June 6, 2021
Sunday Sermon
JESUS IS KNOCKING AT THE DOOR
Revelation 3:20
Rather than allowing for the common interpretation of Christ's knocking on a person's heart, the context demands that Christ was seeking to enter this church in Laodicea that bore His name but lacked a single true believer. This touching letter was Jesus knocking, if one member would recognize his spiritual bankruptcy and respond in saving faith, He would enter the church.
The church at Laodicea shows us a church so far from what God ever planned for His church. Christ is actually outside the whole thing---shut out and seeking entrance.
This is the last church addressed by Christ, and it is the worst church. Christ does not commend Laodicea at all. This is the one church about which He has nothing good to say. Imagine a church that may as well not exist---a church that has no good within its body whatsoever---a church that does no good at all. The church was lukewarm, which means that the church was indifferent, complacent, lethargic, self-satisfied, half-hearted, and neutral. Christ is seen shut out of a human life, knocking, calling, and promising.
I.
CHRIST'S SOBERING (STEADY) POSITION:
Outside. "Behold, I stand . . . and knock"
a. There Is The Standing Christ.
1. He Stands At The Door. This symbolizes His readiness to enter the life of a person.
2. He is the One who takes the initiative to save man.
b. There Is The Knocking Christ.
1. He Stands At The Door And Knock. This symbolizes t seeking Christ.
2. He knocks and knocks at the door of man's heart and He refuses to give up.
II.
CHRIST'S SIMPLE PLEA:
"If any man hears my voice"
a. There Is The Pleading Christ.
1. He Pleads For Entrance. This symbolizes the compassion of Christ.
2. He Pleads And Begs For The Man To Hear Him.
b. There Is The Begging Man.
1. He Begs You To Hear The Word Of God.
a. Being Preached.
b. Being Taught.
2. He Begs You Not To Harden Your hearts.
III.
CHRIST'S SOLEMN (EARNEST AND SERIOUS) PROMISE:
a. He Promises To Save. "I will come in to him"
b. He Promises To Sanctify. "I . . . will sup with him" (We become partakers of the nature of God).
c. He Promises To Secure. "And he with me"
ILLUSTRATION: In St. Paul's Cathedral, London, there, hangs a famous painting entitled The Light of the World. It depicts Christ standing outside a fast-closed door---a door all over grown with weeds---and patiently seeking admission. When that painting was first hung the critics came to review it. One of them said to the artist, Holman Hunt, "Mr. Hunt you have painted a magnificent picture. But you have made a terrible mistake. You have painted no handle on that door." The artist replied, "That is no mistake my friend, the handle is on the inside."
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