Day 5, Thursday (March 14) - Living into His Name

Posted on: March 14, 2019
by: Gerrit Dawson, Senior Pastor

COME, LONG EXPECTED JESUS!

The Key of David
Day 5 Thursday

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EXPLORE THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

For us there is one God, the Father,
from whom are all things and for whom we exist,
and one Lord, Jesus Christ,
through whom are all things and through whom we exist (1 Corinthians 8: 6).

ISAIAH 9: 6-7

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and of peace

there will be no end,

on the throne of David and over his kingdom,

to establish it and to uphold it

with justice and with righteousness

from this time forth and forevermore.

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

ISAIAH 22: 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.

REVELATION 3: 7

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘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.’”

CONSIDER

Today’s name continues the theme of David’s everlasting kingship being fulfilled in Jesus. Keys can be symbols of authority. The one who has the key has the authority to open the door. It could be the door to a treasure house, throne room, armory, intimate chamber or secret passage. Having the key means access, including the right and the power to use it.

From our passages today, how do you imagine Jesus wielding the power of David’s keys?

What doors in particular would you like Christ to unlock or seal shut?

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PRAY THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

Begin with the Jesus Prayer. Pray it reflectively several times, for yourself or on behalf of another.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Then pray the day’s prayer slowly and repeatedly for at least a minute (that’s about seven times). Allow the prayer to take you into the meaning of the day’s facet of Jesus’ name. Pray it for yourself and/or on behalf of another. Take your time and trust this process!

Lord Jesus Christ, Key of David, key to the everlasting promises of God,
open my mind to know you and my heart to receive you.

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LIVE INTO THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

He has granted to us his precious and very great promises,
so that through them you might become partakers of his divine
nature . . . For this very reason, supplement your faith with
virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness,
brotherly affection and love (2 Peter 1: 4-7).

ACTS 14: 27

And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.

1 CORINTHIANS 16: 9

For a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

CONSIDER

How have you seen Jesus open doors of faith in your life and in the lives of others?

Pray particularly for doors to open for Christ’s work through you today.

Close by praying this name of Jesus, first through the more literal translation of this O Antiphon,

O Key of David and scepter of the House of Israel,

You open and no one can shut;

You shut and no one can open:

Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house;

Those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

And then, as you sing this verse of “O Come, O Come, Immanuel,”