Continuous Revival: Faithful Remnant & Future Reward

Read Fake Reputation and Fortifying Renewal before reading this

After pointing out the church’s fake reputation and need for fortifying renewal, Jesus points to the church’s faithful remnant: "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." (Revelation 3:4)

How many of you know that if it wasn’t for the faithful few, many churches would have drifted into oblivion and apostasy? There’s hope for a dying church where, by the grace of God, there’s a faithful remnant that doesn’t lose hope in what God’s grace can do. They’ve been through church splits, they’ve been hurt by church leaders, they’ve been maligned by others behind their backs, but they're still there; praying, serving, and walking with God. They’re still there not because they think they’re doing God a favor, but because first and foremost they’re conscious of their own weaknesses and desperate need for grace. They’re still there because they don’t come to church to be entertained, they don’t come to be cuddled by the Pastor, they don’t come to be served. They’re still there because they’re in awe of Jesus and His grace and they’re blessed to serve Him by His grace in whatever way they can.

Jesus said of this faithful remnant that they had not soiled their garments.  That doesn’t mean that they’re perfect, it means that they’re real with God and with others.  They don’t have one foot in the world and one foot in the church. They walk in the light with Jesus and whenever they slip up in the slightest they’re quick to seek forgiveness from God and others and they’re quick to forgive others (1 John 1:9; Eph. 4:31-32).
 
Notice also that to the faithful remnant, Jesus said, "they will walk with me in white for they are worthy." Because they walked closely with Jesus in this life laying hold of His grace day by day, they will walk closely with Jesus in white in glory---not because they're worthy in themselves, but because by the righteousness and grace of Jesus they’ve been made worthy (Rev. 7:14). Their motivation for life is knowing that they will stand before Christ who makes them worthy.

In addition to highlighting their fake reputation, their need for fortifying renewal and the church’s faithful remnant, Jesus points to the future reward of the faithful. "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.” (Revelation 3:5)

In light of that fact that Jesus said, the one who conquers will be honored by Jesus before God and the angels in heaven, how do the faithful conquer? How do they stand firm for Christ in a world whose god is the devil—in a world where truly living on mission for Christ will come with a price? After highlighting the persecution that the faithful endure, the Apostle Paul gives us this big clue. He wrote, “we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). Afterwards, Paul goes to gloriously explain that nothing can separate the conquerors from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

How do the faithful conquer? They know that to risk all for Jesus, who gave His all to save them, is the end of all risk. They know that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that will be revealed (Romans 8:18). They conquer knowing that the same grace that saves, which flows from God’s love, gives them access to all the grace they need to walk with God and live on mission for Christ. The grace of God is why their names are in the book of life and by the grace of God their names and our names, if we're saved, will never be blotted out.

Jesus concludes His exhortation to the church in Sardis in need of revival with this final appeal:
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 3:6). Do you have ears to hear? Do you recognize your need for revival? If you do, how do you strengthen what remains? If all we have in our hearts is a flicker, how do we fan the flicker into a white-hot flame?

Repent for having taken God’s grace for granted. Resolve that in dependence upon the Holy Spirit you will behold His glory and receive His grace afresh daily in prayer, in the word, and in community with your brothers and sisters in Christ so that you might live on mission together to the praise of His glory and grace. Ministry is not achieved; it's received.

Conquer in His grace and love knowing that it will be worth it all when we see Jesus.

By His grace,
Pastor Marco