Revelation 3

3 “To the angel[a] of the church in Sardis write:...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.

First, I thought you made a insightful observation of how quick things had run a muck within the church.  They are living in the days near the resurrection yet the church is already becoming a mess.

Today I a see instruction for a church near the time of Jesus that remains an instruction over 2,000 years later.  As a church it is easy to put on a fake covering that looks like we have it all together or that we are truly doing the will of God.  But He knows our hearts, are we truly worshiping him and living for him or are we falling prey to the ways of the world we live in?  Its not to late for change, it says strengthen what remains and is about to die.  So we have an opportunity to remember what we had received, go back to those days when you first believed and the enthusiasm of a new found faith.  I'm wondering along in my thoughts without a clear objective to state.  I guess just be authentic in your faith and don't get caught up in human made rules and ways of doing church but be alive and truly worship the God of the entire universe, keeping the words of this book close to your heart.   enough of my rambling thoughts.

knut