Do You Have the Right Key?

 •  4 min. read  •  grade level: 5
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God doesn’t really need a key to keep people from entering His home. In Revelation 1:18, Jesus is the great Judge who says, “I  ...  have the keys of hell and of death,” but it does not say that He has the keys of heaven. Of course not! Heaven isn’t locked!
But if I tell you one of God’s stories, maybe it will help you to understand why some people do not find a welcome in His presence. And if you are not welcome, there is no way for you to enter His home. Jesus is the door, and there is no other door to heaven. He says, “I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved” (John 10:9).
There was a poor mother in the land of Canaan who had a very unhappy daughter at home. Satan was troubling her terribly, and she was just miserable. You know, Satan sends his demons to trouble people today too, and if he gets a chance, he drags people down into bad habits, bad thoughts and wicked acts.
This poor mother knew that nobody could help her daughter but Jesus. So when Jesus came to her town, she followed Him, calling, Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me. My daughter is miserably troubled by a devil.
But Jesus, who has all power and love, didn’t answer her. Maybe He did not hear her, so she called out to Him again. There were disciples with Jesus that day, and they did not like all that noise. They begged Jesus, Send her away, for she is calling after us.
These disciples had seen Jesus heal many others, but this mother and her daughter were different. Israel was God’s chosen nation, but this mother and daughter were not Israelites — they were Gentiles. The disciples seemed to think that God had no blessing for outsiders.
But did you know that “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16)? That doesn’t leave anybody out —not you and not me! God’s wonderful love includes anybody who is willing, no matter what nationality you are or what color of skin you have.
So why then didn’t Jesus answer the lady? You see, she called Him, “Son of David,” but Jesus is lots more than the Son of David to me! He came into the world to save sinners, and I am a sinner! Are you? If you answered, “Yes,” then you may be sure that He will answer your call, because He came to save sinners. The precious blood of Jesus can wash completely clean the very worst sinner who comes to Him.
Jesus answered the complaining disciples by saying, I am not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. This was before His death and before Israel finally refused Him and crucified Him. So at that time He came to His own nation of Israel.
The poor mother heard what Jesus said, but she did not go home sadly and say, “No blessing for me.” Instead, she came and worshipped Jesus and said, Lord, help me!
Maybe you have said that, and no help came. Listen to the rest of the story.
Jesus said, It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs! Then the mother answered, Truth, Lord, but the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.
You see, she was not insulted to be called a dog. Are you insulted if Jesus calls you a sinner? Or are you ready to say, “Truth, Lord”?
Jesus answered, O woman, great is your faith! And He promised her that she would have what she asked for. Her daughter was healed right away!
It doesn’t take a long time for Jesus to save you, because the price for your sins was already paid when He died on the cross. Nothing stops Him from keeping His promises. Will you come to Him in faith today, believing that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15)? And you don’t need a key, because Jesus is the door, and the door isn’t locked.
Think About God’s Word!
1. Why did Jesus heal the woman’s daughter?
2. What right do we have to blessing from the Lord Jesus?
Project: Several Gentiles were blessed along with the Jews in the Old Testament. Who can you name?