It has probably happened to you, if not, then to someone close to you. You locked the keys in the car. You closed the office door behind you and it locked. Maybe you stepped outside for something, the newspaper or the mail, and the door closed. You knew as soon as you heard the “click” of the lock that you had made a mistake. If it sounds like I am speaking from experience…well, you’re right. I was meeting a man at our house who was going to do some work for me. I stepped out the front door to talk with him (I usually go in and out through the garage) and I closed the door behind me. “CLICK!” No problem; I’ll use the garage door opener in my truck. (Okay, don’t get ahead of me. It’s my story.) You’re right. I had locked my truck! Now I was concerned. I was dressed for reading – inside (jogging pants, house shoes, t-shirt) and it was 32 degrees. What do you do? I swallowed my pride and went to a neighbor’s house to use their phone. I called the office and ask Judy Singleton to p-l-e-a-s-e go and get the spare key from my wife and bring it to me. Amid (subdued?) laughter she said that she would. Somehow, Verneta Wallace became involved (???) and brought me the key.
Now I’m reminded by lots of “concerned” friends to make sure I have my keys. Even my neighbor smiles as he hollers out, “Got your keys?”
Most of these embarrassing moments have a happy ending. You get back into the car, the house, or the office. It becomes a humbling, humorous memory. But, what if you never could get back in.
Jesus talks about being on the outside in the dark. Those are the ones who are not prepared to meet the Lord. Some have not followed the Lord’s procedures. Some have done nothing with the ability the Lord gave them. They will be thrown “outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 22:13; 25:30). They will come and find the door shut and locked. They will knock on the door saying, “Sir! Sir! Open the door for us!” It will be too late. The Lord will say, “I don’t know you” (Matthew 25:11, 12).
Outside! Locked OUTSIDE! It will not just be embarrassing, It will mean we are lost forever!! I pray that you will never be locked outside that way!