Have you ever bitten into a piece of fruit that looked to be ripe and ready to eat only to find that it was soft, sour or simply spoiled? At best it’s disappointing, but at its worst it can be sickening. In Revelation 3, Jesus spoke to the church in Sardis saying, “you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead.” In other words, they looked one way from the outside, but on the inside, He saw that they were much different. Had they fallen into the trap of the Pharisees, being so interested in looking religious that they had become disconnected from the One they were created to worship? Or was this something more? In trying to look appealing to others had they fooled themselves? Tonight, we talk about what it means to be spiritually dead, for our works to be found “not perfect” and for our garments to be white. As is always the case of Jesus’ character, He didn’t send a message of condemnation, but of warning, a calling to repent, to change course and a promise that if they would hear Him and respond, He would reward them with Himself. I pray that we will leave our discussion less concerned with how we are viewed by the world and focused completely on being seen by God.