Will You Open the Door or Leave it Closed?

There’s a great hunger for power.

From the spouse who wants to hold power over the other, to the work supervisor who likes to wield power over those under supervision, to the person whose uniform and badge gives power, to the politician who craves the power of office, and others along the way who love the feeling power gives.

There are those who hold power, and there are those who are powerless. In a nation of laws, the courts are supposed to keep the playing field of life more even. Unfortunately, we have seen that is not always true; for wealth and power can have bearing on how a case is heard, or decided. Lady Justice has on her blindfold, but a few coins can tip her scales.

Worldly power can be used to do great things for people, and to make neighborhoods, towns, cities, and other entities better places for people to live. Or it can be, and often is, used to take advantage of the powerless—those on the margins of society.

We have been led to focus on the poor who take advantage, while keeping our attention away from the billions of dollars that are handed out to banks and corporations. Power!

However, all that being said, we shouldn’t miss this: “I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” (Revelation 3:8)

The church in Philadelphia, one of the seven churches to whom the Revelation was sent, did not have the status, wealth, or power of the world, but they did have something more—the power of the gospel; the power of God. The power of the gospel does not make the big, splashy show that the world’s power can make; nor does it create the chaos worldly power often creates. But the power of the gospel is a life-changing power, and not only promises strength for today’s journey, but also gives us the promise of abundant life, eternal life, and the power of the hope of resurrection.

The power of the world does not have the final say. It may look like it does. It may feel like it does. But when it comes to worldly power; the power of today is often the weakness of tomorrow.

“I am coming soon,” the risen Christ messages the church in Philadelphia, “hold fast to what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” As Christians who live with worldly power all around us, it’s easy to become enamored with that power and to desire it for ourselves. Power is enticing. But the risen Christ tells us we need to “hold fast to what we have”—the power of the gospel, the power of God. The powers of the world may scoff, laugh, and ridicule, and for today their power may seem like it is always winning whatever battle is being fought, but worldly power is deceiving itself; for it always comes to an end. There is always a pay day some day.

Those who are enamored with worldly power should consider this: “Then I saw a great white throne and the one who sat on it; the earth and heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and the books were opened…” (Revelation 20:11-12) We should note that “the great” stand before the throne the same as “the small.” We should here remind ourselves of what Paul wrote to the Christians in the region of Galatia: “Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow.” (6:7) The power of the world can sow corruption, deception, lies, abuse, chaos, and/or all manner of evil, and can mock God in the process of doing so, but one day even the most powerful in the world will stand before the throne and watch as “the books” are opened. “God is not mocked.” The mockery of today will turn into the solemnity of tomorrow.

Some Christians in Laodicea could not make up their mind. (See Revelation 3:14-21) “I know your works, you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” At some point, we have to make a decision. We can’t continue to keep one foot in the door of the kingdom of God and the other foot standing firm in the kingdoms of the world.

Choose! Pretending to be a Christian is not being a Christian. Showing up at church has no meaning unless we are there to learn, grow, worship, and become a better person—a changed person, a new person. “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; everything old has passed away: see, everything has become new!” (2 Corinthians 5:17) Our salvation is an event of faith—“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved”—but growing as a Christian (sanctification) is a process; a process of learning and growing in the faith.

The people in the church at Laodicea were having a hard time deciding. Yes, the world and all it offers is that tempting. They wanted to be both in the world and of the world, and be in the church—the body of Christ—at the same time. But sooner or later this lukewarmness must come to an end; one has to decide. In? or Out?

The world’s power had influenced many of those in the church at Laodicea: “For you say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.’” Why do I need God, I have everything? I can buy what I want. I live in prosperity.

But sooner or later we are awakened to a new reality, the way life really is; for there are things that money cannot buy, prosperity cannot overcome, and needs that wealth cannot meet. We should hear and heed the warning the risen Christ gave to the church at Laodicea: “You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.”

The wealth of the world may buy us moments of happiness, but it cannot buy us joy.

The wealth of the world may buy us health care, but it cannot buy us good health.

The wealth of the world may buy us attention, but it cannot buy us love.

The wealth of the world may buy us a mansion, but it cannot buy us a home.

Let’s give the final word to the risen Christ:

“Listen! I am standing at the door knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.” (Revelation 3:20)

Listen! What is that knocking sound? Whose voice is that? What is it saying to you?

Will you open the door, or leave it closed?

“Let anyone with an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”