Proverbs 8:1-11 (NIV) 1 Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? 2 At the highest point along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; 3 beside the gate leading into the city, at the entrance, she cries aloud: 4 “To you, O people, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind. 5 You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, set your hearts on it. 6 Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. 7 My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. 8 All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. 9 To the discerning all of them are right; they are upright to those who have found knowledge. 10 Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, 11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.
Revelation 3:1-3 (NIV) 1 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits[ of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 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. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
On the surface, the church in Sardis was doing well. They were not being persecuted. They were not bogged down in false teaching. They were active, prosperous, and well thought of in the community. But, they were dead. They lacked the life-giving power of God’s Spirit. They were doing good deeds, but they were not accomplishing God’s work.
The challenge to the church at Sardis was to receive the life giving presence of God’s spirit to their deeds, so that God would not be simply an external power and authority, but one who lived in them, transforming their thinking and feelings, renewing their minds, inspiring their hearts, and working through their words and deeds.
When the goals come from the Head of the Church, the body also receives the power to do them. The Lord is gracious to us and understanding of our nature. But I believe the challenge to us is to be a listening church. A living church is a listening church. As obvious and simple as that may sound, in our headstrong and headlong ways of doing things, it may be one of the most difficult things to practice. Just as love for other people is seen in a willingness to listen to them, so love for God is seen in a willingness to listen to His Word as found in Scripture, in prayer, and as that Word incarnate in the lives of His people.
From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope November 4, 1984
© Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell
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