Stewardship-Jesus Knocks on the Door
Stewardship Moment
Read by Thelma Renz
Sunday, November 13, 2022
We hear these words from Revelations 3:20-22: “Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me. To the one who conquers I will give a place with me on my throne, just as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”
As we continue to consider the bread and cup it is appropriate that we examine a scene from The Book of Revelation. Revelation is full of puzzling images, mindboggling mystery, and scary scenarios. But we don’t need to be afraid of Revelation. In reality, if we approach it correctly, it gives us a message of hope, of perseverance, of promise. “Stay faithful,” Jesus says through the Spirit, “and you will receive your reward in due time.” The image of Jesus standing at the door knocking makes us smile. It fits right in with our ideas about the Lord’s Supper. Jesus does not just barge on in. You have to invite him in. Indeed, we ask Jesus to come in and join us and eat with us, but we are not the hosts. Jesus prepares our meal for us. Revelation reveals to us and prepares us for the holy banquet—“the marriage supper of Lamb”—at the end of the age, when the true meaning of the Bread and Cup are given to us and we begin eternity in the presence of the Savior. All we have to do is open the door!
It is a high and humble duty to prepare for the Lord’s Supper. We thank our Elders for faithfully performing this duty. Just as we must prepare for the Lord’s Supper, we must prepare for Jesus’ return. God’s truths and promises have been entrusted to us to share. It’s the stewardship of faith. Jesus challenges us to be enthusiastic and excited about all that God has done, is doing, and will do for us. He asks us to put our hearts and souls into our praise, our witness, and our giving. If we’re lukewarm about our faith, reticent with our thanks, stingy in our giving, when the time of trial comes, we’ll find ourselves floundering and grasping at straws. Jesus tells us to hold onto our faith so it will be our solid rock of support when we need it. Correction—Jesus will be our solid rock of support when we need him.