Revelation 3:1-6
3 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,
‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. 4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
At the beginning of the Church Year, the season of Advent gives us a wonderful opportunity to consider our own preparations for when our Lord calls us Home to be with Him. Advent focuses largely on our Lord’s second and final Coming when He will put an end to all things and bring His Bride, the Church, to Himself. As we consider the certainty of Last Day, we are encouraged in today’s reading to focus on a few very important things.
First, our Lord knows our works. Truly He knows all things, therefore we cannot hide anything from Him. All works done in and from faith are pleasing to God and serve our neighbor. Though works do not save us, they are they are good for our neighbor, and they are good and acceptable in God’s eyes when they are done in faith.
Next, we are to be watchful and ever looking forward to the Day of the Lord. Being watchful includes availing ourselves of all the ways our Lord wishes to come to us – His Word and Gospel preached, and His Sacraments rightly delivered. Those are the ways that God prepares us for His Coming; those are the ways by which we are strengthened and kept in the one true faith until the end.
Further, we are to hold fast to what we have received. We receive God’s Word preached from our faithful pastor. We receive Christ in His Sacraments. We continue in the church catholic and take our place among all the faithful who have gone before us.
And we get to repent. Repentance itself is a work of the Holy Spirit wrought through the preaching of God’s Law. Repentance – admitting our sins and pleading for God’s mercy in Christ – is an excellent Christian discipline, for then we are always aware of our sinfulness and appreciate all the more what Christ has done to pay for all our sins.
Let us pray: Heavenly Father, give us Your grace and peace this Advent season that we may, by Your blessing and work in us, be prepared for Your final coming and victory; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
