In the real world, we often put up a front to hide our reality, because we first of all don’t want to realize it ourselves and then we most definitely don’t want the rest of the world to realize it. Why do we hide and cover our reality? Because our reputation is more important than what’s real.

This was the nature of the church at Sardis; they valued reputation over reality. In Revelation chapter 3, Jesus corrected the church at Sardis for appearing to be alive when they were really dead. Someone is listening today, in-person or online, and if you’re honest with yourself, you see that in reality, something in you too is either dead or dying. As we discuss this chapter, we will see that we can receive Christ’s correction and experience real life in Christ through the three ways that the text gives.