“Wake up” is the message to the church in Sardis. Their reputation is for being alive, but they are dead. The little that they do have is about to die. Their works aren’t complete, or perfect. Jesus’ warning is that He will come like a thief. There are some who are okay. They are the life that’s still there. They are alive because they have clean garments. Don’t soil your garments with sin.

The dead church with a good reputation but that is mostly stained with sin, I would probably identify with the liberal church. Their churches might be full of good works. They care about social justice, and we should care about how others are treated, but they may be caring mainly because of what society, what culture has told them was right and wrong. They aren’t caring about what God says is right and wrong.

The Philadelphia church is only told good things. God has seen their works. It matters what we do. God opens the door to them. No one can shut them out of God’s house. They have a welcome. What’s special about these people? They keep God’s word and in keeping the commandments (with a little power, there’s Holy Spirit there, not just knowledge of doctrine) they are loved by God.

Their reward for patiently enduring and abiding is that they will be kept from the hour of trial. I do not think that is referring to rapture. Kept means guard. It can be translated, “guard you in the hour of trial.” We don’t see in Scripture God’s children being totally free from trials. We are promised trials and troubles. But we are delivered out of them all. They don’t get to touch us.

We will conquer because God is the one who guards us and He has already overcome. His life is the overcoming life in us.

We may not be showing off lots of power, but we have what counts, the Spirit of Life with the holiness and righteousness of Christ.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.