"The Ultimate Doorkeeper"

These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens: "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Revelation 3:7-8

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. Revelation 3:20

Both these verses about doors can be found in the letters written to the churches in Revelation chapter three and that is pretty much all they have in common. They are written to two different churches and they both reveal some pretty interesting truths about the hearts of the churches involved. The first is written to the church of Philadelphia and the second is in the letter written to the church at Laodicea.

Just so you know, I'm going to make this declaration right up front, "You want the first to be the truth about you! You want the open door!" You want Jesus, the ultimate doorkeeper to tell you that He has left the door open for you! I know people often make jokes or allude to the idea that Peter will be standing at the pearly gates to let you in but the truth is Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Me." Jesus is ...He who is holy, he who is true, He who holds the key of David, and He who opens and no one shuts, and He who shuts and no one opens." Jesus is the ultimate doorkeeper and He is the one saying, "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door and no one can shut it;"

In the second verse, and this is really important to notice; the door is closed and Jesus is standing outside knocking! This verse is quite often used in reference to the unbeliever but the truth is it is written to believers; believers that have gotten complacent about His presence in their lives. It comes on the heals of these words, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent." It paints a clear picture as to where Jesus is in the scheme of things. Outside, knocking, and calling, "Let me in." Check out verses 14-17 These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the Creation of God: "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth. Because you say,' I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'-and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.'

The second verse is not written to the unbeliever in the hopes that they will get saved it is written to the church that has come to a place were they have stopped looking to Him and are operating in their own strength. They are busy thinking that they have accomplished their great work. They have become lukewarm towards God and full of themselves and their accomplishments much like a certain king in the book of Daniel who one day ended up eating grass as a beast in the field when he declared, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?" Daniel 4:30

So the difference between an open door and a closed door?

Open - you have little strength (which means trusting in His)
         - you have kept My word (which means welcoming His presence, listening, hearing, obeying)
         - you have not denied My name (which means confessing Him before men; giving Him the glory)

Closed - lukewarm (which means don't care one way or the other if He is around)
           - have need of nothing (which means doesn't need Him; thinks his own strength is enough)
           - lays claim to the credit - 'I have become...' (which means denying His hand at work)
           
One last thought. A door has two functions. It gives entrance or it keeps out and wrapped up with that thought; think in terms or your home. Do you or the people who live there (your family) knock to enter? No. You have an open door. You are free to enter whenever because its your home. A stranger on the other hand, he has to knock and it is then that we decide to keep him out or let him gain entrance.

So, the question for today is? Has He left the door open for you cause your family or do you hear Him knocking because He has become a stranger?