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Is Your Name in the Book of Life?Revelation—Its Grand Climax At Hand!
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For the first time, Jesus does not begin his message with a word of commendation. Instead, he says: “And to the angel of the congregation in Sardis write: These are the things that he says who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars, ‘I know your deeds, that you have the name that you are alive, but you are dead.’”—Revelation 3:1.
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Is Your Name in the Book of Life?Revelation—Its Grand Climax At Hand!
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The congregation in Sardis has the reputation of being alive, active. But Jesus can see that it is spiritually dead. Evidently, most of its members have relapsed into an apathy similar to their condition before they became Christians.—Compare Ephesians 2:1-3; Hebrews 5:11-14.
3. (a) Why should “the angel of the congregation in Sardis” take special note of the fact that Jesus has “the seven stars”? (b) What strong counsel does Jesus give the congregation in Sardis?
3 Jesus also reminds “the angel of the congregation in Sardis” that He is the one who has “the seven stars.” He holds those congregation elders in his right hand, having authority to direct them in their shepherding work. They should set their hearts to ‘knowing positively the appearance of the flock.’ (Proverbs 27:23) Hence, they had better listen carefully to Jesus’ next words: “Become watchful, and strengthen the things remaining that were ready to die, for I have not found your deeds fully performed before my God. Therefore, continue mindful of how you have received and how you heard, and go on keeping it, and repent. Certainly unless you wake up, I shall come as a thief, and you will not know at all at what hour I shall come upon you.”—Revelation 3:2, 3.
4. How would Peter’s words help the congregation in Sardis to “strengthen the things remaining”?
4 The elders in Sardis need to remember the joy they first had when they learned the truth and the blessings they then received. But now they are dead as to spiritual activity. Their congregational lamp is flickering because of lack of works of faith. Years before, the apostle Peter wrote to the congregations in Asia (likely including Sardis) to build appreciation for the glorious good news that Christians had accepted and that had been declared “with holy spirit sent forth from heaven”—as represented by the seven spirits of John’s vision. Peter also reminded those Asian Christians that they belonged to ‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for special possession, that they should declare abroad the excellencies of the one that called them out of darkness into his wonderful light.’ (1 Peter 1:12, 25; 2:9) Meditating on such spiritual truths will help the congregation in Sardis to repent and “strengthen the things remaining.”—Compare 2 Peter 3:9.
5. (a) What happened to the appreciation of the Christians in Sardis? (b) What will happen if the Sardis Christians do not respond to Jesus’ counsel?
5 At the moment, their appreciation and love of the truth are like a fire that has almost died out. Just a few embers continue to glow. Jesus encourages them to fan the spark, stir up the fire, repent of the sins into which their negligence has led them, and become a spiritually alive congregation once again. (Compare 2 Timothy 1:6, 7.) Otherwise, when Jesus comes unexpectedly—“as a thief”—to execute judgment, the congregation in Sardis will be unprepared.—Matthew 24:43, 44.
Coming “as a Thief”
6. How did Jesus come “as a thief” in 1918, and what situation did he find among his professed followers?
6 Jesus’ warning that he would come “as a thief” reaches down into modern times. It had a special application for Christians who survived into the Lord’s day. Soon after 1914, there was a fulfillment of Malachi’s prophecy: “‘Suddenly there will come to His temple the true Lord, whom you people are seeking, and the messenger of the covenant in whom you are delighting. Look! He will certainly come,’ Jehovah of armies has said.” (Malachi 3:1; Revelation 1:10) As “messenger of the covenant,” Jesus came to inspect and judge those who claimed to be his followers. (1 Peter 4:17) At that time, in 1918, Christendom was embroiled in the shedding of blood in World War I and was completely dead, spiritually speaking. Even true Christians, who before the war had preached so zealously, went through a time of spiritual drowsiness. Some of their prominent elders were put into prison, and the preaching activity almost stopped. When Jehovah’s spirit awakened these Christians the following year, not all were ready. Some, like the foolish virgins of Jesus’ parable, were not equipped spiritually for the privilege of serving Jehovah. Happily, though, there were many who, like the discreet virgins, had heeded Jesus’ warning: “Keep on the watch, therefore, because you know neither the day nor the hour.”—Matthew 25:1-13.
7. Why do Christians today need to keep awake?
7 The need for a Christian to be alert did not end early in the Lord’s day. In his great prophecy concerning “the sign when all these things are destined to come to a conclusion,” Jesus gave a strong warning: “Concerning that day or the hour nobody knows . . . Keep looking, keep awake, for you do not know when the appointed time is. But what I say to you I say to all, Keep on the watch.” (Mark 13:4, 32, 33, 37) Yes, up to this very hour, each one of us, whether of the anointed or of the great crowd, needs to stay alert and fight against drifting into spiritual sleep. When Jehovah’s day comes “as a thief in the night,” may we be found wide awake so as to receive a favorable judgment.—1 Thessalonians 5:2, 3; Luke 21:34-36; Revelation 7:9.
8. How has the John class today stimulated God’s people to keep spiritually alive?
8 The John class today is itself awake to the need for stimulating God’s people to keep spiritually alive. To this end, special gatherings are arranged throughout the earth several times each year. In a recent year, attendance at 2,981 district conventions totaled 10,953,744, and 122,701 new believers were baptized. For more than a hundred years, the John class has used the Watchtower magazine in announcing Jehovah’s name and purpose. In response to bitter persecutions during the two world wars, The Watchtower aroused Jehovah’s Witnesses to renewed zeal by publishing articles such as “Blessed Are the Fearless” (1919), “A Call to Action” (1925), and “Defeat of Persecution” (1942).
9. (a) What should all Christians be asking themselves? (b) What encouragement has The Watchtower given?
9 As in Sardis, so in the congregations today, continued self-examination is vital for all Christians. All of us should keep asking ourselves: Are our “deeds fully performed” before our God? Without judging others, do we personally cultivate the spirit of self-sacrifice and strive to render whole-souled service to God? In this connection, the Watchtower magazine has given encouragement by discussing topics such as “Keep Proving What You Yourselves Are” and “Living No Longer for Ourselves.”a Having such Scriptural help, let us probe our innermost selves as we try to walk humbly and prayerfully in integrity before Jehovah.—Psalm 26:1-3; 139:23, 24.
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