iaT DOES HE WANT?! BETHANY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
peveLaT/on 3:14-20 LAFAYETTE, INDIANA
SEPTEMBER, 23, 1973 | JOHN M. BUCHANAN

Aniong the more familiar words in the New Testament are these: |"Behold, | stand at the
door and wscer} anyone hears my voice and opens the door, | will come in to nin." J Every~

time | hear them my memory transports me to childhgod and the Bible School flannel graph

that showed a heart with a door ogp.itvand Jesus knocking \ Or | think of Holman Hunt's very
Soy, a
ews - a) wiqu?
popular painting of asserenem@iwnket, lantern held in his hand, knocking gently on the door
— EEE eee

of a rustic cottuee.| Or | am reminded of a favorite old hymn:
eee ee ae

O Jesus, thou art standing
Outside the fast closed door,
In lov@ly patience waiting
To pass the threshold o'er

O Jesus, thou art pleading

In accents meek and low.

As is often the case, however, the images we attach to the words, and the Interpretation
= ==

are
we read in, ~& the product of American pietism - masquerading as real, old-time Bible theol=

ogy» and bears little resemblance to the obvious intent of the Bibligal text \ In this case,

| would suggest, the tradition surrounding the text is an outright distortion.

Let's look more carefully. \ The Book of Revelation was written by an exiled political
prisoner by the name of John, \ Because he was an articulate Christian the Roman political
establishment saw fit to ship him out to the Icnely island of Patmos\ From there - he wrote

— =, SS ea
a political polemic against ne ees using wild imagery and secret synba! ism.\ christians
ever since have been trying to faexe thelr own political biases Into John's symbols with,

eed a]

varying degrees of success - all of them Irrelevant. | In any case, he began his book using
See, «dicte ay ent ers —=a =e
the form of Christ himself speaking to the seven churches in Asia.Minor. \in his prologue

=e
TE ty

to the letters he describes his vision of Christ..." a son of man, clothed with a long robe
——_ =a =

and a golden girdle round his breast\ his head and his hair were white as white wool,

white as snow: |his eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze,
refined as in a furnace..."
Now that's not exactly what | have’ in mind when | think of Jesus knocking at the door.
__ SS

SS. ———

And it becomes. more disturbing.\ Addressing the church in Laodicea_he seys: |" know your
Se EE eS a

works:\you are neither hot nor cold. Would that you were cold or hot! \So because you are

=
lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, | will spew you out of my mouth. \ Those whom | love,

| reprove and chasten. "And then - after all of that .[reehots, | stand at the door anc

— Sa

ug

knock; If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, \ wilf come in to him and eat with him

and he with re..."

The issue in the LaodJcean church yas the sama matter that got John of Patmes In hot

= “Ake Ruvseur
water In the first place namely the Roman insistance on emperor worship.\ For them it was
La atiieel .

a matter of patriotism and loyalty for every subject to recagpize the divinity of the
ee, a

emperor and to swear_ultimate fealty to the state \ Consequently, it was a matter of

ren,

treasonous civil disobedience for Christians to rotuse. \ The good folk of Lacdicea, if seems,

were trying to play it both yays:\essentaily to remain neutral \ Their tukewarmness, that

is so offensive to Christ, is precisely tn their reluctance to be controversial, to Take

a stand, to rlsk their security and material well being for their faith.

—_—, ie
Three pretiminary conclusions jump out at us.| This message - "Behold | stand and
a. eee,
knock" is addressed to a church - not to individuals] it is not a plea to open your heart

to Jesus in order to be saved so much as it is an urgent demand to get up and get moving. -
—_—— ie

to be what you claim to pe.\ ane finally - my impression of it all - if we must visualize
cumennaaiaaeemniamimmnemieall — lS

it - is not at all a gentie Christ tapping on the dgor - pleading fn accents meek and low:

but a potent, virlie Lord pounding on the door in broad daylight.
That | woutd suggest, is a little more iq line with what's happening in the Bible than

the tepid, favorite image, dear to our hearts, of the Lord Jesus seeking access to human

tives. He wants In all right - but he's pounding, | and he's demanding and he's got some-

thing more _in mind than a private sense of saivation.

*

We've come a long way from tat | there is today a division across Christendom between
stance inal

eel

denominations, within denominations and within congregations between what may be called the

asain! tena ieee aia
pletists and the social activists.\ Pietists, on the one hand, see the purpose of Christian
aie Lm ba i —

faith as the saving of souls.\\ Jesus is regarded in terms of a gentle savior who wants ad-
ee emiiiiel .

mission to the human heart for The purpose of personal salvation \ when it stops there - and

iy usually does - if Is simply wnbib| ical :|you can't read the Bible with integrity and
a «el

defend it | Unfortunately, people who take this position usually know more about the Bible
a, inntmeaenil

Se mana

than anyone else and are able to overwhelm the average skeptic with proot texts \ The result

| acidemia

is that they claim - and most agree - that thelr position is Biblical Christianity:\that

a ane

when preaching, for instance, deais with anytaing other than how to get to heaven if is

lio

-3~

cpostate| anc that when the church corporato addresses itself in word or deed to the
world, it has become dangerous, politicized, heretical and maybe even leftist.

The other side of the divide bslongs to the Social potivists.\ The purpose of Chris-

tian faith for these people is to bring about a utopia on earthd to provide remedies for a]|
a Leet

of mankind's its hanger poverty, over~population, polution, oppression, sexism, racism.

Christ becomes *revol utionary \ the Church ~ a breeding ground for political ferment And

3 ee

athe Bible - social activists don't pay much attention to .the Bible except those passages that

5

deal with their socta! agenda,

This has been a caricature of the two positions, to be sure.\ Poop te aren't that easily
‘cece NET

categonized.\ And yet the division Is a real one across the church It's one we feel in our

hearts and one that many cf us wish could be resolyed\ Both positions contain truth porn

can quote the Bible ad nauseum to prove thelr polnt\ Each needs the sensitivities of the
ae teee nineties i) Dai el

other if the end product is to be called Biblical.

Pletists need to stop ignoring the whole prophetic tradition and start paying atfen-

tion to the Biblical concern for justice and peace, \ rietists need to look at the worldly

Christ of the New Testament who did engage in civil disobedience and did identity with the

poor and oppressed people around nim. \ And Social activists need to stop Iqnorimthe God
nia ne eee

of the 23rd Psalm, |the pastoral, fatherly God who knows his children by name, who stoops
meee re SE

to bind up their younds \ activists need to come to terms with the intensely personal
eC eo

Christ of the New Testament whose purpose was not limited to soclal righteousness ~- but

ec

who diJd set men free from sin and for eternal salvation,
Ee

And it alt drives us back beyond the Immediacy of the debote:| back beyond our current

position on ebortion \peyond our childhocd theologies te the really fundamental question:
ey

“What does he want?'PAssuming that God in Christ is knocking at the door ~ the door of our

heart - our homes - our church ~ what is It that he wants of us?
ee em ee in

The Bible givesus two answers both of which are necessary \ He wants us - and he wants
ey ee a

his will done in the wortd. And you just can't have one without the other Mases_ for

Instance -]|"Go down Moses - to Egypt land - tell ofe Pharoh - let my people go." God came

hint animate chen ineie
be |

to Moses - cut there in the pasture peer toreb | God knocked on the door = barged right in,

in fact and gave Moses an_experience he'd never forget.4 But the purpose of I+ all was not
— eee

wt Lf awe

. ' _ : . S.
just to get Moses attention or to save,bis soul, although that happened in the process

God, the account reads, saw the affliction of his people, heard thelpiery fon wbelp, knew
a

Fad

eines t . i i ine i + 4 : at them free fo be
and felt thetr suffering and was inclined to do something about itt set them free fo

ise: ae | 3 iti and e i Edicial id 50 sense, And Moses
precise: free in an very political and economic and bdicia an OC LBL Se \

was the ong assigned to de it.

That kind of thing keeps happening in the Bible. \ People are saved - in order to serve.
_— ed De
Salvation in the Bible always gets people involved with other people - usually suffering

Lei satan

people in sticky, controversial awkward and very worldly sttuations. \ oavig, Samuel, Saul,
. rect. nto

Amos, Ezekeil, Isaiah - none of them particularly relished the idea of going in the name
Dd

rl eee

_—,

af the toca. all of them would have much preferred tending their sheep or dressing the
manana

vineyards in the certain knowledge of their own personal salvation.
ee, tsar .

Lestico Newbigin put it in very cancise words: "Peter and Andrew and James and John are
rere =e =— — a _—
not portrayed as mystics seeking the true religion and finding ituin the teaching of Jesus.
They are rather shown as men picked by a commander for an expedition | » task force rather
— a ——_ , ieee

than a stucy group or holy club.” | Thon turning to us he says. [The church has constantly
Ld 7 — "

eT

forgetten this.\ It has listened to the words "Come unto me! but not listened to the words

‘Go = | will Sco with you. (1+ has interpretud conversion as ff ft was simply a turning
Arr CT Ca
toward God for purposes of one's own orivate inner religious life, Instead of seeing
le a ae) a el
conversion as it is in the Bible, @ turning toward God for the doing of his will in the
Cd = nd
secular worl? "Yt eT mene lm OLS ROD,

What does he wart? \ He wants us anc he wants his wit! done in the worts. \thazts the
Semanal Sat aml — a

way It's always boon In Lagodicea, where he knocked on the door - he wanted in - he wanted
a Soe :

— Dd

people to believe in him and trust him and have faith In +hem - and he wanted them to do it

ie aaa er
by taking a rather unpopy tar stand on an !ssue thet was purely politico! \ tn Moses! case -
ero ‘accel

he wanted Moses’ heart - but also his pedy.\ He wanted Moses’ ability to relieve the very
real suffering of his people.

He wants us to bo saved - and the means he gives us for realizing our salvation is the

a in el
need of other peopie\ Paul saw that and wrote it beautifully 4 "lf | have prophetic powers

and understand afl mysteries and all knowledge, and #f | have ali faith, so as to remove

a

i tend

mountains, but neve not love, | am nothing." Yang a verse from the First Letter of John -

wh
“ averse I've read many times but really discovered just this week { ‘We know that we have
ey |
passed from death to life, because we love the brethren He who does not love remains in
rensimeal | ed

coath'| (dah elds

Sot The means to our salvation - other people's need Gos calling us in the cry for help

zee
*

a eee

a3 from a brother? \it's an intriguing thought \ ordinart ly we do our good works in the world
G Lencissihininiernc ie Cored eer : anaemia

wras a kind of afterthought to our religion.) In terms of a local congregation, communi ty

#3 action is not exactly the highest priority on the agenda. Yet the Bible holds up iove -

i’ —- aii al
Wi, loving activity in the world as the way Christians selze their’ salvation4§ When we do it,

3 we are Inclined to buttress it with theclogies of self-sacri Ltice and cross-cerry ing \aut

the Bible suggests that the reward of salvation is granted as we tov. \ sel ¢-tul ti ymont

happens when we begin to serve and pete\| Foe we pass from death to life as we love the

prothren." |

That's the really sad part of all of ‘aishious, alive, sensitive and courageous
ris a — Cl
people are rejecting Christianity because they've soen that much of what goes under the
ccmnemniamend C meatel
name stops with the inviviguet \ They've Seen us in our well-appointed sanctuaries, sitting

bie a

smugly, piously suroof our salvation, unconcerned about the major problems bothering soctety

vo ce , istiant .
and they've concluded that Christianity Is Irrelevant \ ang they're cignt\ Faith that

Stops with me is irrefevant. \ie fact it isn't Christian Faith at al} \ For doe Gospel is

the cali of Jesus Christ to open the door ~ to recelve the gift of salvation - and then
a bees enone ian | a

bravely to live It by serving others in the world.

=v

There is nothing "lukewarm" about iv.) Christian faith lived In tha world is hot,
a a] A, . rere

full of passion: enthusiastic, urgent: And yet, one has to grant that the 1970's have
— ee o_o : id

given birth to an Insipid “lukewarmness" abcut a lot of thin s.\\s0 much has happened to

_e

uS In a decade that many peonte lost nerve. Civil Rights ~ which began with the church - “ey

came an? went.) So did the New Frontier and the War on Poverty » - which we fost, by the 19 way. a =
eemee a Semin ame ENT ie

And people today, in the words of Willfam Sloane Coffin are scramb {1 ng tc become Charter

members of [The Associaticn of Life's Bystanders ARight now we'd settle for a Ijitle better

price.on sirioin and the assurance that wel} have enough gasoline this winter,
eee bp a -

i i jerci : i i I ag: 94
Langdon Gitkey, in a piercing commentary on life in the 70's notes: +..when there
is nothing significant in our tives, oxistonce becomes a treadmilt leading nowhere, a mere

~6-

succession of rote acts; |># commuting in the subway, opening letters, making out orders,
etter | SAN rtcerat

typing someone else's correspondence, sweeping a floor, digging a ditch... and then at the

end of the Jay eating another meal and orushing your tooth. Lin a world of meaningless
aimee a, i Da

}

acts, there Is neither self, world, ner future.*
—__£ = _—— —

We're combatting the lukewarmness of jife, Gilkey suqgests, with the holy trinity
S nanaeiaiiiidl ae . Dc |

of sex, booze, and success.\ But it doesn't work\ Life remains empty \ sex becomes a

ome

contest instead of a celebration booze a poor crutch and success noth tng more than a
ee,

“solid gold trap.”
Fa ae ee |

Your salvation Ts out there In the form of someone who needs you someone who needs

your love and attention anc skill and the special gifts which you alone possees.\ the

world needs the witness of the United Presbyterian chureh \ this community needs the ministry

of Bethany Presbyterian Church:4and someone needs you.
el

But most of all ~ ymu - we - need. the salygtion that joving the brethren promises.
an

You see, in The final analysis Christ knocks and calls us - not to self debasement, not even

to sacrifice realy: but ta self tultitimont:t0 fulness of Life \yhol ones, completeness —-
ET ae

salvation.) In giving we ao recetve:\in loving wo Jo become the crown of creation in serv-
— .
ing others - on @ grand scale, or simply - personally - intimately ~ we do taste a littite
—_ ne a na a

cf God's eternal kingdom.

That's what he wants.4 That's the call and the promise

es

"Behold | stand at the door and knock. [is anyone hears my volce
and opens The door, | will come in to nim and eat with him..."

"we know that we have passed out of ceath into life, because we |
love tha brethren, |

There's a banquet waiting for those whe wove. Cat] if fulness of lite \ Call it a
ve sented
party. \cal it fife tn the spirit. cot it salvation, AMEN
o_o Letatai be]

Father, give us ears tu hear your vuice as if comes through the cries of those in need.

Give us grace to live and love, through Jesus Christ our Lerd. AMEN