Revelation 3:20 - Invite Jesus Into Your Life And A Relationship With Him Will Develop.
Rev. 3:20; Invite Jesus Into Your Life And A Relationship With
Him Will Develop.
TEXT, TRANSLATION & PARAPHRASE
Rev 3:20 (KJV) Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any
man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and
will sup with him, and he with me.
Rev 3:20 (CWR) I am standing at your heart's door, knocking.
Anyone who hears my voice and opens the door will be glad, for I will
come in and eat with him and he with me.
Rev 3:20 (TLB) "Look! I have been standing at the door, and I
am constantly knocking. If anyone hears me calling him and opens
the door, I will come in and fellowship with him and he with me.
WORD STUDY
The door. The door here referred to is under the control of man,
and each person may open or shut it at will. Christ awaits each
man's decision. This is the door to a man's soul. By His love, through
His word, and through His providences, Christ knocks at the door of
the emotions; by His wisdom, at the door of the mind; by His
lordship, at the door of the conscience; and by His promises, at the door
of man's hopes. [SDA Commentary]
I stand at the door and knock. Usually taken as a picture of
Christ's knocking on the door of the individual unbeliever's heart. In
context, however, the self-deluded members of the congregation are being
addressed. [NIV SB]
I stand at the door and knock pictures the Lord Jesus seeking
entrance into His own church (v. 14) for the purpose of renewed
fellowship. Though it is often understood as Christ knocking at the door of
an individual unbeliever's heart, the context makes that
improbable. [Nelson SB]
Christ is appealing to the worldly, compromising believers in
the church to return and enjoy full fellowship with Him. [Ryrie SB]
With him. Few acts are more indicative of fellowship and
communion than partaking of food together. In these words Christ promises
to share our experiences and invites us to share His. [SDA
Commentary]
In Oriental fashion, this "eating" referred to the main meal of
the day in which intimate friends would share together. Such a meal
portrays the kind of fellowship that will exist in the coming kingdom of
the Messiah. The church needed to repent of its self-sufficiency and
compromise and return to Christ. (Life Application Commentary)
APPLICATION COMMENTARY
The Laodicean church was complacent and rich. They felt
self-satisfied, but they didn't have Christ's presence among them. Christ
knocked at the door of their hearts, but they were so busy enjoying
worldly pleasures that they didn't notice that he was trying to enter.
The pleasures of this world--money, security, material
possessions--can be dangerous, because their temporary satisfaction makes us
indifferent to God's offer of lasting satisfaction. If you find yourself
feeling indifferent to church, to God, or to the Bible, you have begun
to shut God out of your life. Leave the door of your heart
constantly open to God, and you won't need to worry about hearing his
knock. Letting him in is your only hope for lasting fulfillment. [Life
Application SB]
Jesus is knocking on the door of our hearts every time we sense
we should turn to him. Jesus wants to have fellowship with us, and
he wants us to open up to him. He is patient and persistent in
trying to get through to us--not breaking and entering, but knocking.
He allows us to decide whether or not to open our lives to him. Do
you intentionally keep his life-changing presence and power on the
other side of the door? [Life Application SB]
Pray in your closet, and as you go about your daily labor let
your heart be often uplifted to God. It was thus that Enoch walked
with God. These silent prayers rise like precious incense before the
throne of grace. Satan cannot overcome him whose heart is thus stayed
upon God. There is no time or place in which it is inappropriate to
offer up a petition to God. There is nothing that can prevent us from
lifting up our hearts in the spirit of earnest prayer. In the crowds of
the street, in the midst of a business engagement, we may send up a
petition to God and plead for divine guidance. A closet of communion may
be found wherever we are. We should have the door of the heart open
continually and our invitation going up that Jesus may come and abide as a
heavenly guest in the soul..... live in the pure air of heaven.... Those
whose hearts are open to receive the support and blessing of God will
walk in a holier atmosphere than that of earth and will have constant
communion with heaven.... Let the soul be drawn out and upward, that God may
grant us a breath of the heavenly atmosphere. We may keep so near to
God that in every unexpected trial our thoughts will turn to Him as
naturally as the flower turns to the sun. SC98-100
Every warning, reproof, and entreaty in the word of God or
through His messengers is a knock at the door of the heart. It is the
voice of Jesus asking for entrance. With every knock unheeded, the
disposition to open becomes weaker. The impressions of the Holy Spirit if
disregarded today, will not be as strong tomorrow. The heart becomes less
impressible, and lapses into a perilous unconsciousness of the shortness of
life, and of the great eternity beyond. DA489-490
CLOSING THOUGHTS
The lukewarm church is the most pitiful church of all. Christ's
word to the lukewarm church, and the lukewarm Christian, is one of
rebuke. He stands at the door and knocks, and asks us to exchange
fellowship with the world for a more intimate, challenging walk with Him.
[The 365-Day Devotional Commentary]
Dear Friend,
How are you? I just had to send a note to tell you how much I
love you and care about you.
I saw you yesterday as you were talking with your friends. I
waited all day, hoping you would want to talk with Me also. As evening
drew near, I gave you a sunset to close your day and a cool breeze to
rest you - and I waited. You never came. Oh, yes, it hurts Me - but I
still love you because I am your Friend.
I saw you fall asleep last night and longed to touch your brow,
so I spilled moonlight upon your pillow and face. Again I waited,
wanting to rush down so we could talk. I have so many gifts for you! You
awakened late and rushed off to work. My tears were in the rain.
Today you looked so sad - so all alone. It makes My heart ache
because I understand. My friends let Me down and hurt Me many times,
too, but I love you.
Oh, if you would only listen to Me. I love you! I try to tell
you in the blue sky and in the quiet green grass. I whisper it in
the leaves on the trees and breathe it in the colors of flowers. I
shout it to you in mountain streams and give the birds love songs to
sing. I clothe you with warm sunshine and perfume the air with nature
scents. My love for you is deeper than the ocean and bigger than the
biggest want or need in your head. Oh, if you only knew how much I want
to walk and talk with you. We could spend an eternity together in
heaven.
I know how hard it is on this earth; I really know! And I want
to help you. I want you to meet My Father. He wants to help you,
too. My Father is that way, you know.
Just call Me - ask Me - talk with Me! Oh, please don't forget
Me. I have so much to share with you!
All right, I won't bother you any further. You are free to
choose Me. It's your decision. I have chosen you, and because of this I
will wait - because I love you!
Your Friend,
Jesus
Osterhus Pub. House, 4500 W. Broadway, Minneapolis MN 55422
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