REVELATION 3:20

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me."

What a beautiful expression of our Savior's true and eternal nature! Perhaps as oft-quoted as any verse from this same book, this one line gives us so much information about Him, about His desire for a relationship with us, and about the certainty of and the manner of the blessings promised for those who respond. No wonder it has caught the eye of so many!

Before we begin, let us first remind ourselves of the context within which we find this verse.

John, due to preaching the word of truth having been exiled to the Isle of Patmos (Rev. 1:9), "found himself in the Spirit on the day of our Lord." (Rev. 1:10) A vision was presented to him to be remembered, written down, and conveyed to a very specific audience, but also to be considered by all believers. (Rev. 1:11) Remember that this is the only book of the canon which begins by promising blessings to those who read, study and apply its message. (Rev. 1:3)

In effect then, John was required to "take a letter" for our Lord meant to be delivered to the "seven churches of Asia." Certainly there were more, but these must have allowed a "complete picture" of the message God meant to be conveyed. Though each church is individually addressed, in every case Jesus broadens the audience by reminding all to consider and heed His words. (Rev. 2:7, Rev. 2:11, Rev. 2:17, Rev. 2:29, Rev. 3:6, Rev. 3:13, Rev. 3:22)

Having already delivered His message to the first six, Jesus turns his attention to the church at Laodicea, the final one of the seven. To say He finds them "lacking" is to use understatement! Calling Himself "the faithful and true Witness" (Rev. 3:14), He describes them as "lukewarm" (Rev. 3:15), and threatens to spit them out as something abhorrent in His sacred mouth. (Rev. 3:16)

Verse 17 suggests that the church has amassed great wealth, which has blinded them to the truth of their "wretched and miserable" condition. (Rev. 3:17) But despite His disdain, in verse 18 our Savior nonetheless holds out an offer to provide real riches, spiritual riches, to clothe them in undefiled garments and to salve their eyes that they might again see. (Rev. 3:18) Then, in verse 19, He even encourages us with the reminder that "those He loves He disciplines." (Rev. 3:19, Pro. 3:12) Finally, at the end of that same verse, comes this exhortation: "be zealous, and repent." All that is lacking is the exclamation point that must have punctuated His words!

And so we have been led to our study verse.

"Behold", it begins.

The Greek word used, "idou", is an imperative, suggesting urgency, perhaps even a command, as if saying, "Look for yourself!" or "Heed this!" Another reading might be, "See that this is true!" as if He is challenging us to test Him. No matter how we receive it, it is clear our Savior is bringing attention to a very, very important fact, one which we are called to respond to immediately!

"I stand at the door"

Have you ever felt so far from Him that you were no longer sure He was even there? Are you, perhaps even now, feeling that very thing? These words must stand as encouragement to you then, even as they were meant for the church at the time!

As wicked as He considered them, so much so that He expressed His intention to expel them from Him, nonetheless there He was even "at the door"! Not far off. Not with His back turned. But right there behind the very thing that separated them from Him. Picture this in your mind!

A door is a intentional barrier, a "blockade" if you will, the purpose of which is to keep those on the outside from entering in with those on the inside. Who controls it? Who holds the key? Who decides when and to whom it is opened? Most certainly the one on the inside! Can we discern from the Lord's words who is who?

"...and knock:"

Do you stand at your door and knock from the inside hoping some passerby will hear you, come to investigate, and perhaps enter your house? Of course not! It is the one seeking you, the one who has come to be with you, the one who desires to speak with you, dine with you, enjoy your company, that is the one who approaches and knocks! Is it any wonder then that we hear religion defined as "Man seeking God" and Christianity defined as "God seeking man"?

No, we need not go on a journey to the top of the Himalayas, nor strive to find Him in ritual nor mediation. There is no magic incantation, nor process of self-abuse, nor lifestyle of works required to meet with Him! In fact, though we are wretched, self-possessed, believing we need nothing, spiritually depraved, blind to our own wickedness, and naked before Him in all our filth, still He stands before us, drawing attention to His presence, and requesting our company!

How much more could we ask? Is this not "true love"? Can you continue, if at this moment you are feeling apart from Him, to deny Him access? If you are a believer, respond to the knock! If you are not yet a believer, respond to the knock! It is one thing to refuse to answer your door to a salesman or solicitor. It is quite another to refuse He who took on your sins and died in your place! (Heb. 9:28)

"if any man hear My voice"

"God is no respector of persons" (Acts 10:34, Gal. 2:6) and it is imperative that we truly understand that fact. If "any man" is His promise! Not a special group! Not the rich! Not the beautiful! Not the powerful! Not even just the righteous! "If any man hear my voice!" Not only is He knocking, but He is speaking to us as well!

"All creation speaks of His existence that none will have an excuse." (Rom. 1:20) His word, the very Bible we are studying, speaks to us. He may use family, or friends, or even strangers to speak His truth to us. Even His Spirit alone whispers to us constantly, that we might hear!

"and open the door"

Look carefully at this phrase! It is the only requirement the Lord placed before even those so wretched as He found the Laodicean church! "Open the door!" Is it so much to remove the barrier between you and your God, a barrier you placed in His way, a barrier that you and you alone control?

Do we not know that it is sin which separates us from God? (Isa. 59:2) What in your life is between you and the Lord? Is it uncontrolled anger? Is it greed or lust? Is it selfishness, or drunkeness, or fornication, or drugs? There are none without sin. (Mark 10:18) There are none righteous. (1 John 1:10) Even though we walk with Him our whole lives we cannot ever measure up to His holy standard. (Isa. 64:6) Paul, himself, as fervent and faithful as he was, cried out in anguish, "Why do I do what I will not to do and not do what I will to do? Who will save me from this body of death?" (Rom. 7:19, Rom. 7:24)

What then can we do? Those of you who study God's word already know, and know it has been made easy! We need only confess our sins to be washed clean of them! (1 John 1:9)

I am so often reminded of Peter's words to Jesus when followers were turning from Him in great numbers. "Will you leave too?" our Lord asked. "Where else would we go, Lord?" Peter replied. "You alone have the words of eternal life." (John 6:68)

No matter what you've done, and I really mean "no matter what you've done," there is no other place to go but to Him. You cannot hide your sin, but it can be forgiven and forgotten! (Isa. 43:25) "Repentance" actually means to "turn about, or away from." If we follow God's words and turn away from that which we have been pursuing and back toward Him, if we confess our sins that we might be washed clean of the very things that separate us from Him, we open that door wide for Him to come through!

And what then has He promised?

"I will come in to him"

This echoes the promise Jesus made to His disciples on the eve of His death. "If a man loves Me, My Father will love Him, and We will make our abode in him." (John 14:23)

Please look carefully at the simplicity of Jesus' words. "Open the door and I will come in." As noted above, we are not required to beg, to bargain, to do righteous works, to self-flagellate either with words inside our heads nor chains on our backs! We do not need to search for Him. He stands "knocking at the door," and if we crack that door even a little He has promised to "come in"! What then does this mean to us?

Among other things, it means strength, for we know that He is greater still than anything that may come against us! (1 John 4:4) It also promises power, for only through His abiding in us can we do good! (John 15:5) It is, most definitely, also a promise of eternal life! (John 10:28) This and this alone should be enough of an offer, but there is more!

"...and will sup with him, and he with Me."

This, to the Jewish mind, was a powerful image indeed!

Dining together was practically and spiritually one of the most significant things in the culture. Of course it was a time of providing for a physical need and for renewing the body. And so has our Lord promised that to those who believe. (Matt. 6:33) But it was also a time of teaching, fulfilling the Law, where the Torah would be discussed and taught. (Deut. 6:7) When joined by other Jews, "brothers in faith," it was a time of fellowship then, of sharing beliefs, of teaching, exhorting, and growth.

So sacred was this time that Jews were prohibited from communing with non-believers during meals for fear of being contaminated, not only by foods not prepared according to their laws, but also by foreign beliefs, even of being made "ritually unclean" through contact with sinners! To the Jew, since the food you ate became your body, sharing food meant becoming the same body! (1 Cor. 10:17)

We then, as believers in Christ Jesus, should understand all of these promises for those who "open the door." He will sup with us, fellowship, teach us truth, exhort us, rebuke us, and even join us as "one flesh"!

For those whose door stands open, give praise, and give thanks! For those who know Him but who feel the separation of their wickedness, "be zealous and repent!" For those who do not yet know Him, please, please hear His knock! He stands so close. He loves so much. His promises are so great and so eternal. Open that door. Hold out the hand of fellowship. Receive Him unto His rightful place as your personal Lord and Savior!

"Father, we again come boldly before the throne in the righteous and holy name of Thy Son, Jesus. How can we ever thank You enough for that which You offer? No matter our sin, no matter how great or how often or how many times, Lord, still You stand close, still You knock, still You long to join us. Lord God, there is none like You, none so faithful, none so holy, none so righteous, none so loving, none so forgiving, none so willing to receive us as we are. May You open our ears that we may hear, and soften our hearts that we listen. May all 'open the door' that You may join them. May none suffer the agony of separation from You even one more day. Amen."