Scripture: Romans 7:7-25

Clavis is the Latin word for “key,” and though Christ is never explicitly called “the key” in scripture, it’s an image that’s frequently connected to him (e.g. Isaiah 22:22; Rev. 1:18), as is the image of release from prison (e.g. Isaiah 42:7). In celebration and praise for the freedom Christ has won for us over sin and death, Christians have long taken to calling Christ himself the key…O Clavis. What Romans 7 illustrates is that, even though we have been set free from the condemnation of sin, until Christ returns, we still have sin living in us and making war with our new identity in Christ. What Paul is explaining in this chapter is that the law cannot be our key to salvation; that is, we cannot set ourselves free from sin’s deadly prison by trying to keep the law. Only Christ is the key that sets us free. And not only is he the one-time key we need to be rescued from judgment, he’s the key we daily need to set us free in our ongoing battles with sin. Come, O Come, O Clavis.

This Advent, we’ll be looking at five (of seven) names for Jesus that Christians have meditated on every Advent since about the sixth century.  These names come from what are known as the “O Antiphons” (short chants that all begin with the word “O” and are used antiphonally (i.e. responsively)).  The “O” that begins each antiphon expresses the sense of longing that’s characteristic of Advent. Their origin is unknown, but much of their imagery is borrowed from Isaiah.  In some traditions they are recited or sung every year in the days leading up to Christmas.  We know these antiphons best through their paraphrase in the hymn O Come, O Come Emmanuel.  To enhance our longing for the return of Christ, we will meditate on him this season as O Sapientia (Wisdom), O Adonai (Lord), O Clavis (Key), O Oriens (DayStar), and O Emmanuel (God with Us).

Each week, our worship will make use of both the antiphons themselves (available HERE) and poems by Malcolm Guite which are based upon them.