Christ Will Come upon You Like a Thief (Revelation 3:1-6)

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,

‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but 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 3:1-6 NKJV)

Jesus who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars speaks to the church in Sardis. This church was dead although the name was alive. It is so-called nominal Christian or church. The seven Spirits of God doesn’t mean there are the seven different Spirits but there are the seven different ministries of the Spirit of God. Isaiah foretold us the seven ministries of the Spirit in Chapter 11.

“There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse,

And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.

The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him,

The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

The Spirit of counsel and might,

The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” (Isaiah 11:1-2 NKJV)

Jesus Christ marvelously displayed and demonstrated the seven Spirits of God in the earthly messianic ministry, the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, and the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. And the seven stars indicate the angels of the seven churches. There is no one like Jesus Christ who was adequate, appropriate, fitting, and amply sufficient to handle all circumstance in life. Christ speaks to the Sardis church which has a name that is alive but is dead.

They carried a name as ‘Christian’ but were not perfect in their works before God. They are called nominal Christians. Nominal means existing only by name but far below from the real value. Although they go to service, sing hymns, recite the apostle’s creed, and give offerings, they have no inner changes and transformations in heart and mind. They are merely so-called ‘Sunday Christians.’ They have no power, fragrance, and influence as Christians in the midst of daily lives. They are dead, Christ Jesus the Lord says.

So, Jesus says to the angel of church in Sardis to be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die. What are the things which remain? Jesus gives the answer, saying “Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent.” Note that the Lord says them to remember how they have received and heard, which is obviously through the faith in Christ Jesus. We all know that when we couldn’t do anything at all to get out of the bondage of confusion and darkness God sent His begotten Son Jesus through whom we were made delivered and freed. That’s how we have received and heard Jesus. We have simply exercised the gift of faith given from the Father in heaven. “Hold fast and repent,” says Jesus. It means to keep on holding fast the faith in Christ Jesus just as we have received and heard Him the first place. And Jesus says to keep on repenting which means to accept the fact that we have nothing to depend upon ourselves because our confidence is coming from God.   

Otherwise, the Lord will come like a thief and no one knows what hour He will come. It could be this evening or tomorrow and nobody knows the times and seasons which the Father in heaven knows. The point is though we do not know the time Jesus will come for sure suddenly and unexpectedly. That’s the reason our Lord Jesus says, “Be watchful!”

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 NKJV)

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Matthew 24:36-39 NKJV)

Still hope remains in Sardis that there are a few people who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Jesus in white, for they are worthy. It indicates that some still kept the faith in Christ Jesus and so they were not defiled. The most wonderful promise of Jesus Christ our Lord is given to those who hold fast and repent in the name of Christ. “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”

Those who continue to live by faith in Christ Jesus will be clothed in white garments and their names shall not be blotted out from the Book of Life. Christ Jesus the Lord will call their names before the Holy Father and before the host of angels. Christ can save anyone in any circumstance like the dead church of Sardis. Therefore, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Yes, we continue to listen carefully what the Spirit says. The Holy Spirit is our Inner Teacher who teaches and makes the mysteries of God known in our hearts when we deliberately and diligently read and meditate the words of truth.

Christ the Lord Opens Our Hearts (Acts 16:14)

“Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.” (Acts 16:14 NKJV)

Who can open our hearts to receive Christ, even to heed things written in the Scripture? There is only One who can do it is the Lord Jesus Christ. Who can make the scripture known and understood to our hearts? Christ Jesus is the One who can do it by means of the Spirit according to the plan made even before the creation of the world. “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:13-14 NKJV) No man can do this besides God Himself.

Then, what’s our part in witnessing of the gospel including Paul? It’s simply used as the noble instruments of God. Paul and Silas went to the riverside to pray in Philippi and there he met a group of women and spoke to Lydia. The Lord Jesus opened her heart to heed things spoken by the Apostle. It is said by Jesus, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:44 NKJV) Salvation is entirely and completely up to the Father in heaven.

“For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.” And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.” (Romans 9:9-13 NKJV)

We all in Christ Jesus are called for His good works in each sanctified place at work or study, in driving or home, or wherever. That’s what we are in Christ because we’re washed and cleansed by His blood. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10 NKJV)

Repent of Sexual Immorality (Revelation 2:18-29)

“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write,

‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.

“Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden. But hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—

‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron;

They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’—

as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’ (Revelation 2:18-29 NKJV)

Jesus Christ who is the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass speaks to the church in Thyatira. He searches our hearts and minds. Jesus knew their works, love, service, faith, and their patience and they were doing more works than at first. Nevertheless, they allowed the false prophetess Jezebel who taught and seduced the people of God to commit sexual immorality and to eat things sacrificed to idols. This is not an ancient story in the first century, but the most up-to-date reality that even some renowned churches in this age allow this doctrine and teaching like premarital sex and homosexuality.

Jesus says that He gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality but she didn’t. So, the wrath of God revealed that she was cast into a sickbed, those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, and her children would be killed with death. The wrath of God does not mean to bring down fire and brimstone from heaven unto her and those who commit adultery with her, but to lift the constraints of His power and thus allow the lawlessness as they wished and desired. It is so irony that she loves her bed to commit sexual immorality which causes her to be sick in the bed. Her children would be experiencing all forms of death like emptiness, nothingness, futility, meaninglessness, powerlessness including physical death. That’s the wrath of God being revealed to those who do not repent of their wrongdoings and trespasses.

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.” (Romans 1:18-19 NKJV)

“Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” (Romans 1:24-25 NKJV)

“For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.” (Romans 1:26 NKJV)

But this is not the end of story! He who listens and repents of his deeds will be saved. God searches our hearts of minds and knows already what are inside. Yet, He judges according to our deeds and works, not according to thoughts and wishes. God is so patient and gracious that He waits in longsuffering for us to change our minds and do the right things in the eyes of the One who sees all things. And those who do not know this doctrine, the depths of Satan will be not put on other burden on them.

But they shall hold fast what they have till I come, says Jesus. What they have is love, faith, service, and their patience. Jesus speaks further, saying “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—

‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron;

They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’—

as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star.

‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

This is the picture of millennium reign of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who overcomes, and keeps His works until the end, to him Jesus will give power over the nations. It is so quite amazing and marvelous to capture the hope of God even in the so corrupted church in Thyatira that there are some who keep the works of Christ until the end. They will be given the morning star, Christ Jesus, by the Father God in heaven.