Revelation 3

The church in Sardis is dead. The church is Philadelphia has open doors, open minds and open hearts. She is encouraged to continue in her faithfulness because she is making an eternal difference. She is also warned that an open mind does not mean anything is acceptable. Evil abounds and she must be vigilant. Laodicea is lukewarm. Self-satisfied she has not much longing for the lost, not much passion for worship, not much concern for the Body of Christ.

The closing words to Laodicea are most often used in our generation by evangelists making an appeal to an individual to open the door of their heart to Jesus. While there is no question that Jesus comes to us through prevenient grace (knocking at our door) and wants us to open our life to him, this is not what verse 20 is saying. Here, Jesus is coming to the church. All seven of these letters were directed to churches. Jesus is appealing to his churches to remain faithful. The church is not just a collection of individuals. The individuals through the grace of God become connected, one to another, as the individuals bear with one another in love. The church is the Body of Christ. Jesus is making it very clear that nothing within the church, no matter how seemingly small or insignificant, escapes his attention.

Every church, whether dead, struggling, apathetic and lukewarm can be encouraged by the vision of Jesus proclaiming: “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.”

What does today’s reading

reveal to you about God?

What does it reveal to you about yourself?

Think about what God wants you to do

or remember about this passage.

Does God want you to change

anything in your life?

3-Oct-11       Rev. 4:1-5:14