Rev. 3:7-8                                   I KNOW THE DOORKEEPER

Intro: I have had occasions in my life where I was confronted with closed doors. Joan and I returned home one day to find that we were locked out of our house. It was a closed door experience! I have experienced that in the spiritual realm as well. There have been other times when I have seen physical doors open for me. This is true in the spiritual realm as well.

      I want to talk about the spiritual doors of life. What are we to do when we are confronted with an open door? How do we handle a closed door? Who controls the doors of life, us or the Lord? I want of look into this matter of doors today, because they are so important in our walk with the Lord. I believe what the Bible reveals about the doors of life can help us all in our walk with Him. Best of all, the information the Bible gives us reminds us just Who is responsible for the doors of life. I want to point out some observation about the doors of life as I preach on the thought: I Know The Doorkeeper!

 

  I.                                        THE MESSAGE OF THE DOORS

A.  Ill. The context of this text – God had set an “open door” of ministry before this church. They were weak in power, but strong in the Lord. He had placed an open door before them no man could shut.

B.  We all know what a “door” is. It is “a movable, usually solid, barrier for opening and closing an entranceway.” A door represents either access or denial, depending on whether it is open or closed.

C.  Doors figure heavily in the Bible. The word “door” appears in the Bible, in one form or the other, 263 times. While the word “door” in the Bible is used to speak of a literal door, there are many places where “doors” are used symbolically.

·      In this passage, the “open door” – Opportunity (Ill. See also – 1 Cor. 16:8-9)

·      In John 10:9 Jesus called Himself “the Door” – Salvation

·      Rev. 4:1 speaks of a “door” being opened in the heavens – Rapture

·      Matt. 24:33 tells us the “door” is a picture of imminent arrival – Second Coming

·      Rev. 3:20 pictures Jesus standing at the “door” and knocking – Conviction

·      Matt. 7:7-8 speaks of answered prayer as the opening of a “door” - Blessing

·      Pro. 26:14 uses the image of a “door” turning slowly upon it hinges to picture laziness. – Slothfulness

·      Gen. 18:1-2 speaks of the Lord meeting with Abraham in the “door” of his tent – Fellowship

·      Ex. 12:7ff speaks of the blood of the lamb being applied to the “doorposts” and lintels – Redemption

·      Leviticus talks about the sacrifice animals being killed at the “door” of the Tabernacle – Access

·      Psa. 141:3 speaks of the lips as a “door” to the mouth – Silence and self-control

·      Matt. 25:10 speaks of a closed “door”– Rejection and Judgment

·      Psa. 84:10 tells us that the Psalmist would rather be a “doorkeeper” in the house of God than anything else in the world - Service

We are all familiar with doors and how they operate in the physical realm. It seems clear to me that doors have something to teach us in the spiritual realm as well. This is but a small sampling of what the Bible has to say about doors.

 

 II.                                         THE MINISTRY OF THE DOORS

A.  The open and shut doors of our lives have the ability to change the course of our lives. In Acts 12:1-17 Simon Peter was in prison and scheduled to die the next morning. God sent and angel and opened the doors of liberty for him. The doors of the prison opened, the gates of the city opened, but when he arrived at the house where the church was praying for his release, Peter found the door shut! These doors changed Peter’s life! In Acts 16:6-10, Paul experienced the agony of two closed doors that led him to God’s open door of ministry. These doors changed the direction of Paul’s life and the course of world history!

B.  God set an “open door” before the church of Philadelphia. They were weak, but they were given a glorious opportunity. All they had to do was to step through that open door in faith and God was promising to use them and bless them in a mighty way.

C.  An open door is a good thing! We rejoice when the door of opportunity is opened to us. When God opens a door, we should also step through that door, by faith, without hesitation, because God is doing something special in our lives.

            On the other hand, a closed door usually fills us with feelings of disappointment. We want to do what we want to do and we do not want to hear God say, “No”. The closed doors of life are just as precious as the open doors! In my case, I am here today because God closed several doors in my life. He opened this door, but He closed far more to bring me here. The same could be said of your spiritual experience as well. You are here today because of the closed doors of life. When God closes a door, walk away from it. Do not try to force it!

D.  We should pay close attention to the open and closed doors in ministry too! Step through every door He opens and stay away from those He closes.

 

III.                                          THE MASTER OF THE DOORS

A. The words of verses 7-8 make it crystal clear that Jesus is the Doorkeeper. He is the Master of the doors of life. He opens the doors and He closes the doors as it pleases Him. He holds the keys and He determines which doors are opened and which remain closed.

B.  This ministry of the Master is a personal ministry. Notice the words “I” and “thee”. It is the picture of the Lord’s personal involvement in the lives of His people and His church.

      Ill. I heard a radio preacher say that God does not have a specific will for our lives. He does not care where we go to church; where we minister; where we live; where we work; where we go, etc.

      I reject that! I believe the Lord is intimately involved the everyday business of our lives. This is the testimony of the Bible, Jer. 29:11; 1 Pet. 5:7; Rom. 8:28; 2 Cor. 4:17; Heb. 4:15-16. He cares for you and He cares about everything that affects you. (Ill. The personal ministry of God in the lives of His people is clear throughout the Bible – Elijah, Widow of Zarephath, Three Hebrews, Daniel, Disciples, David, Job, etc – Ill. Rom. 2:11.)

C.  Every open door is an expression of His love and of His activity in our lives. So is every closed door!

 

Conc: What kind of doors are you looking at today? Understand that the Lord is behind the doors of your life. Step through them or walk away from them as the case me be. I am glad I know the Doorkeeper, and that He is in control! How about you?