance, urging an honest spiritual diagnosis and a return to wholehearted dependence on Christ. True revival isn't emotional hype—it's a Spirit-led awakening that produces lasting obedience, perseverance, and overcoming faith.

As we continue through the book of Revelation here on Light on the Hill, we will spotlight the letters that were written by Christ to the churches at Sardis and Philadelphia. Christ's message to the both of them are very different but equally important. One church is rebuked and told to repent while the other is praised and encouraged. No matter what category you may fall under, it is critical to know that Jesus is coming soon. It's time to sober up and pay attention to what the spirit of God is doing because time is running out! To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1459/29?v=20251111

Revelation 3:1-6 | George Wright

The last two of the seven churches receive letters containing harsh rebukes - their people and practices are not cutting it. "You have the reputation for being alive, but you are dead. Strengthen the little that remains, for even what is left is at the point of death." Ouch. "You are lukewarm" (at best), Jesus says, and "you don't realize you are wretched and miserable." Double ouch.  "Saving the best for last" does not apply in this case.  

River of Life is an inter-denominational, interracial, Spirit-filled church located in the heart of Wakulla County, Florida. We share the sermons from our services in the hopes they'll reach others determined to worship God in spirit and truth.

River of Life is an inter-denominational, interracial, Spirit-filled church located in the heart of Wakulla County, Florida. We share the sermons from our services in the hopes they'll reach others determined to worship God in spirit and truth.

Derricke Gray teaches the Wednesday Night Bible study at River of Life, an inter-denominational, Spirit-filled church in the heart of Wakulla County, Florida. We share them for those determined to worship God in spirit and in truth.

Derricke Gray teaches the Wednesday Night Bible study at River of Life, an inter-denominational, Spirit-filled church in the heart of Wakulla County, Florida. We share them for those determined to worship God in spirit and in truth.

“Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicia.” -Revelation 1:11   Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you as you care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.   On this episode, host Sandra Flach, talks with Alice H. Murray—a retired adoption attorney, who pursues her passion for writing with a weekly blog and faith column, articles, and online and print devotions. Her writing also appears in numerous compilations publications such as Guideposts and Chicken Soup For the Soul.    Alice recently released her second book, God Adopted Us First: Faith Lessons From An Adoption Attorneys Adventures.   Listen to Sandra's encouraging conversation with Alice Murray on Episode 519 wherever you get your podcasts.   Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.   Links mentioned in this episode: The Adoption & Foster Care Journey AFCJ on YouTube justicefororphansny.org justicefororphansny.org/hope-community     Email:  sandraflach@justicefororphansny.org sandraflach.com Soul Care Saturday—52 Devotions for Foster and Adoptive Moms Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father book on Amazon Mobilize Ohio ReNew Retreat in NC Alice H. Murray - Website

Jesus notifies the believers in Sardis that they are dead. Our text in this study is: Revelation 3:1-6 Pastor Gene Pensiero Subscribe on YouTube at: https://youtube.com/calvaryhanford Read the notes at: https://calvaryhanford.substack.com Find audio, video, and text of hundreds of other studies through the Bible at https://calvaryhanford.com/ In this verse-by-verse Bible study of Revelation 3:1-6, we […]

Jesus notifies the believers in Sardis that they are dead. Our text in this study is: Revelation 3:1-6 Pastor Gene Pensiero Subscribe on YouTube at: https://youtube.com/calvaryhanford Read the notes at: https://calvaryhanford.substack.com Find audio, video, and text of hundreds of other studies through the Bible at https://calvaryhanford.com/ In this verse-by-verse Bible study of Revelation 3:1-6, we […]

To get a copy of our new book "Embracing the Truth" or to have TS Wright speak at your event or conference or if you simply want spiritual or life coaching or just a consultation visit:www.tswrightspeaks.comVisit our website to learn more about The God Centered Concept. The God Centered Concept is designed to bring real discipleship and spreading the Gospel to help spark the Great Harvest, a revival in this generation.www.godcenteredconcept.comKingdom Cross Roads Podcast is a part of The God Centered Concept.Introduction: In a world filled with distractions and spiritual apathy, the message from Revelation chapter 3 is more relevant than ever. TS Wright dives into the profound teachings found in this scripture, urging listeners to awaken their spirits and genuinely connect with God's purpose. This blog post explores key insights from the podcast transcript, providing a roadmap for revitalizing faith and understanding the role of the church in today's society.Understanding the Seven Spirits of God: TS Wright begins by discussing the significance of the seven spirits of God, referencing Isaiah 11:2-3. He emphasizes that these spirits represent different aspects of God's nature—His foundational, moral, and relational attributes. By understanding these characteristics, believers can better grasp the essence of God's presence in their lives. For instance, God is depicted as a spirit of wisdom, understanding, and counsel, which can guide us in our daily decisions.The Symbolism of the Seven Stars: Moving deeper into Revelation, Wright explains the meaning behind the seven stars mentioned in the text. He clarifies that these stars represent the angels of the seven churches, signifying a divine oversight and connection between heaven and the church on earth. This imagery serves to remind us that each church has a unique role and responsibility, and that divine authority rests in the hands of Jesus, who oversees these spiritual leaders. The Church in Sardis: Focusing on the church in Sardis, Wright highlights a grave warning: despite having a reputation for being alive, the church was spiritually dead. This stark reality prompts a call to action for believers to wake up, strengthen their faith, and align their deeds with God's will. The message urges individuals to reflect on their spiritual condition, emphasizing the necessity of repentance and genuine transformation. Wright suggests that recognizing our spiritual shortcomings is the first step toward renewal.The Importance of Repentance: Throughout the discussion, the theme of repentance resurfaces as a critical element for spiritual revival. Wright points out that acknowledging one's sins and turning from them is not just a one-time act but a continuous journey. He stresses that repentance is vital for maintaining a vibrant relationship with God, encouraging listeners to embrace this practice as a way to grow closer to Him.Conclusion: In conclusion, TS Wright's insights from Revelation challenge us to evaluate our spiritual vitality and the role of the church in our lives. By understanding the nature of God, the significance of the angels overseeing our churches, and the importance of repentance, we can awaken our spirits and live out our faith authentically. Key takeaways include the necessity of recognizing spiritual deadness, the call to genuine repentance, and the understanding that our lives are part of a larger narrative centered on Jesus Christ.Tags for SEO: Revelation, Church, Spiritual Awakening, Repentance, Faith, TS Wright, Seven Spirits of God, Spiritual Growth, Christian Living, Biblical Teachings, Church Leadership.

A closer look at the churches in Thyatira and Sardis reveals that they are encouraged to wake up and repent, and persevere, even when everything around them looks hopeless.

Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Sardis guards were so confident in their natural defenses that they dropped their guard. The enemy, the devil, snuck up on them while they were sleeping...

I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea." 12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man,[a] dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. 19 "Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels[b] of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Revelation 3:1 AND the cocky attitude of Sardis...Support the show

I believe the book of Revelation is intentionally shaped by the rhythm of the seven Jewish feasts, with deep echoes of the Exodus and Israels wilderness journey woven throughout its visions. We have already seen how this works in chapter 1, where the imagery echoes Passover. Passover marked Israels deliverance from slavery through the blood of a substituteand in Revelation 1:1216, that substitute is revealed in all His risen glory. Jesus stands among His churches as the victorious Lamb who was slain and now lives forever. Because of His sacrifice, the Christian belongs to God. If you have been redeemed by Almighty God through His Son, what is there to fear? Jesus Himself answers that question: Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades (Rev. 1:1718). Our confidence is not rooted in our circumstances, but in the One who has conquered death itself. As we move into Revelation 23 and read the seven letters to the churches, the dominant echo is the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which immediately followed Passover. This feast called Gods redeemed people to live holy lives, set apart for Him (Lev. 11:4445; 1 Pet. 1:1617). Israel removed all leaven from their homes as a visible reminder that they belonged to the Lord and were no longer to live under the old patterns of corruption. That same call still comes to us today: You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body (1 Cor. 6:1920). Each of the seven churches faced real and pressing challenges in their own dayand what they struggled with are many of the same things we struggle with today, just dressed differently. While we will look at each church individually, here is a brief snapshot of what we will encounter: The church in Ephesus had lost its first love. The church in Smyrna was about to suffer tribulation for ten days. The church in Pergamum struggled with faithfulness to sound doctrine. The church in Thyatira tolerated a false teacher within the congregation. The church in Sardis was spiritually lethargic and nearly dead. The church in Philadelphia faithfully clung to the word of God. The church in Laodicea was lukewarm and missionally useless. In every one of these churches, there was the danger of leavensin quietly working its way through the house. And the call of Christ was to remove it: through renewed love for Jesus and for one another, faithful endurance in suffering, a commitment to truth, intolerance for evil, vigilance against spiritual apathy, unflinching obedience to Christ, and a wholehearted devotion to the mission of God. About forty years before Revelation was written, Paul wrote about Gods expectation for His church: Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Eph. 5:1-2). Revelation 1 is about the One who makes our salvation possible. Revelation 2-3 addresses the kind of people He calls us to be. So, when we come to Revelation 4, we encounter the One on the throne who is holy, holy, holy! The City of Ephesus When the gospel came to Ephesus, it was a wealthy and influential trading city, best known for the Temple of Artemis (also called Diana), one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The citys economy, culture, and moral life centered on the worship of this goddess. Artemis worship was deeply sexualized and demonic, marked by ritual immorality and idolatry (1 Cor. 10:20). Ephesus was a place where spiritual darkness was not hiddenit was celebrated, institutionalized, and profitable. Into this city, the gospel came with unmistakable power, as it always does in Gods timing and in His way. What we read in the epistle to the Romans was experienced in Ephesus: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes... (Rom. 1:16). When the apostle Paul preached Christ in Ephesus, lives were transformed, and the worship of Artemis was directly challenged. So disruptive was the gospel that those who profited from idolatry feared economic collapse, admitting that Paul had persuaded many that gods made with hands are not gods at all (Acts 19:26). Paul spent over two years there, and in this spiritually hostile environment, God birthed a faithful churchthe same church later addressed by Christ Himself in Revelation 2. What makes Jesus words to Ephesus so sobering is not the citys darkness but the fact that a church born in such devotion, perseverance, and truth would later be warned: You have abandoned the love you had at first (2:4). So what happened? To answer that question, we need to first recognize the many things Jesus praises the church for. What the Ephesian Church Was Doing Right The Ephesian church was commended for many things by Jesus such as their toil, patient endurance, and intolerance for evil. Heraclitus, a native of Ephesus and philosopher, spoke with open contempt of his citys moral corruptionso severe that later writers summarized his viewby saying no one could live in Ephesus without weeping.1 The fact that the church was able to endure for forty years in a city known for its sexual promiscuity and demonized idolatrous worship, while holding on to biblical orthodoxy, is staggering! Because of their orthodoxy and fidelity to the Word of God, the church was intolerant of evil, refused to ignore false teachers, and shared Jesuss hatred of the Nicolaitans. Forty years earlier, Paul warned the elders of the Ephesian church: I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears (Acts. 20:29-31). This is what the church did well, and Jesus praised them for it. Now, notice what Jesus does not say to the church in Ephesus. He does not say they were being too orthodox. He does not say they were too truthful, or that their intolerance of evil, false teachers, and the works of the Nicolaitans was too extreme. Jesus does not tell the church to dial it back but instead celebrates these as examples of what they were doing well. What the church did well was refusing to yield to the pressures from their city to conform. Before we look at what the church got wrong, we need to address who the Nicolaitans were and why Jesus hated their teaching. From what we know, the Nicolaitans were a heretical Christian sect associated with the teaching of Balaam (Rev. 2:14-15). They taught that the grace of God permitted freedom to engage in the kinds of things their pagan neighbors enjoyed, such as sexual immorality and full participation in pagan temple feasts. Why? Because grace covered it all. We will come back to Balaam when we look at the church in Pergamum, but for now what you need to know is that Balaam is known for his false teaching that served to seduce the men of Israel to engage in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab that also resulted in the worship of their gods in place of obedience and worship of Yahweh (see Num. 25). The Nicolaitans did not deny Jesus, they just reinterpreted what obedience to Jesus really meant, in that you could both be loyal to Jesus and actively pursue and participate in the kinds of things the Word of God commands the people of God to flee from. The Ephesian church was rightfully commended for their hatred and intolerance of the works of the Nicolaitans because Jesus shares their hatred for the same reasons. Listen carefully. Jesus does not merely disagree with teachings of the Nicolaitans He hates them. He hates any belief that suggests a person can remain loyal to Him while willfully embracing the very sins He died to free us from. The cross was not a license to make peace with sin; it was Gods declaration of war against it. To claim Christ while pursuing what nailed Him to the tree is not freedomit is self-deception. Christ did not die to make sin safe, but to make His people holy. 1 Richard D. Phillips, Revelation, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: PR Publishing, 2017), 91. What the Ephesian Church Got Wrong So what was it that the church in Ephesus lost? Well, we know it wasnt the churchs orthodoxy. It was the love they had at first. What love did they have at first? I believe the love the church lost was a combination of their love for Jesus and others. I believe this because of what the apostle Paul wrote in his epistle to the Ephesians and what Jesus said the church needed to do to regain the love they had lost. First, lets look at Jesus criticism in verses 4-5, But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. The way back to regain what they had lost was to first remember where they had fallen or had lost sight of their love, then to repent by doing the works they had done at first. What were the works they had done at first? We are given a few clues in Ephesians about the church from what Paul says at the beginning and the end of his epistle to the Ephesians. 1st Clue: For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers... (Eph. 1:15-16) 2nd Clue: Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. (Eph. 6:24) I believe that the love the Ephesian church lost had to do with the love they had for Jesus and for one another. The New Living Translation captures this in their translation of Revelation 2:4, But I have this complaint against you. You dont love me or each other as you did at first! When a group of religious leaders asked Jesus to identify the most important commandment, His response was clear: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:3739). Genuine love for God leads to love for othersyou cannot claim to love God while refusing to love those who bear His image. As our love for God grows, it overflows into love for those around us, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. If you find this hard to accept, consider the words of the apostle John: If someone says, I love God, but hates his brother, that person is a liar; for anyone who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen (1 John 4:20). I believe the Ephesian church, first known for their faith in Jesus and their incorruptible love for Him, became the catalyst that fostered in them a love for one another, which they were known for in the early days of the churchs existence. Their love infused their faith in Jesus, and their love for all the saints was the cocktail God used to push back evil and transform lives! What Revelation 2:1-4 teaches us is that Jesus wants our obedience, but He also wants our hearts! In fact, if Jesus has your heart, He will have your obedience. Conclusion I believe the Ephesian church is listed first among the seven churches because of the danger we face when what we believe and what we do are no longer tethered to a living love for Jesus and His people. Listen carefully. Rather than criticizing the Ephesian church for its zeal for the truth of Gods Word, Jesus praised them for it. Orthodoxy is essential to the spiritual health of both Christians and the church as a whole. When believers abandon orthodoxy, spirituality does not become freer or deeperit becomes hollow and lifeless. So do their churches. But love keeps orthodoxy from hardening into something Jesus also hated. When truth is severed from love, orthodoxy collapses into legalism. And legalism is not holiness; it is a corruption of orthopraxyright living. Christian, we are called to be holy as our heavenly Father is holy. Scripture commands us: As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy (1 Pet. 1:1416). But the way we pursue holiness is not through cold precision or moral superiority. It is through the kind of love the Ephesian church once hadand then lost. This is the first of seven ways Christ calls His people to cleanse His house of leaven. What is that love? Scripture defines it plainly: Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth Love never ends (1 Cor. 13:48). This is the love Jesus spoke of that must be true of His followers: By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35). We live in a nation deeply fracturedso fractured that many believe we are in a cold civil war. Civil conversation between the left and the right is nearly impossible. But it must not be that way in the church Jesus redeemed from the world. Our love for Christ must overflow into genuine love for one anotherstrong enough to allow disagreement without division, conviction without contempt, and truth without hatred. Let me take this one step further. If you love the Jesus who died to ransom people from every tribe, language, people, and nation, then you must be liberated from the partisan blindness that grips both the left and the right. Christian, you belong to another kingdom. Your allegiance is not to a political ideology but to King Jesus. Please hear me: the world will not see, hear, or receive the gospel from the left or the rightbut only from Jesus Christ Himself. By Gods design, His gospel is not entrusted to government but to His church. The mess in the White House, ournation, and the world is evidence that what people need is the One who makes the Gospel the Gospelnamely, Jesus! If you cannot see thatif you cannot believe that while still calling yourself a Christianthen you are in danger of the very thing that threatened the church in Ephesus. You have lost your first love. So I leave you with the same words Jesus spoke to them: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

I believe the book of Revelation is intentionally shaped by the rhythm of the seven Jewish feasts, with deep echoes of the Exodus and Israels wilderness journey woven throughout its visions. We have already seen how this works in chapter 1, where the imagery echoes Passover. Passover marked Israels deliverance from slavery through the blood of a substituteand in Revelation 1:1216, that substitute is revealed in all His risen glory. Jesus stands among His churches as the victorious Lamb who was slain and now lives forever. Because of His sacrifice, the Christian belongs to God. If you have been redeemed by Almighty God through His Son, what is there to fear? Jesus Himself answers that question: Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades (Rev. 1:1718). Our confidence is not rooted in our circumstances, but in the One who has conquered death itself. As we move into Revelation 23 and read the seven letters to the churches, the dominant echo is the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which immediately followed Passover. This feast called Gods redeemed people to live holy lives, set apart for Him (Lev. 11:4445; 1 Pet. 1:1617). Israel removed all leaven from their homes as a visible reminder that they belonged to the Lord and were no longer to live under the old patterns of corruption. That same call still comes to us today: You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body (1 Cor. 6:1920). Each of the seven churches faced real and pressing challenges in their own dayand what they struggled with are many of the same things we struggle with today, just dressed differently. While we will look at each church individually, here is a brief snapshot of what we will encounter: The church in Ephesus had lost its first love. The church in Smyrna was about to suffer tribulation for ten days. The church in Pergamum struggled with faithfulness to sound doctrine. The church in Thyatira tolerated a false teacher within the congregation. The church in Sardis was spiritually lethargic and nearly dead. The church in Philadelphia faithfully clung to the word of God. The church in Laodicea was lukewarm and missionally useless. In every one of these churches, there was the danger of leavensin quietly working its way through the house. And the call of Christ was to remove it: through renewed love for Jesus and for one another, faithful endurance in suffering, a commitment to truth, intolerance for evil, vigilance against spiritual apathy, unflinching obedience to Christ, and a wholehearted devotion to the mission of God. About forty years before Revelation was written, Paul wrote about Gods expectation for His church: Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Eph. 5:1-2). Revelation 1 is about the One who makes our salvation possible. Revelation 2-3 addresses the kind of people He calls us to be. So, when we come to Revelation 4, we encounter the One on the throne who is holy, holy, holy! The City of Ephesus When the gospel came to Ephesus, it was a wealthy and influential trading city, best known for the Temple of Artemis (also called Diana), one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The citys economy, culture, and moral life centered on the worship of this goddess. Artemis worship was deeply sexualized and demonic, marked by ritual immorality and idolatry (1 Cor. 10:20). Ephesus was a place where spiritual darkness was not hiddenit was celebrated, institutionalized, and profitable. Into this city, the gospel came with unmistakable power, as it always does in Gods timing and in His way. What we read in the epistle to the Romans was experienced in Ephesus: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes... (Rom. 1:16). When the apostle Paul preached Christ in Ephesus, lives were transformed, and the worship of Artemis was directly challenged. So disruptive was the gospel that those who profited from idolatry feared economic collapse, admitting that Paul had persuaded many that gods made with hands are not gods at all (Acts 19:26). Paul spent over two years there, and in this spiritually hostile environment, God birthed a faithful churchthe same church later addressed by Christ Himself in Revelation 2. What makes Jesus words to Ephesus so sobering is not the citys darkness but the fact that a church born in such devotion, perseverance, and truth would later be warned: You have abandoned the love you had at first (2:4). So what happened? To answer that question, we need to first recognize the many things Jesus praises the church for. What the Ephesian Church Was Doing Right The Ephesian church was commended for many things by Jesus such as their toil, patient endurance, and intolerance for evil. Heraclitus, a native of Ephesus and philosopher, spoke with open contempt of his citys moral corruptionso severe that later writers summarized his viewby saying no one could live in Ephesus without weeping.1 The fact that the church was able to endure for forty years in a city known for its sexual promiscuity and demonized idolatrous worship, while holding on to biblical orthodoxy, is staggering! Because of their orthodoxy and fidelity to the Word of God, the church was intolerant of evil, refused to ignore false teachers, and shared Jesuss hatred of the Nicolaitans. Forty years earlier, Paul warned the elders of the Ephesian church: I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears (Acts. 20:29-31). This is what the church did well, and Jesus praised them for it. Now, notice what Jesus does not say to the church in Ephesus. He does not say they were being too orthodox. He does not say they were too truthful, or that their intolerance of evil, false teachers, and the works of the Nicolaitans was too extreme. Jesus does not tell the church to dial it back but instead celebrates these as examples of what they were doing well. What the church did well was refusing to yield to the pressures from their city to conform. Before we look at what the church got wrong, we need to address who the Nicolaitans were and why Jesus hated their teaching. From what we know, the Nicolaitans were a heretical Christian sect associated with the teaching of Balaam (Rev. 2:14-15). They taught that the grace of God permitted freedom to engage in the kinds of things their pagan neighbors enjoyed, such as sexual immorality and full participation in pagan temple feasts. Why? Because grace covered it all. We will come back to Balaam when we look at the church in Pergamum, but for now what you need to know is that Balaam is known for his false teaching that served to seduce the men of Israel to engage in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab that also resulted in the worship of their gods in place of obedience and worship of Yahweh (see Num. 25). The Nicolaitans did not deny Jesus, they just reinterpreted what obedience to Jesus really meant, in that you could both be loyal to Jesus and actively pursue and participate in the kinds of things the Word of God commands the people of God to flee from. The Ephesian church was rightfully commended for their hatred and intolerance of the works of the Nicolaitans because Jesus shares their hatred for the same reasons. Listen carefully. Jesus does not merely disagree with teachings of the Nicolaitans He hates them. He hates any belief that suggests a person can remain loyal to Him while willfully embracing the very sins He died to free us from. The cross was not a license to make peace with sin; it was Gods declaration of war against it. To claim Christ while pursuing what nailed Him to the tree is not freedomit is self-deception. Christ did not die to make sin safe, but to make His people holy. 1 Richard D. Phillips, Revelation, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: PR Publishing, 2017), 91. What the Ephesian Church Got Wrong So what was it that the church in Ephesus lost? Well, we know it wasnt the churchs orthodoxy. It was the love they had at first. What love did they have at first? I believe the love the church lost was a combination of their love for Jesus and others. I believe this because of what the apostle Paul wrote in his epistle to the Ephesians and what Jesus said the church needed to do to regain the love they had lost. First, lets look at Jesus criticism in verses 4-5, But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. The way back to regain what they had lost was to first remember where they had fallen or had lost sight of their love, then to repent by doing the works they had done at first. What were the works they had done at first? We are given a few clues in Ephesians about the church from what Paul says at the beginning and the end of his epistle to the Ephesians. 1st Clue: For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers... (Eph. 1:15-16) 2nd Clue: Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. (Eph. 6:24) I believe that the love the Ephesian church lost had to do with the love they had for Jesus and for one another. The New Living Translation captures this in their translation of Revelation 2:4, But I have this complaint against you. You dont love me or each other as you did at first! When a group of religious leaders asked Jesus to identify the most important commandment, His response was clear: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:3739). Genuine love for God leads to love for othersyou cannot claim to love God while refusing to love those who bear His image. As our love for God grows, it overflows into love for those around us, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. If you find this hard to accept, consider the words of the apostle John: If someone says, I love God, but hates his brother, that person is a liar; for anyone who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen (1 John 4:20). I believe the Ephesian church, first known for their faith in Jesus and their incorruptible love for Him, became the catalyst that fostered in them a love for one another, which they were known for in the early days of the churchs existence. Their love infused their faith in Jesus, and their love for all the saints was the cocktail God used to push back evil and transform lives! What Revelation 2:1-4 teaches us is that Jesus wants our obedience, but He also wants our hearts! In fact, if Jesus has your heart, He will have your obedience. Conclusion I believe the Ephesian church is listed first among the seven churches because of the danger we face when what we believe and what we do are no longer tethered to a living love for Jesus and His people. Listen carefully. Rather than criticizing the Ephesian church for its zeal for the truth of Gods Word, Jesus praised them for it. Orthodoxy is essential to the spiritual health of both Christians and the church as a whole. When believers abandon orthodoxy, spirituality does not become freer or deeperit becomes hollow and lifeless. So do their churches. But love keeps orthodoxy from hardening into something Jesus also hated. When truth is severed from love, orthodoxy collapses into legalism. And legalism is not holiness; it is a corruption of orthopraxyright living. Christian, we are called to be holy as our heavenly Father is holy. Scripture commands us: As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy (1 Pet. 1:1416). But the way we pursue holiness is not through cold precision or moral superiority. It is through the kind of love the Ephesian church once hadand then lost. This is the first of seven ways Christ calls His people to cleanse His house of leaven. What is that love? Scripture defines it plainly: Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth Love never ends (1 Cor. 13:48). This is the love Jesus spoke of that must be true of His followers: By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35). We live in a nation deeply fracturedso fractured that many believe we are in a cold civil war. Civil conversation between the left and the right is nearly impossible. But it must not be that way in the church Jesus redeemed from the world. Our love for Christ must overflow into genuine love for one anotherstrong enough to allow disagreement without division, conviction without contempt, and truth without hatred. Let me take this one step further. If you love the Jesus who died to ransom people from every tribe, language, people, and nation, then you must be liberated from the partisan blindness that grips both the left and the right. Christian, you belong to another kingdom. Your allegiance is not to a political ideology but to King Jesus. Please hear me: the world will not see, hear, or receive the gospel from the left or the rightbut only from Jesus Christ Himself. By Gods design, His gospel is not entrusted to government but to His church. The mess in the White House, ournation, and the world is evidence that what people need is the One who makes the Gospel the Gospelnamely, Jesus! If you cannot see thatif you cannot believe that while still calling yourself a Christianthen you are in danger of the very thing that threatened the church in Ephesus. You have lost your first love. So I leave you with the same words Jesus spoke to them: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Thank you for joining us! If you have any questions please don't hesitate to call the church office at 661-833-2800 or check out our website www.laurelglen.org.Scripture Reference: Revelation 3:1-22

Revelation 3:1-6At the start of 2026, we're exploring Jesus' instructions to the 'Seven Churches' in Revelation (chapters 2-3). As we long for a move of God in our city, we can often feel the cost of following Jesus in testing times. Revelation offers a practical message to stay faithful to Jesus, despite the pressures to compromise.

By Aaron Creech - In part five of the sermon series on the seven churches, we will dive deep into the letter to the church of Sardis. This church is known as the dead church, where the congregation is dying and on the brink of extinction. We will see that God gives them a way to turn around through repentance

Who is the true focus of Revelation? In this bonus segment covering chapters 1-3, we explore the glorious vision of the risen Christ and His urgent message to His people. Steve Gallagher explains why the 7 letters from Jesus to the churches aren't just merely ancient history - all of them can be seen in the global church TODAY. Are we asleep like Sardis or enduring like Smyrna? These warnings are vital for believers in the last days. Listen now to hear what Jesus is saying to you.

Following up the conversation after our sermon this past Sunday, on the church in Sardis.

Four Churches. Four Responses. One Jesus. This week in our Revelation series, we continue through the seven letters in Revelation 2–3 by looking at Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Each church represents a different spiritual condition: Compromise under pressure A reputation that hides spiritual deadness Quiet faithfulness with little strength Comfortable self-sufficiency that pushes Jesus outside Though the struggles are different, Jesus' call is the same: Return. Wake up. Hold fast. Open the door. These letters remind us that Jesus is not distant from His church. He sees, corrects, calls, and invites — not to condemn, but to restore. This sermon ends at the communion table, where the invitation of Jesus becomes personal: not based on how strong our faith has been, but on how great His love has always been.

Revelation 3:1-6 Geoff Brown February 1, 2026

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A sermon from Revelation 3:1-6.

As we look at the 5th church in the book of Revelation we come to the church in the city of Sardis. Very interesting Church, they were not in similar surrounding threats or sinful influences as other churches, but they had lacked what I came to agreement with when Matthew Henry categorize this church as “hypocrites” and I share further on that. I also share some insight on “one's name being blocked out from the book of life.” This term can scare believers when they first read it, but I share some commentary and some insight to help us understand when this term is used.Josiahmovius12@yahoo.comBible Portal website for free commentary and great resources:https://www.bibleportal.com/commentaries

If you visited the church of Sardis in the first century, you could only get in the city by one entrance. The city itself was on the top of a mountain, secure unless the guards fell asleep. To this church, the Lord says, “Wake up and watch out! Don't you go to sleep!” If you feel a little drowsy, dive into this study of Revelation 3 with Dr. J. Vernon McGee.