Hope for Life Blog

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20)

Behold I stand at the door and knock …

It’s a process, you know. Rarely does a person move away from God all at once. Like an ember dying slowly in a fireplace, faith slowly disappears and is replaced by cynicism or, even worse, apathy. Instead of deciding to stop believing in God, most people just give up caring.

I stand at the door and knock …

Sin is often a gradual process as well. It starts with a temptation, like money left out at the store or an attractive co-worker who shows too much attention. Our thoughts focus on that temptation until desire takes over. A small sin leads to a bigger sin which eventually leads to a lifestyle. We look up one day and don’t recognize the person we’ve become.

If anyone hears my voice …

Even as we begin to give up on ourselves, God never does. He knocks. He calls. He seeks us out. Remember, this passage in Revelation was written to Christians. People who knew God, but had wandered away from Him. Like the shepherd looking for the lost lamb, God goes looking for His people.

If anyone hears my voice and opens the door …

God wants to get back into our lives, but He won’t force His way in. We have to open the door. We have to respond to His call. We have to say, “Yes, I want you back in my life.” God is the Almighty Creator, yet He cares enough about His children to go looking for them. He also cares enough for them to allow them the right to choose. He knocks. He calls. We have to open the door.

I will come in to him …

It’s what God wants. He wants to be in relationship with us, even when we’ve wandered away, even when we’ve done things that we’re ashamed to remember. No sin is too great. No distance is too far. There is no door that cannot be opened. All we have to do is turn back to Him and open the door.

I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

There is something deeply personal about sharing a meal together. The Lord of the Universe wants to come to us, sit down and eat with us. He wants a loving relationship with us. So He knocks. And calls. And waits for us to open the door.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20)

Open the door. Let Him come to you. Let Him wipe away your past and give you a fresh start with Him.

At the end of the first century, the town of Laodicea was a thriving commercial center. It was a wealthy city, one of the few towns to refuse government aid after a devastating earthquake in the region. Clothing manufactured in Laodicea was sold throughout the Roman empire, especially garments made of a beautiful black wool. Situated at the juncture of three trade routes, the city was ideally located for doing business.

In addition, there was a world-famous medical school in Laodicea, famous for the treatment of optical diseases. At the school, a salve for the eyes was prepared and shipped to distant lands in the form of tablets.

Laodiceans had every right to be proud, and apparently they were. That’s why Jesus’ words to Christians in that city had a sharp sting: “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. 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.” (Revelation 3:17-18)

Wow! Though Laodicea was famous for its wealth, Jesus tells the Laodiceans they are in direst poverty. He declares these producers of beautiful dark clothing to be naked, needing white clothes he can provide. Despite Laodicea’s fame in treating eye diseases, Jesus says they are blind, needing the treatment only he can give.

What would he say about me? What points of pride would he address, showing the flaws in my perceived strengths? What would he say of my possessions, my accomplishments, my boasting? What would he say of my self-sufficiency?

I know what he would say. The truth. Jesus can see the real me. Not the facade I present to the world, not the image I build up around myself. Jesus sees me. Jesus knows me.

He knows you too. You can fool everyone around you, but Jesus sees the real you. He sees what you really need. I may not know you, but I can tell you that Jesus has what you need. He can eliminate your spiritual poverty, clothe your emotional nakedness and heal your inner blindness.

The Laodiceans needed Jesus. They needed what he had to offer, even though they didn’t realize it. Whether you know it or not, you need him too. As do I. Let’s seek him together.

The ancient city of Laodicea had a water problem. The problem was there was no water. At least not in the city itself. There were hot springs 6 miles away near the town of Hierapolis. That water wasn’t drinkable and would lose its soothing warmth by the time it was taken to Laodicea. At about the same distance in the opposite direction, there were deliciously cool sources of water around Denizli. These waters would also lose their cool temperature when transported to Laodicea, resulting in an unpleasantly warm drink. The only water available to the Laodiceans was lukewarm at best.

When Jesus addressed the Christians of this city in the book of Revelation, he used an illustration they would understand: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm — neither hot nor cold — I am about to spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16). The Greek word translated “spit” is more accurately translated “vomit.” It’s an unpleasant image for an unpleasant condition: Christians who have lost their passion, who have compromised their loyalty to Christ.

Unfortunately, the world has seen too many Christians just like this. Mahatma Gandhi said, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” The agnostic Sheldon Vanuaken wrote,

The best argument for Christianity is Christians: their joy, their certainty, their completeness. But the strongest argument against Christianity is also Christians–when they are sombre and joyless, when they are self-righteous and smug in complacent consecration, when they are narrow and repressive, then Christianity dies a thousand deaths.

If you’re not a Christian and that’s the only Christianity you’ve seen, then I’d urge you to look again. There are Christians who have overcome this perpetual state of apathy. They know that Christianity isn’t just about showing up at church at certain times. It’s a way of life. As Vanuaken said, such Christians are the best argument for Christianity that exists.

If you are a Christian, but find that lukewarm describes your faith, let me encourage you to go back to the basics. Focus on Bible study and prayer. Find a church and make yourself an active part of it. Reconnect with God each week by participating in the Lord’s Supper.

Nobody likes lukewarm. Nobody wants to be lukewarm. And nobody wants Jesus to “spit them out.” If you need help rekindling your faith or don’t know where to find a church to be a part of, just leave a comment or contact us through this site.