He’s Knocking: Are We Going to Open the Door?
John Pollock
November 14, 2015
I’m going to begin today by reading a short couple of paragraphs from a book entitled
Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, a book that’s authored by Joanna Weaver. It’s
a book that I have referenced many times in sermons, a book that I would encourage
any one of us to purchase and read. Not just women; I’d also encourage men to do so
for there are many, many lessons that I have found in this book throughout
Ms. Weaver’s writings. On page 26, we read the following:
Unbelief brought down Judas—…. Unbelief hardened [King] Saul’s heart—he
closed his eyes to the rightness of God’s ways. Unbelief kept the Israelites in the
wilderness for forty years because they questioned God’s ability to lead them.
And it was unbelief way back at the beginning of time that opened a doorway of
darkness in a world designed for pure light.
I’m going to interject something here at this point. For those of you who are taking
notes, for those of you who like to take notes, I’ve got an immediate assignment. I’d like
each of you to write down the last sentence that I just read and I’d like you to dwell on
that as we go through today’s message. Once again, that sentence is: “And it was
unbelief way back in the beginning of time that opened a doorway of darkness in a
world designed for pure light.”
Ms. Weaver continues, and I’ll start again where I left off.
And it was unbelief way back in the beginning of time that opened a doorway of
darkness in a world designed for pure light.
The Garden of Eden must have been absolutely wonderful. Just think: no house
to clean, no meals to cook, no clothes to iron. Eve had it made. A gorgeous
hunk of [a man for] a husband. Paradise for a living room. God for a [friend].
But somehow, in the midst of all of these blessings the marvelous grew
mundane, the remarkable ho-hum. And a nagging sense of discontent sent Eve
wandering toward the only thing God had withheld: —the Tree of the Knowledge
of Good and Evil.
The author continues:
What is it about us women…?
And I’ll interject here; I believe this applies to men as well.
What is it about us women that creates such a desperate need in each of us to
always “know”, to always “understand”? We want an itinerary for our life, and
when God doesn’t immediately produce one.…
And here’s why I believe this applies to men as well.
… and when God doesn’t immediately produce one [that itinerary for life], we set
out to write our own.
“I need to know,” we tell ourselves. [“I need to understand,” we state to
ourselves.]
“No,” God answers softly, “you need to trust.”
I’m still quoting here.
But like [Eve], the original first lady, we push aside his tender voice and head
straight for the tree. Not the tree, the sacrificial tree of the [stake], but the proud
towering beauty, the tree called Knowledge. Because, after all [from a human
perspective], knowledge is power. And power is what we secretly crave.
Ms. Weaver goes on to write:
I believe Eve’s eventual sin began with a tiny thought—a small, itching fear she
somehow was missing something and that God didn’t have her best interests at
heart. What could be wrong with something so lovely, so desirable as the
forbidden fruit? Perhaps a hidden resentment had worked down into her spirit.
[After all,] Adam got to name all of the animals while she got to pick papayas.
Whatever the identity of the tiny irritation, it sent her looking for more.
And Satan was ready and [Satan was waiting], willing to give her more, more
than she’d ever bargained for.
I want to emphasize two statements that we just read.
1. And it was unbelief way back at the beginning of time that opened a doorway of
darkness in a world designed for pure light.
2. And Satan was ready and waiting, willing to give her more than she ever
bargained for.
Moving forward in today’s message, let’s first look at some scriptures regarding the
influence of Satan on human beings, his readiness, willingness to give each of us more
than we bargained for. And we will visit our responsibility as called out ones when we
fall prey to the influences of Satan.
Let’s begin, if you would please, by turning first to Jeremiah 17. We’ll read verse 9.
Jeremiah 17:9. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked;
who can know it? (NKJV)
The Hebrew word for “wicked” means sick. The human heart, because of the influence
of Satan, is extremely wicked. It’s extremely sick.
Turn, if you would please, to Ecclesiastes 9 and we’ll read verse 3. Because of Satan’s
influence, the hearts of mankind are extremely sick, wicked.
Ecclesiastes 9:3. This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing
happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in
their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. (NKJV)
While mankind is alive, their hearts are full of evil. The hearts of mankind are wicked.
They’re sick. Take a moment and dwell on the suffering that’s going on in the world
today due to the wickedness of the hearts of mankind. We find issues with Russia,
Korea, and China. There is terror and the threat of terror everywhere. This past Friday
evening.… I’m sure everyone by now is aware of the terrorism that took place in Paris,
France, now being claimed by the responsibility of ISIS. And ISIS even states (at least I
read this morning) that this is the “first of the storm.” Humanity faces famine, disease
epidemics, pollution, and illness of all kinds. Daily we hear of mankind’s inhumane
treatment of mankind. Not just through war, not just through terrorism, but through drug
trafficking, human trafficking, prostitution, pornography, and child molestations beyond
what we can actually comprehend.
The world, all of mankind, is facing an unprecedented challenge, a challenge to survive
the onslaught due to the evil wicked hearts of mankind. All of mankind is suffering due
to the hearts of man and all of this is the results of 6,000 years of mankind’s reliance on
Satan, looking to Satan as Eve looked to Satan, looking to Satan for guidance,
direction, and support instead of looking to God for that guidance, direction, and
support.
Yet, with that being said, look what we find here in Psalm 51. We’ll begin reading in
verse 1. This is David’s prayer of repentance following his affair with Bathsheba and all
that entailed.
Psalm 51:1. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.
2) Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. (NKJV)
In other words, David is stating here, “Clean up my sick heart.”
3) For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
(NKJV)
In David’s case, he acknowledged his lust of the flesh. He acknowledged his lust of the
eyes. And, as the king, he probably was acknowledging the fact that he had a pride of
life as well. Verse 4:
4) Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight — that
You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge. (NKJV)
Dropping down to verse 7:
7) Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, … (NKJV)
In other words, “heal my heart of iniquity.”
7b) … and I shall be whiter than snow. (NKJV)
Verse 10:
10) Create in me a clean heart, … (NKJV)
Again, David is just calling out to God to remove from him his sick heart.
10b) … O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11) Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit
from me. (NKJV)
Verse 16:
16) For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in
burnt offering.
17) The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, … (NKJV)
In other words, “a humble spirit, a contrite spirit.” David goes on to state:
17b) … a broken and a contrite heart … (NKJV)
In other words, “a healthy heart,” not the sick, perverted, evil wicked hearts of mankind.
17 continued) … these, O God, You will not despise. (NKJV)
Our heavenly Father desires that each and every one of us live lives of truth in our
inward man—honesty and purity while we’re housed in these earthen vessels. To have
clean hearts is the way God wants us to live. And He wants us to live righteous lives as
we continue to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.
Let’s turn to the book of Joel, if you would please, to Joel chapter 2. We will read
verses 12 and 13.
Joel 2:12. "Now, therefore," says the Lord, "Turn to Me with all your heart, with
fasting, with weeping, and with mourning." (NKJV)
In other words, with humility, if you will. Verse 13:
13) So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the Lord your God, for
He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents
from doing harm. (NKJV)
Here in verse 13, we find the word “rend.” Now some may feel that the word “rend”
means to separate into parts with force and violence. In fact, that is a dictionary
definition of to rend, but in the context here with verse 12, rend means to tear in grief,
(which is also a dictionary definition), to be totally sorry for our action, to be totally sorry,
repentant of our way of life, a circumstance or a deed.
With all of our emotional make-up, we are to turn our hearts to the Lord. Not our hearts
to the Lord in some charismatic emotional state of being saved, but to simply and totally
repent, turning our ways to lives of righteousness. Not the wicked, the sick hearts
referenced moments ago in Jeremiah and in Ecclesiastes.
Turn, if you would, to Philippians chapter 2 and we’ll read verses 12 and 13.
Philippians 2:12. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in
my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own
salvation with fear and trembling;
13) for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
(NKJV)
We find here that we have a responsibility towards our calling, a responsibility towards
our goal which God called us to, an accountability, if you will, to our heavenly Father.
Let’s stay here in the New Testament and turn over 2 Corinthians 13. We’ll read verse
5, a scripture which is familiar to each and every one of us.
2 Corinthians 13:5. Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test
yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? … (NKJV)
That’s a question; not a statement.
5b) … Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless indeed
you are disqualified. (NKJV)
Each and every one of us has a responsibility. I cannot be responsible for you and you,
in turn, cannot be responsible for me. We are to prove ourselves. We are not to prove
others. God is requiring here that I prove myself and that each of you prove yourselves.
Not those sitting to your left or to your right; not those sitting in front or behind you; but
we are to prove ourselves. Is Christ in us? Do we know? Truly? Do we? Is Jesus
Christ living in us? Understand this: If the Savior of mankind is not residing in us, then
we do not qualify for the gift of salvation, the gift of eternal life, an opportunity that we’ve
been called for, an opportunity for birth into the family of God.
Reflecting back on our first scripture, Jeremiah 17:9:
Jeremiah 17:9. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked;
who can know it? (NKJV)
We must understand that our hearts without the support of God’s holy spirit are totally
deceitful and fully wicked, extremely sick. Our hearts, due to Satan, can become a
wicked instrument. And we must come to understand a wicked instrument not only in
Satan’s hands but in our own fleshly hands as well.
Does Jesus Christ reside in us? It’s a question of utmost importance. Does Christ live
within these earthen vessels? Let’s turn over to Revelation 3. Here in verse 20 we
read:
Revelation 3:20. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My
voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with
Me. (NKJV)
Revelation 3:20 brings up a series of additional questions. Questions such as: Is Christ
residing in us? And, if not, why not? And if He is not, we need to evaluate another
aspect of our calling. Is Jesus Christ knocking at the door? Is He knocking, asking to
come in? Another question is this: If He is knocking, should we not ask why? Would it
not be proactive to ask why He’s knocking? Because, in actuality after some twenty,
thirty, forty and, in some cases, fifty years of conversion, He should already be living in
these fleshly temples. Not knocking, desiring to come in. And the last question we
should ask is this: If Jesus Christ is at the door knocking, are we going to open the
door?
I’m going to read Revelation 3 verse 20 once again; this time from the Darby Bible.
Revelation 3:20. Behold, I stand at the door and am knocking; if any one hear
my voice and open the door, I will come in unto him and sup with him, and he
with me. (Darby)
I personally really like the translation here in the Darby Bible because it’s in the present
tense. Christ is knocking. The title of today’s sermon is:
He’s Knocking: Are We Going to Open the Door?
Understand if Christ is not residing in us, we have no opportunity for birth into the God
family, no opportunity to participate in the birthing process which leads to a life eternal
(And here’s that word “eternity” or “eternal”, which is hard to grasp.), a life of eternity
with our Savior and our spiritual Father.
For the remainder of this sermon, for the remainder of this message, we’re going to look
at this subject of knocking. Hopefully, we’ll come to a greater understanding as to what
knocking scripturally is all about. We’ll come to a greater understanding as to who is
knocking at the door from time to time and who is not. We will identify the meaning of
the word “knock.” We will see that there is a reason why knocking occurs from outside
the gate. We will find that both the Father and the Son do the knocking but at different
times and for different reasons during an individual’s lifetime. And we will find that the
New Testament Church itself is made of individuals who act upon the knocking.
In scripture, we find the words knock, knocked, knocketh, and knocking; we find these
only ten times. That’s it. No more, no less, only ten times—once only in the Old
Testament; nine times in the New Testament. In sixty-six inspired books that make up
both the Old and New Testaments, we find knock, knocked, knocketh, and knocking
referenced only ten times, but there is an enormous, an absolutely enormous amount of
information held within these ten references.
Let’s look first at the word knock. Turn, if you would please, to the gospel of Matthew
chapter 7 verse 7.
Matthew 7:7. "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock,
and it will be opened to you. (NKJV)
Here we find Christ admonishing His followers in the Sermon on the Mount to not only
ask, to not only seek, but to also knock. What does Christ actually mean here with this
admonishment to knock? We’ll address that in a few moments, but let’s continue to
reference some additional scriptures regarding the word knock. Turn, if you would
please, to Luke chapter 11 where we’ll read verse 9.
Luke 11:9. "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will
find; knock, and it will be opened to you. (NKJV)
Here we find verbatim the exact wording found in Matthew 7:7, but let’s continue. Turn
forward, if you would please, to the thirteenth chapter of Luke where we’ll read verse 25.
All of this is in reference to the word knock.
Luke 13:25. When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door,
and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open
for us,' and He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know you, where you are
from,' (NKJV)
Here we find the word knock. Yet, in context, there is a completely different outcome for
the one knocking than what we read earlier in Luke as well as in Matthew. For a final
reference to the word knock, turn once again, if you would please, to Revelation 3 and
we’ll read verse 20, which we just read a moment ago.
Revelation 3:20. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My
voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with
Me. (NKJV)
As stated earlier, Christ is the one knocking here in verse 20. And what could the
meaning of this be? We’ll answer that question as we move further into the sermon, but
let’s continue to reference the different varieties of the word knock.
Now the word knocked is found only once in scripture and it’s found in Acts 12. Turn, if
you would please to Acts 12 where we’ll read verses 13 and 14 in reference to the word
“knocked.”
Acts 12:13. And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda
came to answer.
14) When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her gladness she did not
open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate.
(NKJV)
Here we find that Peter had knocked but once again we ask: What does this mean?
What does this really mean? It’s interesting that although we find Peter had knocked,
we read in verse 14 that Rhoda recognized his voice. She does not respond to his
knock, but she does respond to his voice. Keep that in mind, if you would, as we move
through this message.
What do knocking and recognizing his voice have, if anything, in common? Before we
answer that, let’s look at the word knocks or as it is translated in the King James
Version, that of “knocketh.” So turn to the only place in the Old Testament that refers to
the subject of knocking. Turn to Song of Solomon, if you would, and here in verse 2 of
chapter 5 we find the following. I’ll be reading from the King James Version.
Song of Solomon 5:2. I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my
beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my
undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.
(KJV)
The Hebrew word for knocketh here is transliterated as “daphaq”. I believe it’s
pronounced “daw-fak'” and it means to press severely, or to beat.
Now referencing the word knocks, we find this first beginning, once again, in Matthew 7.
So, if you would please, let’s go back to the New Testament in reference to the word
knocks and we’ll find it first beginning in Matthew 7. This time we’ll read verse 8.
Matthew 7:8. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to
him who knocks it will be opened. (NKJV)
What we find here is the completed thought of Christ which began in verse 7 that we’ve
already referenced. Knocks is also found in Luke 11, verse 10.
Luke 11:10. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to
him who knocks it will be opened. (NKJV)
Once again, we find here Christ’s completed thought as to verse 9, and, once again, it’s
verbatim to what we just read or found in Matthew 7:8.
Another reference to knocks is found in Luke 12. Turn, if you would please, to Luke 12
and we’ll read verse 36.
Luke 12:36. and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he
will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to
him immediately. (NKJV)
So, again, we find the word “knocks” here in Luke 12:36.
Now for the word “knocking”, one reference is found and it’s found in Acts 12. So, let’s
turn over to Acts 12:16 where we read the following.
Acts 12:16. Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and
saw him, they were astonished. (NKJV)
This, of course, is the same story flow that we referenced earlier regarding Peter.
So, at this point, we’ve now looked at all ten references of the different variations of the
word knock, one of which is at the Old Testament in the Song of Solomon with the
remaining found in the New Testament and found only in Matthew, Luke, Acts, and the
book of Revelation. So we have identified these ten scriptural references and we have
defined the meaning of the only reference in the Old Testament. That is, to press
severely or to beat.
But what are the definitions, the meanings of the New Testament translations for the
word knock and what is the spiritual significance of these meanings? First it’s
interesting that the four words we have referenced thus far—knock, knocked, knocks or
knocketh, and knocking—each and every one of these found in the New Testament,
what’s interesting is these are the same Greek word. The Greek word used in all nine
scriptural references is Strong’s #2925 transliterated as “krouo” (kroo'-o); and it means
nothing other than to knock. But listen to what Unger’s Bible Dictionary references
under this word knock.
Though some Eastern people [the meaning of “Eastern” here is Middle Eastern
people of the Bible] are very jealous of their privacy, yet they never knock when
they are about to enter your room, but walk in without warning or without
ceremony. It is nearly impossible to teach Arab servants to knock at your door.
They give warning at the outer gate or at the outer entrance. To stand and call is
a very common respectful mode and, thus, it was in Bible times.
It’s interesting that I gave this sermon a week ago in Prosser and a gentleman there in
Prosser has served in the Middle East recently in Desert Storm and he brought to our
attention that that custom is still the same custom as it was it ancient biblical times.
From the International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, Electronic Database, we find
under the heading “Knock” the following:
The oriental [meaning here Middle Eastern] house was fitted with heavy doors
which were bolted and locked with wooden keys too large to be carried about, so
that even a member of the household could not secure entrance until in response
to his … call the door should be opened by someone within.
So we find that to knock actually and in many applications means to call, or to call out.
There are both Old as well as New Testament examples of where calling is used as a
form of knocking. Let’s first reference Deuteronomy 24, if you would please, beginning
in verse 10.
Deuteronomy 24:10. "When you lend your brother anything, you shall not go
into his house to get his pledge.
11) You shall stand outside, and the man to whom you lend shall bring the
pledge out to you. (NKJV)
We find here by application Moses commanded the owner of the pledge to not go into
the house, but to stand outside and then, to call to the owner to come outside. This was
to avoid the insolent intrusion of the household.
We have already referenced the example of Peter knocking in Acts 12:13-16, but what
I’d like to do is turn there once again since we now have this new additional aspect of
the meaning of knocking; that of calling. So, let’s go ahead and turn to Acts 12, if you
would please, and we’ll pick it up in verse 13. Some of this we have referenced already,
some of this we have not, but we have this new additional aspect of the meaning of
knocking.
Acts 12:13. And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda
came to answer.
14) When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her gladness she did not
open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate.
15) But they said to her, "You are beside yourself!" Yet she kept insisting that it
was so. So they said, "It is his angel."
16) Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw
him, they were astonished. (NKJV)
Here we find Peter knocking at the outer gate, but what we really find here is Peter
calling out at the outer gate as noted in verse 14. As Rhoda recognized his voice” she
did not recognize his knock.
One additional example of this can be found in Acts 10, verse 17.
Acts 10:17. Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he
had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made
inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate. (NKJV)
And the key here is verse 18.
18) And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was
lodging there. (NKJV)
Listen to how Cassirer translates verse 18:
18) They were standing in the gateway, raising their voices to enquire whether a
certain Simon, also known by the name of Peter, was lodging there. (CAS)
And from the Phillips we read, again Acts 10 verse 18:
18) They were in fact standing at the very doorway calling out to enquire if
Simon, surnamed Peter, were lodging there. (PHP)
So what we read here in these two verses of Acts 10, we read that three men sent to
Joppa by Cornelius were standing at the gate calling (knocking, if you will) to see if
Peter was staying at the house of Simon the Tanner in Joppa. So knocking, we have
found, is really in reference to calling or a calling out.
Whether one is literally knocking or calling out as to knock, we find that in almost every
case the one doing the calling or the knocking is doing so at the door or at the gate.
Scripturally speaking, a door can be either a literal door or it can be a figurative door.
An example of a literal door is what we previously referenced in Acts 12 as Peter
knocked (called out) where Rhoda recognized his voice. That was a literal door that
Peter was calling out from. There are many New Testament examples of figurative
doors. One example is found in John 10:7.
John 10:7. Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am
the door of the sheep. (NKJV)
So again, here we find a figurative example of the word “door”. Other New Testament
examples can be found in Matthew 24:33, 25:10; Acts 14:27; and 2 Corinthians 2:12;
but a key example of a figurative door is found (and we’ve already referenced this
earlier) in Revelation 3:20. This particular scripture is a very key scripture to the entirety
of this message. So, once again, Revelation 3:20 from the Darby Bible, we read:
Revelation 3:20. Behold, I stand at the door and am knocking; if any one hear
my voice and open the door, I will come in unto him and sup with him, and he
with me. (Darby)
Here we find Christ knocking. And, once again, what is knocking? It’s calling. Here
we find Jesus Christ calling out to His disciples to open the door so that Christ may
come in and dine with the Christian to whom Christ is addressing.
So where are we within this message today? Thus far we have identified what the
meaning of knock, knocked, knocks, knocketh, and knocking is. These words in
actuality mean to call or to call out. We have seen that one who knocks (calls out) does
so at the door. And we’ve seen that the door can be a literal door or a figurative door.
Understand God the Father is the one who initially calls, who in essence knocks, and it
is up to us to answer that knocking, to answer that calling. Let’s turn to John 6:44. This
is a basic understanding that we all know.
John 6:44. No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him;
… (NKJV)
So, we have an opportunity to come to Christ if and only if, the Father knocks; and, if
and only if, we answer that knocking. Answer by repenting of our former ways,
becoming baptized, and having hands laid upon us. It is only those who the Father calls
(that knocking), it is only those who have an opportunity to repent and be welcomed into
the Body of Christ at this time.
Stay here in chapter 6 of John and drop down to verse 65, if you would please.
John 6:65. And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to
Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father." (NKJV)
So again, we iterate that no one comes to Christ unless it is granted. No one comes to
Christ unless the knocking—that calling, if you will—occurs first. Christ’s Father calls
us, but calls us into what? Let’s answer that by turning to Acts 2. The Father does the
calling. He does the knocking, if you will, but calls us into what? Acts 2, we’ll begin in
verse 38.
Acts 2:38. Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be
baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39) For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as
many as the Lord our God will call."
40) And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be
saved from this perverse generation."
41) Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about
three thousand souls were added to them. (NKJV)
Drop down to verse 47.
Acts 2:47. praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord
added to the church daily those who were being saved. (NKJV)
The word “church” found here in verse 47 is the same Greek word that’s translated in
each and every reference of the word church that’s found in the New Testament, all 80
references. Turn if you would to Acts 11:22.
Acts 11:22. Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in
Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. (NKJV)
Drop down to verse 26.
Acts 11:26. And when he had found him [Paul], he brought him to Antioch. So it
was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great
many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. (NKJV)
And add to these two verses, we find here in Colossians 1:21:
Colossians 1:21. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind
by wicked works, … (NKJV)
This refers to the sick wicked heart we spoke of earlier.
21b) … yet now He has reconciled
22) in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, …
(NKJV)
In other words, at this point “a healed heart.”
22b) … and above reproach in His sight —
23) if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not
moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached
to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
24) I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in
the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, (NKJV)
The word church, the spiritual Body of Christ, which is translated from the Greek
“ekklesia,” literally means called out ones. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon defines church as
called out or called forth. Thayer’s continues, a gathering of citizens called out from
their homes into some place. Vine’s Expository Dictionary breaks down the Greek work
“ekklesia” as follows: ek, out of; klesis, a calling (kaleo, to call). The ekklesia are those
to whom the knocking occurred, to those who opened that door (the called out ones),
those of whom followed through with the Father’s invitation.
So, we ask the question again: What have we seen thus far today? We have identified
the meaning of the word knock and all of its variations, meaning to call or to call out.
We have seen that the one who calls does so from outside the door. And we have seen
that it is the Father who knocks, who does the calling; and we have seen that the church
is made up of those who heeded the knocking, who are now referred to as the called
out ones.
In our lives, God the Father knocked. He called each and every one of us out of our
worldly ways and each of us heeded that calling. Yet, there will come a time in our lives
when Jesus Christ Himself will knock. This time, not the Father, but Christ Himself will
be doing the knocking. Let’s turn to Revelation 3 once again, if you would please. This
time we’ll begin in verse 14.
Revelation 3:14. "And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, 'These
things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the
creation of God:
15) "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were
cold or hot.
16) So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you
out of My mouth. (NKJV)
In your own Bible study, go back and reference this word “vomit” to really get an
understanding of what it means. Verse 17:
17) Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of
nothing' — … (NKJV)
There’s no humility here.
17b) … and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and
naked — (NKJV)
Laodiceans do not know that they are blind to the fact that they have unhealthy hearts.
Let’s continue here in verse 18.
18) I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich;
and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness
may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
19) As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
(NKJV)
In other words: Laodiceans, take to heart [I don’t mean to use a play on words.], take to
heart David’s prayer of repentance that we read earlier in Psalm 51. Verse 20:
20) Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens
the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. (NKJV)
Verse 20 clearly states that Christ will stand at the door and He will knock. But note that
this verse does not say that He will open the door. Remember the example in the
Middle East? Individuals knock by calling, by calling out. This is why Christ states here
in verse 20, “Behold, I, Christ, stand at the door and knock.” It’s not a literal knock that’s
referred to here. What we find here in Revelation 3:20 is figurative in nature. Yet, we
read “If anyone hears My voice”—what does it mean to hear His voice? Remember that
knocking means to call out. Listen to what Barnes’ Notes states regarding Revelation
3:20.
The language here is so plain that it scarcely needs explanation. It is taken from
an act when we approach a dwelling, and, by a well-understood sign-knockingannounce [announcing as in calling out] our presence, and ask for admission.
This is why scripture reads here in verse 20 “to hear His voice.” Not to hear a pounding.
Not to hear a knocking sound. To hear His voice can be viewed as literal, literal in the
sense that Christ’s voice is calling out. He’s announcing and the door is right here, what
I have in my hand and what you have before you, the book we have before us. Christ
talks to each and every one of us every time we open this door, every time we open this
book. Do we realize what this door represents? This book is the door. Christ is inside
and Jesus Christ is calling. Question: Are we going to open the door?
It is the indwelling of God’s spirit, the initial delivery of God’s holy spirit to the church
(the helper) that does just that—helps us to understand what the highly educated of the
world cannot. Furthermore, God’s spirit helps us to apply what’s found in these pages.
The application of God’s righteousness is vitally important in our Christian life. The
application of what we read in God’s word is very, very important to each and every one
of us. An aid to help us apply God’s truth in our lives is to open the door, and the way
we open the door is simply to open this book. Christ is knocking. I’m not talking about
just opening the book of Revelation. I’m talking about all of scripture from Genesis
chapter 1 verse 1 through the last verse of Revelation chapter 22.
We are living in the era of the church of the Laodiceans. And for those who are living
the attributes of a Laodicean, Christ is knocking. We must come to understand that.
What will those who hear that knocking—Christ calling—what will they do? Will they
open the door and will they allow Christ to come in? It’s a rhetorical question.
Let’s turn to 2 Peter 1, if you would please, were we’ll begin in verse 2.
2 Peter 1:2. Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and
of Jesus our Lord,
3) as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,
through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
4) by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that
through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the
corruption that is in the world through lust. (NKJV)
Again, that’s reference to our exceedingly wicked sick hearts, but those hearts can be
healed.
5) But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to
virtue knowledge, (NKJV)
Have you ever just stopped and asked: How is that done? How does one do that?
How does one add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge? By opening the door—
by opening this door [God’s word].
6) to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance
godliness, (NKJV)
How is that accomplished? Once again, by answering the knock, by opening the door.
7) to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness … (NKJV)
How do we add brotherly kindness and love to godliness? By opening the door, by
answering God’s knocking.
8) For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor
unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9) For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has
forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. (NKJV)
We had an evil wicked heart at times in the past. We now can have a healed heart.
And it stays healed by opening this door.
10) Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election
sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; (NKJV)
If we open the door, the door that Christ is knocking at, we will never stumble—ever.
11) for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting
kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (NKJV)
An entrance, brethren, will be supplied for each of us if, if we open this door. If we won’t
or don’t, that entrance, that doorway will be shut. To understand this, let’s turn first to
Revelation 19. If we don’t open this door, that entrance will be shut. Let’s understand
that by turning first to Revelation 19 where we’ll begin in verse 7.
Revelation 19:7. Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage
of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."
8) And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the
fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
9) Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage
supper of the Lamb!'" … (NKJV)
Now a wife can only make herself ready if she knows how to make herself ready. Oh,
she knows that she’s prepared to attend a marriage supper, she knows that she’ll be
arrayed in fine linen, but how does she make herself ready to receive that which is
being granted to her. The answer, brethren, can be found in the gospel of Matthew.
Let’s turn to Matthew 25, if you would please. The answer to how she prepares to
become the bride of Christ, how to make herself ready is found in the Parable of the
Ten Virgins. We’ll begin in verse 1.
Matthew 25:1. "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who
took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2) Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3) Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
4) but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5) But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6) "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to
meet him!'
7) Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
8) And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are
going out.'
9) But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and
you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'
10) And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready
… (NKJV)
Those we just read of in Revelation 19:7, those who were ready:
10b) … went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
11) "Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!'
(NKJV)
Note here that they are knocking at the door. They’re calling out.
11b) … 'Lord, Lord, open to us!'
12) But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'
(NKJV)
He didn’t answer the door. They were crying out; they were calling out. And His
answer simply was “Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.”
We find here a bridegroom. That, of course, is Christ. We find here ten virgins. Those
represent the wife of Revelation chapter 9:7. We find here that five virgins knew how to
prepare themselves to meet their soon to be husband. But we find here five who did
not; they did not know how to prepare.
Have you ever asked yourselves: Why is that? Why is it? All ten were virgins. All ten
were analogous to that of the ekklesia, the called out ones. All ten at one point
slumbered and slept. Yet, only five knew how to prepare. Why is that? Brethren, five
of those virgins—a full fifty percent—five of those virgins opened the door—the Bible I
have in front of me, the book you have in front of you. They filled their lamps with the oil
of God’s word. They answered Christ’s knocking by opening the door.
Look here in verse 13 of Matthew 25 that I’ll read from the New Living Translation.
13) "So stay awake! … (NLT)
In other words, “Don’t slumber and sleep.”
13b) … and be prepared … (NLT)
In other words, “Open the door.”
13 continued) … because you do not know the day or hour of my return. (NLT)
Staying awake and preparing will, indeed, lead to an entrance to be supplied to us
abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ which we
just read of moments ago in 2 Peter 1:11.
Brethren, for each and every one of us at some time in our past, God our Father
knocked and we heeded that calling by opening the door and we began the process to
become a begotten child of His. For each and every one of us now, Jesus Christ the
bridegroom is knocking, knocking to those who make up the church of the Laodiceans.
Will we also answer His calling? Will we open the door?
God is now calling only a small spiritual harvest of firstfruits, calling them to be prepared
for the wedding supper. He will bless that harvest—each of us—by empowering us with
His holy spirit so we can overcome, so that we can grow spiritually in the grace and the
knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, so that we can understand that
wonderful plan, so that we can be prepared to become the Bride of Christ.
Will we open the door? Will we fill our lamps with the oil found within the pages of
scripture so that we are prepared when the call comes out that the bridegroom is
coming?
I asked each of you near the beginning of the sermon to write down the following
statement in reference to Eve’s actions in the Garden of Eden. That statement was:
And it was unbelief way back at the beginning of time that opened the doorway of
darkness in a world designed for pure light.
And I asked that you dwell on this statement as we moved through today’s message.
Today we have seen that there is, in fact, a door—a door leading not to the way of
darkness, but a door leading to the way of light. That light in the doorway is Christ.
Christ is knocking. Let’s assure that we open the door and thus be partakers in what we
read here in our final set of scriptures. Turn one final time, if you would please, to
Revelation 3 where we’ll begin reading in verse 19. Once again, I’ll be reading from the
Darby Bible.
Revelation 3:19. I rebuke and discipline as many as I love; be zealous therefore
and repent.
20) Behold, I stand at the door and am knocking; if any one hear my voice and
open the door, I will come in unto him and sup with him, and he with me.
21) He that overcomes, to him will I give to sit with me in my throne; as I also
have overcome, and have sat down with my Father in his throne.
22) He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the [churches].
(Darby)