[0:00] Now let's turn to Revelation chapter 3. Tonight we're going to give some attention to verse 20. Revelation chapter 3 and verse 20.
[0:12] Where the Lord is saying, 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.
[0:30] We have an advantage in the name of the congregation that whenever we think of the name of the congregation, we're reminded of verses like this in the Bible, and probably this one in particular.
[0:45] Knock, free church. I know the word knock comes from the Gaelic word knock, which isn't of course the same as knocking on a door, but it's the same word as it appears. In English it's spelled the same.
[0:57] And when you hear the word knock, and knock, free church, it should remind us of this kind of verse where Jesus is saying that he's standing at the door and knocking.
[1:11] What door is this? What does he mean that he's standing at the door and knocking? Then he says, If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
[1:25] Well, the door is especially the door of this church in Laodicea. Because this church in Laodicea had come really to put Jesus outside.
[1:38] How do you put Jesus outside of a church? Well, you put Jesus outside of a church by no longer living in dependence on him, by faith in him, by trusting in him. You see what Jesus was saying about this church.
[1:50] You are saying, I am rich, I have prospered, I do not need anything. But you don't realize that you are wretched and pitiable and poor and blind and naked.
[2:02] This was a church that was saying, we don't need anything except ourselves and our own abilities. And effectively that meant they were leaving Jesus outside. And Jesus had come to them through the word here that he was giving to John the Apostle.
[2:18] And he was addressing this proud church in Laodicea and saying, The Lord, I am at the door, and if anybody hears my voice and opens, I will come in to him and eat with him and he with me.
[2:32] But what is true of that church, or what is true of that church then, is true about individual lives as well. That is what I want to say particularly to the children tonight.
[2:44] And although this is addressed to the children, it is not addressed only to the children. It is a service where the children are particularly in focus and where the message is designed to be a message that they can follow.
[2:58] But it is the message of the gospel. And the gospel is for everyone, whatever age, whatever experience in life we have reached. So everyone here, myself included, can say that this verse is actually speaking to us with regard to the door of our lives.
[3:16] Or if you like, the door of our heart. The children themselves will know that there is more to us as human beings than having our physical bodies.
[3:27] That we also have what the Bible calls a soul. Our thoughts. Our conclusions. Our feelings. Our conscience.
[3:40] All of these things belong to our soul. You can't see your soul. But it is part of your being. And there is a door to your soul. And through that door, the truth of the gospel reaches us.
[3:56] And at that door in the gospel, Jesus the Lord is knocking. And what he is saying to us is exactly the same as what he was saying to this church in Laodicea.
[4:09] That we have to open the door of our hearts to let him in. The first thing we notice is that it is the door of our hearts that we are thinking of.
[4:21] It means, as we said, our soul, our minds and our thoughts and our conclusions. And the things that make us do the things we do. That's our soul.
[4:32] And it's so important that our heart or our soul is kept properly by us.
[4:43] What I mean by that is that what goes into your soul is very important to your whole life. And what comes out from your soul shows ourselves and others what it is we believe.
[4:58] And what our view of life is and how we should live our lives. In other words, people who live without God, without any reference to God.
[5:09] You can tell by their lives. The things that they are thinking in their souls. And the conclusions they reach. And the way they go on then to behave. That shows you what's in their soul.
[5:20] That God isn't there. That they're not living by faith in God. And therefore that comes out in their way of life. And those who live by faith in God, they're not perfect people.
[5:34] I'm not a perfect person. No Christian in here is a perfect person. But they want to live and they try to live their lives in obedience to Jesus. They have let Jesus into their hearts.
[5:46] And they keep their hearts in such a way that they're careful about what goes into their hearts. And what comes out of their hearts. What goes in is important because it affects how we think.
[5:59] What comes out is important because our way of life, as it's seen, shows the kind of people we are. I'm going to take you to Proverbs 4 and verse 23.
[6:11] Which really says, Keep your heart or guard your heart with all diligence. For out of it flow the streams or the issues of life.
[6:24] In other words, that is telling us that it's so important what we let into our souls. The children throughout the course of the year in Sunday school have been letting the light of the Bible and the Bible's teaching into their souls.
[6:40] That's what we're trying to do and wanting to do every time we come to the Bible to read it for ourselves. Or when it's preached to us as we're preaching now in church.
[6:50] When we come to be together in church. That is one of the great reasons why we do that. Because we want the light that God's word is to flood into our souls.
[7:03] And we have to let that light as a great light from God into our souls. And when you come to let the light of the Bible and the teaching of the Bible into your soul obediently.
[7:19] When you come to receive it honestly, seriously. And in a way that wants to live by what it says. Then it lights up your life. Your life begins to shine.
[7:31] Your life is then the kind of life that Jesus himself describes as a light in the darkness. And if we choose whatever age we're at. If we choose to keep the door of our souls closed to that light.
[7:47] So that all we do is just see it outside of ourselves when we come to know the Bible and read the Bible. But if we never let it into our hearts really to try and live by it.
[7:57] Then our heart remains in darkness. And however much our mind may be intellectually enlightened by the teaching of the word of God. It doesn't affect our lives possibly until that light of God's word gets into our soul.
[8:14] Until we willingly receive it in. And that's what you children have been coming to Sunday school for. Your teachers have been teaching you various things out of the Bible.
[8:25] You've been asking questions about things that you find in the Bible. And things that happen in the world as you see it in the world. And you try and get answers. Although there's not an answer to everything that happens.
[8:37] But usually the Bible gives you something of an answer to how you find things in the world. What to do about it. How to live your life. Why things are the way they are.
[8:48] And that's the light of God's word coming to shine into your heart. You're receiving it into your soul. Through the door of your soul that light comes through.
[9:00] And if we keep the light out. Then our life remains. One of darkness. That's what the Bible itself is saying to us.
[9:10] When Paul the Apostle wrote to the church in Ephesus. You have his letter in the epistle. The letter to the Ephesians in the New Testament. One of the things he said.
[9:21] And you can look up this over your school holidays. And see if you can find the verse. You were once darkness. But now you are light in the Lord.
[9:35] In other words he was saying to the Ephesians. When the gospel came to you.
[9:47] You were darkness. You were dark people. In the way you didn't know God. You didn't know salvation. You didn't know forgiveness of sin. But now you are light in the Lord.
[9:59] God has changed your life. You've let the light of God's truth. Into your hearts. So that's what he means by the door. Although it's the door of this church in Laodicea.
[10:09] We can take it tonight. That it's not just a door to us. As a congregation of people. But it's also the door to each of our hearts. And in the gospel.
[10:21] Jesus is standing at the door. That's the next thing I want to see. Jesus knocking at the door. Now everybody knows that. When you hear a knock at the door. Or hear your doorbell ringing.
[10:32] It tells you that somebody's there. And that somebody wants you to actually go to the door. To open the door for them. Either they want to come in. Or they've got something to hand on to you.
[10:44] But the ring. The doorbell. Or the knock at the door tells you. There's somebody there. And in the gospel message. In the message of the Bible. That is what we find Jesus saying.
[10:56] I am standing at the door of your heart. And I'm knocking. And we'll see in a minute. The reason why he's knocking. But it's important.
[11:07] That in the gospel we realize. And it's a very amazing thing in itself. That Jesus who's the son of God.
[11:19] Or you think of God. That he comes to the door of our hearts. And knocks at that door.
[11:30] So that we will let him in. Why is that amazing? Well just think tonight. If you got an invitation. From the queen. She wouldn't very likely.
[11:42] Say in that invitation. I'd like to come to Lewis. To stay with you. For the rest of my life. If you got an invitation. From the queen.
[11:53] It would more likely say. I would like you to come and visit me. At Buckingham Palace. Or Holyrood Palace. Wherever she was staying. And I'd like you to attend. A garden party.
[12:04] Or a celebration of some kind. It's an invitation to you. To go to her. But the king of heaven. Jesus Christ our Lord.
[12:15] Is not sending you an invitation. So that you go to him. He has come to you. In the gospel.
[12:26] He has come to stand at the door of your heart. And he's standing at the door of your heart. And knocking. Now just think about that. How amazing that is. That God.
[12:38] Would actually come. To us. Now of course. Jesus did that. When he came first of all. Into this world. And you all know.
[12:49] From your Sunday school. That Jesus. The son of God. Came to be born. A baby. Just like ourselves. Into this world. That he grew up as a boy.
[13:01] That he became a man. And then. That he was crucified. That he died on the cross. And then rose from the dead. And is now.
[13:11] In heaven. With God the father. That's the son of God. He did that. He came into this world. Have you took the worst.
[13:22] Possible place. In the world. Tonight. I don't know. What the worst possible place. In the world is. You see many. Many. Many. Really nasty places. In the world. Places that you wouldn't like.
[13:32] To live in. Whether maybe they're full of disease. Death all around you. The very last place. In the world. Think of. The worst place. In the world. You've ever seen. On television.
[13:42] Or whatever. And then think. Somebody coming to you. And say. You have to go and live there. You have to go and experience. What it's like. To live in that place.
[13:54] And you've got to live in that place. Not just getting. Everything. That's good. So that you're not really. Feeling the effects. Of living in such a terrible place. You have to go and be like.
[14:05] The people who are living there. You have to live life. The way they live it. And that's what the Son of God did. He came into this world.
[14:16] Full of sin. Full of spiritual. And moral darkness. Full of things. Lives. On the part of the people. In this world.
[14:27] We were not living the way. He would want us to live. But he came into this world. And he lived. A perfect life. In this world. Not by avoiding suffering.
[14:40] But by coming to take. This place. In this world. That we also have. Suffering. Trial. Pain.
[14:51] And even death. And Christ. The Son of God. Did that. He came to us. And that's now part.
[15:02] Of his history. His experience. But what this is saying to us. Is that he comes to us. Every time we read the Bible.
[15:13] Every time we come to church. And that's why coming to church. Is so important. It's not important. Just in the sense. That you gather with. Other people. And help to fill up spaces.
[15:23] It would be great. Of all these. Empty spaces. We're filled. We're not denying that. But the great thing. About coming to church. Is that's where you meet. With God. That's where God. That's where Jesus.
[15:34] Comes. To knock at the door. Of our hearts. Through the gospel message. He comes to us. In the gospel. Just as we've said.
[15:46] Em. It's an amazing thing. Even if the queen. Gave us an invitation. Even if it was. For us to go. To Buckingham Palace. It's even more amazing. That Jesus.
[15:56] Actually comes to us. And stands at the door. Of our hearts. Tonight. And in the gospel. Knocks at the door. Of our hearts.
[16:08] So tonight. That's what you and I. Must think about. And it doesn't matter. How old we are. Maybe we've been.
[16:20] Many many years. In the world. Maybe we've known. The gospel. In its teaching. For a long time. But is the door.
[16:32] Of our hearts. Still closed. Are we hearing. Jesus knocking. But haven't yet. Opened to him. That's a big question.
[16:44] Isn't it? Not just for the children. But for me. And for every other person. Tonight. Jesus knocking. Through the gospel. And saying to us.
[16:57] It is I. It's the king. It is the king. I'm standing here. And I've come to speak to you. And I've come to ask you.
[17:12] To open the door. To let me in. What does he say to us. As he stands at the door. And knocks. Well there are two things he says.
[17:23] First of all. He's saying. Let me in. Secondly. He's saying. If we let him in. That he will come in. And will eat with us. And we with him.
[17:34] First thing he's saying is. Let me in. If anyone hears my voice. And opens the door. I will come in to him. When Jesus comes to the door of our hearts.
[17:47] He finds it closed. But he doesn't force it open. I'm sure you've seen on television. The police sometimes go to. Someone's door.
[17:58] That they want to interview. Usually it's somebody who. Is suspected of having done something bad. And very often. They'll find the door locked. And even if the person's in the house.
[18:09] They don't want to open the door. Because they know. It's the police. And they pretend they're not in. So what the police do. Very often. Is they take. One of these. Big metal. Rams. Battering rams.
[18:22] And they just break down the door. They force their way in. And then they. Take whoever's in the house. And interview them. Or maybe take them off. And put them into custody. Or whatever. Jesus doesn't.
[18:35] Break down. The door of our hearts. He doesn't force it open. He stands at the door. And he knocks. In the gospel. He's knocking at the door. Of your heart.
[18:46] But he's saying. I'm not going to force this door in. I know that. God is sovereign. That God's grace. Operates. In such a way. That enables us to respond to him.
[18:56] And enables us to come to him. We know our theology. But the fact of the matter is. Here is a verse that tells us. God does not force open. The door of our hearts.
[19:07] Why? Because he wants us. Willingly. To let him in. Because he wants you and I. To welcome him.
[19:17] Into our hearts. And if somebody forces that way. Into your house. You're not welcoming them in. If Jesus was going to force his way. Into our hearts. That wouldn't be welcoming him.
[19:30] That would be him coming in. Against our will. But what he's saying is. If anyone hears my voice. And opens the door.
[19:40] I will come in. It is your heart. And my heart. And the door to our heart. You and I must open. I must open the door of my heart.
[19:53] To Jesus. If I want to be saved. You must open the door of your heart. If you want to be saved. Nobody is saved. Without opening the door of their hearts.
[20:05] To the Lord. Everybody who has come to be saved. And knows God as their friend. As we've sung. In Psalm 25. They are people.
[20:16] Who have heard the voice of Jesus. In the gospel. At the door of their hearts. And have opened the door. To let him in. So that he can come in. And share life with them. Just imagine.
[20:30] If you were in your house. I don't know who your favorite person. In all the world is. That you'd like to meet. The girls will have their own favorites. The boys will have their favorites too.
[20:42] But just suppose that. For example. It was. Prince William. Or just imagine. If you don't like Prince William. Somebody that you really do like.
[20:54] And that you would really. Really want to meet. Above everybody else in the world. And your doorbell goes. And you look out the window. And there's that person.
[21:06] And he's come to the door of your house. He's heard that you like him. He's heard that you want to meet him. And there he is. And the doorbell goes. Or the knock comes to the door.
[21:18] And you hear his voice. And you can't believe it. And you say. It's him. Or it's her. So you leave the door closed. Do you?
[21:29] You just pretend he's not there. And you just let him go away. Of course you don't. The first thing you do. Is run to the door. And open the door.
[21:41] So that you can welcome him. And let him in. Or her. In. Well it's far. Far more important than that. With King Jesus.
[21:54] How can we possibly think. Of Jesus in the gospel. The son of God. The king of heaven. In the gospel. Coming to the door.
[22:04] Of our hearts tonight. And us knowing. That it is in fact. Jesus the savior. And then leaving the door closed. Well some people do that.
[22:19] We all did that. Once upon a time. Even those here. Who have let him into their hearts. Have to say that there was a time. When their door was shut.
[22:31] When they didn't want to let him in. When they didn't realize. Just how important. Jesus was to them. So think tonight.
[22:42] Of how important that is. Don't leave the door of your heart. Closed anymore. Not for a moment longer. When you hear the knocking of Christ. In the gospel.
[22:53] I don't know if you've got a door at home. That hasn't been open for a long time. Probably not. Unless you've got an old barn or something. But you know what happens to a door. The longer you leave it.
[23:04] Without opening it. Without having it open and closed. It seizes up. And the longer you leave a door. Without opening it.
[23:14] And without putting oil on hinges. The longer you leave it. The more seized up it will get. And eventually. If you leave it long enough. It will be impossible to open it.
[23:27] That's how it is with the door of our hearts too. It does not get easier. To open the door. The longer you keep it shut. It seizes up.
[23:40] It becomes stiff. And that's why tonight. Whatever age we're at. However old we are. And maybe especially.
[23:53] If we are old enough to know. That Jesus has been knocking at the door of our heart. For a long time. Don't let your door seize up. Any more than it is.
[24:06] What he's saying to you is. You're hearing my voice. So open the door. And let me in. Before it becomes so seized up.
[24:17] That you're no longer able to open it at all. That's the first thing he's saying. He's saying. To let him in. And then he's saying secondly. If anyone lets me in.
[24:27] Then I will come into him. And will eat with him. And he with me. I've got to say something about eating together here. That's important. In those days.
[24:38] And indeed today as well. Our eating together. Ought to be a very important part of family life. Why? Because that's where families. In sitting together.
[24:50] Are able to share together over a meal. Things which are important to the family. That's where children learn from parents. That's where parents are able to teach children.
[25:02] Where they're able to assure them. Or ask them questions. Or all sorts of things. And it's very very sad. When you come across children in the world. Sometimes you come across children.
[25:14] And they have never in their lives. Sat at a family table to eat. Their parents have just given them. Whatever it is. To eat. For their supper.
[25:25] And they've just gone away. Watch tell you. Eating on their own. Or just people in the same room. Not talking to each other. Just eating off their laps. That's not good. Occasionally we can do that perhaps.
[25:38] But most of the time. It's important to share together at a family table. So that in fellowship with each other. We can actually share together.
[25:50] The things of life. And discuss together the things. That are important to the family. Well what Jesus is saying here. Is exactly that. The important thing he's talking about.
[26:01] Is him sharing with us. And we with him. Fellowship with him. Just like a family around the table. Jesus is saying. If anyone hears my voice. And open the door.
[26:11] I will come in. And I will eat with him. And he with me. You see. When Jesus knocks at the door of our heart. He's not saying to us. Let me in.
[26:23] Because I'd like to stay with you for a little time. When Jesus comes to our hearts. He doesn't come for a holiday. He doesn't come for a short break. Being a Christian.
[26:35] Being a Christian. Is not just. Something that you do on a Sunday. Or something that you do. When you're older in life. Or even younger in life. Being a Christian means.
[26:46] Being a friend of Christ. Having Christ share your life with you. And when Christ is saying to us. As he knocks the door of our hearts.
[26:59] That's what he is seeking. Not only that we'll let him in. But let him in so that from that moment onwards. He will share our lives with us. And we will share with him.
[27:11] The things of life. In other words. That is what Jesus himself wants you to do. And wants you to know. That he becomes part of your life. And you've learned that I'm sure in Sunday school.
[27:24] The children. How important it is that. Christ himself. That God. Is part of your life. That it's not just. Something you do. On Sunday. When you worship him in church.
[27:35] Or come to Sunday school. You let him into your heart. You let him into your life. So that he can stay with you. It means that he will share in your joys.
[27:47] The things that make you happy. It means that he will share to you. In your sorrows. Things that make you sad. The difficult times in your life.
[27:59] That you're going to come across. More and more as you grow up. With Jesus in your life. You have Jesus to share these things with you. To be your help.
[28:09] To be your leader. To be your guide. To be your savior. Throughout all of these circumstances. In your life. All the difficulties. And the tests. As well as.
[28:20] The sorrows. And the joys. As he comes into our hearts. He comes to live there. Most of us. Most of us are probably.
[28:31] In some ways glad. That we can't take. Our moms or dad. To school with us. Maybe sometimes we'd like them. To come to school with us. But we can't do that.
[28:45] They're not part of our life. To that extent. But Jesus is. And it doesn't matter. Where you go. In life.
[28:56] What difficulties you face. What tests you have to. Put up with. What God is saying. What Jesus is saying is.
[29:06] When you take me into your heart. I promise you. I will live with you forever more. I won't actually turn away from you. When it becomes very difficult.
[29:19] I won't leave you. To face. The difficult things of life. On your own. I won't actually lead you. Into anything. That's going to be really painful.
[29:30] For you. And then turn my back on you. And say. You're on your own now. I'll see you. When you come through. The difficulty. What Jesus is saying. And remember.
[29:41] Jesus word is always true. If anyone will open to me. I will come in with him. And I will eat with him. And he with me. I will stay there.
[29:51] I will share fellowship with him. I will share life with him. I will be part of that person's life. Forevermore. We all have friends.
[30:08] We all need friends. Friends. Friends are important in life. And friends. If they're true friends. Are always dependable.
[30:21] You can rely on them. You can trust them. But even the best friend in this life. Is not. A hundred percent.
[30:31] Trustworthy in everything. Even friends. Can let us down. Even friends. Can disappoint us. Even our best friend. Sometimes. May hurt us.
[30:44] But the best friend. Of all. The Lord. Jesus Christ. Is never like that. If you let him into your heart.
[30:57] And he becomes part of your life. You will never have a day. When you will have to say to him. Why did you leave me alone? Why did you not go with me?
[31:08] Why did you not support me? Why did you stop being my friend? Because he will never do that. He's there. To stay.
[31:20] And for the older ones. That's just as important. You will find in the Psalms. Sometimes. That because the Psalmist felt. Times of great pain.
[31:31] And distress. That he said at times. How long will you forsake me Lord? Will this go on forever? Well actually. He was wrong.
[31:44] Because God doesn't forsake his people. He never turns his back on them. He never abandons them. He never gives up on them. He never leaves them on their own.
[31:58] So there tonight. Is the message of the gospel. To you and to me. The door of our heart. Has Jesus knocking. Maybe you've let him in already.
[32:11] And it's great that some of you young people. Have done that. Some of you older ones. Have done that already as well. But if you haven't.
[32:23] And you hear tonight in the gospel. The knocking of Jesus. That's who it is. Don't leave the door shut.
[32:37] Open the door of your heart to him. Because what he wants you to do. Is to let him share your life with him. And to let him take charge and control.
[32:47] Of your life. And you will find him. The most faithful friend of all. Who will never let you down. Who will always stick by you.
[33:00] And you know what? Who will at the end of your life. Give you the biggest welcome you've ever seen. Into his own palace.
[33:12] Where he lives as the king in heaven. That's the welcome. That he has waiting for those who let him into their hearts. He lets them into his heaven.
[33:26] At the end. Of life's journey. So see. That you've opened your heart to Jesus. That you share life with him.
[33:37] And that you look forward. To being with him. Forever. Let's pray. Lord our God.
[33:48] We give thanks. That in your grace. You come to address us in the gospel. We give thanks for the way. In which you speak to us individually. For the way you bring to our minds.
[34:02] The detail of our lives. For the way that you know this already. So that you are able to deal with us. In the way that you know best. We thank you tonight.
[34:12] For the persistence. With which you keep knocking at the door of our hearts. And we know that the teaching of your word. Lord is that. Not that you are persistent.
[34:23] So that we can keep putting you off. But that your persistence. Will be something that. Makes us amazed. That the son of God. Should so.
[34:34] Shall show such patience. And kindness to us. Graciously Lord. Help us. To receive you in the gospel. To receive you into our lives.
[34:46] Grant your continued blessing to us. And to the children in particular. Hear us we pray. For Jesus sake. Amen. Amen. For людям supply. For�ed. The kids can't do this Healingchant Initiative.
[34:56] iminuate. In particular. To Espрашial Señor. Do Lord Floyd. To be able to live. For Jesus in life. Amen. Foroles of Africa.
[35:09] Amen. V하 turn. Amen. genau obra. unaуждée. Amen. i Want to be able to live now.
[35:21] Amen. Amen.