Sardis, Philadelphia & Laodicea

What matters to Jesus is not a church’s outer appearance but its inner faithfulness.

• Beware of complacency - following Jesus is a whole-person, whole-life commitment (3.1-2). 

• Beware of self-sufficiency - wealth is no substitute for faithfulness (3.17).

• God delights in doing great things through those who endure with humble faithfulness (3.8-9, cf. 1 Cor. 16.9, Isa. 45.14).

Discussion Questions: 

1. How would you explain the dangers of complacency and self-sufficiency? How do they distract the church from its mission? 
2. How do the visions of Rv. 4-22 point us and call us toward lives of humble faithfulness?