Christ Knocking at the Door of His Called-Out Assembly
Revelation 3:20 clearly reveals the heart and action of the Lord Jesus Christ:
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me.”
This statement is not addressed to unbelievers, but to the Assembly in Laodicea.
The word Assembly here comes from the Greek ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia), which is formed from two words:
ἐκ (ek), meaning “out of”, and καλέω (kaleō), meaning “to call.”
Therefore, the original meaning of ἐκκλησία is not a building, nor merely an institutional religious congregation. Rather, it refers to a spiritual community that has been called out by God and responds to His call. In other words, the emphasis of the Assembly is not on institutional identity, but on whether people are still living in active response to the call of Christ.
Translating ἐκκλησία as “church” has become the common practice of the Roman Catholic Church and most Protestant traditions. However, this translation does not fully reflect Jesus’ original intent. The Greek ἐκκλησία is more accurately rendered as “Assembly” or “Called-out Assembly”, for it emphasizes a spiritual gathering that truly responds to Christ’s call—this is the meaning Jesus intended.
The Assembly in Laodicea was precisely such a called-out people who had lost their spiritual sensitivity and, because of spiritual lukewarmness, had grown distant from Christ.
Therefore, the Lord Jesus is not standing at the door of the unbelieving world, but at the door of His own Assembly, knocking.
The Greek word used for “stand” is ἵστημι (histēmi), which means “to stand firmly, to remain in place, not to depart.” This shows that Christ is not merely passing by, nor acting on a momentary impulse. Rather, He stands patiently, remaining present with grace, mercy, and unchanging love, waiting for the response of His people.
This raises an important question:
How can a person hear the sound of the Lord knocking?
And how can one open the door for Him?
Jesus Himself provides the answer.
John 14:21
The one having My commands and keeping them is the one loving Me. The one loving Me will be loved by My Father, and I too will love him and reveal Myself to him.
John 14:23
Jesus answered, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him.”
Therefore, those who are able to hear the Lord’s voice are not spiritually dull people; and those who are able to open the door for Him are not people who remain merely in religious awareness or outward forms. Rather, they are those who hold the Lord’s commandments in their hearts and practice them in daily life.
When a person responds to Christ’s call in this way, the Lord’s promise is fulfilled:
“I will come in to him and eat with him.”
Those who eat with Christ are those who abide with Christ.
In biblical culture, sharing a meal with God symbolizes complete reconciliation with God, intimate fellowship, and a covenantal relationship with Him.
As Scripture declares:
Psalm 34:8
“Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”
Ephesians 2:7
“In order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace,
expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”
Ephesians 1:7–8
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding.
Ephesians 1:9–10
“He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.”
Whoever eats with Christ is one who abides in Christ. Such a person will experience the abundance of God’s glory in Christ—for God will supply all his needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus, and will make known His exceedingly rich grace in Christ to generations to come.
Conclusion: In this present age, Christ is still standing at the door of His Assembly (ἐκκλησία) and at the door of His people’s hearts, knocking.
Blessed are those who hear the voice of the Lord Jesus, who are willing to turn back to God, who keep the commands of Christ, and who open the door to Him. For they will abide with the Lord, dine with Him, and share in the glorious and abundant life found in Christ. Amen.
