55 - Sardis (ft. G.K. Chesterton)

The Greek word Gregoron in Revelation 3:2 means “Watch out!” or “Wake Up!”.

(It’s also where we get the name Gregory.)

This episode is the fifth of seven in a little miniseries about the seven churches that Jesus directly addressed, and Jesus told this church to “Wake up!”

This church is Sardis, but Jesus’ words to them apply to every single Christian in the twenty first century also.

Why did Jesus shout at Sardis to wake up?

To answer that, first we have to know what Sardis was.

Sardis was the ridiculously wealthy and corrupt capital of the Lydian empire. Sardis was the Paris of its day. It had once been the capitol of the legendarily wealthy Lydian empire. Myth told that Midas came to Sardis to be rid of his golden touch and washed in the waters coming from Mount Tmolus and left behind a reside of gold dust. Midas left his golden touch with Sardis, and everything the city touched turned to gold.

Yes, King Midas with the golden touch? Yup, he was Lydian. Remember King Croessus, of the common phrase “Rich as Croessus”? Yup, he was Lydian too.

In fact, Croessus had so much gold lying around that apparently he stamped his face on some of it and invented currency.

Hence, as the birthplace of currency Sardis was the center of finance in the ancient world, so it was not only Paris but the ancient New York Stock Exchange as well.

Yes, Life was good in Sardis and luxuries abounded.

Sardis was wealthy beyond belief and to protect that wealth it was built high up on a ridge with some of the most technologically impressive walls of its era. Every military leader agreed, its walls couldn’t be breached by direct attack.

Or so they thought…

This episode digs deeper into “gregoron” (γρηγορῶν meaning ‘Watch out!’ or ‘Wake up!) in Revelation 3:2.

Revelation 3:2 - “Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 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.” (NIV)

‘Vulgarised’ by G.K. Chesterton is public domain from his collection of poetry entitled The Wild Knight and Other Poems published in 1900.

Mentioned:

Battle of Pteria - “A Great Kingdom will fall!”

YouTube video of the Ruins of Sardis’ Walls

The Goddess Cybele

The Man Who Was Thursday - G.K. Chesterton

‘Vulgarised’ by G.K. Chesterton

“Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means at the point of highest reality. ”

― C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

What is a Bammerhab?

“You have not given me into the hands of the enemybut have set my feet in a spacious place.” (Ps. 31:8 - NIV)

The phrase “in a spacious place” is the Hebrew word: Bammerhab.

Thanks to:

• Aaron Woodard for Graphic Design

• Dave Allam of Allam House for podcasting techniques

• Bible Hub for Greek / Hebrew resources