Jump Start # 585

Revelation 3:2 “Wake up, strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.”

Our Jump Starts this week are looking at the seven churches that are listed in Revelation 2-3. Specifically, we are focusing upon what the Lord tells these churches to do in order to get back on course. Most of those congregations had spiritual problems. The Lord did not leave them to themselves to figure out what to do. His words are very specific about the proper steps to take to get back to where they need to be.

Our verse today addresses the church at Sardis. Their problem was that they lived in denial, as so many families, individuals, and churches do today. They had a name. They had a reputation of life but the reality was they were dead. That is amazing. They were so off base. They weren’t close to what was reality.

This starts with, “They had a name…” This may have been from the past. Congregations that have been around for awhile can be like that. Back in the day, things were happening. Everyone has heard of that church. But today, they are dead.

Dead churches are not attractive. Imagine trying to invite a co-worker to come to church services with you and you say, “By the way, our church is dead.” Don’t be looking for them to show up anytime soon. Years ago, my wife and I  attended a little congregation out in the country. I was new at preaching and interested in grabbing ideas. During the Bible class. the teacher said, “this church is missing one thing…” I took out a pen and thought this will be good. I need to remember this and maybe use this myself. He then went on to say that the church needed a wreath on the door because it was dead! I think my mouth dropped open. I remember telling my wife, “that poor preacher is going to be fired for saying that.” I found out later that he wasn’t even the preacher! At least, that person was honest.

Dead churches are still open for business. Worship continues on. There is preaching, praying and singing. But there is no heart beat. There is no excitement. The awe of God is missing. Little if any activity is taking place outside the building. No Bible studies going on. Very little, if any, hospitality. Folks show up for worship at the last second and leave the moment it’s over. They are there because they have to. They move like robots. No one has any spiritual ideas. Leadership is long gone. They’ll continue to meet as long as someone else opens the door. Visitors are generally ignored. These are the signs of a dead church. I’ve preached for some. Couldn’t wait to get back home. It’s hard to be passionate in preaching to an audience that is bored, and really has not desire to be there.

Death to a church happens because the members have died. They have no relationship with the Lord and their faith, what little they have, is left at the church building. They make no connection to what happens on Sunday to Tuesday. They don’t see the need to do anything. They are dead. Prayers are lifeless and the same. Songs are pitiful and the same. The sermons cover the same topics and in the same manner. It’s like eating Thanksgiving leftovers for three days in a roll. It gets old pretty fast!

Is there any hope? Some believe the answer is convincing some young preacher to move in and that he will be their savior to turn things around. That usually doesn’t work. The young preacher often quits preaching because of the terrible and discouraging experience. No, Jesus has another idea. Our verse expresses those ideas.

1. Wake up. I can see a parent saying that to their child on a school day. Get up. Wake up. Those words are found throughout the NT. When Jesus was praying in the garden before His death, he returned to find Peter sleeping. He asked him, “couldn’t you stay awake?” Paul said some of the Corinthians were asleep. This was in reference to the Lord’s supper. In Thessalonians Paul reminded the brethren that they were people of the day, not the night. Be alert, were his words.  Wake up. Some of us are asleep spiritually. Some fall to sleep literally in church. I see it. There are things that can be done, such as get to bed at a decent time on Saturday night. Get up in time on Sunday to get the blood and juices running through your brain. Be thinking of Jesus. The bigger problem here is those who are asleep spiritually. WAKE  UP. Get life into your spiritual life. Have some families into your home and read a page from the gospels. We did that last night with a few folks. Amazing. Exciting. Alive. Challenging. It’s not hard. Read something spiritual. Put down the sports magazines and the fashion magazines and get a really good book that will open your eyes spiritually. If you don’t know where to start, ask your preacher. If he doesn’t know, email me, I have a long list of books. Wake up. When a person falls asleep driving, a wreck will soon happen. When a student falls asleep during a test, he’ll flunk. When we fall asleep spiritually, our relationship with the Lord suffers.

2. Jesus then says to “strengthen the things which remain which were about to die.” Stop the process of death. Keep it from spreading. Where it spreads first, is to the family. Dad is asleep spiritually, then spiritual death takes over the rest of the family and a generation is lost. Kids grow up with out God and are content to live without God. Strengthen what remains. Get stronger. Put life into life. Build up what you have. Strengthening—whether you talk about hitting the gym, running, or spiritual strength—takes time, effort and energy. The lazy will talk about it, but will never get it done. It works best with a plan and a goal. It can be done, because Jesus said so.

The attention isn’t upon the dead, but upon what is alive. Maybe we spend too much time trying to get life into people who do not care. Maybe they like being dead. Instead, we ought to put our efforts in those that are alive. Some members won’t attend a church service during the week if Jesus Himself were to do the preaching. Don’t spend all your time there. Think about those who will come because they want to learn, grow, share and become. Strengthen what is still alive. That’s the thought. That’s where our attention needs to be. We hold everyone back trying to pump air into a tire that has too many holes in it. If the dead won’t wake up, they’ll miss out. They’ll never experience what could be. Let’s work on keeping alive what is alive. Let’s get those on spiritual life support off it and growing. Pouring water on a dead plant won’t make any difference. Those who are dead, simply need to wake up. If they won’t, please step aside, we’re going to Heaven and right now we’re marching to Zion. We won’t be held back nor held down by those who don’t care about their own souls. How sad. When they are ready, we will be there to help them. But until then, strengthen what remains!

These are serious words for serious times. It’s about time we took things seriously about Jesus and start to see things the way they really are. Spiritually dead people do not make a church alive. Spiritually dead won’t be carried into Heaven because they were part of a church that had a name. Doesn’t work that way. You must be alive for the Lord.

Have you put your fingers on your wrist lately to see if anything is beating spiritually?

Wake up and strengthen—that’s the answer. That’s what needs to be done.

Roger