The King at Your Door
(Rev. 3: 20-21)
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and uknock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in
to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my
Throne even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne..
Introduction:
Our text comes at the end of the letters to the seven churches in Revelation. It simply says that someone is standing at a door, knocking. That door is the door to men's hearts. This person stands at the heart’s door of every person and knocks. I want to ask three simple questions about this text. First question:
1. Who is this King? Who is this one that John says stands at our heart's door and knocks?
It's Jesus. The King of the Universe, but think about it. The Christ, who made the world and all that is in it (John 1:1-3KJV) stands at our heart’s door knocking and asking entrance. We must understand that He, who has all power and all authority, will never force his way into our hearts and lives.
We should be honored that He would want to come in. I am deeply honored when someone I consider important comes to my home. On Monday night several years ago, an old friend of mine, my former supervisor, called to say they would be coming through Thomasville on Friday night. They wanted to know if it would be convenient for them to spend the night in our home. You understand that this friend’s wife is a home economics major. We have been in their home, and it is spotless. Nothing is out of place, etc. We live in our home, which is a nice way to say we are not perfect housekeepers. What could I say? But sure, that would be fine. Then I made my second mistake. I told Linda that they were coming. I promise, she made Jaye Lynn, who still lived at home then, and I got up right then and started cleaning the house. Then she dared us to mess it up before Friday. We were honored that these friends would want to spend the night in our home.
Listen, The King of Glory is standing at your heart's door, knocking and asking if I please come in. Friend, we should be honored that He wants to come into our hearts and lives. One of my fears is that The Church is not opening the door and inviting Him in when He knocks.
2. Why does this King want to come in?
Why does this King want to come in not just to visit but live in our hearts? Jesus wants to have intimate fellowship with us. The text says He wants to “sup” or dine with you and you with Him. In other words, He to have a meal with us.
After His resurrection, Jesus met His disciples by the sea of Galilee. He had breakfast prepared for them. Then, Jesus said to them, “Bring of some the fish which ye have now caught.” (John 21:10ASV) Jesus wants to share with us and us with Him.
Who do you invite over to eat with you? We never call the Mayor of Thomasville and invite him over for a cookout. Can't you see an old country boy like me inviting Governor Cooper down for a meal? When I get ready for a meal, I invite my close friends.
Jesus wants to become your close friend. I don't believe it is disrespectful to say Jesus wants to have hamburgers with you in your backyard. You will never have a friend like Jesus.
Jesus wants to give you the power to overcome. We become overcomers when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. However, most of us have discovered that we can't completely overcome sin. We want to do better, but we can't. Living the Christian life is easy; it's possible. Only as Jesus is allowed to come in and take more control of our flesh can we victory over our sins.
One of my favorite preachers was Dr. Adrian Rogers. He had almost perfect outlines and a voice that, I think, would sound like God’s if He were to speak audibly. I listened to Dr. Rogers and started thinking I could do that. One Sunday, I took one of his sermons and preached it up in Lenoir. I thought I was so eloquent.
I have this little thing I like to do. When we got out of everyone’s earshot, I asked my wife, how did I do?
That’s when she told me how good I was. Etc. That day, she was unusually quiet. When I asked, she said,” Jesse, you are not Adrian Rogers. I’ve got news for her! If Dr. Rogers lived within me, I could preach like him. Only He who has overcome can give us the power to overcome. The more of Him I let come in and take control, the more I can live like Him.
Jesus wants to invite us to His incarnation as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It would be a great honor to be asked to sit on the platform while someone is being sworn in as governor or president. Most of us will never know such an honor. But those who are overcomers will be asked to sit with Him as He is crowned KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORD. (Rev.3:21) What a day! Sometimes, I can hardly wait! Not only will we be asked to sit with Him at His Incarnation, but the scripture teaches that we will reign with Him. (1Corn. 6: 2&3) I hope He puts me over Thomasville or N.C. I’ve some things I want to straighten out
3. How do I let Him in? ¬
I had difficulty deciding to whom these words are addressed: to the world or the church, the saved or the lost. It could be to both.
What a sad picture, Jesus standing outside the Church for which He died, asking may I come in. “Just as these churches existed in John’s Day, they all exist today. We have busy churches that have left their first love (Ephesus) that often end up as churches that are lukewarm toward Christ.” Like the church of Laodicea, we are more dependent on our wealth, etc. than we are on Him. Many of us have asked Him to be our savior, but we have not allowed Him to become the Lord of our lives. We are still bond slaves to our old master sin. What a shame! We will have pie in the sky by and by, but we are missing the chicken in the kitchen now because He's still not Lord of all. Someone has rightly said, "If He is not Lord of all, He's not Lord at all.
Of course, if you are here and you are not a Christian, you need to open the door and let Him in to become your Savior and Lord. You do this simply by turning from your sins and asking Him into your heart to be your Savior and Lord. Then, you must believe He will do what He promised in His Word.
The latch is on the inside.
An artist painted a picture of this text. Of Jesus standing at a vine-covered door tenderly and patiently knocking. He placed it in his gallery. When his friends began to view the painting, they thought they had found a mistake; the latch had been left off. Oh no. replied the artist,” the latch is on the inside.” As I said, He'll not force His way into our lives. Only you can open the door and let Him in.
Conclusion:
I believe that Jesus was with you as you read this sermon. He is knocking at your heart’s door. Will you open your door? Is there a person reading this that would invite Jesus into your heart as Savior and Lord right now? Is there a Christian who says He's not really been Lord of my life? You need to make an act of recommitment. Make Him the Lord of all and overall. What a wonderful way to start a new year!
1Wiersbe, W. W. (1992). Wiersbe’s expository outlines on the New Testament (p. 805). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books
