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KNOCK - KNOCK, WHOSE THERE?
Rev. 3:20-22
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him and he with Me.
Rev 3:21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame and have sat down with My Father in His throne.
PERHAPS YOU ARE LIKE CHARLEY BROWN:
In a peanuts comic strip showed a conversation between Lucy and Charlie Brown. Lucy said that life is like a deck chair. Some place it so they can see where they are going; some place it so they can see where they have been; and some place it so they can see where they are at present. Charlie Brown’s reply: “I can’t even get mine unfolded.”
Sometimes, life is like that. It seems that we can’t even get it unfolded but today’s message from the Word of God should make up for all the time in life when things don’t seems to go right.
INTRODUCTION:
I love to get an invitation. I love to invite people to come over. It is a 2 way street. The Bible is filled with invitation.
Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
THEN YOU HAVE INVITATIONS WITH CONDITIONS:
Matt 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
John 7:37 On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from deep within him.”
These are some wonderful invitations but the one that I want to share with you is found in the book of Revelation.
T/S I see 8 different aspects to this invitation:
I. IT IS A PRESISTENT INVITATION. (Behold, I am continually knocking)
I was told a story once about a guy went visiting and took a fellow with him, and the guy knocked and knocked. The fellow said they must not be at home, the guy said there in there, I know they are. He kept knocking and after about 10-15 minutes they came to the door. He told them about Christ and that was it.
Would you stand at a persons door for that long? If you knew they were inside would you stand there and keep knocking?
Are you not glad that Jesus did not quit knocking? Maybe you are here and you have not answered the door yet? WHY NOT?
II. IT IS A CONDITIONAL INVITATION. (if . .)
He will knock but He will not enter without you opening the door. It is called free will. Lot of things about what we don’t have a decision but we do have a decision as to whether we will open the door or not to our Lord’s invitation.
III. IT IS AN INDIVIDUAL INVITATION. (if any man)
Here again we have an invitation with conditions: Today, your only inability to come to God and know Him is your unwillingness to open the door.
This passage is probably used as much as any verse I know to show a lost sinner the way to know Jesus.
A. It is a universal plea. The word man is "anthropos". Any human being. It is to you.
B. Most of you has seen the artist rendition of this passage. There is no handle on the outside of the door.
WHY DON’T PEOPLE ANSWER ?
1. THEY DON’T HEAR.
2. THEY ARE TOO FAR WAYS.
3. THEY ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION.
4. JUST DON’T WANT TO SEE YOU.
IV. IT IS A SELECTIVE INVITATION (saith to the churches)
A. I know that the message here can be used to lead an individual person to a saving knowledge of Christ but the message is actually to the church. You are not operating in the full blessing of God grace if you are not a part of a New Testament Church.
It is an invitation about your individual responsibility in the body of Christ. You may hear someone say, "I am not getting much out of the fellowship of this church". Well, you fellowship is to be with Jesus. If no one else in the church invites Jesus in - you can.
ILLUS: It is like the older sister who came in where her younger brother was watching T.V. She just comes in an changes TV channels. "What makes you think you can walk right in here and take over?" asks the brother. "These five fingers," says the sister. "Individually they are nothing, but when I curl them together like this into a single unit, they form a weapon that is terrible to behold." "What channel do you want?" asks the brother. Turning away, he looks at his fingers and says, "Why can’t you guys get organized like that?"
That is the way a church should work. United we stand. We need each other and most of all we need to open the door so Jesus can be in here with us.
V. IT IS AN IMPRESSIVE INVITATION (Behold, I stand at the door and knock) The emphasis is on the "I"
Who is it that is standing and knocking? It is The Son of God. The great I AM. - The Wonderful counselor - The everlasting father. The God of this universe. The creator of all things. Prince of Peace. The Lord of Lords and the King of Kings. He is the Savior of this world.
IV. IT IS AN IORN CLAD INVITATION:
A. It does not say, "I will come in if you are good enough." or "I will come in provided you have never done this or that." Or I will come in if you promise never to ......" It only says, "If you will open - He will come in.
V. IT IS A CHALLENGING INVITATION (To him that overcometh)
Your part to make the invitation come to pass is - (1) Hear His voice - (2) Open the door.
1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 John 4:4Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
VI. IT IS A FESTIVE INVITATION (I will sup with him)
ILLUS: John Bisagno former Pastor of Houston’s First Baptist Church tells the story of his coming there to candidate for the position of pastor many years ago. He said that as he entered the auditorium it was dimly lit, with just a few people huddled together. They were singing some old slow funeral type song that was depressing.
Later that day he took a walk in downtown Houston and came upon a jewelry store. It was some sort of grand opening and there were bright lights and a greeter at the door to welcome you in with a smile. Inside there was a celebration going on. There were refreshments and people having a good time talking and laughing with each other. They welcomed him and offered him some punch. He said that after attending both the church and the jewelry store, if the jewelry store had offered an invitation, he would have joined the jewelry store!
