A Door Was Opened

A Door Was Opened  The Revelation of Saint John

   "... if you yearn for a deeper life, a full life, a sane life, that is a door"   Clarrisa Estes

" if your religion doesn't make you feel good to be alive, what is the point of it?"  Tom Robbins

" After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven"  Revelation 4

   1.  The Open Door-  When others come to us and try and open up about a problem, are we open?  One of the most trying things is to get couples to open up about their problems.  Usually it takes finding the real problem in counseling as the presenting problem is not the real problem.  We may say this about our own lives as well individually.  When we think that our problem is such and such it may be something else , a deeper problem?  What does real openness require?

       We know " we are saved by hope"  ( Romans 8:24).  When we are trying to talk to another person we must find the open door to them.  To do that we must be hopeful and open as well about who we are. 

        Am I a listener?  When others would like to find an open door and open up about their struggles, do we shut down?  Are we afraid to listen because we have not dealt with the problem ourselves?

         Am I approachable?  How are we going to be open doors to others if we are not available and approachable? Then , if we disagree, how do we deal with that?  Do we insist on our own way because we know ?  Or do we ask," Can I learn something from this person that I never knew before?"

         Are we open to God?  " When we keep claiming the light, we will find ourselves becoming more and more radiant." Henri Nouwen .... Or as Theodore Roosevelt once said, " If you could the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month."

         Today I want to thank God for all the people in my life who were open to me.  Can you say that?  Can we thank God for all of them in such a way that their passing and spirits of openness live on in our lives now?

         If we are closed doors , that is the opposite of openness.  No one wants to sit on a train or airplane for a long journey and never hear a kind word or a story.  Thank God our Lord says this right before our text in chapter 4 of Revelation," Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." 3: 20

2.  Our Lord is an Open Door- Thank God

There is an invitation to us to come thru that Door.  " Come up hither" He says to John in ch. 4.  Welcome through the Door of Christ.  He is our Door. That is what God says. 

No one can keep you out of that Door when God says come thru it!  No one can take it away either.  No human , no institution can keep us from God because eternal life is a gift, and it is from God alone. " And I give them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." John 10:28

" I will show you things which must be hereafter."  God is our guide in this life and in the life to come with Him around His Throne.  " And there was a rainbow round about the throne in sight like unto an emerald."  Rev. 4:3

We can either shut the door for others or open it.  2 Cor 3 ( MP reading Friday):" You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men....our sufficiency is of God, who also has made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but the spirit gives life."

May we be open doors like our Lord.

3.   What does John see?  What will we see one day in heaven too?

He sees the LORD God sitting on the throne of heaven, with the Holy Spirit (7 Spirits ---the Holy Spirit in His sevenfold ministry to the church)  All creation worships Him ( the 4 beasts) and the 24 elders representative of the church from the beginning to now ( Ot to NT) . They sing, " Holy, Holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." 4:8 

In chapter 5 the vision is complete with the Lion of the tribe of Judah who opens the book of life , a Lamb slain before the foundation of the world.  The One who opens the book is the 2nd person of the Trinity, Jesus, Man and God and glorified in heaven with His new resurrected body.

They all sing to Him, " You are worthy to take the book and to open the seals..." 5:9

Interesting I note here that  the open door opens the book as we have had our hearts opened to eternal life .  We will reign and reign now as His Kings and priests.1:6 as well.

May we be open Doors, Kings and Priests to others . Our God Reigns!

Blessed Trinity, One God, in Three. The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit.

amen.