Sermon Tone Analysis
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Prayer
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I want to begin this morning with a strange - or maybe just obvious question: What is the purpose of a door?
What is its function?
Why do doors exist?...It’s to allow access, so that you can go in and out, or allow others in or out
Doors only exist because you have a wall or structure of some sort - and that structure is designed to block or protect, to keep things or people out - or, in some cases, in.
Build a house to live in - and a house is designed to block and protect.
Keeps elements of weather out - so you can stay dry, warm - or cool, depending on the time of year.
Keep those darn bugs out!
That’s why your mother would yell at you when you were a kid…shut the door!
Structures are also designed to keep out (or in) people who may harm us, or steal from us - that’s why we add locks to our doors, so not just anyone can use them to gain access.
So, doors allow access to the particular structure, so you can get in and out, and allow those you want to be able to get in or out.
A door standing entirely by itself makes no sense, its purposeless.
So when somebody comes to your door and knocks - what do you do?
Check to see who it is - looking through the window, peephole - or open the door a bit - to decide if you’re going to let them in or not.
If its friends or family - absolutely, open it up, welcome them in.
If it’s a solicitor - or, as we had a couple of months ago, someone running for office - probably not.
Those folks I don’t let in.
At best I’ll go out on the porch to talk to them.
But what if it’s Jesus knocking at your door?
What if you heard a knock, you look - check the peephole, creak the door open a bit and Jesus is standing right outside your door - what do you do?
What’s your immediate, gut-level response?
Wasn’t expecting him!! Maybe a bit of a panic - this place is a mess!
Or maybe, more of, heck yeah, come in, come in.
This knocking-at-the-door imagery is exactly what Jesus uses to declare his desire to come be with us - and not just come be with us, but to lead us, because Jesus is who he is - Lord, Savior.
It puts before us our heart’s response to Jesus - how eager am I to invite Jesus my life, to be with him?
How open - or closed - am I to Jesus?
Would I rather have him stay outside and just come out to the front porch myself to chat with him for a few minutes?
Or is my inclination to fling open the door and receive him gladly?
This is what we want to take a look at over the next three weeks in our sermon series, Open.
Today, Open to God.
Jesus at the Door
So I want to start with Jesus’ declaration of coming to our door and knocking - it comes to us from Revelation 3, part of a series of seven letters from Jesus to seven different churches.
That’s an important point to remember in this - these letters from Jesus are written to churches - Jesus is speaking to his people, his followers.
In particular, in this instance, he’s speaking to a group of his followers in city called Laodicea whom he describes as lukewarm, tepid, in their following of Jesus.
And it drives him nuts!
Listen to what he says, Revelation 3:14-19...
To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.
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.
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.
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.
So be earnest and repent.
John & Codie & I went backpacking for a few days last week and I brought this coffee packet Wendy had gotten in a gift bag, had a little sticker on it that said, Thanks a latte!
(get it?
very clever.)
It was packaged like an instant drink, like a hot chocolate packet - and I thought, this will be perfect.
Just add hot water, drink and enjoy.
So first morning on the trail I add the water I’d boiled, stir it up, take my first drink and pfft - immediately spit it out of my mouth.
Coffee grounds!
Ugh! Turns out, it was not instant coffee.
And this is what Jesus is telling his followers - I’m about to spit you out of my mouth.
Because you’re lukewarm…a meh-kind-of-Christian.
Jesus tells them: I’d rather you be hot or cold, for me or against me.
Instead, you’re caught up in world and more interested in wealth and worldly things.
You don’t realize how wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked you really are.
Wow.
I mean, really, wow.
I’m about to spit you out of my mouth (put that under the category of “things I never thought I’d hear Jesus say”.)
This is how strongly Jesus doesn’t want his followers to be lukewarm in their faith, he doesn’t them to be just “ok”.
He wants them to be hot - or cold - I’m honestly not really sure which Jesus means to be the favorable one.
But whichever is a sold out for Jesus, he’d still rather someone be all in or all out.
That it’s clear you are absolutely for Jesus - or against him, want nothing to do with him.
Jesus doesn’t want fence-sitters.
But Jesus says, if you’ll let me, if you’re “open” to it, I’ll make you rich, I’ll cover you over, I’ll heal your blindedness.
Now, he makes clear that it’s a painful process - it involves rebuke, discipline.
But it comes from Jesus as an act of love, for our good, so we can experience true wealth…so we can see what is real and true and good…so we can live in freedom of grace, no guilt, no shame.
Now, there’s one more verse in this passage, it’s Jesus making the explicit invitation to accept his leadership, his work in our lives so we won’t be lukewarm in our lives as his followers.
Here’s where we find the imagery of door, Revelation 3:20...Here I am!
I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
(Repeat)
I want us to consider a few things from Jesus’ invitation here...
First of all, Jesus stands outside.
He knocks.
He announces himself (if anyone hears my voice).
And then he waits.
Jesus doesn’t just barge in, unannounced.
No just opening the door, making himself at home.
He certainly doesn’t come in SWAT team style, knocking the door down, forcing his way in, trying to catch you off guard.
And he doesn’t even do it Sheldon style.
What do I mean by Sheldon style?
If you’ve ever seen the TV show Big Bang Theory, you know exactly what I’m talking about…knock, knock, knock, Penny…knock, knock, knock, Penny…knock, knock, knock, Penny - that’s Sheldon style.
He doesn’t pester his way in.
Jesus waits to be invited in.
So he lets us know he’s here, waiting, eager to be with you and I.
That he doesn’t want just a few minutes chatting on the front porch - he wants to come in and be with you.
He may be knocking at your door right now.
In this moment.
You know he’s there.
Maybe you’ve known it for a long time.
But he won’t compel.
He won’t make us be in relationship with him if we’re not open to it.
We can, if we choose, keep the door shut.
Or maybe just open the door a bit and peak our head through…not today…another time, perhaps?
We keep him waiting.
The choice is ours.
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