Phil spoke from Revelation 3 and 4 about how essential it is for the church not to close the door to God.
Introduction
• God has been speaking right from the beginning of the year are we cold or Hot ?
• Through Joshua we can see a devoted passionate people taking hold of the promises God gave years previously to Abraham.
• Today I want to remind us of the prophetic as well as challenge us including myself of how we are responding.
Revelation 3 verse 7 & 8
““Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. This is the message from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open: “I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me.”
Revelation 3:7-8 NLT
https://www.bible.com/116/rev.3.7-8.nlt
• There is a door that has been opened that no man can shut only God
• That door has been opened by Jesus
• The work of the cross was to open a door for us to enter into his salvation it was a door that leads us from our darkness into his glorious light
• It is a door that gives us access to all his goodness
• It is a doorway that allows us to taste the riches of his grace on earth
• It is a doorway that leads to righteousness and holiness
• It is a doorway that leads us into the spiritual realm where we can experience the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
We will see this as we come to the third few verses of scripture.
I spoke from Revelation 3 14 - 22 at the beginning of the year on lukewarmness not realizing what God was upto.
““Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation: “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference. “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne. “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.””
Revelation 3:14-22 NLT
https://www.bible.com/116/rev.3.14-22.nlt
Verse 19
• Those I love I correct and discipline
• In his love he keeps coming to us
• Wanting to change us into his image and to experience all that he has stored up for us
Verse 20
• My experience is that this verse has always been preached as a Gospel message and I can see why
• The context is tho this is an established church that sees itself as successful in a successful city
• The church needed a reality check, that has been deceived by the things of he world and themselves
• Their door had been closed to God, getting on with church life, doing lots of good things, were a wealthy church financially speaking
They were a improvised church though
• So God was standing at their closed door and knocking wanting to come in wanting his church back
• Not as a homeless vagrant but as master of the house. Expecting his people to respond immediately and welcome him in.
• Over the weeks even since Christmas we have has a number of encouragements about what God wants and will do with us as a church
