CHRIST IS KNOCKING

“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”  Revelation 3:19-20

       We are all familiar with the painting of Jesus standing before the door of a home with a lantern in one hand and the other poised to strike the door.  It has often been said that Christ is knocking on the heart’s door of the unbeliever imploring him to let Him in, signifying someone receiving the Lord into his heart and life.  However, these two verses are part of God’s letter to the church in Laodicea.  From the verses surrounding 19 and 20 we see that the Lord has a warning regarding their propensity to be lukewarm in their faith.  They are neither zealous, nor indifferent.  They aren’t all in, but neither are they all out.  They’re home but don’t recognize the One knocking on their door, so they leave it closed and locked. It’s not unlike the disciples in the boat alone while Jesus was off by Himself praying. (Matthew 14:22-33)  When a storm rose up Jesus came to them walking on the water and the disciples didn’t recognize Him.  They thought it was a ghost.

    It is the opinion of some scholars, rather than knocking patiently on the unbeliever’s door, Jesus is in fact knocking on the door of the believer who is neither hot nor cold in their faith.  It is distressing that many Christians are spiritual couch potatoes, never utilizing their spiritual gifts for the furthering of the kingdom. They believe in God and Christ, go to church regularly and have become born-again, yet have allowed a spiritual passivity to take them over.  They embrace the forgiveness, peace, blessing aspect of the God-man relationship, but don’t want to get too deeply involved. Believers need to reassess their walk with God and determine if they are a Laodicean or from the ancient city of Philadelphia (45 miles northwest of Laodicea), where believers were in good standing with the Lord.  It’s an individual’s choice just who they want to be in Christ, but if one takes His name they should represent Him well with their life.  You know you are a success in the kingdom if people know you are a follower of Christ without your saying a word.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resources: MacLaren’s Expositions; Benson Commentary and Jamison-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary