Will Someone Please Get the Door?
By Mac; Outline rearranged/edited by M. Allen
FILING
INFORMATION:
2000035
Subject:
first principles
Preached Originally: 06/18/00 – Rapid City, SD
Introduction:
A. Moved quite a lot over last 5 years. Always interesting – esp when you try to move refrigerators, recliners, couches, etc.
1.
Door never wide
enough.
2.
negotiate w/a
hallway w/tight corners to get in/around.
3.
moved some
furniture recently – door kept getting in the way.
4.
Point is: sometimes getting in a door doesn’t always
turn out the way we expect.
B. In this AM’s lesson – we’re going to talk about doorway’s & what the Bible says.
1. 1 Cor. 16:8-9 – a wide door of opportunity for extending the gospel had opened for Paul.
a)
This = an
opportunity for effective working.
b)
Note – his
going to stay in Ephesus & go through that door of opportunity – even
if many adversaries.
2. Acts 19:17 – describes Paul’s work in Ephesus.
a)
19:22 –
problems arise, riots ensues, Demetrius, etc.
b)
20:1 – Paul
abruptly left. Things a little hot
for him at that time.
3. 1 Cor. 16 – when he wrote there – planned on staying at Ephesus for some time.
4.
Plans didn’t work
out like he thought.
a)
plans
change. Doors can come crashing in
on us.
b)
Doors of
opportunity don’t always work out. No matter how sincere we are.
C. 2 Cor. 2:12-13 – A door opened for him by the Lord.
1. Paul expected to meet Titus at Troas to receive news as to how 1 Cor. Letter was received.
2.
Titus not
there. Left to go to
Macedonia. Door open for
opportunity but didn’t go through it.
a) here = a door of opportunity – a chance for evangelism – but didn’t take it.
b)
Why? He had to see how his brethren
were.
c)
Point = we need
to be able to determine if now is the time to go through the door – or if
we need to wait.
d)
You can’t
bring people into the body of Christ if the body is not what it ought to be.
3. Doors of opportunity are not always what they appear to be.
4.
Must look at our
priorities & make sure that ready to handle the responsibility that going
through a door might bring.
D. Let’s take a few moments this AM to look at some Biblical doors & doorways.
II. Acts 5:19; 16:25-26 – God is the
Doorman.
A. Apostles had been put into prison. God opened the doors & they were released. Same w/Paul & silas in Ax 16. God had other plans for them – besides staying in prison. Men may have wanted them in prison – but there was nothing that they could do.
1. We must understand when God wants a door opened – it’s going to be opened!
2.
Rev. 3:7-8
– Jesus speaking to church at Philadelphia. Lord opens a door? No one can shut it. If He or
God choose to bring forth opportunities they will come!
a) they wish for opp. to cease? They will cease & you can do nothing about it.
b)
God is the
doorman! Wants something
revealed? It’ll be revealed. Closed up? It’ll be closed up.
B. Mt. 7:7-8 – Even today God is still listening. Wants to open doors for us. Still doors to be opened. Opportunities to be made.
C.
God wants to help
us. Work with us. Let us wisely & wholeheartedly
seize what God has laid out for us.
II. Mal. 1:10 – All Spiritual Doors
are not good doors.
A. Must look to/for the right door – one that God has laid out for us.
1. Mal. 1:10 – Israelites plight. Offering God leftovers. Not best.
2.
What does God say
here? Wish you would shut the
door.
B. Some doors that we may view as opportunities – can lead us toward disaster!
1. Must be careful in our approach of worship to God & service to Him.
a) know where the line is that God has drawn. Keep away from the line so as not to go over it.
b)
Thomas
Secker: if you don’t want to
step into the harlot’s house, don’t go near the door.
1)
some get as close
as can. Take peek to see what’s
going on inside.
2)
Don’t want to
appear different.
c) apply religiously.
2. Church members can be so concerned that they look different religiously – that they step over the boundary where God has drawn the line.
a) looks like opp. to bring more in.
b)
end doesn’t
justify the means.
3. Gal. 1:6-7 – some had changed the gospel – gone over the boundary. Leads to spiritual damnation – 1:8-9.
C. Christians have been charged to evaluate where they stand & test all things.
1.
1 Thess. 5:21
2.
1 Jhn. 4:1
– test the spirits! Test things by the Scriptures.
D. Again – all spiritual doors are not good doors. Must look for the right door – one that God has made out for us.
III. Jhn. 10:7-10; 14:6 – Jesus is the
Door.
A. Want to go to heaven – must believe upon the Lord. (Jn. 8:24)
1. Jews – believe salvation is still through Abraham & not through Christ. He just a good man, a prophet, but not the Messiah.
2.
Muslims –
this not the religion of Christ.
B. Jesus is the door.
1. I can’t get through the door – even if I call myself a Christian – but don’t do what Christ wants.
2.
Mt. 7:21; 7:24-27
3.
Can’t be saved if
I approach Him just “feeling” that I’m saved or “believe” I’m saved.
a) going to take more than emotion to get us through the door!
b)
Want
salvation? Go to Christ!
IV. Jhn. 18:16 – One Outside the Door
is Not Inside.
A. Christ on trial. John (the other disciple) went out & talked to door keeper & she let Peter in.
1. To get on the inside – Peter had to go through the door & as long as he outside he not inside.
2.
Acts 12:11-19.
a) Peter outside. Those inside debating whether or not it really Peter.
b)
Don’t know how
long he stayed outside. 12:16
– kept knocking & finally they let him in.
B. Until he came inside he was outside.
1. Wanting to be in didn’t put him in.
2.
Faith that is a
safe place didn’t put him in the home.
C.
Some steps had to
be taken! Had to do something to get in the door.
1. God has salvation! Spiritual warmth, safety, security, etc.
a) we’re all striving for it.
b)
People: “I have
faith that it’s there for me.” But
never step in.
c)
Outside IS NOT
inside.
2. Knowing/believing what inside the door isn’t good enough.
3.
Come through the
doorway to get into Christ.
V. Col. 4:3 – Pray that a door is
going to open for us.
A. God opens door for us. Give us doors for others. 2 Cor. 2:12. Must pray that these doors be there – as we deliver the gospel to the world. Pray that we be able to communicate to others.
B.
God gives us
doors for ourselves – Lk. 13:24; Mt. 7:13-14.
1. Effort. Must strive for the crown. Work at it.
2.
Mt. 7:13-14
– not talking about judgment. Everyday we make a decision. Which way to go? Strait or
narrow?
C. Mt. 16:19 – Peter just confessed Christ. 18:18 – this not just to Peter but to all the apostles.
1.
Literally: whatever you bind shall have already
be bound in heaven. You’re going
to teach what I’m going to give you.
2.
Acts 2 –
Peter stands b/f the Jews – convicts them of sin. 2:37 – they ask what shall we
do?
3.
2:38-39 –
promise of God still there for them. Promise of kingdom not been taken away for what you’ve done. Some feel they aren’t worthy of the
gospel.
4.
The promise
continues to be offered to us today! You can be in the kingdom today!
D. But as we seek to get in the kingdom – must seek to go through God’s door – not one we want to make up.
1. Some too busy trying to find their own way (their own door) that they never find God’s door.
2.
Laura
Slessenger: Don’t spend time
beating on a wall hoping to transform it into a door.
a) don’t try to figure out your own plan of salvation.
4. Just find the door! The Lord’s door – Mk. 16:15-16
Conclusion
A. Rev. 3:20 – Christ stands at the door & knocks.
1. Door here: the door to your heart.
2. He’s trying to get into your life.
B. You have a responsibility – You are in charge of the door of your heart!
1. Lay down everything that in the way.
2. Heart needs to be clean, open, honest.
3. Choose between the doors that God gives you – serving self or serving Christ.
C. Steps have to be taken!
D. Take steps God wants you to take.
E. I N V I T A T I O N