WAKE UP! HOLD ON!

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Opening Prayer

Mighty God, give me such a sense of Your reality that I will not be surprised when You reveal Yourself in power.

Read REVELATION 3:1–13

^[1] “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. ^[2] Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. ^[3] Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. ^[4] Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. ^[5] The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. ^[6] Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. ^[7] “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. ^[8] I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. ^[9] I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars-I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. ^[10] Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. ^[11] I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. ^[12] The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. ^[13] Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Meditate

The church in Sardis needed to wake up! The church in Philadelphia needed to hold on!

Think Further

Today we read two contrasting messages—one contains little praise (1–6) and one contains no rebuke (7–13). They are addressed to two contrasting cities as well. Sardis was ancient, prestigious and proud. It had been the seat of Croesus, the king of legendary wealth. Its upper city (acropolis) was so impregnable it had never been taken by force—though it had been taken twice, by stealth. The citizens were so sure of themselves that they posted no night watch. When the enemy noticed someone coming out of a hidden back door, they used that route to take the city while the people slept. Three hundred years later, another enemy read the account—and the same thing happened. The people were still complacent and sleeping!

“Wake up!” calls Jesus (2). Faith is not about resting on your laurels, thinking that your upbringing, track record or reputation will keep you safe. It is about walking with Jesus daily and heeding his call to holy living.

By contrast, Philadelphia was the newest of the seven cities. Like others, it was devastated in an earthquake in A.D. 17, but the people remained fearful, continuing to live in the surrounding fields rather than return to the city itself. In the light of the fear of opposition from Jews who had not received him, Jesus himself reassures them. He has placed before them an “open door” (8), which usually means an opportunity for mission (1 Cor. 16:9; 2 Cor. 2:12; Col. 4:3); not only will the opposition cease, but the opponents will themselves come to acknowledge Jesus (9)! As they hold on to God (11), God will hold on to them; whatever threatens to shake them, God will make them an unshakeable part of his temple, where he himself takes up residence (12).

Apply

Where in your life do you need to wake up and stop being complacent? Where in your life do you need to hold on?

Closing prayer

Holy One, wake me when my heart is slumbering! Humble me when I’m prideful. Enable me to hold on when I am weak.

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