Revelation 3:20

Revelation 3:20

Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."

Behold, I stand at the door and knock

Jesus presents Himself as standing outside a house and knocking on the door. When Jesus approaches this house, He finds the door shut. He takes the initiative to break down the barrier to fellowship. His "knock" is His initiative to break that barrier. 

If anyone hears My voice and opens the door

Jesus invites us into fellowship with Him not only with His hand by knocking but with His voice. Jesus appeals to those inside the house by His knock. It is their responsibility to open the door. Jesus cannot fellowship with those inside the house unless they invite Him in. 

The "if" in the Greek indicates that Jesus is waiting on our choice. He will not compel fellowship by force. He will not break down the door of your heart to have fellowship with you. 

I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me

Jesus argues in the previous verse that He disciplines the Laodicean Christians because He loves them. He speaks to Christians who grew lukewarm in their ardor for fellowship with Him. Now He states that He wants fellowship with them. 

The word "dine" means to eat the chief meal of the day. Here Jesus speaks of spiritual dining (1 Co 11:25). Jesus appeals here to Christians, not non-Christians. He appeals to them for intimate, prolonged fellowship. He wants to get personal with us. The Creator and Sustainer of the Universe wants fellowship with each and every Christian. Especially, this is an invitation to those who are lukewarm to come back to Him. Jesus asks carnal Christians for their fellowship.