TITLE: JESUS IS KNOCKING 10/8/02
TEXT: REVELATION 3:14 - 20
INTRO:
JESUS HERE IN HIS LETTERS TO THE 7 CHURCHES OF ASIA, SPEAKS TO EACH OF THEM AND WITH EACH CHURCH, HE ADDRESSES A PARTICULAR PROBLEM.
1. 2:1 EPHESUS = DEPARTED, THEY HAD LEFT THEIR FIRST LOVE!
2. 2:8 SMYRNA = SUFFERING CHURCH
3. 2:12 PERGAMOS = DEFILED CHURCH – ALLOWED FALSE DOCTRINE
4. 2:18 THYATIRA = WORLDLY CHURCH – ALLOWED IMMORALITY
5. 3:1 SARDIS = WAS A DEAD CHURCH, LIKE THE MODERN DAY BAPTIST
6. 3:7 PHILADELPHIA = WAS A WEAK CHURCH
7. 3:14 LAODECIA = WAS A LUKE-WARM CHURCH
AND HERE IN 3:14 - 20 WE FIND JESUS SPEAKING TO THE CHURCH OF LAODECIA. THIS CHURCHES PROBLEM WAS THAT OF COMPROMISE, IT WASN’T HOT OR COLD, IT WAS JUST LUKE WARM. IF YOU WAS TO STUDY THIS TEXT YOU WOULD FIND THAT JESUS SPOKE NO GOOD WORDS TO THIS CHURCH, ONLY WORDS OF REBUKE AND CONDEMNATION. IN V.16 HE SAYS "I WILL SPUE THEE OUT OF MY MOUTH..."
GO DOWN TO V.20
HERE WE FIND THE CHURCHES MAIN PROBLEM, JESUS WAS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCH AND WAS NOT WELCOMED IN. WE SEE THIS TODAY IN MANY OF THE CHURCHES ACROSS AMERICA - EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT GOD AND DOING GOOD, BUT THEY NEVER MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT –
· JESUS CHRIST
· THE OLD RUGGED CROSS
· NAIL SCARRED HANDS
· AND JESUS HAS BEEN LEFT OUTSIDE THE CHURCH.
BUT THEN THERE IS ANOTHER APPLICATION I WANT YOU TO SEE THIS MORNING. THIS VERSE HERE IN REV. 3:20 I BELIEVE PAINTS A WONDERFUL PICTURE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST OUTSIDE THE HEARTS DOOR OF MANKIND - KNOCKING AND WANTING TO COME IN.
ILL. YEARS AGO A MAN BY THE NAME OF HOLMAN HUNT PAINTED THIS PICTURE ON A PIECE OF CANVAS - JESUS STANDING THERE KNOCKING AT THE DOOR. SOMEONE CAME BY AND SAID " SIR YOU FORGOT TO PUT A HANDLE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE DOOR." MR. HUNT SAID "THIS DOOR ONLY HAS A HANDLE ON THE INSIDE AND YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN OPEN IT.
AS I PREPARED THIS MESSAGE, I THOUGHT WHAT A MARVELOUS PICTURE THIS IS.
* THE CREATOR KNOCKING ON THE DOOR OF THE CREATED.
* THE INFINITE KNOCKING ON THE DOOR OF THE FINITE.
* THE ALMIGHTY KNOCKING ON THE DOOR OF THE FRAIL.
* THE LOVING KNOCKING ON THE DOOR OF THE SELFISH AND HATEFUL.
* THE CRUCIFIED KNOCKING ON THE DOOR OF THOSE WHO CRUCIFIED HIM.
DEAR FRIEND IN ALL THE WORLD, THERE IS NOT A MORE BEAUTIFUL PICTURE THAN THIS OF THE LORD JESUS KNOCKING AT THE HEARTS DOOR.
LET ME SAY AS WE GET INTO THE MESSAGE TODAY, JESUS IS STILL KNOCKING AT THE HEARTS OF THE LOST AND THOSE WHO ARE OFF INTO A LIFE OF SIN.
NOTICE WITH ME FIRST OF ALL....
I. GOD’S UNTIRING PATIENCE
BEHOLD, I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK....
I BELIEVE GOD, WHO MADE MAN’S HEART FOR HIMSELF AND WHO SEES FROM THE BEGINING TO THE END, KNOWS OF THE TRAGEDY THAT WILL FOLLOW WHEN A MAN, WOMAN, BOY OR GIRL CLOSES THEIR HEARTS DOOR AND WILL NOT LET HIM IN.
BUT BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT LOVE FOR YOU THIS MORNING, JESUS STANDS THERE PATIENTLY WAITING, EVER SO GENTLY KNOCKING AT YOUR DOOR! WHY WON’T YOU LET HIM COME IN? THERE IS NOT A DAY THAT GOES BY THAT THE SAVIOR DOES NOT KNOCK.
SOMETIMES HE KNOCKS THROUGH –
· TRAGEDY, FINANCIAL LOSS
· SICKNESS, DEATH
· WHATEVER THE CASE, JESUS STANDS THERE PERSISTENTLY KNOCKING AT YOUR DOOR.
ILL. I REMEMBER AS A LOST BOY MANY YEARS AGO HOW JESUS PERSISTENTLY KNOCKED ON MY HEARTS DOOR. I REMEMBER THE –
· CHURCH SERVICES I SAT THROUGH WITH SWEATY HANDS
· PREACHING TAPES I LISTENED TO WITH A NERVOUS HEART
· MEN OF GOD I TALKED TO, NOT WANTING TO ADMIT I WAS LOST
· BUT I WANT TO THANK GOD FOR HIS GENTLE PERSISTENT KNOCK AT MY HEARTS DOOR!
MY FRIEND I BELIEVE IF I HAD NOT GOTTEN SAVED WHEN I DID – THERE WOULD BE NO HOPE FOR ME TODAY!
AND I WANT TO WARN YOU THAT ARE HERE THIS MORNING AND THE SAVIOR HAS MANY TIMES KNOCKED ON THE DOOR OF YOUR HEART AND YOU HAVE TURNED A DEAR EAR.
DON’T DO THAT! - LISTEN, EVERY TIME JESUS KNOCKS AND YOU DO NOT LISTEN, YOU ENTER INTO AN ADVANCED STATE OF CALOUSNESS UNTIL SOONER OR LATER, YOU WILL NEVER AGAIN HEAR THE KNOCKING HAND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN YOUR LIFE.
MULITITUDES IN JESUS’ DAY WERE GUILTY OF DOING THIS. JESUS MARKED THEM AS PEOPLE WHO HAVING EARS, HEAR NOT, EYES YET THEY DO NOT SEE....
THIS IS WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO REACT TO HIS VOICE TODAY - TOMMOROW MAY BE TO LATE.
PSALM 95:7 - 8
TO DAY IF YE WILL HEAR HIS VOICE, HARDEN NOT YOUR HEART AS IN THE DAY OF PROVOCATION.
SO NOT ONLY DO WE SEE HIS PATIENCE....
II. GOD’S UNIVERSAL PLEA
IF ANY MAN.....
GLORY TO GOD FOR THAT! IF ANY MAN HEAR MY VOICE, AND OPEN THE DOOR I WILL COME IN TO HIM AND SUP WITH HIM AND HE WITH ME.
THIS PHRASE HERE "IF ANY MAN" IS LIKE THE WORD WHOSOEVER THAT IS FOUND ELSEWHERE IN THE WORD OF GOD.
IF YOU ARE HERE TODAY AND YOU ARE NOT SURE THAT HEAVEN IS YOUR HOME, YOU CAN TAKE THIS VERSE AND PUT YOUR NAME IN THERE.
IF NILES LLOYD, IF JIM FENDLEY….. IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE WHO YOU ARE, ANY PERSON THAT HEARS THE SAVIORS VOICE CAN OPEN THE DOOR AND BE SAVED.
NO MATTER, WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOU ARE, NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF A LIFE YOU HAVE LIVED, JESUS CHRIST THE KING OF KINGS STANDS THERE AT THE DOOR OF YOUR HEART ASKING YOU TO LET HIM IN.
ILL. MENDELSOHN THE GREAT ORGANIST AND MUSICIAN WENT TO SEE THE FRIEBURG ORGAN. THE CUSTODIAN BLUNTLY REFUSED HIM ENTRANCE.
LATER HOWEVER HE RELUCTANTLY PERMITTED HIM ENTRANCE. AFTER TACTFUL PERSUASION HE CONSENTED TO LET THE MAN PLAY A FEW NOTES ON THE FAMOUS INSTRUMENT. ONCE SEATED AT THE ORGAN HE BEGAN TO PLAY, THE CARE TAKER STOOD SPEECHLESS AS HE HEARD THE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC BEING PLAYED. AS THE LAST CHORDS FADED INTO THE AIR THE CUSTODIAN RUSHED OVER TO THE MASTER MUSICIANS SIDE "TELL ME SIR, TELL ME YOUR NAME!" MENDLSOHN HE REPLIED. THE HUMILIATED, ASHAMED AND SELF CONDEMNED MAN COULD ONLY REPLY...."AND TO THINK THAT I REFUSED YOU MENDELSOHN TO ENTER.”
MY FRIEND TO THINK THAT THE CREATOR OF THE WORLD IS HERE KNOCKING AT YOUR DOOR AND YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO LET HIM IN!
1. UNTIRING PATIENCE: 2.HIS UNIVERSAL PLEA
III. GOD’S GENTLE PERSISTENCE
IF ANY MAN HEAR MY VOICE...
YOU WOULD THINK THAT JESUS WOULD HAVE SAID HERE, "IF ANY MAN HEAR ME KNOCKING ON THE DOOR....”, BUT HE DOES NOT. HE SAY’S, “IF ANY MAN HERE MY VOICE…”
ILL. I heard the story of a poor woman in great distress because she could not pay her rent. She was expecting the officer to seize her goods. Her pastor heard of her trouble and went to her house with the money for her rent. He knocked but could not get an answer. He went to different doors and windows, knocking so eager he was to help her, but he received no response at all. At last he was compelled to go away, carrying the money back with him. The good woman thought it was the officer seeking entrance to carry away her goods, and she had tightly barred every door and window and gave no heed to the knocking of the one who wanted to help her most!
HOW MANY TIMES HAS JESUS BEEN KNOCKING ON YOUR HEARTS DOOR BUT YOU REFUSE TO LISTEN?
SAD TO SAY - THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE IDEA THAT RECEIVING CHRIST AS THEIR SAVIOR WOULD MEAN A –
· LOSS OF JOY
· YOU’D HAVE TO LIVE LIKE A MONK IN A MONASTARY
· WELL NONE OF THAT IS TRUE! I HAVE MORE FUN AND MORE JOY NOW THAT I AM A CHRISTIAN THAN I COULD HAVE EVER HAD BEFORE.
· THERE IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WILL MISS OUT NOT ONLY ON HEAVEN, BUT A LIFE FILLED WITH BLESSING AFTER BLESSING AS A RESULT OF KNOWING CHRIST AS THEIR SAVIOR.
LISTEN, JESUS CHRIST PERSISTENTLY KNOCKS AT YOUR DOOR – AND THEN AS A MEANS OF LAST RESORT, HE BEGINS TO CRY OUT FOR YOU TO OPEN THE DOOR.
BUT FRIEND, WHEN HE SEES THAT THERE IS NO RESPONSE, THE ONLY THING FOR HIM TO DO IS TO QUIT KNOCKING AND QUIT CALLING OUT YOUR NAME.
1. UNTIRING PATIENCE: 2.HIS UNIVERSAL PLEA:
3. GOD’S GENTLE PERSISTENCE
IV. YOUR PERSONAL DECISION
IF ANY MAN HEAR MY VOICE AND WILL OPEN THE DOOR.."
MY FRIEND RECEIVING CHRIST IS NOT –
· A PROCESS
· GETTING BAPTIZED
· CHATICHISM
· THERE IS ONLY 1 CONDITION THAT NEEDS TO BE MET AND THAT IS THAT BY FAITH YOU OPEN YOUR HEARTS DOOR AND ASK HIM TO COME IN. HE WILL COME IN NO OTHER WAY.
MY FRIEND, GOD WILL NOT, KICK DOWN THE DOOR AND BARGE HIS WAY INTO YOUR LIFE. IT IS A PERSONAL DECISION THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE.
· YOUR PREACHER CAN’T MAKE THAT DECISION FOR YOU
· NEITHER CAN YOUR PARENTS, YOUR HUSBAND OR WIFE, IT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE GETTING SAVED IS BY –
· JOINING A CHURCH
· GETTING BAPTIZED
· DOING GOOD WORKS
· BUT NONE OF THOSE HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH BEING BORN AGAIN.
MY FRIEND, UNTIL YOU HAVE DELIBERATELY OPENED THE DOOR TO CHRIST AND INVITED HIM IN, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO CLAIM HIM AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD.
OH, BUT HE STILL PATIENTLY WAITS, PERSISTENTLY, CALLING AND KNOCKING AT YOUR DOOR.
V. GOD’S PRECIOUS PROMISE
I WILL COME IN AND SUP WITH HIM AND HE WITH ME
OH IF THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD COULD GET A GRIP ON THIS! IF YOU ARE HERE TODAY AND YOU HAVE NEVER ASKED CHRIST TO COME INTO YOUR HEART, YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE MISSING OUT ON!
MANY FEAR AND MANY HESITATE TO DO WHAT GOD HAS TOLD THEM TO DO. THEY THINK THEY HAVE TO –
· DO SOME GREAT WORK
· QUIT ALL THEIR SINS
· CLEAN THEMSELVES UP FIRST BEFORE THEY INVITE HIM IN.
NO, YOU COME JUST AS YOU ARE! MY FRIEND CHRIST IS NOT LOOKING FOR THE RIGHTEOUS, HE IS LOOKING FOR THE UNRIGHTEOUS!
MATTHEW 9:13
I HAVE NOT CAME TO CALL THE RIGHTEOUS BUT SINNERS TO REPENTANCE.
MARK 2:17
THEY THAT ARE WHOLE NEED NOT A PHYSICIAN BUT THEY THAT ARE SICK.
FRIEND YOU COME TO JESUS CHRIST JUST AS YOU ARE AND LET HIM DO THE CHANGING AND THE CLEANING UP.
NOW YOU’LL NOTICE WHEN JESUS SAID, “I WILL COME IN”, HE NEVER SAYS ANYTHING ABOUT WANTING OUT! OH WHAT A BLESSED THOUGHT!
WHEN YOU GET JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR YOU NOW HAVE A
· FRIEND THAT STICKETH CLOSER THAN A BROTHER
· GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVING IN YOUR HEART
JESUS: I WILL NEVER LEAVE THEE, NOR FORSAKE THEE!
WHAT IS IT IN YOUR LIFE THAT IS HINDERING YOU FROM OPENING THAT DOOR?
AS I HAVE STUDIED THE SCRIPTURES THESE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, I HAVE FOUND ONLY (1) SIN THAT HAS KEPT PEOPLE FROM COMING TO JESUS CHRIST. AND THAT ONE WICKED VILE SIN IS YOUR SIN OF PRIDE.
JESUS IS KNOCKING – WILL YOU OPEN YOUR DOOR AND LET HIM COME IN.
