Sermon On A Red Door

It was once said: “The kingdom of joy is protected from all evil by a red door.” (Source unknown) Psalm 121:7-8 reminds us: The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.”

In many cultures and traditions throughout the world, red-painted doors have often symbolized protection and safety. Although the shade and depth of its color can vary according to the source, blood is always deemed to be red. Exodus 12:1-14 reminds us: The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, “This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you. Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household. And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight.

“Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it. Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts. And you shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste.

It is the Lord's Passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. “This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.”

The color red has many definitions, but usually resembles a warning or notification to stop. It demands an immediate attention to its viewer to conform and heed. If driving a vehicle on the public highway, a red traffic signal light should always be obeyed, otherwise there is a strong possibility of an accident with another vehicle traveling in an opposing direction.

In the United Kingdom, circular traffic signs surrounded by red borders are a statutory restriction or prohibition. Triangular shaped signs indicate warnings. Whatever the design, they are ultimately intended for the purpose of public protection or safety. They are a guidance given to warn of impending danger. However, in Western cultures it can additionally portray the symbol of love and passion.

Red could represent both the sin of mankind and God’s judgment together with the need for sacrifice and redemption. Sin may cause regret and the necessity for repentance to seek God’s forgiveness. Isaiah 1:15-18 reminds us: When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.”

Monica Johnson, a female American writer once remarked: “Regret is not a proactive feeling. It is situated in disappointment, sorrow, even remorse. It merely wishes things were different without an act to cause a difference. However, repentance is different. Repentance is an admission of, hatred of, and turning away from sin before God.”

Closed red doors may be considered to defend against evil and retain the goodness within, but they need to be opened from time to time to allow for fresh air and new thought. Closed doors can prevent the revelations and guidance provided by God from entering our lives. Opening the door for God is a metaphorical phrase that allows for spiritual growth and divine intervention.