Christ Standing at the Door

Behold 1 stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door. I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me. — Revelations iii: 20.

The text is the language of Christ. The methods which he adopts to secure attention to what he has to say, are many and interesting. He condescends to adapt himself to the language and practice of mortals.

“Behold I stand at the door and knock.” This language is suited to rouse and attract attention. Who is he? — Where is he 1 — At what door does he stand? — At the door of thy heart, 0 sinner. Though invisible to mortal eyes, he is here, whether you regard it not.

He knocks. But how?

By his word by a preached gospel by the

admonitions of conscience and by the strivings of

his Spirit. Nor is this all.

He calls. ‘’ Unto you 0 men, I call, and my voice is unto the sons of men.” He calls by all the invitations of mercy contained in the Bible. ^’Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.” “Come for all things are now ready.” Open unto me — open unto me, is the language of Christ.

He threatens.” Because I have called, and ye

298 SEPcMONS AND REMAINS

refused — I also will laugh at 3’our calamity.” “Wo unto them when I depart from them.”

‘’If any man hear his voice” — What is it to hear his voice? To pay a respectful attention to his word — to listen to a prcaclied gospel — But this is not all. Hearing in the language of the text, implies obedience. “Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live.”

‘’ And open the door” — And what does this imply 1 Alas! it implies that the hearts of sinners are closed against Christ. They are closed

By prejudice.

By pride.

By unwillingness to receive the Saviour.

By excuses.

By unwillingness to see their lost condition.

Effort to prevent conviction, is an cffoit to exclude Christ from the heart. Thus sinners fortify their hearts, and make them as strong and stout against Christ as possible.

To open the door to Christ, my hearers, implies a willingness to see and feel what sinners you are. Painful as may be the sight, you must be willing to see it.

Again — to open the door to Christ, implies a willingness to turn out every opposing enemy. There are many idols lodged in the sinner’s heart. With none of these, will Christ consent to dwell. If you love any object more than you love him, you are none of his. Search, then, every corner of your heart, and turn out every opposing enemy.. Again — to open the door to Christ, implies a willingness to confess the very worst of your sins, and to forsake them. “He that covereth his sins, shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”

‘^I will come in to him” — And what does this mean? It is a glorious promise that he will set up his kingdom in the heart of the sinner. And will God in very deed, dwell with men on earth? It is even so. Said one to our Saviour, “How is it that thou wilt manifest thyself to us and not unto the world?” He said, ‘’ If any man love me, my father will love him, and we will come and make our abode with him.” Thus the strong man armed is overcome, and Christ sets up his kingdom in the heart of the sinner, who is translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son.

“And I will sup with him, and he with me.” It is with the sinner a joyful time. As when the prodigal returned, there was great rejoicing.

Reflections.

The text is introduced by a note of admiration. ‘’Behold!”

Behold then, 1. The greatness of our Redeemer. He is every where present. And is it so? — that he knocks at the door of a sinner’s heart here — of another’* there — and of another’s there? And is it true that he meets with two or three of his disciples assembled here — and with others assembled there, and in different and distant parts of the world at the same time? And is that true which he said on earth, ‘’ even the Son of Man, which is in heaven?” He must then fill heaven and earth at the same time. And 0, what can those do, who deny the omnipresence of the Saviour 1

He calls, “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest;” but if he is not omniscient, where shall they find him 1 They have no Saviour to go to. But, my friend, say not in thine heart, who shall ascend unto heaven to bring him down — or descend into the deep to bring him up — He is nigh thee — He is every where present. Sinners need not leave their seats, but only open their hearts, and he will take possession.

2. Behold the depth of Christ’s condescension. The high and lofty One who inhabiteth eternity, dwelling in the high and holy place, condescends to take up his abode in the hearts of men. He comes not to the palace; — but to poverty and wretchedness — to sinners, and to those who have long rejected him — to those who have been ashamed of him. He does not knock at the door of his friends merely, but at the door of his enemies. He knocks at the door of the vilest of sinners.

*’ When the Eternal bows the skies,

To visit earthly things,
With scorn divine he turns his eyes,

From towers of lofty kings.
He bids his awful chariot roll,

Far downward from the skies.
To visit every humble soul,

With pleasure in his eyes.

O, the depth of his condescension! Is it possible! And will he stoop so low, as to take such vile sinners — heirs of hell — and make them the sons of God — heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ to an eternal inheritance 1

3. Behold the extent of his willingness to receive sinners. The sinner sometimes says, I am willing to receive Christ, but he is not willing to receive me. But what says the text? ‘^ Behold I stand at the door and knock.” Does not this imply his readiness and willingness to come in 1 Nor is this all — He calls, open unto me — open unto me. Nor is his all — He says, “if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in.” He positively declares that he is willing. Nor is this all — you may say, I am such a great sinner — I have rejected him so long, that he will not receive me now. But what says the Saviour 1 “If any man hear my voice” — vile as he may be, if he is on this side of hell — “if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me.”

If you are not now a Christian, permit me to say that you have never yet heard his voice, nor opened the door, nor been willing to receive him. You have never complied with the invitation in the text. The Saviour is ready and willing, but you will not come to him that you might have life.

4. Behold your danger. The Saviour stands at your door. He does not sit. He stands ready to enter or ready to depart. How long would you stand at the door of your neighbor, asking for admittance, if he should bar and bolt you out 1 And how long has Christ stood knocking? Even till his head is filled with the dew and his locks with the drops of the night. But he will not stand long. There will be a last knock. The Saviour can do without you; but you cannot do without him. He may say, as he once said to the Jews, “I go my way. Ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins.” How often *’/ would,” and “?/e would not.” ‘^ Behold your house is left unto you desolate.”

I repeat, sinner, there vrill be a last knock at the door of your heart.

“Behold a stranger attbxe door,
He gently knocks, has knock’d before,
Hath waited long, is waiting still,
You treat no other friend so ill.

0 lovely attitude, he stands.
With melting heart and loaded hands,
0 matchless kindness, and he shows
This matchless kindness to his foes.

But will he prove a friend indeed?
He will, the very friend you need;
The friend of sinners — yes, ’tis he,
With garments dy’d on Calvary.

Rise, touched with gratitude divine,

Turn out his enemy and thine,

That soul-destroying monster sin,

And let the heavenly stranger in. ^. ...

Admit him ere his anger burn.
His feet departed ne’er return;
Admit him, or the hour ’s at hand.
You ’11 at his door rejected stand.”