"WHEN THE KNOCKING STOPS"
Song of Solomon 5:1-6
1 I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice. I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey; I have drunk my wine and my milk.
Eat, O friends, and drink; drink your fill, O lovers.
2 I slept but my heart was awake. Listen! My lover is knocking:
"Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one. My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night." 3 I have taken off my robe, must I put it on again? I have washed my feet, must I soil them again? 4 My lover thrust his hand through the latch-opening; my heart began to pound for him. 5 I arose to open for my lover, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with flowing myrrh, on the handles of the lock. 6 I opened for my lover, but my lover had left; he was gone. My heart sank at his departure. I looked for him but did not find him. I called him but he did not answer.
NIV
One of the most tragic things that could happen to a Christian is to have the Presence of the Lord to depart from them.
To have once had the vibrant "Presence of the Lord, at work in your life and then for it to be gone.
How long has it been since you have heard God’s voice tenderly call to you, or felt His presence, and you knew without a doubt Christ was in the room with you?
It was common among the Jews to regard this book as an
allegorical (romantic) song of God’s love for His Chosen People.
Also, Christians have seen it as a picture of Christ’s Love for the Church.
Plus, it is seen as a description of the Believer’s Relationship to His Lord.
Here in this Scripture God’s betrothed Lover and Bride has become too COMFORTABLE!
She refuses to open the door because it is not CONVENIENT.
The COST of INTIMACY seems too high.
The DISCOMFORT of it all had bred an APATHY that urged her to move too SLOWLY and CASUALLY when her Beloved knocked at our heart’s door.
Ominously, the knocking stops¡in alarm she finally rouses herself, runs to the door to unlock it, and all that is left is the "Fleeting Fragrance of Where He Used To Be."
(Song of Solomon 5:6 NIV)
I opened for my lover, but my lover had left; He was gone. My heart sank at His DEPARTURE. I looked for Him but did not find Him. I called Him but he did not answer.
Samson discovered this horrible experience when he played around with sin too long, fell asleep and got the hair of his head shaved off and broke the Power Covenant with the Lord.
He didn’t even know it until he was confronted with his enemies. (Delilah said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.) Judges 16:20
A good way to loose the power of God in your life is to put your head in the lap of the world.
Israel lost the Ark of the Covenant, because of their unfaithfulness, rebellion, and idolatrous ways. When Eli got the news he fell from where he was sitting and broke his neck and died.
The wife of one of God’s servants was having a baby and when she heard the Ark had been lost and she died giving birth. But, as she was dying, she said to name the baby Ichabod, which means, "The Glory is Departed."
Look how serious these two considered the presence of God.
They knew that there was no life outside of God’s presence.
You walk dead, talk dead, work dead. Life is only a mere existence.
1 Tim 5:6
6 But she (he) that liveth in pleasure is dead while she (he) liveth.
Life is only experienced through Jesus Christ.
Gen 28:16 (In transition from home to Laban’s house)
16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.
Rom 13:11-14
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Do you ever listen to Christians talking about how it "Used to Be?"
"Years ago, I remember having such great services and souls being saved in revivals."
We talk as though God is dead today,when in reality we are the one’s who have let this precious life slip right through our hearts because of laziness, lust, covetousness.
1 Sam 28:6
6 And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
Mark 5:15-17
15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.
17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.
And Jesus departed.
I. COULD IT BE THAT THE CHURCH IS TOO CONTENT? (Individually & Cooperatively)
God’s betrothed Lover & Bride has become too COMFORTABLE.
She REFUSES to OPEN the DOOR because it’s not COVENIENT. But I said, I have taken off my robe. Should I get dressed again? I have washed my feet. Should I get them soiled? (Songs of Solomon 5:3) NLT
Is the COST of INTIMACY is too HIGH? We may find ourselves barren as David’s wife Michal was. (Could it be that David was never again intimate with her?)
IS our CHURCHES MOVING too SLOWLY & CASUALLY when God begins KNOCKING at the DOOR or our HEARTS.
Has the DISCOMFORT of it all has BRED an ATTITUDE of APATHY within the Church.
II. WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THE KNOCKING STOPS.
Right now you feel the tug at the heart strings, you hear Him calling, you feel conviction, and because of these things we feel like we are still connected, but what are you going to do when the knocking stops?
In our Scripture reading we see the Bridegroom (Christ) is seeking the ATTENTION of His Beloved, the Church.
Friends, God is LOOKING for a person, a church, that will hear His gentle knock and open the door for Him.
It was to the lukewarm church of Laodicea that Jesus said, Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come into him, (Rev. 3:20)
Ominously, the knocking stops¡in alarm we finally rouse ourselves like Solomon’s lazy bride.
When we finally run to the door to unlock it, all that is left is the Fleeting Fragrance of Where He Used To Be.
III. THE UNOPENED DOOR.
In 5:2 of Songs of Solomon we find the Bridegroom standing on the OUTSIDE of the door knocking and trying to get in!
Why would the door of His own house be LOCKED?
Could it be that He has given away the KEY? -- Yes, you and I are free moral agents. We choose whether or not to open the door or keep it closed and continue to play the church game.
How often do we sit in the midst a POWERFUL move of the Holy Spirit only to let Him leave without responding to His PROMPTING?
Will you do that this morning?
As in the painting of Jesus standing at the door, the LATCH is on INSIDE. It is up to you and I to open the door to Him.
How OFTEN has Jesus KNOCKED at the door of our heart and we acted just like Solomon’s bride? I have taken off my robe-- must I put it on again? I have washed my feet-- must I soil them again? (Songs of Solomon 5:3)
The Bride of Christ has grown accustomed to living in the King’s house in His absence.
TOO LATE! When the Bride arose to OPEN the DOOR only His Fragrance was there! He was GONE!
The Present day church seems to stir just enough at the Master’s knock to moan, No, not now. Don’t You see that I’m too COMFORTABLE to get up right now? Cant you wait? I have a headache. After all, I have already taken my shoes off and propped up my feet. Do I have to open the door for You right now?
The Holy Spirit can be GRIEVED.
I Thes 5:19
Quench not the Spirit.
Eph. 4:30
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God,
Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. Sought repentance with bitter tears. (Hebrews 12:16-17)
While there is time and while the LOVER OF YOUR SOUL is knocking at you heart’s door, rouse yourself, get up from your comfort and open the door.
While there is time, please make up your mind. Can you make it in, living on the borderline? I wouldn’t take the chance.
Parts of this sermon may have been borrowed from sermons contributed to Sermon Central and adapted to fit the ministry to my congregation, thanks to you great pastors and preachers.
