Sermon

December 15, 2004
Midweek Advent 3
Revelation 3:7-13
Pastor Ben Berger

Behold, Jesus is Coming

If you have any keys with you, please take them out. Hold them up like this; now jingle them. That gets me excited; at Camp Randall stadium the fans jingle their keys to get ready for kickoff. We're getting ready for the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Why don't you keep those keys in hand as we study God's word today! As we prepare for the coming of the Savior, we look and see that he is coming as the Key of David. To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open (7). Behold, Jesus is coming - as the key of David - 1) to open the door of heaven and 2) to lead us through the door to heaven.

At one time the door to heaven was locked. You could hear the door slam shut just when Eve bit into the forbidden fruit. Adam and Eve had access to all of God's richest blessings. They had the entire Garden of Eden, with all of its plants and trees and animals. The whole earth was theirs and a personal relationship with God. God only asked one thing of them. He wanted them to trust and love him; they could show their trust and love by not eating from the tree in the middle of the garden. The Serpent tempted Adam and Eve to doubt God and to seek pleasures he had not given them. Instead of gaining pleasure Adam and Eve lost everything. God banned them from the Garden and even placed cherubim with a flaming sword to guard the door. The door to heaven had been slammed shut. Along with sin also came death, which became the door to hell.

You and I sin just as Adam and Eve sinned. God created us to trust and love him completely. Instead, we want to live our own way. We still buy the serpent's lie. We think we can find pleasure on our own. We seek pleasure through earthly relationships, our jobs, money and possessions, "love" with the opposite sex, drugs, alcohol and anything else we can find. Unfortunately, as soon as we partake of such earthly pleasures, the door to heaven slams shut. It only takes one sin - one lustful thought, one careless deed, one self-serving action - and the door is closed. The holy God cannot and will not live in the presence of sinners nor will he share with them his blessings. And, just as it was for Adam and Eve, death becomes the door to hell.

Thank God that Jesus is still willing to come to us. He says, See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut (8). God gave Jesus the key of David, the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Jesus came to us to open the door of heaven. That door has two locks. God demanded, Be holy because I the Lord your God am holy (Leviticus 19:2). God demands holiness to walk through the door of heaven. God also said, the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23a). God demands payment for every sin committed against him; someone has to die.

Jesus is the key to open both locks. Jesus came to this earth to do two things. First, he came to provide the holiness that God demands. Though Jesus is God himself, he was born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law (Galatians 4:4). Jesus became a man so that he could live under God's law. He kept that law perfectly. Jesus never gave into the devil's lies. He knew that true freedom and pleasure came from obeying God's laws in perfect trust and love. Never once did Jesus pursue other pleasures on this earth; he was holy. Second, Jesus came to make payment for sin, for the sin of the world. Remember, someone has to die. Jesus died. He died one of the most cruel, horrible deaths known to man - death on the cross. But it wasn't the kind of death he died that made his death valuable. Instead, his death was valuable because he was God. Jesus shed holy, precious blood and suffered an innocent death. It was his holy, precious blood and innocent suffering and death that paid the price for the sins of the world.

As a result of Jesus' work, the door to heaven has been opened and no one can shut it. Jesus provided the holiness God demands and opened the first lock; with his blood and death he paid the price of sin and opened the second lock. When he rose from the dead, the door opened. Death no longer leads to hell, but through Jesus death now becomes the open door to heaven. Jesus is the key, the key of David, the key that opened the door to heaven.

Use the key. It doesn't do any good to have a key if you don't use it to open the door. Use the key of David. Jesus mentions those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars (9). On the outside they appear to hold the key - they claim to be believers. But on the inside, they don't use the key. Maybe they don't want to use it. They still want to open the door on their own. Maybe they don't think they have the key. The door is open, but not for them. In the end, both will see that Jesus was the key of David that really opened the door to heaven. They will bow down and know that Jesus loved them. But, once they're standing at the door, it's too late.

Trust that the Spirit has given you the key. Trust that Jesus has opened the door. Jesus said, I know your deeds…I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name (8). Right now you hold the key to heaven; right now the door stands open for you. Because Jesus came once to open the door, you can be sure that the next time he comes, he will be holding the door open for you and all who continue to believe in him.

Not only did Jesus come to open the door of heaven, but he also comes to lead us through the door to heaven.

Holding on to the key of David until death is difficult. We have a very difficult journey to death and the door of heaven. Until we reach that door we still have to deal with sin and Satan. Adam and Eve received the keys to heaven very soon after they sinned; God promised to send the Savior who would reopen the door. However, until they died and left this world, they had to live with the consequences of their sin. Eve would have pain in childbirth and difficulties with her husband. Adam would have to do hard work and fight with the ground of the earth. Both would face death.

Because we sin and live in a sinful world we also have to deal with the consequences of sin. What difficulties are plaguing you? Have you been dealing with pain? I know a number of you women who have firsthand experienced the pains of childbirth quite recently. Others of you have cancer or broken bones or ongoing discomfort; we even prayed on Sunday for an infant with pneumonia. Still others suffer from emotional pain. Depression affects people of all ages, low self-esteem, dementia, Alzheimer's. Have you had any recent problems in your relationships? Perhaps you're friends haven't been paying attention to you or maybe they have even betrayed you. You haven't been able to find Mr. or Mrs. semi-perfect. Your marriage is on the rocks. Had troubles at work lately? The pay isn't enough, the hours are too long, the boss is too demanding, co-workers don't pull their weight. Maybe you are even dealing with death. This might be your first Christmas without a loved one. This might be your last Christmas on earth.

Add to all of the consequences of sin the unending pressure of the Devil. It doesn't matter how bad it gets, the Devil is always trying to make it worse. He tells us God doesn't love us or he wouldn't let this happen. He tells us that we'd be better of on our own. He tells us that God's promises are nothing compared to the misery he can guarantee us.

Jesus promises help. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth (10). Jesus knows that living on this earth is going to be difficult. As his return grows closer, it's only going to get worse. God wants to see who will trust in him to open the door to heaven and who will stubbornly reject the key of David. But to those who hold and use the key, to those who trust Jesus, God promises help.

Jesus promises to deliver us from evil. That might mean he takes the evil away from us. He might give us a better job, mend our relationships, or preserve our life another year. If he doesn't, he promises to use those difficulties for our eternal good. He also promises to help us get through them. Those who hold the key of David also have the patient endurance necessary to journey through this life to the door of heaven.

That strength and the fulfillment of Jesus' promise come through his Word. Through constant contact with Word and Sacrament Jesus will give us the ability to patiently endure every trial. He will also give us strength to fend of the devil's temptations. He will hold open for us the door of heaven. He also promises, I am coming soon and encourages, Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown (11).

Finally, after Jesus has led us safely through this life, he will lead us through the open door to heaven. He promises, Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it (12a). Remember that when Jesus came to earth the first time, he turned death from the door to hell into the door to heaven. At the hour of death, those who hold still hold the key of David, will be personally escorted into the city and temple of God. They will become pillars there, permanent residents. They will also receive a permanent identity. I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name (12b). We will all receive an imprint including our family name, our new address and the name of our closest relative - all because we held onto our Savior, the key of David.

Keep your Key out. Every day you are one step closer to death and the door of heaven. Look with joy and anticipation to that day. Every day ask anew: is today the day I will use my Key? And pray that it is. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

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