The Invitation: An Examination of Revelation 3:20

Today’s Passage – Jude – Revelation 3 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – Psalms 126 – 130; Proverbs 26)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Ephesians 4:32

Read the “1226 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read a previous post from today’s passage – “Compassion Makes a Difference”

“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.” – (Revelation 3:20)

The context of Revelation 3:20 regards the Church of the Laodiceans, which was a literal and local church that existed in Asia Minor at the end of the first century when God gave His Revelation to John during his imprisonment on the Isle of Patmos.

The Problem in Laodicea

Jesus did not have any positive things to say about this church. The name “Laodicea” means “the peoples rights.” This was a church that belonged to the people, not the Lord, which is perhaps why Jesus was positioned outside the door of the church. This church was an historical church, but it also seems to picture the condition of so many of the Christian churches of our day. Many churches today are no longer concerned whether or not the Lord is pleased with them, as they have directed their attention on pleasing the people. Modern churches are predominantly “seeker sensitive,” meaning they tend to prioritize being culturally appealing over being biblical faithful.

We are certainly living in that “perilous” time that Paul spoke of in 2 Timothy:

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” – (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

Christ’s Personal Invitation

Nevertheless, even though the churches by and large have turned their backs on the Lord, He is still inviting the individuals within those churches to repent and turn to Him. Revelation 3:20 may have been written to a church, but the invitation to “open the door” is written to the individual – “if any man.” I thank the Lord that He invited me to receive His free gift of salvation. If you haven’t yet trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, please turn to Him today. Click here for more information from the Bible regarding salvation.

Is Jesus standing outside the door of your heart today? Can you hear Him knocking? After celebrating His birth yesterday, today He extends the invitation for you to know Him personally.

PS – I do not think that all churches today are “Laodicean churches.” We work hard at Jersey Shore Baptist Church to please the Lord, and though we love people and desire to see them saved, our desire is not to compromise the Truth in order to reach them. We are certainly not a perfect church, and I would be less than honest if I said that this carnal world had no effect on us, but we are trying to hold the line. I believe that a church can stand firmly today on biblical principle and still reach people. I believe that we can still be a separated (not isolated) and holy people while making an impact on the world around us.

Additional Information regarding the seven churches of Asia Minor, which are the subjects of Revelation 2 & 3:

The seven churches in Asia (western Asia Minor – present day Turkey) are named in Revelation 1:11. They are Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. These churches will be the subjects of the second section of Revelation in chapters 2 & 3. (See Map below courtesy of Logos Bible Software)

These churches were literal geographical churches that existed at the end of the first century. John was particularly familiar with the Church of Ephesus because he spent a lot of time there, but he was also well acquainted with all these churches as they were relatively close to Ephesus. These churches, though literal churches, were representative of all churches that have existed since that time in that we find the same strengths and problems in churches throughout the Church Age and continue in our churches today. For example, today there are solid churches that closely resemble the Church at Philadelphia. Unfortunately, however, there are also “churches” that are as apostate as The Church of the Laodiceans.

It may also be true that, in a general way, these churches are representative of the overall condition of Christianity during different periods of time since the time of Christ. The problem with this theory, however, is that it lumps all churches within a given period into one group, which is not historically accurate. In every century since the first century, there have been doctrinally sound, faithful churches; but unfortunately, there have also been unfaithful and apostate churches. Along with these, there have also been churches that had other similar characteristics and struggles as these churches in Asia Minor.

However, many sound Bible expositors have expressed their support of the theory of each church representing periods of time within the Church Age. Harry Ironside, the pastor of the great Moody Church put forth a fascinating parable, which illustrates this theory:

Before we begin our study of “The Things which are,” let me give you this parable. Sometime ago, rummaging through an old castle, some people came across a very strange-looking old lock which secured a stout door. They shook the door and tried to open it, but to no avail. They tried one way and another to move the lock, but could not turn it. By and by somebody picked up a bunch of old keys from some rubbish on the floor and he said, “Maybe I can unlock it.” He tried one key and it made no impression. He tried another and it gave a little; another and it gave a little more; and so on, but none would open the lock. At last, he came to a peculiar old key. He slipped it into the lock, gave a turn, and the lock was open. They said, “Undoubtedly this key was meant for this lock.”

You will understand my parable if I draw your attention to the fact that, in the 20th verse of the 1st chapter, we are told that there was a mystery connected with the seven lampstands. The seven lampstands are said to symbolize the seven churches of Asia, but there was a mystery connected with them. While some have tried one key and some have tried another (and there have been all kinds of efforts made to interpret this mystery), no solution was found until some devout students of Scripture weighing this portion said, “Might it not be that inasmuch as this section of the book presents ‘the things which are,’ God has been pleased to give us here a prophetic history of the church for the entire dispensation?” But would the key fit the lock? They compared the first part of the church’s history with the letter to Ephesus. Here it fitted perfectly. They went on and compared the letter to Smyrna with the second part of the church’s history, and the agreement was most marked. They went on right down to the end, and when they came to Laodicea, they found that what is written to the church of Laodicea answers exactly to the condition of the professing church in the days in which we live, and they said: “There, the mystery is all clear. The lock has been opened; therefore, we have the right key.”[1]

If Mr. Ironside is right, then this first Church of Ephesus would be representative of the Church in the First Century, and the Church of the Laodiceans represents the generally apostate state of Christianity in the present day.

J. Vernon McGee calls these Letters to the seven churches “contemporary, composite, and chronological” in that they represent seven literal contemporary churches from John’s day, but they also corporately deal with all churches from all ages; and, they give a chronological history of the Church from the first century to the present:

The panoramic history of the church is given in these seven letters, from Pentecost to the Parousia, from the Upper Room to the upper air. There are seven distinct periods of church history. Ephesus represents the apostolic church; Laodicea represents the apostate church. This prophetic picture is largely fulfilled and is now church history, which makes these chapters extremely remarkable. [2]

[1]  Ironside, H. A. (1920). Lectures on the Book of Revelation (pp. 35–36). Neptune, N. J.: Loizeaux Brothers.

[2] McGee, J. V. (1997). Thru the Bible commentary (electronic ed., Vol. 5, p. 898). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.