11-18-2023      I HEAR YOU KNOCKIN’

 

Revelations 3:19-22

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten, therefore be zealous and repent.  Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if any man hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and sup with him and he with Me.  To him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I overcame and set down with My Father in His throne.  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.   

This passage speaks to three things pertaining to salvation: receiving, obedience and reward

Salvation   I stand at the door and knock, if any man hears My voice …

      Receiving  I will come in to him and sup with him and he with Me

Salvation comes by hearing the Word of God.  Usually because someone has shared it with us whether it be a priest or pastor in a church or the man in the street (Rom. 10:13-17).  Blessed are the feet of those who bring good news (Isa:52:7).  Yet, when a man is most observant, he can see God in creation, around us (Rom. 1:19-20) and know that there is someone greater than himself.

God does not force His way into our hearts.  Jesus knocks on our heart’s door and waits for us to answer, then He will abide with us and in us (Rev. 3:20).

Jesus provides an opportunity for us when He says “I am the way, the truth and the life.  No man comes unto the Father but by Me (John 14:6).  We face the choice Joshua faced when he said “… choose this day whom you will serve … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Josh.24:15).

Because of our sin, Jesus stands the gap reconnecting us with the Father.  Without the shedding of blood to cover sin, there is no remission of sin (Lev. 17:11, Heb. 9:22).  Jesus is our propitiation (took our place) cleansing us and enabling us to reenter into the eternal life which God originally intended for us (Rom. 3:23-25, 1 John 2:2).

So why do we choose God?  God so loved he world that he gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes on Him shall not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

      Obedience   To him who overcomes

We’ve chosen to let Jesus into our heart.  So now, we need to love Him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and because we now love God, we show that love towards others around us (Mark 12:29-31).

Our goal now, is to become one with the Lord.  Jesus asks Father to keep (protect) us.  We know that God’s joy will be in us.  Jesus asks Father to keep us from evil, though we are still in this world.  He sanctifies us through His Word which is truth.  And He prayed this for all who believe (John 14:15, John 17:9-23)! 

However, as a parent with his child, Father does correct us to keep us on the right track. So, we shouldn’t despise God’s correction.  It is for our own good (Prov. 3:11-12).  It is to help us to grow closer to our heavenly Father.

      Reward    I will grant to sit with Me in My throne 

So, why even be concerned about receiving Jesus into our heart?  Let’s look at a couple of things.

God created Adam and Eve to be eternal beings.  They had access to the tree of life, to eat its fruit (Gen. 3:22, Rev. 2:7).  Yet, even though tempted, Adam and Eve couldn’t leave well enough alone and ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 3:1-23) and separated man from eternal life with this act.  So, Father set a Cherubim to guard the tree of life from Adam and all man (Gen. 3:24).

So, we stand on John 3:16 (see above) because through our ‘salvation’, Jesus gives back to us that eternal life (John 10:27-28), reinstating us into good standing with Father.  We don’t have that eternal life in hand yet, but as we live for Jesus, He has promised that we will be with Him throughout eternity (again John 3:16).

Jesus is preparing a place for us so when He comes does back for us we will be with Him (John 14:1-3.  We will be rewarded for our ‘good works’ in this life, whether they be great or small and, maybe because we didn’t have the opportunity to do good works, because of our faith, we will still be in His presence (1Corinth. 13:11-15).  But while we are waiting, He will supply all our needs here, in his life (Phil. 4:19).  In everything, He is our provider (Matt. 6:31-34), comforter (1 Corinth. 1:3-4) and teacher (John 14:26).  What more could we want?

Oh!  And because we have run our race faithfully (1 Corinth. 9:24), He grants us the privilege of siting with Him in our Father’s throne (Rev. 3:21).  Now the Greek word for throne is thronos, (G2362), and is translated throne, stately seat or power.  Did not Jesus promise that when the Holy Ghost is come upon us we shall have power (Acts 1:8).  Power is the Greek word dunamis (G1411) which is violent or explosive power.  Power to do that which Father has called us.  Get the picture?

      Truth  (xtra credit)

 

Many hear, but who is truly listening and opens the door?

Job declares that he knew about God, but after all that he went through, he said that ‘now’ he has seen God face to face (Job 42:5).  Come to know Father on a personal basis, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.  The experience is awesome!

Have we confessed Jesus Christ as our personal Savior?  Have we been baptized in water or allowed the Holy Ghost full operation in our lives?

Over time, too many people have professed to know Jesus and even have been baptized in water, but as we see in the parable of the sower we see some fall away –  discouraged, swayed by the wants of the world.  Too many to never return (Matt. 13:3-23).  We have to run the course (1 Corinth. 9:24-27).

Father tells us throughout the Old Testament how He desires us to treat others, with love, compassion and edification.  What do we do to edify, to build up those with whom we come into contact?  I remember from my childhood an old slaying “If you ain’t got nutthin’ good to say, don’t say mutthin’ at all’.  Good advice.  Death and life are in the power of the tongue and they who love it shall eat its fruit (Prov. 18:21).  That means, we are what we profess ourselves to be and even what we profess upon others will fall upon them. What we say to or about others shows our heart towards them.

As we read the Old Testament, we see where God gave Israel chance after chance to get their act together.  As it is, Israel is still waiting.  However, look at what good He bestowed upon them, encouraging them back into His kingdom.  He also will do likewise for us.

We say that we know God, but have we truly let Him into our heart?  Are we living for and in Him and He in us?  Are we following His example of life?  Do we seek Him in all things?  When we are in Him, whatever we ask in His name, He will do (John 14:14).  Should we stray, ss long as we can take a breath, He gives us second chances.  He is the second set of footprints in the sand.

Until we let Him in, Jesus is continually knocking at the door desiring to abide with and in us. 

As with Job, have we just ‘heard’ about God, or do we really ‘know’ Him?

Is Jesus still knocking at our door?  Or have we opened it and truly let Him into our heart? 

Amen