Rev. 3:20
Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him, and he with me.
Jesus identifies Himself to the church at Laodicea as the words of the Amen [the end], the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation [the beginning]. As the faithful and true witness, Jesus exposes their true condition. In fact, there is nothing good to say about them. He knows their works that they are neither cold or hot, but lukewarm, a condition which Jesus finds heinous and spits out of His mouth. Lukewarm is the epitome of apathy! This church claims that they have need of nothing. They are rich and prosperous [fleshly condition], but it truth they are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked [spiritual condition]. Their spiritual awareness had been totally obliterated and replaced with fleshly achievements that really count for nothing. Their heart is consumed with earthly and temporal treasures and not with what is eternal.
Jesus counseled them to buy from Him gold refined by fire [purity through testing], so that they would be rich [spiritually], and have white garments [washed in the blood of Jesus, the garments of the saints] so that the shame of their nakedness[spiritual condition] would not be seen. They needed salve [Holy Spirit] for their eyes so they could truly see. Jesus reminds them that those He loves, He reproves and disciplines. So listen up, be zealous to repent! Jesus loves them so much that He is standing at the door of their hearts, knocking, waiting for someone to hear His voice and open the door. If they will, He will come in and fellowship with him. What tenderness and concern!
Jesus gives an incentive to this church to help them choose wisely. To the one who conquers, he will sit with Jesus on His Father's throne, as Jesus conquered and sat down on the Father's throne...but we have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, Abba! Father! The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him. What is this suffering? No doubt it is the gold refined by fire that Jesus counseled them to buy... you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fired--may be found to result in praise, and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. So it is for this church. Their faith must be tested as they reject the world and all it has to offer, and as their vision departs from the temporal and embraces the eternal, and as they become zealous in repenting not apathetic in maintaining. Jesus concluded with He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Listen up. Examine your heart. Be that gold tested by fire with a genuine faith.
Lesson for Me: Examine my heart. Be zealous to repent of any sin weighing me down.
Father,
Keep Your salve constantly on my eyes so that I may see Your way and follow in Jesus' steps. Reveal to me any desires for this world's riches and any apathy of spirit so that I may confess and repent. Make me zealous for you.
In His name,
Amen
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