3-24-20 Today in the Word

Enter In: Gates and Doors in Scripture
JESUS STANDS AT THE DOOR 
Tuesday, March 24, 2020 | Revelation 3:14–22
One comedian observed that, in today’s culture, we don’t always look forward to an unexpected knock on the door. While in past decades, the family would have rushed to open the door and welcome their guest, today we are more likely to dim the lights and retreat. We are suspicious about who might be visiting and wonder why they stopped by unannounced.
Let’s pray that’s not the case when Jesus stands at our door and knocks (v. 20). Today’s verse is often quoted to indicate Jesus’ love for sinners. While these things are certainly true, this is not what this verse means in context. How do we know? To begin, this passage is a letter to the church at Laodicea (the seventh and last in the series of letters found in Revelation, chapters 2 and 3). These words are addressed to believers, not unbelievers. Sadly, these believers are lukewarm in their commitment to Christ (vv. 15–16), putting their confidence in material wealth. They’re oblivious to their true spiritual state (v. 17).
This is a discipline situation; a change of heart is needed (v. 19). When Jesus stands at the door and knocks, He’s not there as a guest but as their master, calling the church to repent and stop being halfhearted followers. They need to put their confidence in the “white clothes” of salvation, not in material wealth. If they answer the door and respond to His call, He will come in (forgive) and eat with them (restore close fellowship).
Christ’s correction is motivated by love (Prov. 3:11–12; Heb. 12:5–11). A chastened church is not “damaged goods” but remains the Body of Christ. Therefore, the letter ends with a promise—for those who respond well to the discipline—of reward and victory with Him (vv. 21–22).
APPLY THE WORD
The wealthy city of Laodicea was known for banking, medicine, and textiles (thus the choice of images in verse 18). We, too, live in a prosperous and materialistic society and face many of the same temptations. Do we likewise need to listen for Jesus’ knock?
PRAY WITH US
A familiar image of Jesus knocking on the heart’s door of lukewarm Christians is a warning to the church today. Ask God to give us warm and passionate hearts, open to His will, and in close fellowship with Him.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

9-17-23 Not in a Billion Years

Not In A Million Billion Years :: By Dave Hubley Published on: December 24, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles (There is a special message at the end of this article for those who might happen to read this and do not have Jesus in their life and are looking for peace and a way to better understand the present-day insanity and confusion.) Several years ago, I had a conversation with a guy in a waiting room while getting an oil change (in the car, not me). I don’t recall exactly how the conversation originated or how it progressed, but I have never forgotten it. As I recall, it had something to do with evolution and an article that was contained in a “waiting room magazine” that was available there. He made the observation that God was “something that man had made up.” I can’t recall the exact reason he used to justify his opinion, but it had something to do with the usual reasons people give: Weak-willed people needing a crutch, and blah, blah, blah. I engaged him in a “witness,
Read more

9-16-23 Santa Staleness

Santa Staleness :: By Edwin Tan Published on: December 24, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles My one and only trip to Israel had more than a profound effect on my present-day psyche. It might have been three decades ago, but there is more than a lingering aftertaste. It happened smack in the last fortnight of the year. Surprisingly absent were the familiar sights and sounds of the Christmas most people are accustomed to. Hardly any Christmas decorations in downtown Tel Aviv, if not any of the shopping thoroughfares across the Holy Land. Hanukah was a breath of fresh air – not anything resembling a Christmas carol most people grew up with did surface. The Christmas Eve service in a small Protestant church not far away from Jerusalem’s Old City was awesome; songs that truly celebrated the virgin birth of our Lord, which though seemingly unheard of, were a welcome inspiration to many a soul. There was even one sung in Arabic! So it began, my overt disdain for the secular Christmas t
Read more

9-15-23 Miracles 2

Miracles 2 :: By Jim Towers Published on: December 21, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles This story is a continuation of the exciting things God continues doing in my life. I was supposed to have died a while back, and sometimes I feel as though I may do so soon. But since I’m ready to meet my maker, I have no fear of death. In fact, my evangelistic zeal has only increased, especially as I see the fast approaching of the “Tribulation period” mentioned in the book of Revelation. Insofar as my acting career is concerned, I just finished filming a soliloquy featuring Melchior, one of the three Magi who followed the star to Christ lying in the manger, and am preparing to portray a Jewish Priest on stage. Like I said, God is working overtime in my life, and I will be appearing on stage singing Broadway show tunes sometime in March, so I have a lot of rehearsing to do. In the meantime, I will be signing Christmas carols acapella at a park here in Naples. Since it is a spontaneous th
Read more