Sermon Central
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God’s Open Door—1
Contributed by Byron Sherman on Aug 26, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: Part 1 of a 2-part sermon. The church in Philadelphia was told that Jesus had placed an open door before them. There are 10 places God’s open door leads the church.
GOD’S OPEN DOOR-I—Revelation 3:7-13
The church in Philadelphia was told that Jesus had placed an open door before them.
The true church has an open door from Jesus before her.
Where does God’s open door lead?
10 places God’s open door leads the church.
1—God’s open door leads to
HOLINESS(:7b)
—Explanation:(:7b)
“...He who is holy...”
“Holy”—Pure; Sacred; Consecrated;Free from impurities of sin’s direction.
—Argumentation:
Heb. 12:10—“For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness.”
Eph. 4:24—“...Put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness & holiness of the truth.”
1Pet. 1:15-16—“but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.””
—Illustration:
Uranium/Handled very differently from other metals/HOLINESS
—Application:
?You have an open door into God’s HOLINESS?
?Where does God’s open door lead you?
2—God’s open door leads to
LOYALTY/TRUTH(:7c)
—Explanation:(:7c)
“He... who is true...”
Absolutely/Perfectly loyal to God’s design & plan.
—Argumentation:
Hos. 6:6—“For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”
Jn. 14:6—“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, & the truth, & the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.”
Heb. 12:2-3—“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author & perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, & has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary & lose heart.”
—Illustration:
Transfer of money from home bank to another bank—Higher % yield/No LOYALTY—Monetary only
Dr. ?/Cleveland Indians fan/Worst in the league/LOYALTY
—Application:
?You have an open door into God’s TRUTH?
?Where does God’s open door lead you?
3—God’s open door leads to
ACCESS/ASSURANCE(:7d, 8b)
—Explanation:(:7d; 8b)
:7d—“...who has the key of David, who opens & no one will shut...”
:8b—“...Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut...”
If Jesus gives...
...Our Mission field—Then it is!
...Our Marriage—Then it is!
...Our Family—Then it is!
...Our Purpose—
...Our Freedom—
—Argumentation:
Mat. 16:18-19—“And I also say to you that you are Peter, & upon this rock[confessing Jesus as the Christ] I will build My church; & the gates of Hades shall not overpower it. “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; & whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, & whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
1Cor. 16:7-9—“For I do not wish to see you now just in passing; for I hope to remain with you for some time, if the Lord permits. But I shall remain in Ephesus until Pentecost; for a wide door for effective service has opened to me, & there are many adversaries.”
—Illustration:
Handicapped accessible car/Controls very different from usual/World becomes ACCESSIBLE
Application:
?You have an open door into God’s ACCESS?
?Where does God’s open door lead you?
4—God’s open door leads to
PREVENTION(:7e)
—Explanation:(:7e)
“...& who shuts & no one opens, says this:”
Closed doors keep us from stumbling into areas we have no need of entering in...God’s open doors lead past the closed ones!
Jesus closes doors of self indulgence-gratification-glorification
—Argumentation:
2Cor. 12:7-9—“And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me--to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I entreated the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”
—Illustration:
Our Honeymoon(Feb. 28) at Atlantic Beach, NC/Ramada Inn—No Vacancy/Ended up at ‘Joe’s Motel’/Prevented from our intention/PREVENTION
—Application:
?You have an open door into God’s PREVENTION?
?Where does God’s open door lead you?
5—God’s open door leads to
FULL KNOWLEDGE(:8a)
—Explanation:(:8a)
:8a—“‘I know your deeds....”
Also directly to Sardis(3:2), Thyatira(2:19) & Ephesus(2:2) implied in all the churches.
God is not a Cosmic Policeman—Looking for ‘bad’ stuff....
He is a loving Father seeking our betterment.
—Argumentation:
Ps. 139:1-4—“O LORD, Thou hast searched me & known me. Thou dost know when I sit down & when I rise up; Thou dost understand my thought from afar. Thou dost scrutinize my path & my lying down, And art intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, Thou dost know it all.”
