Behold, I Stand at the Door and Knock
Minister: |
Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: |
8/20/2017 PM
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Text:
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Revelation 3:20
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Psalters: |
207, 266, 230, 103 |
- Those addressed.
- An erroneous interpretation is that Jesus is begging to be allowed into the sinner’s heart.
- First, this is the Son of God, the Lord (1:8,13-16,18) before Whom John fell as dead (1:17).
- 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).
- Rather, this is the door of the Christian church in Laodicea, which is a part of the true church, though in sad condition.
- Jesus stands before this church, not begging, but as a King of the world, Head of the church, and as chastening Father.
- The Lord is portrayed as being outside because generally the church acted and spoke as if it had no need of Him (17).
- Before this church (this believer) the Lord Jesus says, “I stand at the door, and knock.”
- The Lord is not begging, but angrily standing before it with flaming eyes (1:14) and with a rod of chastisement.
- He stands before this church with the urgent call to wake up from its spiritual lethargy and to repent.
- The Lord delivers a word of rebuke, by which He undresses this lukewarm congregation.
- Jesus knocks in order to lead them to repentance, i.e., to change one’s mind and activity.
- The Lord comes with a wonderful promise: “I will come in to him and will sup with him, and he with Me.”
- The figures describe the communion of salvation in a home life with Jesus Christ.
- This is the covenant communion Jesus has with His people.
- “If” is “when” giving assurance, not a condition occasioning doubt.
- In the way of repentance and daily conversion we experience this blessed covenant fellowship.
- This is what it is to have a heart for God, both as a congregation and as an individual believer.