In the 500’s BC, the city of Sardis was the capital of King Croesus. Sardis was a citadel that sat high above the surrounding countryside. Any attacking army would have to attempt to climb the elevated position of Sardis and then break through the high walls. Everyone thought this was impossible. Sardis was an impregnable fortress.
Except that it wasn’t. Cyrus, the King of Persia, knew that inside Sardis lay the famous treasury of King Croesus – something that would help Cyrus greatly as he was knocking off old empires like Babylon to create his own. Cyrus wanted the treasury, and he found a way to get it. He surrounded the city of Sardis while Croesus scoffed at this young upstart. But the young upstart found a way into the fortress and routed the complacent King Croesus.
This Sunday is Reformation Day. We will be singing about a “Mighty Fortress”. But the song encourages us to be the opposite of complacent King Croesus. Luther’s words are clear about the risk that we incur living in our fortress. Our fortress may keep us safe, but it also makes us a target for the evil one. Assaults will come, and we should be always on guard. Surprisingly the most dangerous of those assaults may be the subtle assault of complacency that keeps us from guarding our relationship with Christ. When Jesus writes to the church in Sardis in Revelation 2, He calls them out on their complacency. They have the reputation of being alive, but they are dead. If they don’t wake up, Jesus will come and they will be found unready for His coming. They’re committing the same error as old King Croesus in being complacent.
Yet, there is a promise for those who guard this treasure of grace – our relationship with Jesus Christ. To ones who hold fast to faith and repent – to them He promises to be a mighty fortress who will keep them safe. Of these, He says, “I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life.” This Reformation Day, let us mind the walls of our hearts and minds, and let us sing about the Mighty Fortress that keeps us safe from the evil one for all eternity as we repent and hold fast to our faith in Him.