“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” (Revelation 3:20)

If we are children of God, Jesus is always present. And many times, Jesus is waiting on us. In the letter to the church of Laodicea, we find a church which is described as lukewarm. “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16) It is a church which is comfortable with itself. Yet, it is also a church which Jesus has come to rebuke and discipline. What Jesus is about to do, is because of His love for the church.

Until that time, Jesus is standing at the door of the church knocking. Jesus had promised to His Disciples, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:18) John had written before about the children of God. “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1) Out of His love for the church, Jesus stands knocking. At the door Jesus also said, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.” (Revelation 3:19) As Jesus is knocking, the time of His judgment upon His own is coming.

If the church will open the door, then Jesus will come in. When He comes into the church, they will enjoy their fellowship with Jesus and each other. When they fellowship together, the church will experience the victory which has come to them through Jesus Christ. “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.” (Revelation 3:21) This all comes because of Jesus’ victory over death. “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57)

If the church does not open the door, then Jesus will come with rebuke and discipline. He says, “So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.” (Revelation 3:16-19)

Jesus continues to stand at the dooring knocking. Will we respond to Him either for repentance or for fellowship? His desire is that we will be His and usable in His hands until the day He comes for us. If we respond with repentance, we come to Him humbly. “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” (James 4:8-10)

If we respond for fellowship, we come to Him with joy. “The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete. (1 John 1:2-4)

When we open the door, let us walk with Living Word of God in fellowship with Him and each other as we point people to Him.

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block