In his sermon titled 'Is Jesus At The Door?', David Green explores the message of Revelation 3:14-22, focusing on the letter to the Laodicean church. He argues that this passage, often misinterpreted, is directed at a church rather than individuals, emphasizing the danger of spiritual complacency and apathy. Green warns against misinterpretation from laziness or personal bias, advocating for careful scriptural analysis. He discusses the metaphor of Jesus knocking at the door as a call for genuine fellowship and active participation in church life. The sermon highlights that a church is not just a building but an assembly of believers, urging members to examine their commitment and responsiveness to Christ's call. The speaker also addresses modern distractions and the need for Christians to prioritize their faith and church involvement, challenging them to reflect on their spiritual state and relationship with Jesus.

Revelation chapter 3 and we'll read the letter to the Laodiceans. So we'll read verses 14 on down to verse 22. In Revelation chapter 3, beginning of verse 14, it says, And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, these things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. I know thy works, That thou art neither cold nor hot. I would thou were cold or hot.

So then because thou art lukewarm, And neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest I am Rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, And knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. I counsel thee to buy of me gold, tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich, And white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear, and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayst see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent.

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. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me and my throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my father in His throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit sayeth unto the churches." Our message today is on the subject of is Jesus at your door. Is Jesus at your door.

Our text of course will come from verse 20. Behold I stand at the door knock, if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him and will sup with him and he with me. This passage is one that gets preached on, referenced a lot, And unfortunately it also gets misused and misinterpreted a lot. And so in order to avoid making the mistakes of others, we need to take a close look at it before we get very far and see what is this passage all about. And the first question we must ask when we read a passage of Scripture is, who is it that this has being written to?

Now it doesn't take four years of Bible college, although that can be a good thing. I'm not saying education is bad, but it doesn't take four years of education to figure it out. It doesn't take an understanding of Greek to be able to figure this out. It doesn't even take hours upon hours of study, although you should spend hours and hours of study. All it takes is the plain reading of the scriptures here.

And if you look at verse 14, the Bible tells us, the Holy Spirit has recorded who this is written to. And it says there in verse 14, and unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write. This is written to the messenger, the pastor of the church of the Laodiceans. This is a letter that was written to them and if you go back far enough, you'll find that this came from none other than Jesus Christ. It's very very clear here in the scriptures.

The plain English language gives us that. It wasn't written to sinners. It's not talking about a heart's door. It's written to a church. A specific church.

The Laodicean church. Now, even though it's written to a specific church, even though it's written to that Laodicean church, And even though we are not the Laodicean Church, there are some things that we can glean from it. Otherwise, these things would not be written here for us to study and to have. Many times, bad theology can come from nothing more than just plain old laziness. When we begin to put our own ideas into the reading of the text, rather than pulling what the text is actually saying.

So we've got to be careful of that. So in verse 20, we see Jesus as he speaks, as he writes to the church there, and we get this picture of him being outside, knocking on a door, waiting for someone to let him in. And so the next question is, what is the church? What is a church? Now these are some very basic questions, but they do need to be answered because as you go out and you talk to people, you'll find that there are very different answers out there.

And in the days ahead, the weeks ahead, the months ahead, as you begin to look for another church, you'll find that there are people who have different opinions about this. Sometimes even some differing opinions and different beliefs among Baptists. So it's important to ask those questions and to find them out. But in the Bible, there's only one kind of church. The word church comes from the Greek Ecclesia.

And it means an assembly of people. And the Lord's Church is a local, visible assembly of baptized believers. It's important to keep that in mind. It's not the building. Don't think of Jesus standing outside the door of this building knocking.

Although I suppose there might be times when somebody might knock on the door of the building to come in. Remember, the boy was about a year ago, the kids and I came in to the building for church. One of the kids out of habit locked the door on the way in. And I believe it was Brother Floyd came and he didn't have a key yet and he twisted the door and it didn't open and so he had to knock to get in. We had to let him in.

But that's rare. We don't lock the door. Not during service. Time may come when we might have to lock the door during service. Time may come when we might have to meet in secret.

And not tell anybody outside in the membership where we're meeting. There were times of persecution when that happened, when it was against the law for them to meet. So they met in the dens, in the caves, in the houses. But we're not to that point yet. And so the door stays open.

That's not what he's talking about. He's not talking about the door of the church building. You see. There in our text he says, behold, I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice and open the door. If any man hear my voice and open the door.

You see there's that word if. So that that implies that there's some who won't open the door. There's some who won't hear his voice. There's lots of reasons why people don't answer the door when you knock. If you've ever gone knocking on doors, or even gone to go visit a friend, or gone to check up on somebody, you know that there are many reasons why people don't answer doors, but why would it be that someone would not answer for Jesus?

Well, Sometimes people aren't home. You say, why does that apply to church? Well, sometimes there are folks who are active on the role. They're a member of a church, but they're not active. They're not home.

What is a church? It's an assembly of people. What's an assembly if it doesn't assemble? How can you say you're a member of a church if you're not assembling? You know, think about it for a minute.

Sometimes we don't think things all the way through. If you were to take your participation, your attendance, and look at it over the course of the last rolling 12 months, And if you were to have that sort of record on a job, would you still be employed? Did you still say, I still have a job? Some people couldn't do that. It's like saying, well, if the boss says, well, I went to the office today.

And you weren't there. And your answer is, well I know, but I'm on the payroll. I'm on the membership roll. Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10 verses 23 through 25.

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for he is faithful that promised. Then let us consider one another to provoke unto love, the good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the man or some is, but exhorting one another so much the more as you see the day approaching. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. You know, as I said, there were some churches who, at the beginning of this COVID thing, they shut down, they said, we'll shut down for a couple weeks. Some of them were willing to do it for a couple months.

And I'm thankful that there were, there's an increasing number of churches that are starting to say, you know what, enough is enough. We can't keep doing this. Even some of the so-called other kinds of churches. It'll be interesting to see how John MacArthur's group plays out, because he come out strong against the government out there in California. Well there were rumors floating around on the internet that the government was threatening to cut off their electricity.

I don't know whether those rumors are true or not. But I think it would be interesting to watch what happens because guess what? The Lord's churches and other churches have been meeting together without electricity with or without electricity for a long long time. We'll see how far this thing goes. But churches, assemblies have to assemble.

And so some people aren't answering the door because they're not participating, they're not assembling. But there's other reasons why some won't answer, won't hear, won't open the door. There's some who aren't hearing. Revelation chapter 3, Revelation chapter 3 and verse 22. Revelation chapter 3 verse 22.

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. You see, some may have a name, you know, and I'm going to be wrong about this, but it's kind of the way that I take this. This. Whenever we think about hearing in thinking about this, there's some who are not alive. They just don't have any idea.

Now they may be members of a church, But they really don't know the Lord. They're totally dead in their sins and their trespasses. So of course they're not answering the door. They have no idea. They don't hear the voice of the Lord.

But then there's something that's distracting. The other day somebody came knocked on the door. I didn't, the door of our house and I didn't even hear them because I was doing something else. And doesn't that happen sometimes? We don't hear the Lord.

We're busy doing other things. The world's got us distracted. We got the TV on. We were too busy on the internet. The world's too loud.

Distracted. The church, Distracted. The church in Laodicea had some major problems, didn't it? If you look back at our text there in Revelation, I mean their world was different than ours no doubt about it. But let me tell you, They had distractions just like we've got distractions.

They struggled with the flesh just like we've struggled with the flesh. I doubt that they had 24-7 news media. I doubt they had internet and that sort of thing, but they had some things going on. From the Lord's perspective, this is what He said about them in verse 16. He said in Revelation chapter 3 verse 16, He says, So then, because thou art lukewarm neither cold nor hot I'll spew thee out of my mouth They were the lukewarm church I noticed whenever I go to the coffee shop, and I don't like to go to the coffee shop very much because a lot of times they sell coffee that's a lot more expensive than when I brew it at home.

I wish I would have thought of it I could be rich. Brew a pot of coffee for five dollars or four dollars, sell it for four dollars a cup and whatever, but hey people are willing to buy it I noticed that they'll take the same coffee and that they'll sell it and you go and order it and you tell them what you want they'll say you want it hot or cold they never asked you want it lukewarm Maybe next time I'm there I'll ask. I'll say, well do you have lukewarm coffee? Just, you know, something that's been sitting out all day. They don't do that because it's disgusting it's gross and that's what it was to the Lord he says y'all and y'all just gross you're neither hot nor cold when the Lord saw them he saw that they were they were the the wretched church the the poor church.

They ought to see that they were the blind church, the naked church. But when they talked about themselves, and when they looked at themselves in the mirror, when they thought of themselves, they thought of themselves as rich, increased with goods. And we have need of nothing. One word comes to mind, apathy. Apathy.

They had lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern for the things of God. They looked around and they saw all of the physical and they thought how blessed we are. I mean, if they were hungry, they were able to go to the store and get it. If they needed clothes, they went to their seamstress and they got it. If they broke something, they were able to get it fixed.

They were sick, they went to the doctor. Isn't that what it is here in America? I'm telling you what, we're so spoiled in this country. Throw away generation. Break something.

Generation. Break something. We don't even try to fix it anymore. Just throw it away and go get another one. Rip a hole in their jeans.

We don't even try to patch it up. Just go buy another one. No, we don't even do that anymore. We just wear it. Sometimes we'll buy it off the rack with the holes all in it, because that's the style.

We don't even have to work to get the holes in the jeans anymore. Sunday after Sunday, that church that Thyatira met, and no doubt it almost seemed like a ritual, And they took it for granted. Putting on the best clothes, sung a few songs, heard a message and went home. They forgot about what they did until the next Sunday and they did it all over again like a habit. And they played church for a while.

And people said, how you doing? We're doing great. Man, we ain't got a need in the world. And then all of a sudden, one Sunday morning, the church walked in and the pastor's face was pale. And he was serious.

And the pastor's wife looked like she'd been up all night crying. And they said, what in the world's wrong? Did somebody die? And the pastor said, we got a letter. I want you to hear it.

And the hear it. And the church said, who's it from? Who's it from? And he said, we got And he said, we got news from John from the Isle of Patmos. And they all said, is he okay?

Does he live? What's he say? What's he say? The pastor said he's fine but we're not. We're not.

He heard from the Lord and this is what God said about us. Next time you read these letters to the seven churches, read them and imagine that you're a member of the church at Laodicea, That you're a member of the church at Ephesus. That you're in Smyrna. That you're at Pergamos. But don't walk away thinking, thank God that He doesn't write letters to us, because guess what?

He does. He has. Because each one of the things that are written in this book is intended directly for you and for me. And when was the last time that you got into God's Word and read it like as if it's a message directly from Jesus Christ to you? The last time do you listen to a sermon to think God gave that sermon for me.

To read and to hear and to apply these things for your personal improvement and your growth. Notice what he says here. In verse 20, In verse 20, behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come into him and will sup with him and he with me." We have this great promise, you see. I've always said that being a Christian is not that we sit on the sidelines. Thank God Jesus isn't sitting on the sidelines.

We get this picture here of Him standing at the door knocking. Standing at the door knocking. You know, praise God for promises like Matthew chapter 18 and verse 20. And I love this promise and I hold onto it. I've held onto it through some rough patches in my life and my ministry.

My life and my ministry. Matthew 18 and verse 20 it says, For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. God has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. And He's promised that where two or three are gathered together, they'll be right here in the midst of us. And I believe that's true.

I've seen that to be true. I mean, there have been times that there's not been anybody in this building except for me and the Blakeleys. Sometimes, sometimes it's just me and Brother Ray. Praise God for that promise. Check out the imagery here.

Imagery here in Revelation chapter 3 verse 20 Behold, I stand at the door knock, if any man Hear my voice and open the door. I will come into him and will sup with him and he with me Again the church is not the building Believe what was happening here at Laodicean what happens a lot with the Lord's churches, is the Savior goes around to the dwellings of the church, pays a visit to each. You see, in our culture we get into this habit Before we go to visit somebody, we call. Is there if I come over? And then, especially now, We don't want to go anywhere.

We're either afraid of catching this disease or we're afraid of offending someone who's afraid of catching the disease. So we don't go anywhere, right? But guess what? Whatever you believe about COVID-19, let me tell you something. Jesus Christ is immune to COVID-19.

He'll neither catch it nor will he carry it. And he's coming to your house. Regardless of what the governor says. And the question is, has He been to your door? And have you opened it?

That's the imagery. That's the imagery. Are you active in the church? As we wind things down with this church, do you plan at the soonest opportunity to join another church of like, faith, and order? Will you continue to be faithful in church attendance and to be active in the next church that you're a member of?

Will you remain or get back into a daily reading of God's Word and daily prayer? Will you once again honor the Lord's day? You know one of the things that's wrong with this country? Politicians can talk about making America great again all they want but America will never be great again so long as the Lord's Day is treated like any other day of the week. It's just a fact.

I understand when the atheist and the agnostic treats it like another Saturday. But Christians, What are we doing? I was just reading a letter from Jesse Mercer. I know you probably don't know Jesse Mercer. I only was recently introduced to him.

He was a Baptist from the 1800s. He was big in the Georgia Baptist Association. And we're independent Baptists, but back in the 1800s, just about everybody was an Association Baptist. Even Landmark Baptists were Association Baptists. Jesse Mercer was a Landmark Baptist before JR Graves even came along.

But Jesse Mercer said, "'Will you again honor the Lord's day? Those who made it their duty to have no more religion on the Sabbath than any other day, seldom had much religion at any other time. That's a fact. But that's not my message. I think that's a good thing to keep in mind.

Jesus said, I stand at the door knock. Will you witness more? Will you invite people to church more? Will you get rid of distractions? Oh, how many distractions we've got.

Nothing wrong with TV and video games and news and internet and stuff. But don't let those things have you. Oh beloved how we need to get rid of distractions. And open the door. Jesus is knocking.

Open the door. And what will happen? Let me show you what will happen. In Revelation chapter 3 and verse 20, he says there, I will come into him and will sup with him and he will with me. Oh, and check this out.

He said, any man, if any man hear my voice and open the door, you don't have to be the preacher, or the deacon, or great theologian, if any man, and I believe that means if any person of the church. Open the door. You see, open the door and what will happen is, enjoy fellowship with Jesus. Now notice beloved, there is reciprocity implied in this fellowship. It's possible to go through seasons of your Christian life without this sweet fellowship that he's describing here.

So in other words, it's possible for you to be saved and Jesus knocking on the door and you never open it. But you'll miss out on some sweet fellowship. Just like it is possible for the children of Israel to wander through the wilderness for 40 years. Some of them not make it to the promised land, including Moses. Was Moses saved?

Absolutely. I believe there's some folks who go through life and never enjoy the sweet fellowship that we can have with Jesus because they're not opening the door to the sweet fellowship that we can have with Jesus. He says, He says here, I will come into him, will sup with him, and he with me." Praise God. What will it be for you? Is Jesus at your door?

Or is he already in your house? Is he already inside? Or is he still knocking? Will you hear his voice and let him in, or have you already done that? Oh, how we need to examine ourselves in the light of God's Word and consider what the Spirit saith to the churches.

May God add a blessing to his word. Let's go ahead and shut that off. I'm going to turn this off. We'll have prayer and then we'll go ahead and...