“….if any one hears My voice….”
On Sunday we complete our series looking at the letters Jesus dictated to John to send to each of the seven churches in Central Asia. Our final letter is the letter sent to the church in Laodicea (Rev 3:14-22).
Jesus finishes His letter by painting a picture with words. This sums up the Laodicean church. He writes “Behold I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him and he with Me” This verse has been immortalised in paintings over 100’s of years. One of the most famous in Holman Hunt’s painting, picturing Jesus the Light of The World knocking on a door, the handle is absent. The painter has a message in mind, clearly the door can only be opened from the inside.
Now, don’t jump to immediate conclusions about this verse. It has been used many times to preach the Gospel. To tell people that Jesus is knocking at the door of their hearts. Whilst this is not necessarily wrong, neither is it right! He is after all writing to the church not an individual. It’s an intriguing little picture that he paints! Rather than me tell you what could be going on here, why not read it again for yourself and ask a few questions;
* What’s Jesus knocking with?
* Who does the house belong too?
* Where is Jesus in relation to the church?
* What is the meal that Jesus alludes to and is it one that we have seen in scripture before?
This verse also carries echoes of another account of door knocking! ‘I was asleep but my heart was awake, A voice! My beloved was knocking;’ Read the story in Song of Solomon 5:2-8. It tells of the account of a bride who is so self-obsessed, she was slow to answer her lovers knocking on the door and when she eventually opens it he has gone!
Fascinating stuff!