“Behold! I have been standing at the door and I am knocking: if someone would hear My voice and would open the door, then I will enter to him and I will dine with him and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20 ONM)
Most of our parents when they were teaching us manners, always told us not to show up at someone’s house unannounced. We were to call and get permission to come over. As well as being good manners, it also gave the person an opportunity to prepare for your visit. If we are prepared for the visitor, our house will be clean and presentable. If it was an occasion for a dinner invitation, the meal would be prepared, the table set, and delicious appetizers would be set out to enjoy before the meal. Everything would be wonderfully set up for the welcomed guest.
So what went wrong in that church? Well we can see that in the salutation Jesus gave John for the letter: “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;” (Revelation 3:14). In the letter to the Colossians, Paul had mentioned how they were united in knowing the mystery of God, namely, Christ, and the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Him. So Jesus had to remind them of who He was. That’s why they had become the end time church of apostasy . Apostasy is the rejection of Christ by one who has been a Christian. Jesus had to address this very issue with the church of Laodicea in Revelation 3:20. They had gone from Jesus always being a welcome guest in their home, to Him standing outside knocking on the door. If He had to knock on the door, this could have also been an indication of it being locked and that He had been evicted. Once we allow Christ to abide in our hearts, He is no longer considered a visitor but someone who lives with us permanently. “By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit” (1 John 4:13). There were many Christians in Laodicea. Paul even mention the letters that had been written to them. “I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. 2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:1-3). Paul was letting the Colossians know about the great concern he had for them as well as the Laodiceans. He said they both were knitted together with him in Christ. 13 “I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.” 15 “Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.16 After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea” (Colossians 4:13,15,16). Paul mentions in the same letter about the hard work that was done in Laodicea and sent greetings to one of the Pastors there, Nympha. So they (Laodiceans) apparently had to be walking with the Lord without locked doors in order for the Apostle Paul to have a connection with them. He said all of that without having met the Laodiceans. So apparently their lives at that time were a reflection of their relationship with Christ and not in the lukewarm state that Jesus addressed in Revelation.
They were no longer the church full of riches of complete understanding as Paul had said. They no longer acknowledged Jesus but were saying basically I did it myself. “You are a merchant whose balances of deceit are in his hands: he loves to oppress” (Hosea 12:8).
Whether individually or a member of a congregation, are you a satellite sister church 0f Laodicea? Jesus wants again be our merchant and for us to buy gold and eye ointment from Him. His love will correct us and when we leave his establishment we leave with white garments, which represents spiritual preparedness.
A lot of the “feel good” messages now in some churches have the people leaving excited about the music, because they showed up, or performed some Christian duty. The enthusiasm when we leave church should always be for the Lord. We should be excited that He was there in attendance with us and His Spirit manifested His presence. Our enthusiasm should be that we are not Sunday Christians that leave the thought of God at church when we go home. We are excited that He lives with us and in us every day all day.
Let’s examine our lives and make sure that Jesus is abiding in us. If you do hear a knock at the door, please don’t leave the Lord outside continually knocking. Don’t keep yelling from inside the house “who is it?” If you do, like the Laodiceans, you have left the understanding and knowledge of who Christ is, and you are trying to do it yourself. Won’t you please open the door and let Jesus come in and dine with you?
