Sardis

[micah719]

Sardis - "prince of joy"



Rev 3:1-6
1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.


Sardis Acropolis


Lutheran "Church of our lady" - Dresden

[WKUHilltopper]

I've never quite understood if the messages to specific churches (that we may be members of now and not know) or a description of "church ages". Interesting nonetheless.


Just as a side bar question--the picture of the church in Dresden--did it survive the air raid?

[micah719]

The seven churches of Revelation were literal churches, also can be seen as prophetic churches, and even as states of heart of individuals.

The Frauenkirche in Dresden was hit by incendiaries in the 1945 raid, burnt out from the inside, and collapsed. The commies left the ruins as a "monument", and it was rebuilt after the re-unification of Germany at huge cost. One wonders how many Bibles could have been bought for the money. It is an emotional subject. One of my patients was in the city when it was bombed. The raid is still controversial and must be seen not only as a political expedient but also as a significant judgement. I don't listen long to complaints from Germans about how awful the war was....the great majority of that generation were willing to go along as long as the going was good, and even after the going got bad. I forgive them for what they did and allowed to happen, but my sympathy dries up fast, and even faster when they let slip something that hints that they regret the "good old days" passed. If things get too far out of hand a casual enquiry about how their Jewish neighbours and schoolfriends are going these days stops the whining. Hopefully they are thinking of how fortunate they are to be alive to complain. I've had old men boast of meeting Adolph, heard of them cursing foreign carers, and even heard of one of Goering's former bodyguards boasting of the people he executed. He eventually added himself to his list, a last selfish act of murder. Witnessing The Gospel is extra hard, they've been inoculated and hardened and the system in this place is inherently anti-Christian even while it claims to be His church. Still, The Lord knows who His are, and can save even the worst sinner at the last moment. He got me, and has preserved me through some tough times and is preparing me for more, and hasn't let me drop though I have given Him countless reasons to do so. Grace is wonderful when you understand it and experience it.....but don't abuse it, He hits hard, too. The best Father, wholly in a different class than we, and as infinitely far higher in degree as in kind.

I chose the picture of that church building because imho it symbolizes the dead denominationalism that held onto the leaven that should have been ditched in the Reformation. The historical events around that building also sum up the fruit of that system's compromise and harlotry with the German state and the roman cult, in whatever form it has taken since the thirty years war. It also stands for the system that spawned the German leaven of higher criticism and liberal theology and marched side by side with the troops of the Prussian army and the second and third "reichs". At the moment it is hand in paw with the fourth reich being set up.....the EU.

Sardis was topographically defensible on three sides, and only relied on fortifications along one side. It was taken several times the same way, by attackers climbing those cliffs. Each time the defenders forgot their lesson...they neglected to properly guard the very strength of their position so that it became the weakness. Most instructive. The strength of the church is The Gospel, the very Lord Himself....for salvation is wholly of The Lord. Neglect that and it matters not what walls you build or how well you guard them, the enemy will get in behind and amongst you and rip you up.

Laodicea is a fine contrast.....militarily it was indefensible, so they just surrendered to whoever came along and made terms.

I intend to add to each of the threads dedicated to the seven churches....Scripture cross-references, history of the towns and parallels to the historical church, and application in the lives of believers, pics and videos....an interesting little project.

[WKUHilltopper]

The seven churches of Revelation were literal churches, also can be seen as prophetic churches, and even as states of heart of individuals.

The Frauenkirche in Dresden was hit by incendiaries in the 1945 raid, burnt out from the inside, and collapsed. The commies left the ruins as a "monument", and it was rebuilt after the re-unification of Germany at huge cost. One wonders how many Bibles could have been bought for the money. It is an emotional subject. One of my patients was in the city when it was bombed. The raid is still controversial and must be seen not only as a political expedient but also as a significant judgement. I don't listen long to complaints from Germans about how awful the war was....the great majority of that generation were willing to go along as long as the going was good, and even after the going got bad. I forgive them for what they did and allowed to happen, but my sympathy dries up fast, and even faster when they let slip something that hints that they regret the "good old days" passed. If things get too far out of hand a casual enquiry about how their Jewish neighbours and schoolfriends are going these days stops the whining. Hopefully they are thinking of how fortunate they are to be alive to complain. I've had old men boast of meeting Adolph, heard of them cursing foreign carers, and even heard of one of Goering's former bodyguards boasting of the people he executed. He eventually added himself to his list, a last selfish act of murder. Witnessing The Gospel is extra hard, they've been inoculated and hardened and the system in this place is inherently anti-Christian even while it claims to be His church. Still, The Lord knows who His are, and can save even the worst sinner at the last moment. He got me, and has preserved me through some tough times and is preparing me for more, and hasn't let me drop though I have given Him countless reasons to do so. Grace is wonderful when you understand it and experience it.....but don't abuse it, He hits hard, too. The best Father, wholly in a different class than we, and as infinitely far higher in degree as in kind.

I chose the picture of that church building because imho it symbolizes the dead denominationalism that held onto the leaven that should have been ditched in the Reformation. The historical events around that building also sum up the fruit of that system's compromise and harlotry with the German state and the roman cult, in whatever form it has taken since the thirty years war. It also stands for the system that spawned the German leaven of higher criticism and liberal theology and marched side by side with the troops of the Prussian army and the second and third "reichs". At the moment it is hand in paw with the fourth reich being set up.....the EU.

Sardis was topographically defensible on three sides, and only relied on fortifications along one side. It was taken several times the same way, by attackers climbing those cliffs. Each time the defenders forgot their lesson...they neglected to properly guard the very strength of their position so that it became the weakness. Most instructive. The strength of the church is The Gospel, the very Lord Himself....for salvation is wholly of The Lord. Neglect that and it matters not what walls you build or how well you guard them, the enemy will get in behind and amongst you and rip you up.

Laodicea is a fine contrast.....militarily it was indefensible, so they just surrendered to whoever came along and made terms.

I intend to add to each of the threads dedicated to the seven churches....Scripture cross-references, history of the towns and parallels to the historical church, and application in the lives of believers, pics and videos....an interesting little project.

Wow...thanks for sharing that, micah. I know I've shared with you before I have a strong interest in history and your discussion was most enjoyable--as well as educational. I'm betting a lot of people don't have much of an idea about Dresden in the first place. I had forgotten the city was in the Soviet zone, so I guess that's why I wasn't sure what happened to that church building.

The seven churches of Revelation were literal churches, also can be seen as prophetic churches, and even as states of heart of individuals.

I've often guessed, guessed--mine you--that it maybe be reflective of heart, but I've also read several "preachers" indicating this was symbolic of some type of "church age". I sort of lean to the "individual" condition and not a specific time frame or age.