Advent Midweek 3 – O Key of David December 16, 2020
Isaiah 22:20-23
An Open and Shut Case
v. 22 And 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.
O Key of David and sceptre of the house of Israel, You open and no one can close, You close and no one can open: Come and rescue the prisoners who are in darkness and the shadow of death.
Dear friends in Christ, I think you would all agree with me that keys are quite important—just ask anyone who has ever lost theirs!—that heart-stopping moment when you realize that your keys are no longer in your purse or pocket. Because you know that without your keys your vehicle won’t work, your house won’t open—you’ll be left out in the cold.
Well, we see that image given to us in this evening’s antiphon concerning the Key of David. As we continue our chronological journey, last week having talked about the root and branch of Jesse—the new and perfect Davidic King that was promised—now we come to the Key of David. This Key is very special. For without this Key there is no way to enter into the Kingdom of heaven—for He opens and no one can close, He closes and no one can open. He holds all the power—all the authority—all the keys.
Indeed, Jesus often talked about this in His earthly ministry in His Kingdom parables, which so very often ended with a door (the door to heaven) being shut. In His parables it was always evident that there were some on the inside—where it was warm and there was great feasting taking place—and there were some on the outside—where it was cold and there was great weeping and gnashing of teeth taking place. Jesus was talking about what the Old Testament clearly prophesied concerning Himself—that He is the only way to enter into the Kingdom of heaven. That He truly is the Key of David and opens and closes the portals to the heavenly realms. There is no other way.
What a great scandal this is to us—especially in our pluralistic society, which demands to have God in other ways—on our own terms—rather than the way in which God has revealed Himself to us in Christ Jesus. To be sure, God desires all people to be saved. He desires that all people be with Him forever in His kingdom, but the there is only one particular way to get there—through the One and only Key of David—the crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ.
Indeed, God has set an open door of salvation before humanity in Christ, but people don’t want to enter through that narrow door of the crucified flesh of Jesus—they would rather enter into heaven on their own terms—in their own way—based upon their works, their pride, their arrogance. They reject the door of Christ because He is seemingly so unremarkable—a babe born in a manger?—an itinerant preacher nailed to a wooden cross like a common criminal?
How scandalous! How ridiculous! “I’d rather get to heaven by doing my own thing thank you very much!” And so people fail to see the great gifts that God offers to all through Christ—unremarkable though He may appear—that babe born in a stable. For though He came in lowly humility—yet in that tiny baby boy was a gift bigger than all the world—for in Him is found light and life—forgiveness and salvation.
Yet that’s just it, isn’t it? We don’t want God on His terms—we’d rather have Him on our own—in a neat and tidy little package that we can unwrap and dust off every now and then when the mood strikes us—scorning His gifts in Christ. But you can’t dictate the terms of your salvation to the true God. As Luther once said, “You don’t want to meet God outside of the Man Jesus.” For apart from that humanity, the only part of God you will find is His wrath and condemnation, and the door to eternal life will be slammed in your face—forever closed. Apart from Christ, God is terrifying to behold.
Yet in Christ, we have complete access to God without being destroyed. Indeed, in Him we find the fullness of the love of God dwelling among us. For He has come to open wide the gates of heaven—not by merely turning a simple key in a lock—but rather by suffering and dying on the cross for your sins and mine. If you recall, on Good Friday, the veil that was located in the temple that separated the Most Holy of Holies from the outer sanctuary was torn in two at Christ’s death. This was a telling sign that the barrier that existed between God and man because of our sin—our rebellion against God, which began with Adam and Eve in Eden and continues today—has been taken care of. Christ shut it up in His own flesh and then crucified it on the cross—rising in victory three days later—so that there is no longer any barrier between us and God. For we can indeed enter into the Most Holy of Holies—the very presence of God—through the bloody and torn flesh of the Lord Jesus Christ. The door stands wide open—in Jesus.
Dear friends, at times it may seem as though the barriers are just too many—there are too many obstacles—too many locked doors before us—blocking our way to heaven and Jesus’ side. Our own sin may seem so big and so huge—an enormous and heavy door—chained both inside and out—the deadly consequences being that we should be forever barred from heaven’s bliss.
Our sin, our fears, Satan and the world, our pride—all these things would strive to keep us away from Christ. But remember, no matter how great your sin, no matter how fierce Satan’s attacks, remember what happened on Easter Day evening—when the disciples were hiding behind closed doors out of fear of the Jews. Who appeared? Jesus! Jesus came to bring them comfort and joy. For He who is the Door—He who holds the Key to heaven—doesn’t need doors—and no doorway or obstacle can separate you from His love.
Jesus has broken down those barriers with His own broken body on the cross. And now He continues to break them down through the ministry of His church in Word and Sacrament. For He who holds the keys to heaven has given them to His church to be used and exercised by her pastors so that those who fear sin may be released from their guilt and shame and the doorway to heaven be opened wide before them in Jesus’ name. To be sure, He can also withhold forgiveness and bar heaven from those who refuse to repent, but that is not His proper work—that is not what He desires to do. He desires all to believe in Him and receive His free gift of eternal life in Jesus through the forgiveness of sins.
So, dear friends, lift your heads high, for though you were imprisoned by Satan and your own sinful flesh—the Lord Jesus—the Key of David—has come to you to release you from your bondage to sin and death—and grant you forgiveness and life. All that He accomplished He gives freely to you. It is an open and shut case. The Lord Jesus has opened wide the gates of heaven to all who enter by His blood and righteousness—that blood and righteousness that has covered you since your Baptism. The Key is in you—in your heart—for the Key of David is Christ the Lord—and He lives in you by faith sustained through His Word and Sacraments—now and for all eternity. Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Isaiah 22:20-23
An Open and Shut Case
v. 22 And 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.
O Key of David and sceptre of the house of Israel, You open and no one can close, You close and no one can open: Come and rescue the prisoners who are in darkness and the shadow of death.
Dear friends in Christ, I think you would all agree with me that keys are quite important—just ask anyone who has ever lost theirs!—that heart-stopping moment when you realize that your keys are no longer in your purse or pocket. Because you know that without your keys your vehicle won’t work, your house won’t open—you’ll be left out in the cold.
Well, we see that image given to us in this evening’s antiphon concerning the Key of David. As we continue our chronological journey, last week having talked about the root and branch of Jesse—the new and perfect Davidic King that was promised—now we come to the Key of David. This Key is very special. For without this Key there is no way to enter into the Kingdom of heaven—for He opens and no one can close, He closes and no one can open. He holds all the power—all the authority—all the keys.
Indeed, Jesus often talked about this in His earthly ministry in His Kingdom parables, which so very often ended with a door (the door to heaven) being shut. In His parables it was always evident that there were some on the inside—where it was warm and there was great feasting taking place—and there were some on the outside—where it was cold and there was great weeping and gnashing of teeth taking place. Jesus was talking about what the Old Testament clearly prophesied concerning Himself—that He is the only way to enter into the Kingdom of heaven. That He truly is the Key of David and opens and closes the portals to the heavenly realms. There is no other way.
What a great scandal this is to us—especially in our pluralistic society, which demands to have God in other ways—on our own terms—rather than the way in which God has revealed Himself to us in Christ Jesus. To be sure, God desires all people to be saved. He desires that all people be with Him forever in His kingdom, but the there is only one particular way to get there—through the One and only Key of David—the crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ.
Indeed, God has set an open door of salvation before humanity in Christ, but people don’t want to enter through that narrow door of the crucified flesh of Jesus—they would rather enter into heaven on their own terms—in their own way—based upon their works, their pride, their arrogance. They reject the door of Christ because He is seemingly so unremarkable—a babe born in a manger?—an itinerant preacher nailed to a wooden cross like a common criminal?
How scandalous! How ridiculous! “I’d rather get to heaven by doing my own thing thank you very much!” And so people fail to see the great gifts that God offers to all through Christ—unremarkable though He may appear—that babe born in a stable. For though He came in lowly humility—yet in that tiny baby boy was a gift bigger than all the world—for in Him is found light and life—forgiveness and salvation.
Yet that’s just it, isn’t it? We don’t want God on His terms—we’d rather have Him on our own—in a neat and tidy little package that we can unwrap and dust off every now and then when the mood strikes us—scorning His gifts in Christ. But you can’t dictate the terms of your salvation to the true God. As Luther once said, “You don’t want to meet God outside of the Man Jesus.” For apart from that humanity, the only part of God you will find is His wrath and condemnation, and the door to eternal life will be slammed in your face—forever closed. Apart from Christ, God is terrifying to behold.
Yet in Christ, we have complete access to God without being destroyed. Indeed, in Him we find the fullness of the love of God dwelling among us. For He has come to open wide the gates of heaven—not by merely turning a simple key in a lock—but rather by suffering and dying on the cross for your sins and mine. If you recall, on Good Friday, the veil that was located in the temple that separated the Most Holy of Holies from the outer sanctuary was torn in two at Christ’s death. This was a telling sign that the barrier that existed between God and man because of our sin—our rebellion against God, which began with Adam and Eve in Eden and continues today—has been taken care of. Christ shut it up in His own flesh and then crucified it on the cross—rising in victory three days later—so that there is no longer any barrier between us and God. For we can indeed enter into the Most Holy of Holies—the very presence of God—through the bloody and torn flesh of the Lord Jesus Christ. The door stands wide open—in Jesus.
Dear friends, at times it may seem as though the barriers are just too many—there are too many obstacles—too many locked doors before us—blocking our way to heaven and Jesus’ side. Our own sin may seem so big and so huge—an enormous and heavy door—chained both inside and out—the deadly consequences being that we should be forever barred from heaven’s bliss.
Our sin, our fears, Satan and the world, our pride—all these things would strive to keep us away from Christ. But remember, no matter how great your sin, no matter how fierce Satan’s attacks, remember what happened on Easter Day evening—when the disciples were hiding behind closed doors out of fear of the Jews. Who appeared? Jesus! Jesus came to bring them comfort and joy. For He who is the Door—He who holds the Key to heaven—doesn’t need doors—and no doorway or obstacle can separate you from His love.
Jesus has broken down those barriers with His own broken body on the cross. And now He continues to break them down through the ministry of His church in Word and Sacrament. For He who holds the keys to heaven has given them to His church to be used and exercised by her pastors so that those who fear sin may be released from their guilt and shame and the doorway to heaven be opened wide before them in Jesus’ name. To be sure, He can also withhold forgiveness and bar heaven from those who refuse to repent, but that is not His proper work—that is not what He desires to do. He desires all to believe in Him and receive His free gift of eternal life in Jesus through the forgiveness of sins.
So, dear friends, lift your heads high, for though you were imprisoned by Satan and your own sinful flesh—the Lord Jesus—the Key of David—has come to you to release you from your bondage to sin and death—and grant you forgiveness and life. All that He accomplished He gives freely to you. It is an open and shut case. The Lord Jesus has opened wide the gates of heaven to all who enter by His blood and righteousness—that blood and righteousness that has covered you since your Baptism. The Key is in you—in your heart—for the Key of David is Christ the Lord—and He lives in you by faith sustained through His Word and Sacraments—now and for all eternity. Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen.