Behold, I Stand at the Door and Knock

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: Revelation 3:20
Psalters: 207, 266, 230, 103
  1. Those addressed.
    1. An erroneous interpretation is that Jesus is begging to be allowed into the sinner’s heart.
      1. First, this is the Son of God, the Lord (1:8,13-16,18) before Whom John fell as dead (1:17).
      2. Second, the natural man is spiritual death, unable to want to choose for Christ (Eph. 2:1-3; 4:18; Jer. 17:9; Rom. 8:7).
    2. Rather, this is the door of the Christian church in Laodicea, which is a part of the true church, though in sad condition.
      1. Jesus stands before this church, not begging, but as a King of the world, Head of the church, and as chastening Father.
      2. The Lord is portrayed as being outside because generally the church acted and spoke as if it had no need of Him (17).
  2. Before this church (this believer) the Lord Jesus says, “I stand at the door, and knock.”
    1. The Lord is not begging, but angrily standing before it with flaming eyes (1:14) and with a rod of chastisement.
      1. He stands before this church with the urgent call to wake up from its spiritual lethargy and to repent.
      2. The Lord delivers a word of rebuke, by which He undresses this lukewarm congregation.
    2. Jesus knocks in order to lead them to repentance, i.e., to change one’s mind and activity.
  3. The Lord comes with a wonderful promise: “I will come in to him and will sup with him, and he with Me.”
    1. The figures describe the communion of salvation in a home life with Jesus Christ.
    2. This is the covenant communion Jesus has with His people.
    3. “If” is “when” giving assurance, not a condition occasioning doubt.
      1. In the way of repentance and daily conversion we experience this blessed covenant fellowship.
      2. This is what it is to have a heart for God, both as a congregation and as an individual believer.