TO LAODICEA--I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK

Passage: Revelation 3:14-22

Key verse: 20

NIV

To the Church in Laodicea

14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea(A) write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness,(B) the ruler of God’s creation.(C) 15 I know your deeds,(D) that you are neither cold nor hot.(E) 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.’(F) But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.(G) 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire,(H) so you can become rich; and white clothes(I) to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness;(J) and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.(K) So be earnest and repent.(L) 20 Here I am! I stand at the door(M) and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,(N) I will come in(O) and eat with that person, and they with me.

21 To the one who is victorious,(P) I will give the right to sit with me on my throne,(Q) just as I was victorious(R) and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear(S) what the Spirit says to the churches.”

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

To the Church in Laodicea

14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the (A)Amen, (B)the faithful and true witness, (C)the beginning of God's creation.

15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. (D)Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 (E)For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, (F)blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you (G)to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and (H)white garments so that you may clothe yourself and (I)the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, (J)so that you may see. 19 (K)Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and (L)knock. (M)If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, (N)I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 (O)The one who conquers, (P)I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as (Q)I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 (R)He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. No place for lukewarm Christians (14-18)

The Laodiceans thought they had the best of both worlds! They had compromised with the world just enough to be comfortable. But Jesus doesn't like lukewarm Christians. He said he would spit them out. When we become self-confident and easy-going, we had better examine ourselves before the Lord. He says that such Christians are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. We need the riches which only Jesus can give. Only he can cover our nakedness and heal our blindness.

2. Repent and open the door (19-22)

Jesus really loves us. So he rebukes us. His knock on the door of our hearts is a call to repentance. We must close the door to the world if we are to open the door to Jesus. When we open the door, he comes in and cleans up all the mess and fills our lives with his love and his riches. To eat with him means to have a personal relationship with him.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for knocking on the door of my life. Please come and live with me forever.

One Word: Open the door and let Jesus in