THE WALKING DEAD
Revelation 3:1-7

Introduction:     (Illus. Oxymoron = words that contradict but are put together: Ill-health, pretty-ugly, freezer-burn. Another oxymoron is “Dead-Church.”) This church is not a dying church, it is a dead church; it was void of spiritual life! This is a message to the dead church. Every church ought to check-up once in a while to be sure that there are not signs of deadness spring up in them or in our individual lives. What are the warning signs that keep us from becoming a part of the walking dead?

I.          THE REPUTATION OF A DEAD CHURCH (VV.1-3)

A church may have an outward reputation and still be dead. (Illus. All talk and no do…)

A.           Seen In Their Hollowness (v.1)

Churches can’t live in the past. God is present tense (I Am) the God of right now! A living church not only celebrates the victories of the past, they expect God to do things right now! They expect things that they have not seen before and for God to move them to a new level and intimacy with Him! Not so with the dead church, they are hollow (expound) all they have is a reputation. I don’t want to be a dead Christian.

B.         Seen In Their Carelessness (v.2)

“Be watchful” = WAKE UP! (Illus. You are responsible for your own spiritual life) If you stop meeting with God (prayer & Bible study etc.) a coldness will settle over your life and you can blame it on whatever you want, but you are responsible for your own spiritual diet! “Strengthen the things which remain” = starting good…finishing bad. (Illus. D. L. Moody, “I’d rather say this one thing I do; rather than these forty things I dabble with.”) The dead church will dabble a lot and do little. “Perfect” = complete.

            C.        Seen In Their Hopelessness (v.3)

Live believers are moved by the rapture. The walking dead don’t care if anyone is saved or touched by the Spirit of God.

II.         THE REMNANT OF A DEAD CHURCH (VV.4-5)

Thank God for His remnant! (Mat 7:14 ) "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Even among the redeemed there is only a small remnant that has a real hunger and passion for God! The remnant drives the walking dead crazy (life & death repel each other). How do you know the difference? (Illus. Appetite & Actions) There is a remnant in the church that got the real thing!

A.                 A Virtuous Remnant (v.4)

Clean and pure because of Jesus. Why? Because they walked with Jesus!

B.                 A Victorious Remnant (v.5)

We overcome in Jesus and we are eternally secure (never to be blotted out of the Book of Life). (Illus. Popular in that day to list names of those born in the community in the record books and remove at death…) I believe when you come to faith in Jesus your name is recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life and will never be removed; then when we are ushered into the presence of God, Jesus will present us before the throne just as He said!

III.       THE REVIVAL OF A DEAD CHURCH (V.6)

How can dead Christians in a dead church be revived?

A.                 Hush Up

You can’t listen if you’re doing all the talking. The problem is not that the Lord is not talking, but that we have too much noise in our lives (expound)!

B.                 Look Up

To have revival we must get our eyes back on Jesus (v.1).

            C.        Fill Up

“Seven Spirits & Seven Stars” = Completeness (Fullness) Divine. The fullness of the Holy Spirit comes when we let the Holy Spirit have all of us (expound).

D.        Straighten Up

How? (v.3) Repent! (Illus. Don’t clean out the cobwebs; kill the spider!)

Conclusion:       Three steps to avoid becoming a part of the walking dead: Have a remembrance of the past and when Jesus saved you; have a recognition of the present power of Jesus to deliver and keep you; and have a readiness for the future. (Luke 12:37)  "Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching..."

 How will Jesus find you when he comes again?