The Gospel Key

Jesus has opened the front door

There is this interesting text in the book of Isaiah. In it is mentioned a man named Eliakim. Eliakim was one of King Hezekiah’s officials. And Hezekiah was a good king. Another official named Shebna was head over Hezekiah’s household. He ordered the home, oversaw servants, and was responsible for all of the happenings within it. But, Shebna was a wicked man. 

Isaiah 22:15-25 prophetically states that Eliakim, a faithful servant of God, would replace the unfaithful Shebna. Here is how Vs. 22 states it, the God of hosts says, “I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.” 

So, there is this kingdom that belongs to David, with one in it who has been made responsible for the keys to its entrance, who will open and shut to whomever he will.

Here is what Revelation 3:7-8 says about Jesus, “The Words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut.”

Jesus possesses this key to the kingdom. And he has opened the door to all who will come. Which means that to you who are trusting in the work of Christ, Jesus has welcomed you. The head of the home has ushered you in. Jesus has unlocked the front door and opened it for you.

We have closed our front doors

And yet, I think that we have a tendency to close our front doors; to forget that God’s invitation to follow him gets passed along by men and women who know him and desire to welcome others also; by people who don’t always expect an R.S.V.P.. 

Instead of letting Jesus’ example become our template, we let our appetite and capacity for hospitality be shaped by the calendar and by our own personal preferences.

The Gospel

But the gospel, without which no one will enter the gates of the kingdom, unlocks front doors. It turns backyard patios into front porches. It shrinks media rooms and expands kitchens and living areas. It takes those wooden wedges from 1970 and shoves them under dorm room doors to keep them open. It occupies the calendar and fills our evenings. 

Christ’s welcome to us is joined by an expectation that we welcome others into God what is doing. That we do what ambassadors do, calling those from a distant country to enter the gates.

The Exhortation

So, your exhortation this morning is to see whatever space you dwell in as a place where others can come to know the welcome from Jesus Christ.

Which reminds us that he is the great host who has brought us in. And reminds us of the freedom that we have to confess to him.