Revelation 3:20” Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: 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. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”
Chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation contain 7 letters that Jesus instructed John to write to the 7 churches in Asia Minor. He was 100 years old and exiled to the Island of Patmos. The letters hold the scope of the entire future and how it will unfold. The characteristics of these churches symbolize the churches of all generations and leave us here and now in the Age of Grace. It’s been 2,000 years, and this age is the norm for mankind. There was a time when the world was without salvation and grace. The Age of the Law was for the Jews. Prior to Sinai was the Age of Consciousness when God dealt with man through his conscience. We cannot conceive living in a world without the gospel, without salvation and knowing the Lord. We take it for granted. That’s one reason for the reckless living. People assume the Lord will always be on the porch knocking.
These verses at the conclusion of the letters to the churches describe Laodicea like this. It wasn’t on fire. It had settled down into the world. It had need of nothing. Jesus said the church would be in this shape before the end—lukewarm, not hot but not cold. It would be completely given over to satisfaction and thinking it doesn’t need revival and/or the closeness of the Lord. This is a picture we do not need to be part of as a church or as individuals.
We can remember when the spiritual fire was hot and people got saved two and three at a time. Here we are now. We didn’t realize we were headed toward the end. Now the church age has slipped into a lukewarm state. It is at this point that Jesus chose to show his position and attitude. It shows the approaching end and what Jesus wants and feels. The Age of Grace is coming to its close. The gospel is being spread and going forth. So what’s the problem? It’s not the lack of gospel; the famine is in hearing the Word of the Lord. Hearts are hardened and lukewarm. There is spiritual satisfaction. How does Jesus feel? Where is he while the church is in such a state? He used an ordinary occurrence to show us.
Jesus likened himself to a visitor on the porch knocking on the front door. He desires to come in. We are inside our own little house. The front door is ours, and Jesus says “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: 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. 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. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” He’s not given up on his people, on the church, on individuals. He keeps standing and knocking. This can equally apply to the lost person who also lives in his own little house with the doors shut. Thank the Lord that Jesus still stands at the door of the lost. Here it is directed to the church, and there is a call to act now.
There is a visitor at the door. He’s knocking. Do you feel it? If you can feel it and hear him speak, you ought to be thankful. Many spiritual houses can’t hear him. People are too far away from the front door. If we hear him speak to us, it means we can speak back and let him come in. It’s not enough to have him on the porch, say our name, and knock. Jesus cannot come in until we turn the knob and let him in. He wants to be invited in. The time will come when he won’t be on the porch anymore.
It’s a scary trend. It’s a world of be yourself, mind your own business, have your own life and your privacy. It’s an “I can do what I want, be what I want” world. “I can work religion in and mold it to suit me.” Jesus will not be remolded. He must mold us. He knows we can’t manage our own house. We’ll make a mess. For Jesus to help us, he must be on the inside. We have a tendency to keep others out of our business. We should never keep the Lord at arm’s length bringing him in when we need help and after the crisis is over scoot him back. All the while we hope he stays on the porch. Jesus doesn’t play games.
The Bible says Jesus wants to come in and sup with you. That means he wants to eat with you. We need to open up and share everything with Jesus. He already knows what’s inside our house, but he wants to come in and help us. Are you willing to let Jesus in that far? You can’t leave him on the porch or in the parlor. You can’t leave him in the foyer. You have to let him sit down and sup with you. You can sup with him too. Jesus takes what little we have to offer and gives us his wondrous bounty.
We have the privilege of a lifetime. He says “behold.” He’s saying—pay attention. If anyone hears me and opens the door, I will come in. In this hopeless time, we have a Savior on the porch. He’s knocking at the door. He’s speaking. He’s trying to get in.
Shortly after this, John heard a voice that said “come up hither.” Before you can go up, you must first open the door. Are you saved? If you are, do you have closed doors that Jesus has been knocking on? Open them up. The visitor is on the porch.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 