Paul Luckraft unpacks the letter sent to believers in Sardis.

There are many letters in the New Testament, to individuals and to churches, but those in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 have special significance – they are from Jesus himself. Furthermore, they are written to churches under severe pressure. Would they survive? To be overcomers in their difficult circumstances they needed to hear from Jesus, to learn what he thought about them and what they should do to become strong again.

Illustrious Past

What kind of place was Sardis? What was it like back in the 1^st Century AD and what was its history?

Founded around 1200 BC, Sardis had an illustrious past. It was once a pre-eminent city, commanding a main trade route. As a result, it grew rich on trade, especially the clothing industry, being well-known for its woollen garments. It eventually became the capital of the small kingdom of Lydia, whose most famous king was Croesus, fabled for his wealth. It has even been suggested that coinage was first developed there.

Also from this region came the legend of King Midas. Certainly everything those in Sardis touched seemed to turn to gold – but as a result, they became increasingly affluent, materialistic, self-sufficient and proud.

Sardis itself contained a magnificent colonnaded marble road about 1500m long, running from east to west. Buildings of great splendour adorned the whole city - not just fine residences but many public buildings: a gymnasium, a theatre, public baths and a huge Temple to Artemis (Diana).

Sardis had an illustrious past – it was once a pre-eminent city that had grown rich on trade.

Wealth, Pride and Complacency

View of the 'impregnable' citadel of Sardis.

Overlooking the city was an impressive acropolis, a 450m-high fortress they called The Impregnable, which gave the citizens a sense of security and safety. If attacked they could withdraw there and survive in what they thought was a safe haven. However, history shows that on two separate occasions they got careless and were defeated.

There was only one way to attack the fortress, via a single narrow path which was hidden from the view of the attackers and which could easily be guarded. One lookout was enough. But the story goes that on one occasion the lookout dropped a piece of armour. As he went to retrieve it he inadvertently revealed the way up. Another story recounts how the guard simply fell asleep.

Whatever the truth of the legends, the reality is that twice Sardis was conquered: first by the Persians under Cyrus in 549 BC, and later by the Greeks under Antiochus the Great, 218 BC. The fall of Sardis to the Persians has been preserved in folklore as a story of misplaced trust and a lack of watchfulness (something from which to learn!). And yet, centuries later, it happened again!

Eventually the Romans took over, and a church was founded there. By the 1^st Century AD Sardis had 120,000 inhabitants and continued to flourish financially – although by now it had a reputation for bad character. The pagan philosopher Apollonius, a contemporary of the Apostle John, stated “there are no prizes among you for good character, but if you competed for the first prize in vice you would all win at once!”

The fall of Sardis to the Persians is remembered as a story of misplaced trust and a lack of watchfulness.

In AD 17, a large earthquake struck and destroyed 12 cities in the area. Sardis was badly hit, but refused help from Rome, saying ‘we can rebuild it ourselves with our own wealth!’ They had a reputation to uphold, one that said ‘we are the great, the wealthy, the impregnable city against which none could strive and prevail.’

So it was that here, in a city of wealth, pride and complacency, one of the seven Churches of Revelation had to survive and witness to the Gospel of Jesus Messiah. How were they doing?

No Words of Approval

Marble column from the Temple of Artemis at Sardis. Now on display in New York.

Everyone had a lot to say about the Church at Sardis and spoke well of them. Everyone, that is, except the one person who really counts, Jesus. He was far from impressed. What had gone wrong? What could they do about it? What problems did they face and what did Jesus tell them to do about them?

Each of the seven letters in Revelation follows a similar pattern or structure. After the initial address and an attribute of Jesus (usually based on the vision in Revelation 1), there follow five sections. These can be summarised as: approval, accusation, advice, appeal and assurance.

However, in two of the letters there are no words of accusation (those to believers in Smyrna and Philadelphia). In another two there are no words of approval. One is Laodicea - and the other is Sardis!

Instead, Jesus starts with a devastating opening rebuke and accusation: “I know your deeds.” It seems they had no doctrinal problems and no external problems to overcome. Rather, the issues were all internal. They were comfortable, content, living on reputation - not reality. Like the guards in the past they had gone to sleep, or become careless.

They were very busy, lots of activity – but no spiritual reality, no substance. There was no shortage of projects - but no harvest, no fruit. Nothing they started was ever properly finished or fulfilled; nothing they undertook was seen through. They lacked perseverance and commitment. What they were doing seemed good in the eyes of men, but not in the sight of God. They were not fulfilling his purposes. And what little remained was about to die out, like a flickering candle. Their future was under threat. Jesus, who closes churches as well as opens them, would remove their lampstand unless they listened carefully to his advice.

Those in Sardis were comfortable, content, living on reputation - not reality. Their activity seemed good in the eyes of men – but not in the sight of God.

Five Commands

What he told them can be summarised as a series five short commands: first, wake up! Realise what is going on, and what you are like. An obvious first step, perhaps, but very necessary before you can move on to the next stage, to strengthen what you have that is still alive. Don’t let that die out! If a flame is flickering, revive it first, before trying to light others. Allow God’s spirit to work on what is still there, however faint it seems. To strengthen what we have is our first duty, rather than to abandon everything in favour of ‘new ideas’, in the hope that these will put things right again.

The third command is: remember! It is always good to recall what we first had that blessed us. The grace we first knew, the love and fervour we once had, the Gospel that saved us. Remembering how we first started and what God has done for us in the past will breathe new life into a dying situation. Go back to the beginning, remind yourself of the basics. Think again how amazing it is to be part of God’s people and what a privilege it is to be called by him.

Remembrance helps the final two commands: repent and obey! These should be constant aspects of the Christian life and of any church. Obey what you once knew was right. You did it then - do it now, again and again. And alongside this goes repentance. Each aids the other.

So: wake up, strengthen what remains, remember what you once had, then repent and obey. Solid advice, but if they did not respond, the consequences for the Church would be severe.
Jesus issued a warning that listeners in Sardis would have all understood from their city’s history. Jesus was watching, waiting, and if ignored he would steal upon them like the attackers of old. They would lose everything. This image of a thief is not a reference to the Second Coming – neither is it advocating a secret return before another final (third) one! This was about their current situation and relationship to Jesus as the head of their Church.

Strengthen what you have - if a flame is flickering, revive it first, before trying to light others.

The Overcomers

So, did they respond? Maybe for a while, but by the 4^th Century the Church in Sardis had disappeared. There are only ruins today where once it existed.

However, there is good news. The letter tells us that there was a faithful remnant and where such exists, a church can re-build. Again, in the letter Jesus used an analogy that would have been familiar to dwellers in Sardis - from their clothing industry. Some had resisted the drift and decline, and not allowed their clothes to become soiled. They still walked with Jesus and their future was assured. They would get new white clothes, worthy of their calling.

These were the overcomers, individuals who kept to the original faith and remained an example to others. Whatever church you are in, whatever state it is in, you can overcome in that situation by a personal walk with God.

The Book of Life

The alternative is drastic. Names will be blotted out from the book of life! Again, those in Sardis would have got the message. Greek cities kept registers of their citizens, and the names of those found unworthy were removed and blotted out (or, more literally, scraped off with a penknife).

But what does this mean here? Is this ‘book of life’ all who have ever lived (as in Psalm 69:28, the book from which the unrighteous are blotted out), or believers who have given up and miss out on eternal life? In Revelation 13:8 there is reference to “the book of life belonging to the Lamb”. For consistency we might expect the warning in Revelation 3 to relate to that.

Here is a controversial topic! I would recommend you do your own study through the scriptures where there is mention of more than one ‘book of life’ or ‘book of names’, and names being blotted out of such a book (for instance Ex 32:32; Dan 12:1; Phil 4:3; plus Rev 20:15, 21:27).

Where a faithful remnant exists, there is always hope that a church can re-build.

Whatever you decide, what is important is that by the end your name is still there, and for overcomers Jesus guarantees this. There is a strong double negative for emphasis, literally “I will never ever by any means blot out his name”. It cannot happen if you endure to the end.

And on an even more positive note, your name will be acknowledged before the Father. Here is the best possible reputation, better than anything amongst men. To hear Jesus call out before the Father and the angels: he/she is mine! Here’s another one of my overcomers for he/she belongs to me!

Having Ears to Hear

The final appeal is common to all the letters in Revelation, and one familiar from many of Jesus’ parables where he was seeking a response. To have ‘ears to hear’ means far more than to hear something physically. Rather, it means take heed! Now you have read the letter, consider it in detail. Listen to the Spirit! Pay attention to what the Spirit is saying about it all - the problems, the solutions, the advice, the warnings, the rewards.

It is fascinating to think that there was an occasion when this letter was read aloud for the very first time, in a real place called Sardis. What was the reaction of listeners then? But just as important is what happens every time it is read by us today. Do you hear the voice of Jesus - or is it just another letter?

Click here to read the rest of the articles in this series.

Author: Paul Luckraft

Photo Credits: Top image from Wikimedia Commons / Turkey Vision / CC BY 2.0. Acropolis image from David Lull / Flickr Creative Commons / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. Column image from MBisanz / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0.