February Beacon

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20

Would it be fair to call her, ‘Reluctant Rhoda?’ King Herod was on a rampage. He was arresting and persecuting those belonging to the church. He had James put to death and he seized Peter. He put him in prison with the intention of having him on trial after the Passover.

It appeared as if Peter was going nowhere. Bound with two chains, he was sleeping between two soldiers. The prison entrance was guarded by sentries. Humanly speaking, he was going nowhere!

If you know the account, you may recall that I skipped a verse. Acts 12:5 reads, ‘So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.’ That information relates to what happened next. An angel of the Lord joined Peter in his cell and escorted him to freedom.

When Peter realized what had happened, he made his way to ‘a prayer meeting.’ Mary hosted several others who were praying together. Peter knocked at the outer entrance. Rhoda came to answer the door, but failed to open it. Was it reluctance, or something else, that kept the door closed?

Verse 16 reports that Peter kept on knocking…and eventually, astonished ‘pray-ers’ greeted him. ‘Joyful’ Rhoda must have been among the welcoming party.

Have you ever refused to answer a ‘knocking at the door?’ Maybe you looked out the window and recognized a salesman or an aspiring political candidate that you did not want to visit with. You hoped the knocking would soon stop.

In Revelation 2-3, our Lord addressed 7 churches in Asia Minor. A mixture of commendation and correction was given them. To the church in Laodicea He reminded, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.” Then we come across another example of ‘door knocking.’ Do you think the hearers were reluctant to answer? Revelation 3:20 reads, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”

Why would Christ be outside the church? Was there a lack of fellowship with the Savior among the people? Were there some needing to know Him? Was there a lack of intimacy between Jesus and the church? You would think that they would open the door if the Lord was knocking to come in.

Will you? Over the next several weeks, we will be studying Revelation 2-3 during the worship service. These churches from the past needed rebuke, discipline, and encouragement. Please join us for worship….and if the Holy Spirit speaks, be prepared to respond to a ‘knocking door.’

Pastor Lerud