I stand at the door
Revelation 3:20-3:22
Introduction-
Last week we looked at letting the Holy Spirit work in our lives.
Sometimes I feel I need to preach the same message twice in a row so we get it.
Paul said that he “resolved to know nothing while he was with them except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”
He understood Christ
He understood the power that was available to believers. Not only to overcome obstacles but to live a productive and pleasing life to God.
1 Corinthians 2:9-
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind can conceive, what God has prepared for those who love Him.”
Do you believe that this morning?
You cannot imagine the extent that God would go to get our attention and how far He won’t go to win over our hearts.
To those that do not know Christ, the things of God doesn’t make sense. It is too deep because it is spiritually discerned and they cannot comprehend it.
To those that know Christ- it is God’s simple love we accept by faith and trust God to reveal His truth to us.
Remember last week the 3 stages of mankind.
Natural man
Carnal man
Spiritual man
We have to be one of them. Each one of us falls into one of these stages.
Natural man-
Cannot know God because he/she is still in sin and has no desire for the things of God, In fact, the things of God are foolishness and don’t make sense.
Carnal man-
Is a person of the flesh. They function by human desires and may have faith in Jesus, but Jesus is not a priority in their life. Jesus is on the back burner.
Spiritual man-
They have a relationship with God. They are in a right relationship with Jesus. The Bible calls them teachable because they desire God to change things that are going on in their lives.
That is the thought that I want you to be thinking about as we read the familiar text for this morning.
Revelation 3:20-3:22
“Here I am (Jesus speaking) I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. “
Prayer
He is talking about standing at the door of our hearts and we have a choice weather we will let Him in. we always take that verse as unbelievers with Jesus standing and wanting them to let him into their hearts. It is… unbelievers have an opportunity to let Jesus into their hearts when he knocks and they respond.
Don’t read that too fast, Jesus is addressing seven churches and each one He has found fault with and is standing waiting for them to allow him to change them.
Church at Ephesus- the first church, he says that you have lost your first love. You work hard but you have lost focus and you need to return to me your first love.
Church at Smyrna- He offers encouragement. I see what you guys are going through. Be faithful, I see the affliction and you need to hang on.
Church at Pergamum- short version- They have a split doctrine. The doctrine of Christ and the doctrine they made up to fit their lives that don’t match up with Christ. (Reconcile their doctrine)
Church at Thyatira- spirit of Jezebel. I think this the carnal church doing things by human nature and allowing sexual sin and personal desires to get in front of what God wants. (Put God first)
Church at Sardis- I think this is the big church on the corner where everyone is looking at it and thinking that it is alive and well. Things must be happening there! And God saying that you are dead. Wake up up before it is too late!
Church at Philadelphia- I would hope that this is the church at Rosedale. I have placed an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept thy word and have not denied me. Hold on! I am coming soon and my reward is with me.
Church at Laodicea- everyone hopes and prays they are not this church. The lukewarm church that Jesus rebukes and will spit out of his mouth. You are not hot or cold. I wish that you would be one or the other. (Make a decision- for or against Christ)
After describing these churches, we find our text.
Jesus standing at the door of our hearts knocking.
Saying that whoever hears his voice and opens up their heart that he would come into their lives and fellowship with them.
Isn’t it like we are reading the mail of these churches?
Have not all of us been in some of these same situations with our relationship with God?
We all have not answered the door after seeing who was at our door?
Weather it was a religious group selling magazines
salesmen trying to sell something
Neighbors who wanted to borrow a cup of sugar or listen to their problems.
Then there are those that knock at your door and no matter:
what you are doing
what your schedule is
No matter what you have on, you will be opening that door because you have put them on the welcome side of your life. Amen.
Which one is Jesus?
What happens when Jesus comes to the door? I know the right answer, so do you, but what happens?
No matter what version of this text you read,
Behold I stand at the door
Look, I am standing
I am standing
(NIV) here I am, I stand at the door.
It is Jesus standing waiting to see if we will let Him in.
He doesn’t push the door down. In fact, most painting show Jesus knocking at a door that has no outside door knob because He wants to be invited into our lives , not forced.
Jesus never gives up on us.
We have all closed the door in the face of Jesus but He still attempts to knock.
We have all checked it out and for whatever reason, it was not a good time to let Him in.
The great thing about Jesus is that He loves us enough to not do to us what we have done to Him.
He never gives up.
He never breaks the door down or forces us to do something we don’t want to do.
He gives us a choice.
Sometimes Jesus comes knocking when our life is a mess.
He knocks wanting to help us.
We think that he is intruding on our lives and our freedoms.
We look in the window and then stay away from the door.
That is the time that Jesus wants a breakthrough in our life.
We need a breakthrough!
We need Jesus to change our circumstances and our lives. Most of the time He wants to change us first, so we don’t answer the door.
The breakthrough comes after we let Jesus into the circumstances and situations.
We live in a Laodicean church age.
Not hot or cold
we try to be religious, but not too religious.
We try to have Jesus in our life, but not enough to change things.
Jesus does not want us to serve Him because we have too, He longs for us to want too.
These churches got off track, Jesus wanted them to get back on track with Him.
Remember when you first got saved? You could not wait to get to church. To read your Bible. To tell someone what exciting things God was doing.
2 thoughts
Either you are too busy
Or nothing exciting is happening between you and the Lord and you need a breakthrough.
Don’t settle for following Jesus half-way.
Don’t settle that you are going to keep God at a distance.
Be praying for a breakthrough.
That is my prayer for this church-
Every person that walks through that door, would experience Christ in a new and fresh way every time they walk in.
I pray that for my life!
God breakthrough and make a difference in our lives. Make a difference in this church.
I want God to do something amazing! Amen.
Would you be willing to pray that with me this morning?
Do something amazing!
Do something fresh!
Do something that we cannot do for ourselves.
How do you know if you are in trouble? If Jesus is knocking and you are peeking through the curtains and not letting him in. (you are in trouble)
He is waiting for you to open your heart to him.
He is desiring to do something amazing! Will you let Him?
(21)
“To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches.”
Lastly,
God doesn’t discipline us to punish, but to bring people back to him.
He says that if we overcome just as He overcame, we will be with him for eternity.
We can avoid discipline by drawing near to God when he knocks. We can answer and allow Him to work in our lives.
Jesus is knocking on each one of our hearts this morning.
He has something to say to each one of us.
He desires to have fellowship with us.
He has patiently been knocking and waiting to get into some area of our lives.
He allows us the freedom to decide whether we will open the door to him.
He cares for his church and He cares for you and I.
He wants us to reach out and reach our potential.
Amen.
