In 2010, Cheryl & our youngest son Michael & I visited England, and one the top things on my list to see was the Metropolitan Tabernacle Church in London: once the “megachurch” of the 1800s, where Charles Spurgeon, perhaps the greatest preacher of all time, had been pastor. The  church held over 5000 people — in the 1800s! They said there were times that 8000 people crammed into it. I couldn’t wait to see it. We arrived at the front of it, and it had an impressive front edifice, with great columns, as you can see. (This picture really doesn’t do it justice.)  But I was dismayed to discover that the impressive front of the church was just a FACADE! Most of the rest of the building besides the front burned down after Spurgeon died, in 1898, and when they rebuilt it, they kept the imposing facade, but behind it is a much smaller, unimpressive 1950s building that doesn’t hold anywhere near as many people. From the outside, Spurgeon’s Tabernacle today looks much more impressive than it really is inside. 

That is something like how it was with the church at Sardis that Jesus addresses here in the opening verses of Revelation 3. He said to them: “You have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” They appeared to be a better church than they really were.  Unfortunately, many churches today are just like that: they appear outwardly to be a “great church” — but the reality is far different — especially in the eyes of the Lord.  And many of us as individual Christians are the same way too: we may “appear” to many people to be “great Christians” — but Jesus knows the truth — and again, the reality is far different!  Let’s look at how Jesus says this church at Sardis “Looked Better Than It Really Was.” 

I. When Your Past Reputation is Greater Than Your Present Reality

Jesus tells the church at Sardis: “I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.”

Here we see again, as we do every week, that Jesus says to them, “I KNOW.” This is a continual theme in every one of these letters to the seven churches. Jesus says to each one of them: “I know … I know … I know … I know …”.  Do we get the message? HE KNOWS! 

Do we think there’s something in our church that Jesus doesn’t see? HE DOES! He knows!

Do you think there’s something in our own life that we are getting by with, that Jesus just doesn’t notice? Nope! He knows about it!   He knows.

And one thing He knows, He says here, is that “you have name that you are alive, but you are dead.” “You have a name” refers to their reputation. They had a past reputation of being a really “alive” church. But Jesus says, “I know the present reality.” And the present reality is that you are dead. People often don’t know the truth of who we are. They may think we’re better than we really are, because of things they’ve heard about us, or things we’ve done in the past. But Jesus knows how we are NOW. Not our past reputation, but our present reality. Reputation and reality can be two very different things. 

For example, when you read the name “Florence Nightingale,” many people instantly think of this “angelic being” who ministered to British soldiers during the Crimean war. She has become a symbol of mercy and compassion. (Cheryl jokingly refers to herself as “Florence Nightingale” while she sprays me down with Lysol when I’m lying sick on the couch!)  But I was reading in a book on the British Army not long ago that said that Florence Nightingale was actually only in the war zone for a few months, and way back from the lines; that the vast majority of the care the British soldiers were given was by the British Army medics, not by Florence Nightingale — and that some of her work actually did more harm than good. Yet most of those British medics are forgotten to history, while “Florence Nightingale” is the name that everyone remembers!

But whatever the truth about Florence Nightingale is, we know that happens a lot: someone gets a “reputation” for something, that they don’t necessarily deserve. One person gets all the credit for something — while others are just forgotten. But Jesus says: “I know”! He knows what we have a “reputation” for — and He also knows the truth — for better or for worse — of what we really are.

The church at Sardis evidently had a reputation for being “something” as a church: they had “a name that they were alive.” Back in Oklahoma a generation or two ago there was an Eastwood Baptist Church that God was blessing in such a great way that they began answering the phone: “Exciting Eastwood.” Billboards went up and postcards went out: “Exciting Eastwood.” But sadly there came a day when Eastwood wasn’t that “exciting” any more. The dynamic pastor had left; the baptisms had slowed to a trickle. Many people still thought of it as a great church — but the truth is, it was only a shadow of its former reputation. Their past reputation was greater than their present reality.

Churches today can have a reputation that is greater than their reality. People can drive by a church facility and say, “Wow, what a great church!” But what are they exclaiming at? A building? A facility? Something God did in the PAST in that church, that is not their present reality?

In Matthew 23:27 Jesus said: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.” Jesus said a lot of graves look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside they are DEAD!  And that is EXACTLY how it is with many churches: on the outside they look great: they have manicured grounds, modern facilities; they have all the amenities — but Jesus is looking on the INSIDE: what is the SPIRITUAL condition of the church? 

This is one of our challenges as a church. We have a great new facility here. People can drive by, and read our new electronic sign, and may think, “What a great church!” But if we are going to be great, it won’t be because of what we look like on the outside, but what happens on the INSIDE of the building — and especially in the HEARTS of our people. Do we come here every Sunday to sing to God with all our hearts, or do we just “go through the motions”? Is the word of God being taught in our Sunday School classes?  Is the cross of Jesus as the only way of salvation being proclaimed from the pulpit? Are we teaching the truth of God’s word as opposed to the whims of contemporary culture? Are we sending people out on ministry and mission? Let’s make sure that we don’t just have a “name” or an “appearance” that we are alive as a church, but that we really ARE alive, and actively following Jesus.

And the same thing is true for us as individuals. Your reputation can exceed your reality as an individual Christian. In fact, Jesus was talking to individuals in Matthew 23 when He spoke about the whitewashed tombs. He said you can look nice on the outside but be DEAD on the inside. You can “have a name that you are alive,” because of something you’ve done in the past, or some office you hold. For example, maybe “you have a name that you’re alive” because you’re a pastor or minister or a deacon! Surely you are “alive,” spiritually, right? Or you are a Sunday school teacher; on the front line of the most important ministry of our church; surely YOU are alive! Or a singer or musician or praise team member — everyone can see how much you love the Lord through your music, right, you “have a name that you are alive”!  But ARE we really? See, Jesus knows. He knows if we are really walking with Him right now, or if we’re just “coasting on our past reputation.” Our past reputation is not always our present reality.

One time someone was talking about how I had memorized all these chapters of scripture, and they said something like, “Yeah, you’d have to have a dump truck to hold all the verses Bro. Shawn has memorized!” But I knew at one point that a lot of those verses, I had memorized in the PAST — and I wasn’t really actively memorizing verses any more. My past reputation on that, was greater than my present reality. So I knew I needed to rededicate my life and get back to really doing that again. 

Is there some area in YOUR life today, in which your past reputation is greater than your present reality? Maybe people think of you as a witness for the Lord — but how long has it been now since you shared Jesus with someone? Maybe you have a reputation as a great teacher or leader — but are you teaching and leading NOW? See, as Christians, we can’t “coast.” We can’t be satisfied by leaning on our past reputation. What the Lord cares about is our present reality. And the truth is, some of us would have to admit that our present reality is not what it should be. So Jesus’ word to some of us today is: “Repent,” just like He says in :3, and do some of those deeds you used to do. Maybe the Holy Spirit is bringing to your mind right now a particular thing in your life, that you USED to do — maybe you even have a reputation for it — but the truth is, you aren’t  doing it right now. And He’s saying to you, it’s time to repent, and get back to doing that again. 

You know, as Christians we often talk about how the past is not as important as the present. And we often say that in regard to sin: God doesn’t care about your past; serve Him in the present — and that’s right. But reverse is also true: God doesn’t care as much about your past victories, or service, or walk with Him, as much as He cares about how you are walking with Him, and how you are serving Him, right NOW. Some of us today need to stop coasting on our past reputation, and repent, and recommit ourselves to serve God in the present reality. 

Now, ONE of the reasons why one’s past reputation may be better than their present reality, is what we see in the next thing Jesus told Sardis:

II. When You Quit Before You Finish

“Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.”

When our kids were at home, I would sometimes get on to them to clean their room. I would go to one or the other of them and say: “Your room is a mess; go clean that up, and tell me when you’re finished and I’ll come look at it.” So they would go off and work on their room for a while, and they would come back in about 20 minutes and say, “OK, it’s clean.” So I would go inspect it, and virtually every time I would say: “THAT is not clean!” All the toys aren’t even picked up off the floor; and what is that trash doing there? You’re not done.” So they would work on it some more, and come back, and say, “I’m finished.” And I would go look at it and about every time I’d have to say again: “You are NOT finished; just because there’s a clear spot in the middle of the floor doesn’t mean it is clean! You have to go all the way to the wall! And look under the bed! Your work is not done!” That story was repeated again and again, with every one of our kids. They acted like they thought they had finished everything but their work was not done.

In a very real sense, that is what Jesus was telling His people at Sardis, and through this word, that’s what He is saying to US today too: “I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.”

I think He can say that about our church. As a church, we have made some BIG strides over the past several years. Some HUGE strides! 

— We completed the extremely difficult transition from our deteriorating, landlocked location downtown, to this new property! That was a HUGE undertaking — spiritually, physically, logistically, in every way — but with God’s help, we did it! 

— And then right in the middle of all that, COVID hit, and shut us down several times. But we survived two years of wrestling with COVID and all the restrictions that came with it — and again God blessed us, and we came through it victoriously, with people being saved and baptized and added to the church.

But the one thing we cannot do now, is sit around now and act like we’ve finished the job here. If Jesus had something to say to our church personally today, it might be this very word right here: “I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.” Jesus didn’t call us here just to move locations; He didn’t call us just to “survive COVID;” He called us out here to this strategic location to MINISTER: to “worship and reach and teach and care” for people in our community and around the world from this spot. He has work for us to do here: 

That’s why we’re doing the Ministry Safe training today, to be able to reach and teach and care for children and youth in our community in a safe and effective way. That’s why we’ve got VBS coming up in July, youth camp, outreach to all the families at ACS in August, then Lord willing a big outreach to Bar-X or one of the other neighborhoods this fall. And lots more!  We need to keep going. OUR DEEDS ARE NOT COMPLETE! I think that’s one of the biggest dangers for some of us here. We can’t “sit on our laurels.” Yeah, we’ve come through a lot. But “our deeds are not complete.” Like  we saw in Jeremiah this morning in Sunday School, let’s “gird our minds for action.” “Our deeds are not complete in the sight of our God” as a church! 

But this also applies to us as individuals too. How many of us PERSONALLY could Jesus say today: “I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God?” The Lord may be tapping some of us on the shoulder this morning and saying, “Listen child: I’m not through with you yet! I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God”!  You’ve still got classes to teach; you’ve still got visits to make; you’ve still got prayers to pray; you’ve still got some work to do!  “I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God”! 

— God may be speaking to some of us as senior adults. Some of us would have to admit that we’ve kind of gotten into a mindset that your time is past; your work is done — but Jesus is saying to you today: “I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.” He hasn’t taken you home yet, senior adult, Why? Because your deeds are not yet completed in His sight! 

— Maybe there are others of us today who have messed up in the past, morally or spiritually, and so you thought you were “done” as far as ministry goes: “God can’t use me.” But Jesus is saying to you today: “I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.” He still used a Peter who betrayed Him; He still used a David who messed up morally; their deeds were not finished, despite their mistakes — and neither are yours! 

Jim Gasso is the husband of Patti Gasso, the coach of the University of Oklahoma women’s softball team that is working on a three-peat national championship this weekend. Jim Gasso was working as an assistant general manager for a team in Oklahoma City, but he just resigned that position to take a job as head softball coach for Mid-America Christian University in OKC. Everyone was surprised at that move. But when the Daily Oklahoman asked him what was behind it, he said it was his faith. He said he’d been going to the state prison in Lexington and ministering to inmates there; and he’d also been having some Bible studies in his home. He said, I felt like God was telling me that I needed more personal interactions and ministry like that. He told the paper: “The calling came where I was looking at my life and everything that I’ve done, and whatever number of years that I have left on this earth, I want to use it wisely,” he said. “I want to help people. I want to continue to be involved.” (oklahoman.com 5/24/23)

Jim Gasso is a good example for some of us too. Some of us need to look at our lives, and think about the things you’ve accomplished — and how many years you may or may not have left on this earth. Let’s ask God to help us use our time wisely; to help people; to be involved in God’s Kingdom work as long as He gives us life. “Don’t quit before you finish.” Run your race to the end. To many of us as individual Christians today, Jesus is saying just what He did to the church at Sardis: “I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.” 

III. When You’re Faithful To The End

But not everyone in Sardis had fallen back, or quit before they finished. The Lord says in :4, “But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.” Jesus said some of the members in Sardis  were faithful. Some had not fallen into sin. Some had not stained their reputation — or HIS! 

And what would be their reward? He said: “They will walk with Me in white.” Walking with Him, that’s fellowship with Him. As we saw last time when we looked at the church at Thyatira, Jesus promised the faithful that He would give them the morning star — and the last chapter of this book (Rev. 22:16) says HE is the morning star! The great reward they will have is Jesus Himself. And here He basically says the same thing again: if you’ll be faithful, you’ll walk with Me. In fact, He emphasizes THREE TIMES that the reward is from Him:

— (:5a) “I will not erase his name” 

— (:5b) “I will confess his name”

— (:4) “they will walk with me” 

See that? “I,” “I,” “Me;” Jesus is saying HE has the reward. Jesus IS the great reward! To be able to be “with Him” is the greatest reward there is. Remember Psalm 16:11, “In Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” It’s all about the relationship with Him.

Henry Stanley was perhaps the greatest explorer the world has ever known. He’s the man who went into the deepest, uncharted jungles of Africa and found the missionary Dr. Livingstone, who had not been seen for years, and said “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” He was the first man to navigate the Congo River from the heart of Africa to the Atlantic Ocean. As a result, Henry Stanley was one of the most famous men in the world in the late 1800s. But numerous bouts of malaria and several times starving just short of death on those trips took its toll on Stanley’s body. At the age of 63 he looked like he was in his 80s, and his body was worn out, and he was dying. In his old age, Stanley had adopted an orphan, like himself when he was young, and that young boy had become the joy of his life. Just before Stanley died, his little Denzel came into Stanley’s room and kissed his hand, which woke him. As Henry touched the boy’s cheek, Denzil said: ‘Father, are you happy?’ Stanley said: “Always when I see you, dear.” Author Tim Jeal, who studied every one of Stanley’s letters and knew him better than perhaps anyone ever, wrote: “It was this late relationship with a fatherless boy, rather than his undoubted greatness as an explorer, that brought him, in his declining years, the most intense happiness he had ever known.” (William Manchester, The Last Lion: Visions of Glory, p. 463)

What gave Stanley his greatest joy? What gave him comfort even on his dying day? Not that he was the world’s greatest explorer; not that his name was known around the world and would be remembered throughout history — but his relationship with his son. 

Multiply that infinitely, and that is what the genuine Christian has in Jesus. The great reward at the end of your life will not be anything you have bought or accomplished. Your great reward will be Jesus Himself. Jesus whose glory shines brighter than the sun. Jesus who died on the cross to pay for your sins; Jesus who gave you the white robes of righteousness by which you are saved; Jesus who says “I will not erase your name from the book of life;” Jesus in whose presence Psalm 16 says is “fullness of joy,” and in His right hand there are pleasures forever. 

Will we be happy in heaven? Like Henry Stanley, we can say, “Always, when we see Jesus.” And in heaven we will always see Jesus!  If we will be faithful to walk with Him on earth, then we will forever walk with Him in glory, where we will always be happy, forever and ever! 

INVITATION

— To some of us, the Lord may be saying this morning: “I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.” God’s got some more things for you to do. And you need to get ready for it. Maybe you should be serving in the nursery, or with kids, or youth. You ought to stay for the Ministry Safe training today, to get ready to serve in the days ahead. We have some extras if you didn’t sign up. Just stay, and get ready yourself to serve. Your deeds are not yet complete in the sight of God. 

— For others of us, maybe our past reputation is greater than our present reality, spiritually. Perhaps people think of you more highly than they should. So God is speaking to you about something in your life today, saying: it’s time to get back to that Bible reading; back to that prayer and intercession; back to teaching; back to visiting people in need; back to missions and evangelism, back to whatever He’s speaking to you about right now …

— But the biggest question today is: DO you have that relationship with Jesus that is more important than anything else? Do you know you’re going to walk with Him, and be happy with Him forever in heaven? If you don’t, you CAN know it today — confess your sins to Jesus, and commit your life to Him as your Lord & Savior!