Sardis is the least favoured of the seven churches. It was devoid of life. There was nothing happening other than a hollow pretence of faith. Ray Steadman chillingly calls it “The Church of the Zombies.” Apart from a few believers, they were nominal in belief; having an outward profession but being dead on the inside.

We are on a ten day journey together through part of the book of Revelation. Many Bible readers avoid this book, finding it impenetrable, even scary. It is mysterious, but it is also beautiful and, above all, utterly relevant for Christian living. So, don’t be afraid. We will, I trust, discover some amazing truths together!

Today we are still in heaven. The One sitting on the throne is holding a scroll. It has writing on both sides and is firmly sealed. The seals alarm John because the scroll represents God’s plan to redeem his world and if it cannot be opened then those purposes remain unfulfilled.

Now it starts to get nasty, as we are plunged back to earth and see four coloured horses, a    blackened sun, a blood red moon, falling stars and much more. Are you up for this?

First we have to face the fact that it is the Lamb in heaven who breaks the seals and releases evil on earth.

Reading Revelation is a challenge, but in the end the message is very simple: heaven is for real. Not a remote destination beyond death, but a present reality always promising to break into our earthly life. Heaven, God’s space as it were, is so very close.

Today the roller-coaster shoots us back to the throne room.

The psalmist here is not writing about the person who denies the existence of God. That would have been unheard of in ancient Israel. But there were, then as now, plenty of people who went about their everyday lives as if God could not see what they were doing.

Many would shake their head at this proverb. The natural human impulse is usually to stay away from one’s enemy. But the Lord, loving and compassionate, has a different view on the matter.