Daily Devotional

The believers at Sardis—much like the Protestant Reformers a few centuries after Luther posted his 95 theses in 1517—were in a precarious position. Yes, they had found something good, the Messiah named Jesus. But their works were not perfect before Him.

What was the exact nature of Sardis’ problem? Explicit details aren’t given here, but we get the sense that this church has fallen asleep spiritually. The Greek word rendered “be watchful” by the New King James is gínomai, which is typically rendered “Wake up!” The point: This is a church that has dozed off; Jesus’ words here are intended to shake it awake.

The Savior said that the Sardis assembly must “Remember … how you have received and heard.” They saw the effects of “kingdom living” in their midst. Now, all that must happen is for them to rouse themselves from a spiritual stupor and remember what they’ve learned.

“Hold fast and repent” is the key. Cling to what you’ve learned, people of Sardis! Repent of your sins, especially the sin of spiritual lethargy. In sum, this is a call to what many Christians today know as revival and reformation: We must experience revival in our own hearts and live a “reformation lifestyle” of dedication to the gospel. Today, God’s people are reminded to rekindle their faith by these ancient words repeated anew: Be awake!

There is a warning: Keep dozing and Jesus “will come upon you as a thief.” That had special meaning to the believers in Sardis: Twice enemies had overtaken the city by exploiting a weakness in its defenses. Believers today must take care to avoid a similar tragic fate!

Holy God, keep us awake to Your Spirit and Your promptings in our lives. Especially, make us alert to those who need to know You—and create opportunities to share your love!

For Further Study: Proverbs 4:18; Isaiah 62:6, 7; Ephesians 4:13