Reputation vs. Reality
- Jerry Witham
- Mar 11, 2010
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Last week I was challenged with the following words of Jesus to the church in Sardis found in Revelation 3.1-6:
"To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: 'I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 'Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. 'So remember what you have received and hear; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. 'But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 'He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garment; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and 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.'
God knows everything we have done, are doing and will do. King David knew this very well as comforting and challenging words. He says in Psalm 139, O LORD, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize (winnow) my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O LORD, You know it all. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, even there Your hand will lay hold of me (139.1-4, 7-10). Christ knows what is real when it comes to your deeds. He knew this with the church in Sardis and calls them after an evaluation of them. Their reputation was that they were alive when in reality they were dead. So, what about you and I? Is our reputation just that, a reputation? Or is it truly reality?
My prayer for us is that we would be known for what is truly reality and that we would be alive. May we not be deceived and bear the weight of the words that Jesus speaks in Matthew 7.15-23. Mere reputation does not open the door for one to the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven is about reality and Jesus is real clear about who will enter saying, he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter (Matthew 7.21). Otherwise it is hearing Jesus say, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness (Matthew 7.23).
So, the encouragement to the church in Sardis from Jesus is the same for us, Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die (3.2). This is written to a community of believers, not just individuals. So, I first believe this is a call to all who are alive to go to dead things or dying things and begin to water them with the word. Pour into people who need the gospel or need discipleship. Let’s put into practice the gifts that the Holy Spirit has graciously given to us to strengthen Christ’s body in living in reality with deeds that are alive.
Next, for each of us, may we take heed and test ourselves. Allow the Lord to search your heart and reveal to you whether what you have is a life of mere reputation or reality. May we all obey these words of Jesus, remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent (3.3). The Christian life is a life of consistent turning from sin to God. May we never stop in bearing fruit in keeping with repentance (Matthew 3.8).
