Jump Start # 588

Revelation 3:20-21 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”

Yesterday, our Jump Start took a look at this passage that was addressed to the church at Laodicea. There awaited two wonderful promises if they changed and repented. God wanted them to have these. The first, was to dine with Christ. We talked about that yesterday.

The second blessing, to sit down with Me on My throne. What an honor that would be. Can you imagine being able to sit in the president’s chair at the Oval Office? That would never happen. But the Laodiceans had the opportunity to sit in Christ’s throne. We are talking about Heaven, here.

Notice first of all, it is described as “My throne.” It belongs to Jesus. He earned it, it was given to Him. All authority lies in Christ. When He ascended to Heaven, He sat down at the right hand of God. This is a position of honor, power and authority. It is His throne.

Also, there is a parallel between what Jesus had done and what He was wanting the Laodiceans to do. The parallel is OVERCOME. Jesus overcame and sat with the Father on His throne, and if the Laodiceans would overcome, they would sit with Jesus on His throne. They were not being asked to do anything that Jesus had not done himself. Overcome. Stay with it. Do not go down. Do not be defeated. Win.

Also, the promise is to sit with Jesus. It’s not that Jesus is getting up and then we sit down, we sit with Him. He is always on His throne. He never leaves it. When my kids were small, they would sit with me in a chair and I’d read to them. It was a special time. Sitting with Jesus includes closeness, fellowship, love and trust.

It’s easy to lose the emphasis of the passage by trying to make this too literal. We could ask, how can all of us sit in a chair with Jesus? Won’t that be crowded? Surely, we all can’t fit? Remember, these are word pictures. There won’t be a literal chair. The passage is driving at closeness, trust, fellowship and love. We will be where Christ is. We will be together.

These scenes are used to encourage the Laodiceans. These are things that God has promised. God is not trying to bribe nor buy their allegiance. We owe our all  to God  simply because He is God. Our God is generous. He loves to bless.

Our passage begins with another picture. Jesus standing at the door knocking. Will we invite Him in? Do we want Him in? Are we going to leave Him on the doorstep? It’s not your house that He wants in, it’s your heart. He wants to come in. He wants to be invited in. Paul would say, “Christ lives in Him.” The Colossians were told to “let the word of Christ richly dwell within you…” This is how all of this begins. This is how one wins. This is the first step in overcoming. Let Jesus in. Let Jesus take charge of your life. Let the beauty of Jesus fill your heart. See things the way Jesus sees them. Let Him in. Don’t keep Jesus out of your life. Don’t keep Him out of your problems. Don’t try to do things on your own. He wants in. He wants to help.

There is a hymn, “Why keep Jesus waiting, waiting at the door…?” Good song. Good question. Why? Isn’t it time? Isn’t it time to invite Jesus into the marriage? Isn’t it time to let Jesus into your plans?

Jesus is patient. He’ll knock and knock. He won’t yell. He won’t pound. He won’t bust the door down. He wants you to want Him to come in. It’s not pressure, guilt or any other reason, but a desire to be with the Lord that causes you to open the door.

The Revelation picture begins with John seeing a door standing open in Heaven. He was allowed to look. The foolish virgins, of Matthew 25, arrived too late for the wedding. The door was shut. They knocked and wanted in, it was too late. Then there’s Noah. Inside the ark with his family and the animals, and God shut the door. Depending which side of the door you were on, determined whether they lived or died. Noah lived. The world died. The door separated them.

Doors separate. On the outside is the world, sometimes scary, sometimes calling for our attention. Inside the door, is peace, safety and calm. There is something special about coming through the door at the end of a day. You come home to family. You come home to your place. You come home to rest. There is no place like home, we say. Jesus stands at the door and knocks. He wants to come in.

It is those who invite Jesus in that are allowed to dine with Jesus and sit with Him on His throne. To enjoy the promises of God, you must let Jesus in.

Roger