The Dead Church

A new minister to a one church town went to visit the people in his new town to invite them to church on Sunday. When Sunday came hardly anyone showed up, so the minister put an ad in the newspaper. The ad said, “That since the church is dead it deserves a proper Christian burial. Please come to church next Sunday for the funeral of the church.” The town wanting to know what a funeral for a church would be showed up the next week. In front of the pulpit was a coffin with flowers all over it. The minister gave his address, and then invited the people to pay their last respects to the dead church. As the people walked up they looked inside the coffin, then turn away with a guilty look. Inside the coffin, place just right, was a large mirror.

Is the church dead? Do we have a passion for worship? Do we love one another? Are we on fire for God? If the church is dead what is our excuse? Do we serve a God that is dead?

Revelation 3 talks about the church in Sardis, “I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God. Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.” (Revelation 3:1-3)

What are Christ’s expectations of the church? He wants us to worship, fellowship, and sever each other. He calls us to love one another and love Him. God wants a church that is passionate and on fire. What excuse do we have? We serve a God that is not dead, but is alive.

“Yet there are some in the church in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes with evil. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine. “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.” (Revelation 3:4-6)

Church let us be alive for we worship Jesus Christ who is alive.

“In the villages of Northern India a missionary was preaching in a bazaar. As he closed, a Muslim gentleman came up and said, "You must admit we have one thing you have not, and it is better than anything you have."
The missionary smiled and said, "I should be pleased to hear what it is."
The Muslim said, "You know when we go to Mecca we at least find a coffin. But when you Christians go to Jerusalem, which is your Mecca, you find nothing but an empty grave."
But the missionary just smiled and said, "That is just the difference. Mohammed is dead; Mohammed is in the coffin. And false systems of religion and philosophy are in their coffins, but Jesus Christ, whose kingdom is to include all nations and kindred and tribes, is not here; He is risen. And all power in heaven and on earth is given unto Him. That is our hope."