The Second Knock On The Door
7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. – Acts 6:7
The inn keeper who told them there was no room, or the rich young ruler who walked away sadly; Pilate who washed his hands, and the Priests who were part of the group that crucified Jesus. We see their choice, and assume that’s it, but then we see Acts 6:7 and are reminded, God doesn’t give up on us so easily.
In most of the cases above I don’t know the end of the story, but I do about the priests, at least as a group. A great company of those who were members of the mob that yelled for Christ to be crucified, accepted Jesus as their Savior. We know that God said once in The Old Testament, He reached out all day long to Israel.
We know He crossed from eternity into time just to redeem us, so it shouldn’t surprise us that when someone refuses the initial call, He called again. I don’t know but it makes me think the rich young ruler got older, and I wonder what he did the next time God knocked on His door?
History and legend say things about Pilate, but I wonder what happened when God sent him another opportunity? I mentioned the inn keeper who didn’t have room, and I wonder what the person did when God showed him or her that in His house are many mansions?
My point is, until Jesus returns, and world events point to that being soon, He will continue reaching. The Bible says that The Gospel must be preached in all the world, and then He will return. If you’ve been invited by Jesus, and so far refused the call, there is still room for you.
I would encourage you to find Him as soon as you can, for so many reasons. First, the joy that comes with living for God. Christians face battles, challenges, and trials, but we face them with a perpetual joy. We know Who holds us securely.
As I said, I believe He is coming back, and I believe that day will be soon. No matter your worldview, everyone can see a world in chaos. A world that sounds like what Jesus described when they asked Him how things would be like when He returned. There are countless reasons why asking Jesus to forgive your sins and better your life is a welcome decision.
The group that had once reviled Him thought so, as they asked for His grace. If you find yourself without Him this December, He has a welcoming place for you. Even if you once turned Him down, so did the priests in a very dramatic way, but it didn’t stop Him from asking again. The hope of Christmas is not that it will come again next December. It is that The Baby in the manger, grew up, bled and died, then rose again, and is returning for those who answered His call.