Revelation 3:14-22 – “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 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. 18 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. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 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. 21 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. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
“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.” As much as this verse is used during evangelism, the context of the verse is not really calling people to respond to the Gospel message as first time converts, but believers to repentance. However, if considered, using it for evangelism does offer a valid picture of God calling out to the unredeemed to join Him in intimate eternal fellowship.
Isn’t this verse grand! This church is the only one of the seven that did not get praised for anything. Obviously these have been believers as they are called a church. They have a lampstand that is only given to one of Jesus’ churches. But we have seen that their paltry passion and dead deeds have made them an emetic to the Lord. Yet, the Lord offers to give them “gold refined in the fire” so that they can become rich in the Spirit once more. Jesus is offering hope. This is nothing new. Was not Cain offered hope when sin was overwhelming Him (Genesis 4:5-7)? Hasn’t God always loved Israel, and though the sins of it are egregious and many, His love for them remains and He continues to reach out for them to return to Him (Romans 11:1-2, 11, 23, 25-27, Jeremiah 31). One day, soon, they will mourn over their previous rejection of their Messiah (Zechariah 12:10) serve Him with great passion and zeal (Revelation 7:1-8). Praise God whose love persists and overcomes all challenges (Jeremiah 31:3)! Praise God (Psalm 150:6)! As He has persisted with Israel, so He persisted with the Laodicean church, and so He persists with us. Even today the Lord calls those whose love has grown lukewarm and whose ministry and works have become mechanical, to repent and be fully received (Joel 2:12-13). He is saying to all such people, repent, persist, and return to love and you will be right where you were (Hebrews 8:12, Isaiah 43:25, Deuteronomy 4:29, 30:2-3, Psalm 51:10). Your seat at the family dining table is still reserved for you. Praise God!
Notice that Jesus is knocking on their door. As the case always is, we are prone to wander and when we do, it is not us that return and knock on His door, but He that pursues us and knocks on our door. Salvation begins with God, is with God, and remains with God. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Oh how He loves us! Glory, honor and praise to God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit! Praise God!
“21 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.” Not only does the Lord pursue us and knock on the door in hopes that we will open it so He can restore the relationship, but He restores the relationship wholly and completely. After repentance we find ourselves right where we were when first serving Him with great passion, zeal and love. Our sins are nowhere to be found or remembered (Psalm 103:8-12). Instead, we are invited to share with Him in ruling His Kingdom. His victory, that we did nothing to help with, He has shared with us and gives us the opportunity to be with Him and see the Father. Oh my, we are loved infinitely more that we deserve! Praise our God who is so good and so loving. Praise our God who is so good and so loving to us! Praise God!
“Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Again, He is speaking to all of us.
We may find it disconcerting, even frightening that the Laodicean church is representative of End Time churches, which we are, but as Jesus showed His great love for the Laodiceans, so He shows it for us. He offers His hand to the one who has pulled away, and He offers evidence of His great love for all of us. All this means that we should cling to God, or if we have been running away, we should return to Him (Luke 15:11-32). He is knocking on the door wanting to come back into the heart of the backslidden to return Him to full restoration and peace with God. Our God is incredible beyond human explanation. May we be always grateful, and ever stoking the fires of our love for God, who saves us and loves us with an everlasting love ever loves and saves us (Psalm 103:7). Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.