July 23, 2023: Are You Alive Or Dead, Jesus Knows

"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." (Revelation 3:1, ESV)

A reputation is how people see you by looking at your outside. We cannot ever forget that God does not look at the outside. God looks at the heart. He sees what is on the inside of a person. The church of Sardis had a reputation for being alive, yet Jesus called them dead! Yikes! God forbid we would ever have a reputation for being alive and actually be spiritually dead. Sardis had works! What people could see on the outside looked great! It was a 'happening' church. But they were dead.
    
Jesus exhorts the spiritually dead to remember what they have received and heard, and commands them to hang on to it and repent. He commands them to 'wake up' and come out of their spiritual slumber because there will be hell to pay if they don't. Upon waking up, the immediate order is to strengthen what remains. The word 'strengthen' comes from a word that implies pillar or support. The revelation holding up the church of Sardis was found in disrepair, thus jeopardizing the entire church. 
    
May we be found more alive than our outer reputation displays. God is looking at your heart. What does He see? Alive or dead?