The Hope Series – The Open Door in Heaven
The sermon revolves around the spiritual meaning of the open door that God sets before a person, beginning with the words of the Book of Revelation about the Lord who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens. His Holiness Pope Shenouda III teaches that the believer’s hope is not based on the ease of circumstances, but on trust in the authority of God, who is able to open a way even when all doors seem closed. Therefore, a person’s life is not in the hands of people, and opponents cannot hinder God’s will when the Lord opens a door before one of His children. The sermon presents many examples from the Holy Bible, including David before Saul and Absalom, Jacob before Esau, the apostles, Daniel, and Moses, to show that God’s work is stronger than human opposition. It also refers to the life of Saint Athanasius the Apostolic, who faced opposition and exile, yet the door remained open before his ministry and faith. In contrast, the sermon explains the seriousness of the door being shut and emphasizes that the door of repentance is open now; therefore, a person should not waste the opportunity to return to God.
Spiritual Message
The central spiritual message is that the believer should look to God more than he looks at closed doors or at the strength of those who oppose him. God does not only open earthly doors, but also opens a door in heaven and grants His children comfort and a spiritual encounter with Him, even in the midst of tribulations. The sermon explains this through John the Apostle, who saw the door open in heaven while he was in exile and tribulation, as well as Stephen, Ezekiel, Daniel, Jonah, and the three young men, since tribulation in their lives was connected with a profound divine work and heavenly comfort. The sermon emphasizes that what matters is for a person’s heart to be ready to encounter God and for His work within him, because God may grant a person His grace at a time he did not expect. Also, the open door from God’s side requires an open heart from the person’s side, so that the human will may agree with God’s will and not reject the opportunities of grace and salvation that the Lord places before him.
Educational Lesson
The sermon teaches us that the concept of the “open door” is broader than success, livelihood, and earthly needs, because the greatest door for which the believer should long is the open door in heaven. A person who is occupied with material things may ask for doors of livelihood or earthly gains, while the sermon calls for raising the heart toward heavenly things and being occupied with God. It also teaches us that God may open before a person the door of repentance and salvation, but the person himself can refuse to enter; therefore, there is a human responsibility to respond to the work of grace. The sermon calls these opportunities “visits of grace,” in which the heart is moved toward repentance, remorse, and salvation, and it is dangerous for a person to reject this visitation until the opportunity is lost. It also explains that tribulation does not mean that God has abandoned a person, but it may be a time in which the believer sees God’s work more deeply, just as John the Apostle saw the open door in heaven in the midst of his tribulation.
Practical Application
The sermon calls the person to ask God to open doors before him according to His will, to open people’s hearts and minds to receive the word, and for God Himself to guide his ministry, speech, and life. When the believer faces tribulation or a closed door, he should not be occupied with the tribulation itself, but with God, who is able to resolve it and open the way before him. At the same time, the person must open his heart to God, because the open door in heaven should be met by a heart open to the Lord. In order for a person to continue in the spiritual life, the sermon emphasizes the importance of continual prayer, humility of heart, holiness, training oneself to sit with God, and loving heavenly things instead of being attached to earthly things. A person should also continually seek to make his will agree with God’s will and set aside time to sit with the Lord, think about Him, and listen to His voice in the heart. In this way, the heart rises above preoccupation with material things and becomes more prepared to see God’s work and respond to the door that He opens before it.
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