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Preparing for the Sermon - Revelation 3:1-6 (Part 2)

February 14, 2024 by Campbell Bortel Preparing for Sunday
Book of Revelation Sermon Title Correct Size
PREPARE YOUR HEART FOR THE SERMON BY LOOKING THROUGH THESE SUGGESTIONS THAT WILL ASSIST YOU IN MAKING THE MOST OF OUR TIME TOGETHER HEARING GOD'S WORD.

You will find suggestions for thinking more critically through the passage, meditating more intently on the text, and prayerfully seeking wisdom to deepen your understanding of the passage to be preached this Sunday.

Carefully Think

  • Sardis was known for its woven textile industry. How might the imagery of soiled garments find a particular emphasis in a city with this cultural context?
  • According to one commentator “Those with soiled garments were removed from the public lists of citizens in Sardis. In the pagan religions it was forbidden to approach the gods in garments that were soiled or stained (Expositors Bible Commentary, 446).” How does this context impact your understanding of this illustration with reference to this church in Sardis?
  • How does the letter to the church in Sardis expose their overemphasis on outward appearance instead of inward purity? In what ways does this show up in your own life?
  • What does it mean to walk with Jesus? What does it mean to walk with him in white?
  • How is the permanence of Christ’s promise displayed in how he describes those who overcome?

Prayerfully Meditate

  • How might passages such as 1 Cor. 8:7, 2 Cor. 7:1, and Jude 23 influence the way you understand the imagery of soiled garments?
  • Look up these references. How do they provide color to your understanding of this letter to Sardis? (Ps. 51:7, Ecc. 9:8, Is. 1:18, Dan. 7:9, Matt. 28:3, Rev. 7:14, Rev. 19:8).
  • Read Exodus 32:32-33 and examine the surrounding context. How might this passage influence your understanding of the names recorded in the book of life?
  • According to some historians, Christians who were loyal to Christ instead of the culture were at risk of being stripped of their citizenship. How does Christ’s promise to the faithful show the surpassing worth of Christ in comparison to the world?
  • Read Philippians 3:18-21. How does this passage pair with the letter to the church in Sardis? What does it look like to live as a citizen of heaven instead of the world?
  • What is the difference between spiritual alertness and paranoia? Where might fear be present in the way you live and assess spiritual health in yourself and others?
  • How can you cultivate alertness? How is prayer essential to this? List several ways.