In a hospital, a “code blue” signals that a patient is in critical condition and requires urgent, collective action. If not addressed, it can become fatal. Spiritually speaking, the church is in code blue. Many attend services but fail to use their gifts for the benefit of the body. Maybe the reason our nation grows darker is because the light of the church grows dimmer.

Our reputation must match our reality. A lifeless church cannot be revived without the fullness of the Spirit and Spirit-filled leaders. The church in Sardis had a reputation for life, but the reality was death. Today, many churches look vibrant online but lack true spiritual vitality. Signs of a dead church include worshiping the past, resisting change, tolerating carnal leadership, and lacking the desire to evangelize. Christ knows the condition of every church, including ours. He sees both the collective body and the individual believer. It’s possible to serve in ministry and still not truly know the Savior.

The call is clear: wake up and get to work. If you’re still here, God has work for you to do in His Kingdom. We can celebrate the past, but we can’t live there. Raise the quality of your work for Christ. Don’t give your best effort to corporate America while offering leftovers to the church. Reviving a lifeless church requires all of us. If we refuse to wake up, we will face the discipline of Christ. His return is certain, but the timing is unknown.

Still, there is hope. For those who have been trapped by sin, Christ offers a stain remover called grace, mercy, and forgiveness. His cleansing is so complete that others won’t even recognize who you used to be. And for the righteous, there are eternal rewards: eternal victory, eternal security, and eternal publicity.

Christ’s urgent call is simple but serious: wake up and get to work. Awareness of our condition must be followed by action. When our reputation aligns with our reality, the church shines again. And for those who remain faithful, there are eternal rewards for a job well done.

Getting Started

1. If our church got a report card, what areas would we receive an A+ in?
2. What’s a talent or gift that you could be using for the benefit of the church?

Let’s Get Personal

1. Is there any area of your life where there is a gap between how you appear to others and how you’re really doing spiritually?
2. What “quality of work” are you giving Jesus right now compared to the energy and excellence you give to your job, school, or other commitments?
3. When you think about your past, are there places where you’ve experienced Christ’s “stain remover” of grace and forgiveness? How does remembering that encourage you today?

Take the Next Step

1. How can you raise the quality of the effort you give to Christ, whether in worship, serving, or studying His word?
2. Pray and ask God to show you where your reputation doesn’t match your reality, and for the courage to wake up and get to work in the area He reveals.
3. Want to dig deeper?  Take a look at the following passages: Revelation 3:1-6; Revelation 1:4-7, 20; Isaiah 11; Matthew 23:27; Matthew 7:21-23; Philippians 3:13-14; Revelation 2:5, 16, 22-23; Revelation 3:16; 1 Kings 19:18; Daniel 1:6; Malachi 3:16; 1 John 1:9; Revelation 19:14.

Renew Your Mind

‘Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. ‘

Revelation 3:2