Wake Up!
The effects of low blood sugar come in many forms. It always includes a general sense of illness and the desire to lay down. But depending on the severity and length of time, it also includes breaking out in sweat, vision changes, numbness in your lips, anxiety, hunger, and even confusion. But every once in a while, when my blood sugar crashes during the night, it comes with a bad dream where I know I need to wake up but can't. It's a feeling of being trapped in a nightmare, with your whole body working in earnest to respond before the problem gets worse.
The church at Sardis (Revelation 3:1-6) had members who needed to wake up. Their city knew the negative effects of staying asleep yet was attacked and conquered more than once. It never should have happened to a place surrounded by steep cliffs and only narrow passages leading to it. This same sleepy problem not only affected the city physically but also some of the Christians spiritually. Jesus said in verse one, “I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” Jesus knew their deeds and some of them reflected more of a corpse more than a vibrant Christian. His admonition was wake up and strengthen what was about to die. Not only did they need to fix the problem but needed to do it with haste. Everyone struggles with sin but what is most important is to repent and get back up. However, some keep sleeping and eventually fall away and die spiritually. We have all witnessed this tragic story. That is why James said in chapter 1:15: “Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”
Jesus continues his admonition by saying in verse three, “Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent.” What did they receive and hear? No doubt they heard the words of Paul that were similar to what he said to the church in Rome in chapter 1:16-17, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” That faith which is founded on Jesus Christ comes with works that should naturally flow from a penitent heart that wants to serve God. Jesus said to keep what they had received and heard. “Keep” can also be translated “watch” or “guard.” It is the same Greek word used in Matthew 27:36 where it says the soldiers kept “watch” over Jesus. Keep the treasure of the Gospel by guarding it. That means you will have to be watchful and if necessary, wake up, repent, and get back on the correct course of action. Sardis had good examples to look to as some had “not soiled their garments” and were walking with Jesus as worthy servants dressed in white. Walking implies daily consistent righteous living. The consequences of not heeding Jesus were severe. He said, “I will come against you” and implies the unrepentant sinner will have his name blotted out of the book of life and not confessed by Jesus before God. What a terrible ending for the Christian who started well but never completed the race.
Once I wake up from the blood sugar low, I am so relieved to finally be awake and able to eat or drink to resolution. The best part is once my body is done fighting the low, it can rest. The internal battles and feeling of desperation are over and sweet sleep follows. Revelation 7:9-10 shows a beautiful picture of heaven with those who walked as worthy servants and persevered to the end. “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” They heeded Jesus’ invitation to come, and now enjoy eternal peace and victory. They are as Jesus said in verse five of our text, “The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments.”
The church at Sardis provides a timely warning of the need to wipe the sleep from our eyes and get back on track. The reward is worth the effort. Won't you heed Jesus’ final statement in verse six, “he who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Wake up!
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