The 3 R’s of a successful Sardis: The revelation of and from Jesus Christ.

I woke this morning to a link someone sent of a Church website. Looking at its programme my first reaction was probably a wrong one. I saw the only thing in the programme was their meetings on Tuesday and Saturday evenings and nothing on a Sunday so I presumed it wasn’t a busy church.

The Church in Sardis was not like the one I read online. It was a busy church. When you looked at its programme it was packed. It was active. It was an exciting place to be. If it had a website it would be probably the best.

However Jesus is always more concerned with what is on the inside than what others are praising you for. He sees what no other can see. He sees what will be your downfall if you don’t change.

“Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up …” (Revelation 3 v 3)

Let me give 3 important words that is being pointed out to Sardis but is for us today.

It will bring good health to our thinking. Good thoughts lead to good actions.

Remember what you have received and heard. Look back on what has been taught you over the years. Remember the songs, the worship times when you experienced the presence of God. Bring to the surface the shaping of God in your life. Those high moments when the Spirit came on you and the Word directed your life. Don’t let go of the past victories.

Retain what you remember, hold it fast. If your present life as a Christian is less than what it was yesterday then get it back. Refresh. Set the renew button. Hold on to what you had, retain it. If you believed for revival and a powerful move of God in the past retain it now. If you were passionate for Jesus in the past then keep that passion now. If the Church or the Christian is worse than its past then it lost something but it can get it back. Retrace your steps as you remember what you have received and heard and then take hold again and this time retain it.

Repent is the big word that will enable the previous two. In fact if there is no repentance nothing will happen.  The word means to change your thinking. Often we only think it means to change our behaviour. But if we don’t change our thoughts then our behaviour will not move an inch well not permanently anyway. Our thoughts are the default of our life. It all starts there and it all ends there too. You can choose what occupies your mind. You can think differently. You can win the battle of the mind. You can repent.

Those are the 3 R’s which are important for any church/christian and in any generation.