Revelation 3:1–6 (ESV)
To the Church in Sardis
3 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.
“ ‘I
know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. 3 Remember,
then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. 4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have
not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his
name before my Father and before his angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
Jesus exhorts the congregation at Sardis to
wakefulness and renewed vigor. All Christians need to remain similarly watchful, for we, too, easily lapse into spiritual lethargy and even death—even while having the reputation of being strong. Sustained by the Word and Sacrament, however, we can remain
healthy even unto life everlasting.
I pray: Alleluia! “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Alleluia!
Edward A. Engelbrecht, The
Lutheran Study Bible (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2009), 2206.