THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM

Matthew 16:16ff

“You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.”

For centuries, the Roman Catholic Church has used this statement of Jesus as a key point in focusing much of their faith on the Pope. In contrast, Protestants have insisted that the rock was not Peter, but his faith. Thus, the church is built on the faith of its believers.

Sometime in the early 70's the Catholic Church in Many observed a major anniversary, perhaps its 100^th. In the spirit of ecumenism, they invited the pastor of the FBC to speak to their anniversary dinner. That would be me. And with my sense of humor only one verse of Scripture leaped to mind. Yep. That one.

When I got there, I found the dining room at Hodges Gardens loaded with priests and their bishop. So I pronounced the verse above and pointed out the words have divided us for centuries. But we missed something simple. Something any junior high grammar teacher could tell us. Neither Peter nor faith builds anything. Jesus is the subject of the sentence, and He is the only one He says will build His church!

Being Sunday afternoon, I had to leave for services at my own church. However, the friend who invited me told me the bishop kept coming back to my message the whole time he spoke.

So let's look at this central passage that talks about the church. And let's begin by reaffirming my previous point, for it IS the major point in looking at this. Jesus promised to build a congregation of believers, beginning with the Twelve. King James required his translators (of the KJV) to use the word “church” throughout, rather than congregation. He felt the word favored the concept of a national church rather than local churches. However the word previously meant congregation or gathering or company in Greek.

Jesus followed up with “the gates of Hell will not prevail against it.” For some reason, we tend to think of the devil on the offense attacking us. But the truth is the opposite. The Lord said his people would batter down the gates of hell, and Satan himself could not stop them! He did not call us to defend, but to attack!

That's the major point I wanted to make, so let's back off a bit and see what brought all this on. I think of it as one bright spring day that Jesus and His guys were hanging out, when the Lord asks: Hey fellas. What are people saying about me. What do you hear?

“Well, you're definitely the talk of the countryside. They're comparing you to John the Baptist or somebody like him.” “Interesting. Have you guys got an opinion?” That's when Simon Peter blurted out, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.”

“Good call, Simon. Got it in one! God showed you something. You didn't come up with that on your own......And you know what? You're the kind of man I need to build my new community with. Keep believing, keep talking, and keep following!” And that included all of them.

“I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Keys. Keys to the kingdom. Keys are for locking and unlocking. I watch a lot of cop shows, and they're always handcuffing people. You need the keys to take them off. We live in a world of handcuffed people. Many of them put their own cuffs on and tied up others as well. Christ has given us all kinds of keys to unlock their doors and let them free.

The Gospel itself is THE major key. When received, the words clean up a feller real good. Jesus changes lives from selfishness, guilt, and anger into love, caring, and practical help. We can free so very many people. We are called to be good Samaritans and people are in the ditches all around us. Who are you helping?