REVELATION , Sarah Barry
HOLD IT FAST, AND REPENT
Passage: Revelation 3:1~13  
Key verse: 3a
To the Church in Sardis
3 “To the angel[a] of the church in Sardis(A) write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits[b](B) of God and the seven stars.(C) I know your deeds;(D) you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.(E) 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent.(F) But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief,(G) and you will not know at what time(H) I will come to you.
4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes.(I) They will walk with me, dressed in white,(J) for they are worthy. 5 The one who is victorious(K) will, like them, be dressed in white.(L) I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life,(M) but will acknowledge that name before my Father(N) and his angels. 6 Whoever has ears, let them hear(O) what the Spirit says to the churches.
To the Church in Philadelphia
7 “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia(P) write:
These are the words of him who is holy(Q) and true,(R) who holds the key of David.(S) What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds.(T) See, I have placed before you an open door(U) that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.(V) 9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan,(W) who claim to be Jews though they are not,(X) but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet(Y) and acknowledge that I have loved you.(Z) 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you(AA) from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world(AB) to test(AC) the inhabitants of the earth.(AD)
11 I am coming soon.(AE) Hold on to what you have,(AF) so that no one will take your crown.(AG) 12 The one who is victorious(AH) I will make a pillar(AI) in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God(AJ) and the name of the city of my God,(AK) the new Jerusalem,(AL) which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears, let them hear(AM) what the Spirit says to the churches.
Footnotes
- Revelation 3:1 Or messenger; also in verses 7 and 14
- Revelation 3:1 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
Cross references
- Revelation 3:1 : Rev 1:11
- Revelation 3:1 : S Rev 1:4
- Revelation 3:1 : S Rev 1:16
- Revelation 3:1 : S Rev 2:2
- Revelation 3:1 : 1Ti 5:6
- Revelation 3:3 : S Rev 2:5
- Revelation 3:3 : S Lk 12:39
- Revelation 3:3 : Lk 12:39
- Revelation 3:4 : Jude 23
- Revelation 3:4 : ver 5, 18; Rev 4:4; 6:11; 7:9, 13, 14; 19:14
- Revelation 3:5 : S Jn 16:33
- Revelation 3:5 : S ver 4
- Revelation 3:5 : S Rev 20:12
- Revelation 3:5 : Mt 10:32
- Revelation 3:6 : S Rev 2:7
- Revelation 3:7 : Rev 1:11
- Revelation 3:7 : S Mk 1:24
- Revelation 3:7 : 1Jn 5:20; Rev 6:10; 19:11
- Revelation 3:7 : Isa 22:22; Mt 16:19
- Revelation 3:8 : S Rev 2:2
- Revelation 3:8 : S Ac 14:27
- Revelation 3:8 : Rev 2:13
- Revelation 3:9 : Rev 2:9
- Revelation 3:9 : Rev 2:9
- Revelation 3:9 : Isa 49:23
- Revelation 3:9 : Isa 43:4; S Ro 8:37
- Revelation 3:10 : 2Pe 2:9
- Revelation 3:10 : S Mt 24:14
- Revelation 3:10 : Rev 2:10
- Revelation 3:10 : Rev 6:10; 8:13; 11:10; 13:8, 14; 17:8
- Revelation 3:11 : S Mt 16:27
- Revelation 3:11 : Rev 2:25
- Revelation 3:11 : S 1Co 9:25
- Revelation 3:12 : S Jn 16:33
- Revelation 3:12 : Gal 2:9
- Revelation 3:12 : Rev 14:1; 22:4
- Revelation 3:12 : Eze 48:35
- Revelation 3:12 : Gal 4:26; Rev 21:2, 10
- Revelation 3:13 : S Rev 2:7
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. Remember (1-6)
To people Sardis had the reputation of being alive: growing in number with many dynamic activities; but Jesus said they were dead spiritually and needed to wake up. How? Remember the gospel they have received and heard, examine their lives and activities in the sight of God, repent and do what pleases him, not people. Those who didn't soil their robes with compromise Jesus would acknowledge before God. Reputation before the Father and angels is more important than the honor of people.
2. Yet you have kept my word (7-13)
In contrast, Philadelphia had little strength and no reputation. But Jesus was pleased to bless them by opening an eternal door for them, making their enemies bow before them, and delivering them from suffering and trials. Why? They kept his word, didn't deny his name, and kept his command to endure patiently. Jesus encourages them that he is coming soon, so "hold on to what you have."
Prayer: Father, help me live in your sight, hold fast to Jesus' words, and repent.
One Word: Remember and hold to the gospel