14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation.
15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 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. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
The wonderful words with which our Lord concluded His letter to Laodicea, 'Behold I stand at the door and knock' have been variously interpreted. It has been held to mean that the end is near and that a new age is about to dawn, It is a summons therefore to be ready be fore the King and Judge of all the earth arrives. Eternity is always knocking at the door of time, and it is always later than we think. It has also, of course, been taken as a great gospel invita tion, and with this no one could ever quarrel - many a soul has entered the Kingdom of God through the ministry of such a verse. We should notice nevertheless that this was a word spo ken to a Church, and the extraordinary picture it portrays is that of a church that has squeezed Christ its rightful Lord outside. Here was a Church that had no room for Christ! Can we doubt that this bears a message for our own day? Why is the living Christ kept out of the life of His Church so often? Is it for fear of what He might do if He were allowed in? Are men saying, 'We are frightened to let You in. We will consider it. You promise not to upset every thing and cause too much of an upheaval. But you are not getting in here to change every thing'. This, so often, is the shame of the Church in our time. We have kept the living, revolu tionary Christ out of His rightful place, and crowded Him out by interesting, educative, plea surable things. But He wants in, and is prepared to come, if even one man hears His voice and opens the door. We should not miss this hopeful application of His words in 20. It only needs one man to open the door and the Christ of God will come into any church, and do His transforming work. What a word of encouragement for some isolated, lonely witness in a difficult situation, in a fellowship that has no room for the Saviour in its corporate life! Work on, pray lone witness, and be quick to answer the door when He knocks!