The Dead Church...

The church in Sardis thought it was alive, in fact others thought it was alive.  They had a reputation of being alive but Christ does not look at reputations he looks much deeper.  And Christ said this church was dead. Like most churches today the church at Sardis was full of many different kinds of people who were all at different places spiritually.  John MacArthur provides the following thoughts on this.

John MacArthur (Click here for the whole study)

Christ gives the church at Sardis five key commands that are critical to understanding the letter: watch, strengthen, remember, hold fast, and repent. Those commands are directed to the different types of members of the church in Sardis. Each command has at least one of the three specific types of people in view: the unsaved, who are in the majority (the dead people); the carnal Christians, who are sleeping-- hanging on the fringes; and the few who have not defiled their garments.

A. Watch (vv. 2a, 3b)

1. CONSTANT VIGILANCE (v. 2a)

"Be watchful ..."

That command was especially applicable in Sardis because on two occasions, the city hadn't kept anyone on guard, and it was captured.

2. COMING JUDGMENT (v. 3b)

"... If, therefore, thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee."

Will Christ come upon believers as a thief in the night? No. Then He must be talking to the dead ones--the unbelievers. Christ never comes upon believers as a thief in the night. For example, in 1 Thessalonians 5:2 Paul says, "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night." But in verse 5 he says, "Ye are all sons of light ... we are not of the night ...." Christ is coming in the night of judgment on unbelievers. Christians are children of light, not night. Christ says to the unbeliever, "Open your eyes and watch out because I am coming in judgment." Jesus is coming again. You say, "When is He coming?" I believe He will come very soon to take His church and begin the Tribulation (Rev. 7:14).

B. Strengthen (v. 2b)

"... and strengthen the things which remain ..."

Evidently there were some Christians in the church at Sardis who were hanging on the fringes. So Christ tells the solid Christians--the living saints, the worthy ones--to wake up the carnal Christians. They are described as being next to dead. They were just remaining. They needed to be strengthened and built up. The solid believers were to strengthen the ones that remained.

C. Remember (v. 3a)

"Remember, therefore, how thou hast received and heard ..."

In other words, remember your salvation. Christ is talking to believers. Remember to keep your mind occupied with the person of Christ and the things of your salvation.

D. Hold Fast (v. 3b)

"... and hold fast ..."

Whenever you see "hold fast" in the Bible, it is referring to sound doctrine. Christ is saying, "Remember how you were saved and hold fast to the doctrines you were taught at the beginning. Hold fast to what you know. Don't get distracted by the world. Don't be influenced by false doctrine. The injunction to Thyatira was, "But that which ye have already, hold fast ..." (Rev. 2:25). He was also referring to sound doctrine in that verse. Christ was telling the worthy saints to hang on and not let the world distract them.

E. Repent (v. 3c)

"... and repent ..."

That command refers to both the carnal Christian and the unsaved. The dead, hypocritical church member and the carnal Christian need to repent.

Those were the five general commands to the church in Sardis--and to any dead church.

A Sermon to a Dead Church

If I was ever invited to speak at a dead church, I know what text I would use: Revelation 3:1-6. I would divide the congregation into three parts and say, "I have two things to say to those of you who are dead and don't know Jesus Christ. One, watch because the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night. God is coming in judgment, particularly on those who have feigned a love for Christ and have no such love. Second, repent of your sin, and turn to Jesus Christ and His grace before it's too late. To those of you who are carnal, sleeping Christians, repent of the sin in your life. Also, remember what you had when you came to Christ. To the few of you who have remained faithful to Christ, strengthen those who are on the edge and hold fast to sound doctrine." That is the three-fold message I would deliver to a dead church, addressing each kind of member.

He goes on to point out some of the main problems the church in Sardis had. 

"One of the main problems in the church at Sardis was that it was not operating in the Spirit of God. Why is that an important thing for churches and believers to do? Look up the following verses: Romans 8:1-2, 26-27; 14:17; 15:13; 1 Corinthians 2:4, 11-14; 12:7; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:16-18, 22-23; Ephesians 2:18; 3:16; 5:9; 2 Timothy 1:7; Titus 3:5-6; Hebrews 9:14; 1 Peter 4:14; 1 John 3:24. List all the benefits of the Holy Spirit's work in the believer's life. As a result of those verses, determine how you are going to apply the working of the Holy Spirit in your life."

We must allow the Spirit to operate in our own lives and in the life of our churches.  We can't expect God to move when we gather as a church to serve or worship, if we have not made following and obeying him our lifestyle outside of church.  Total surrender is required if we are going to experience the life that only Christ can bring to us as individuals and as churches.