Jesus Christ Stands Without the Church, Knocking
Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
In the letters to the Churches in Revelation, Jesus is sending messages to instruct them about what they were facing in their times, and what they should about it.
The last one, Laodicea, was given more proof that He was speaking,….and more correction.
For He could not find anything to approve, in this Church.
Yet He also set one of the greatest rewards before them, “if” they would respond to His Voice.
Let us look at the proof He sent, of Who Spoke. He uses three Names: to none other Church He authorizes, like this one.
Revelation 3:14 “And unto the angel of the Church of Laodiceans write; these things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.”
All of these Names are Christ’s.
He is the Amen: He alone is the affirmation and confirmation of God. He declares God in all His perfections and purposes; and then proves that God is faithful in them.
So Christ is the Amen to Laodicea, who is so far from God, they didn’t recognize He wasn’t in their midst.
He is the Faithful and True Witness: This Church is on trial, and as such the Witness against them is not of the world, but Christ, Himself. He witnesses that He knows their hearts, and minds; and finds wretchedness, instead of holiness or zeal.
He is the Beginning of the Creation of God: From Eternity Past God the Father and God the Son made an Everlasting Covenant. This concerns Christ’s becoming the Man, Christ Jesus; and coming to the earth they would create, and saving a people for Christ’s Name sake.
So in the very beginning of thought concerning Creation, there was the Plan of Salvation:…..which first included the agreement of Christ to become our Redeemer by His Sacrifice;….and the agreement of God the Father to give Christ a people for a reward, because of His becoming the Man, Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him (that is us) endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 13:20-21 “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant,
Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
This is Christ as the Beginning of The Creation of God.
Now these Names begin in manifesting God,…..and then go to witnessing against our lukewarmness,……then finally giving another invitation in His purpose and provision for these…..and us.
Christ gave ample proof that He was speaking. Then He moves on to the corrections:
Revelation 3:15-17 “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold or hot; I would that thou wert cold or hot.
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold or hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:”
He corrects them, because they are lukewarm.
Now we think: Lukewarm isn’t so bad. We think it is just good enough to get us by.
But Christ does not think so…..
He died that we might be saved to the uttermost (Hebrews7:25).
Since they are not,…….and are not working to be,…(since they are so conceited as to be in “need of nothing” Revelation 3:17),….they will be spewed out of His mouth.
In other words Jesus Christ will vomit out these lukewarm Laodiceans.
How can He spew out a Christian? Who said they are true Christians…they are wretched,…..naked…and blind….
I personally believe, that for these Laodiceans who refuse to hear and obey the Voice of Jesus Christ, and repent; that the little bit of knowledge of salvation that they had will wither and die,…….the Holy Spirit will be grieved for they will not submit to Christ……and they will stand as rebels against God, instead of servants of Him.
They will be “spewed out” by their own choice in turning their backs on His offer of peace.
They will find, then, that His Salvation was not just a salvation from Hell, but from sin, (which they would not give up.).
And self, which is true liberty of spirit. To be saved from every proud, angry, bitter, and hateful attitude, which eats away at our souls.
He saves to the uttermost, He saves all of us–spirit, mind, heart, will and body; or nothing.
Now, it is true, we are often in need of correction; but it is how we take Christ’s correction, which shows true Salvation.
Do we “murmur and complain” continually; for the children of Israel did, and lost out. (Hebrews 3:10-11)
Or do we: “Come let us reason together” (Isaiah 1:18) with the Lord.
We will not always like what we hear from Jesus. How often did He rebuke His disciples?
But if we are going on with Him,……we will not lose out.
Jesus said this:
John 8:31-32 “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
But Christ does not just correct, He gives life, to those who follow His way of life:
Revelation 3:18 ” I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear, and anoint thy eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”
Many people disagree with Christ here, and say He should not have said “buy of me”.
But, the articles He refers to, are those of righteousness. The righteousness which we are to do, not be. If we are truly born again, then we are righteous, because we are in Christ Jesus.
But we are also to do righteousness, because we have His Spirit within us, enabling and directing us.
The “gold, tried in the fire” speaks of God manifested in our life. We are to show forth our new nature, the nature of God, within us in our daily life.
We are to deny ourself and pick up our cross and follow Him into a life of Godliness. Receiving the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and using them.
If we don’t, we are refusing Him.
The “white raiment” is not His garment of purity applied to us…..but the purity of love and motive to the commands and word of Christ.
And the “eye salve” is honesty, which tears away the veil of our own conceit; so we see ourselves, the world, and our place in it clearly.
This, the Holy Spirit helps us with. We are such dishonest people without His help. But with His help, we see.
The means to get these is clear: “buy”. But with what do we buy?
It is obedience to the next verse, simply stated by Jesus:
Revelation 3:19 “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore, and repent.”
Repent…..be zealous and repent of our lukewarmness…and get boiling hot for Christ.
But even here, He does not desert us. He goes on to call us with His arms of love outstretched:
Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
This is a personal call, to individuals in the Church. To open their lives to His Voice, and let Him in, to lead them on, (yes, in correction and instruction), in fellowship with Him.
Promising one of the greatest rewards, “if we will”.
Revelation 3:21 “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.”
We are to overcome everything which stands in the way of doing Christ’s Will for us.
His power is there for us: remember He saves to the uttermost, those who come to Him.
Christ requires not an answer of words, but of a life open to and receptive to Him.
We may not be the greatest Christians, but are we going on with Him? Or refusing His Voice?
He has made it clear what He will do. What will you do?
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 