Wake Up
Angela Cox
“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. 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. 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. 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. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3:2-6
In this passage, Jesus is commanding the church of Sardis to wake up. The church of Sardis had a reputation of being alive as a church, or in other words, a thriving church. Unfortunately, the church was “dead” inside. Because of its reputation, the church was very complacent. Jesus was sending word and urgency to remind them of this and to “wake up.”
How many times can we, as the body of Christ, find ourselves walking with the façade, the reputations we have gained in church, when inside we are completely hollow. This is why we have such a loving Father! As it says in verse 3, “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.” He says this in an urgent way to warn His people and to love them as a good Father should. We need to remember what foundation we are planted on. He does this to show us that there is more to this “Christian” walk than a pretend smile and a hollow heart.
Ephesians 5:13-16 says, “But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” Paul is talking here about how Christians should live out their faith rather than imitating the world. We, as a church, can operate with learned cultures and so many boundaries, but God just simply wants us to go back to the basics. When we walk around with the “We have already tried it that way” or this “stuck” mentality, we close off the opportunities that could be right in front of us. We then are just like the church of Sardis becoming complacent and prideful.
God simply is stating that there is devastation when we are not obedient and open to His ways. We all have different journeys and circumstances, but at the end of the day, we all serve the same God. His command is to love Him and love His people.
John 15:12 says, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” When we walk around with pride and cannot seem to listen to the wise, we become lost. It is time to wake up church! Jesus died for us that we may be made whole. Let down the pride and allow God to remold and shape the church within.
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
Angela Cox
“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. 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. 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. 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. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3:2-6
In this passage, Jesus is commanding the church of Sardis to wake up. The church of Sardis had a reputation of being alive as a church, or in other words, a thriving church. Unfortunately, the church was “dead” inside. Because of its reputation, the church was very complacent. Jesus was sending word and urgency to remind them of this and to “wake up.”
How many times can we, as the body of Christ, find ourselves walking with the façade, the reputations we have gained in church, when inside we are completely hollow. This is why we have such a loving Father! As it says in verse 3, “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.” He says this in an urgent way to warn His people and to love them as a good Father should. We need to remember what foundation we are planted on. He does this to show us that there is more to this “Christian” walk than a pretend smile and a hollow heart.
Ephesians 5:13-16 says, “But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” Paul is talking here about how Christians should live out their faith rather than imitating the world. We, as a church, can operate with learned cultures and so many boundaries, but God just simply wants us to go back to the basics. When we walk around with the “We have already tried it that way” or this “stuck” mentality, we close off the opportunities that could be right in front of us. We then are just like the church of Sardis becoming complacent and prideful.
God simply is stating that there is devastation when we are not obedient and open to His ways. We all have different journeys and circumstances, but at the end of the day, we all serve the same God. His command is to love Him and love His people.
John 15:12 says, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” When we walk around with pride and cannot seem to listen to the wise, we become lost. It is time to wake up church! Jesus died for us that we may be made whole. Let down the pride and allow God to remold and shape the church within.
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
Posted in Revelation
Recent
Archive
2023
January
Reach • Devotion 1Reach • Devotion 2Reach • Devotion 3Reach • Devotion 4Reach • Devotion 5Reach • Devotion 6Gather • Devotion 1Gather • Devotion 2Gather • Devotion 3Gather • Devotion 4Gather • Devotion 5Gather • Devotion 6Grow • Devotion 1Grow • Devotion 2Grow • Devotion 3Grow • Devotion 4Grow • Devotion 5Grow • Devotion 6Giving • Devotion 1Giving • Devotion 2Giving • Devotion 3Giving • Devotion 4Giving • Devotion 5Giving • Devotion 6Galatians 1Galatians 2
February
Galatians 3Galatians 4Galatians 5Galatians 6God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 1God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 2God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 3God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 4God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 5God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 6Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 1Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 2Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 3Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 4Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 5Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 6Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 1Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 2Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 3Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 4Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 5Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 6Delights • Devotion 1Delights • Devotion 2
March
Delights • Devotion 3Delights • Devotion 4Delights • Devotion 5Delights • Devotion 6Final Class • Devotion 1Final Class • Devotion 2Final Class • Devotion 3Final Class • Devotion 4Final Class • Devotion 5Final Class • Devotion 6A Place for You • Devotion 1A Place for You • Devotion 2A Place for You • Devotion 3A Place for You • Devotion 4A Place for You • Devotion 5A Place for You • Devotion 6The Helper • Devotion 1The Helper • Devotion 2The Helper • Devotion 3The Helper • Devotion 4The Helper • Devotion 5The Helper • Devotion 6True Vine • Devotion 1True Vine • Devotion 2True Vine • Devotion 3True Vine • Devotion 4True Vine • Devotion 5
April
True Vine • Devotion 6The World • Devotion 1The World • Devotion 2The World • Devotion 3The World • Devotion 4The World • Devotion 5The World • Devotion 6Peace • Devotion 1Peace • Devotion 2Peace • Devotion 3Peace • Devotion 4Peace • Devotion 5Peace • Devotion 6Focus on Jesus • Devotion 1Focus on Jesus • Devotion 2Focus on Jesus • Devotion 3Focus on Jesus • Devotion 4Focus on Jesus • Devotion 5Focus on Jesus • Devotion 6The Church at Ephesus • Devotion 1The Church at Ephesus • Devotion 2The Church at Ephesus • Devotion 3The Church at Ephesus • Devotion 4
Categories
Tags
no tags