Homilist Revelation 3:20 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… I. HIS ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE SOUL. He is constantly in contact with the soul. He does not come occasionally and then depart; He stands. 1. His deep concern. In the eye of Christ the soul is no trifling object: He knows its capabilities, relations, power, influence, interminable history. 2. His infinite condescension. 3. His wonderful patience. II. HIS ACTION UPON THE SOUL. He does not stand there as a statue doing nothing. He knocks: He knocks at the door of intellect with His philosophic truths; at the door of conscience, with His ethical principles; at the door of love, with His transcendent charms; at the door of hope, with His heavenly glories; at the door of fear, with the terrors of His law. 1. The moral power of the sinner. The soul has the power to shut out Christ. It can bolt itself against its Creator. This it does by directing its thoughts to other subjects, by deadening its convictions, by procrastinations. 2. The consummate folly of the sinner. Who is shut out? Not a foe or thief; but a friend, a physician, a deliverer. 3. The awful guiltiness of the sinner. It shuts out its proprietor, its rightful Lord. III. HIS AIM IN REFERENCE TO THE SOUL. It is not to destroy it; but to come into it and identify Himself with all its feelings, aspirations, and interests. 1. Inhabitation. "I will come unto him." We are perpetually letting people into our hearts. How pleased we are if some illustrious personage will enter our humble homes and sit down with us, etc. 2. Identification. "Sup with him and he with Me." I will be at home with him, be one with him. A conventionally great man deems it a condescension to enter the house of an inferior — he never thinks of identifying himself with the humble inmate. Christ does this with the soul that lets Him in. He makes its cares His own. (Homilist.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
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