The Keys of the Kingdom [Unobstructed access – Opening the door to the Kingdom!]]
Matthew 16: 19 "I will give you the keys of 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" The keys of the kingdom represent the access you have to the Father through your relationship to Jesus Christ. With this relationship you have access to everything that is accessible to Christ. However, this access is not given indiscriminately; Jesus gave the keys to His disciples only after they recognized that He was the Christ. * Once the disciples were convinced that Jesus was the Savior, they entered into a unique and personal relationship with Him. Their relationship to Jesus gave them direct access to their heavenly Father. * Likewise, your relationship with Christ opens the door of heaven for you and gives you direct access to the Father. Peter discovered that once he had keys to the kingdom, he could go to the Father in every situation. * When he stood to preach before thousands on the day of Pentecost, this simple fisherman opened the door to the kingdom for three thousand people in one day (Acts 2:41)
2. * When he encountered a lame man, he used his access to God and His healing power, and the man was healed – opened the door to the kingdom! (Acts 3:6) * When he was imprisoned, Peter discovered that the keys of the kingdom could open even the most secure prison door -‐ -‐ The door to the Kingdom was opened! (Acts 12:6-‐10) If you are a Christian you, too, have keys to the kingdom of heaven * You do not need an intermediary, for you have an unobstructed access to God and are Kingdom door openers With that access come all the resources you need to face any circumstance all situations came be opened to the Lord * When you are afraid, you have access to God’s peace that surpasses comprehension (Philippians 4:6) * When you have a broken relationship, you have access to the God of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-‐21) * When you meet someone in need, you have access to God’s provision for that person [Luke 4:18] What an incredible privilege to be entrusted with keys to the kingdom of heaven! Matthew 16:19 (KJV) “19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”
3. Peter's confession assigned great responsibility to believers for the church * The steward of the house is given the keys or the responsibility for the house – get this in your spirit! * The steward has the responsibility to close (bind) and to open (loose) the house The key is the gospel, the message of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. It is the business of the steward to proclaim and teach the Gospel and open the door to the Kingdom! How? By proclaiming, teaching and exampling, through Holy Ghost power– this opens the door to the kingdom – without the door stays closed Note The keys are not the keys to the church but to the Kingdom of Heaven get this my friends It is entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven on earth as it is in Heaven -‐ that is the point:
Peter was the first man to preach the gospel and open the door to Israel at Pentecost (Acts 2:38-‐42) and to the Gentiles in the house of Cornelius (Acts 10:3-‐48) The servants of God, ministers and laymen alike, have been given the gospel, the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven * It is every believer's responsibility to use the keys
4. Matthew 28:19-‐20 "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world" Mark 16:15 "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" Acts 1:8 "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" 2 Timothy 2:2 "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also" 1 Peter 3:15 "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear" * We represent Jesus to this world my friends * We are vessels that the Power of God moves through * We are to speak the Word of God and believe!
5. Unobstructed access – Opening the door to the Kingdom! Matthew 16:13-‐19 (KJV) “13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven 20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ” Peter's confession must be understood before being shared with others There were several reasons the disciples were forbidden to share that Jesus was the Son of God 1. They still needed more preparation. They did not yet know the full gospel. The death and resurrection of Jesus, the very core of the gospel, had not yet taken place
6. 2. The disciples needed the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit if the message was to be effective, and the Spirit had not yet come. Pentecost had not yet taken place 3. The people misunderstood the prophecies of the Messiah. If the disciples began preaching with force, the people might revolt against the Roman conquerors Two things are essential before a believer can effectively proclaim the gospel 1 A believer must understand the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ 1 Corinthians 15:1-‐6 (AMP) “1 AND NOW let me remind you [since it seems to have escaped you], brethren, of the Gospel (the glad tidings of salvation) which I proclaimed to you, which you welcomed and accepted and upon which your faith rests, 2 And by which you are saved, if you hold fast and keep firmly what I preached to you, unless you believed at first without effect and all for nothing. 3 For I passed on to you first of all what I also had received, that Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for our sins in accordance with [what] the Scriptures [foretold], 4 That He was buried, that He arose on the third day as the Scriptures foretold, 5 And [also] that He appeared to Cephas (Peter), then to the Twelve. 6 Then later He showed Himself to more than five hundred brethren at one time, the majority of whom are still alive, but some have fallen asleep [in death]”
7. 2 A believer must be indwelt and in-‐filled with the Spirit of God Acts 1:8 (AMP) “8 But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth” The point is this: * The believer is given a task by God, a mission to carry out on earth * The believer does not have the power to carry out that task * The power of God Himself, of His Spirit, is needed Therefore, Christ promises; "Ye shall receive power after the Holy Spirit is come upon you" * Both the Spirit of God and His power are promised But note a critical point: The Holy Spirit comes upon believers as an equipping power * The major purpose for His coming is to equip the believer to carry out his task for God * With Power comes manifestation [the evidence of…]
8. Mark 16:17 (KJV) “17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues…” Mark 16:17-‐18 (AMP) “17 And these attesting [meaning a clear evidence of… / means a witness] signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages…” Mark 16:17-‐18 (MSG) 17 "These are some of the signs that will accompany believers: They will throw out demons in my name, they will speak in new tongues..." The promise to the believer as he carries out the Great Commission is critical * The believer must have supernatural power as he goes forth throughout the world * The world is a dangerous place * The believer will sometimes be called upon to face treacherous land, violent storms within nature, savage and poisonous animals, unbelieving and hostile men, spiritual evil of unbelievable force The evil of men, of nature, and of spirits can be so threatening to the believer that the believer's witness would be stopped if God did not provide His strength and power to His Children! [Pastor K.E.Taylor]
9. This is the point of this passage * God does give power to the believer—all the power necessary to carry the gospel -‐ "into all the world" and "to every creature" This, of course, does not mean that every believer will be delivered from every threat and from ever being martyred * Some believers are persecuted and some even martyred * As God wills, He teaches and touches lives and moves history and society itself through the persecution and martyrdom of believers Things do not always run smoothly for believers * But God does give power to believers—the power to walk through the difficulties in His confidence and peace, even through the fire of martyrdom if faced It is often the witness of the God-‐given power, confidence, and peace that reaches others for Christ and that causes an enormous movement toward God within the designated place God has placed us! Remember the children of the Lord truly has Unobstructed access to the Throne of God and have Kingdom Key for opening the door to the Kingdom! [Pastor K.E.Taylor]
Mark 16:17 (KJV) “17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues…”
9. Signs that follow them that believe: Signs Gr. Meaning: A sign, mark, token that by which a person or a thing is distinguished from others and is known A sign, prodigy, portent, [i.e. an unusual occurrence, transcending the common course of nature] A sign or signs portending remarkable events soon to happen of miracles and wonders by which God authenticates the men sent by him, or by which men prove that the cause they are pleading is God's Simply the signs that follow and they did and continue too will point to God – The one True God Acts 2:22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know—…” Hebrews 2:4 “God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?” Miracles signs and wonders are the very character of God * Jesus Christ moved and ministered as He did proclaim the Gospel of Jesus – miracles, signs and wonders manifested
11. Miracles in the Greek – Dunamis [Dyn-‐No-‐ Mite!] * Strength power, ability inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth power for performing miracles moral power and excellence of soul the power and influence which belong to riches and wealth power and resources arising from numbers power consisting in or resting upon armies, forces, hosts Wonders in the Greek: * A prodigy, portent [a sign – a suddenly] miracle: performed by any one -‐ simply Gods Power set in place by a prodigy [a person] who releases the anointing of God Acts 2:22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know—…” Hebrews 2:4 “God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?” Mark 16:17 (KJV) “17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues…”
12. John 14:12 (KJV) “12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father” * The clear promise to those who believe Jesus Note the words "verily, verily" [“Truthfully , Truthfully I say unto you” — words that call one to perk up and listen closely. What was being said was of tremendous importance * The promise is the power to do great works * The power to do the very same works that Jesus did Acts 28:6-‐8 (KJV) “3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. 4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. 5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. 6 Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.
13. 7 In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously. 8 And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him” God's protective hand in looking after His servant is clearly seen in this passage The genuine believer can study this passage and rest assured of God's protective hand through all the trials of life, no matter how severe they may be 1. Shipwrecked—but saved (v.1) 2. Marooned and facing island natives—but accepted and helped – because of the sign and wonder (v.2) 3. Snakebitten—but healed (v.3-‐5) 4. Faced superstition and heathenism—but given an opportunity for evangelism the anointing proved God (v.6-‐9) 5. Destitute and stranded—but had necessities met – Paul was encouraged and strengthened (v.10-‐15)
14. HEALING IN THE SCRIPTURES Healing has always been an expression of the character of God He revealed Himself to the Hebrew people as * "The LORD who heals you" Linking His covenant name YHWH with a Hebrew word for healing Rapha Exodus 15:26 “26 He said, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you" Psalm 103: 2 “Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-‐-‐ 3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases… Several of the Old Testament prophets exercised healing power… In Genesis 20: 17 – 18 Abraham prays for Abimelech, and his wife and slave girls are healed of barrenness
15. Genesis 20: 17 – 18 “17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his slave girls so they could have children again, 18 for the LORD had closed up every womb in Abimelech's household because of Abraham's wife Sarah” In Numbers 21:4-‐9 God has Moses hold up a staff and heal the people of venomous snakebites Numbers 21:4-‐9 4 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!" 6 Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people. 8 The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived”
16. In 1 Kings 17:20-‐22 Elijah raised a boy from the dead 1 Kings 17:20-‐22 “20 Then he cried out to the LORD, "O LORD my God, have you brought tragedy also upon this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?" 21 Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried to the LORD, "O LORD my God, let this boy's life return to him!" 22 The LORD heard Elijah's cry, and the boy's life returned to him, and he lived. 23 Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, "Look, your son is alive!"
In 2 Kings 4:20-‐35 Elisha did the same * Imparting to another generation * So important to understand this And in 2 Kings 5:1-‐14 Elisha healed a leper 2 Kings 5:13-‐14 “ 13 Naaman's servants went to him and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, 'Wash and be cleansed'!" 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy” When the Messianic prophecies were fulfilled and God came to earth as a man (Jesus Christ) healing was a vital part of His ministry
17. In order to understand the place of healing in the heart and plan of God we should begin by looking at the healing ministry of Jesus Christ 1. Healing was vitally linked to the earthly ministry of Jesus. When John the Baptist questioned Jesus' identity Jesus answered; Matthew 11:4-‐6 "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me" 2. The Gospel narratives record dozens of miracles performed by Jesus. * Most of them are healing miracles 3. Jesus identified the demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit (in this case over the demonic – which we shall see may be understood in the light of healing) as evidence of the presence of the Kingdom of God Luke 11:20 “… if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you” * In other words, Jesus assumed that the presence of the Kingdom of God would be accompanied by miracles, such as healing 4. When Jesus read from the scroll of the Prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 61:1-‐2) in the synagogue in Nazareth , He said that the Messianic age had come
18. * He connected it to ministry, and the passage in fact gave definition to the nature of His ministry He read… Luke 4:18-‐19 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" * In this passage we find the best biblical model for healing ministry... I. Anointing – God enables us to do miracles by the Spirit's power * Jesus was aware of His anointing, and prophesied the anointing of the Church * The prophecy was fulfilled at Pentecost, and the Church began performing the same works as Jesus John 14:12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father” 2. Good news to the poor – those in need can have their needs met
19. Jesus answer Luke 5:31-‐32 "It is not the healthy who need a doctor , but the sick 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” 3. Freedom for the prisoners – release from demonic powers John wrote in 1 John 3:8 “ 8 The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work” 4. Recovery of sight for the blind – this is physical healing, not just a metaphor. Before the chapter is over Jesus is already casting out demons and healing the sick 5. Release the oppressed – healing of inner hurts, those whose wounding comes from life, their own actions and the actions of others. Immediately Jesus heals lepers, who were outcasts and socially wounded as well as physically sick. A few chapters later Jesus forgave the sins of an immoral woman who washed His feet with tears 6. Proclaim the year of the Lord's favor – the ultimate miracle of Jesus. He came to announce that all sins could be forgiven and all moral debts wiped away. * Slaves could go free and everything restored to God's intention This is still the ministry of Jesus. It is the ministry the early disciples inherited and began to carry out
20. In Matthew 10 we read that Jesus gave His disciples authority to cast out evil spirits and heal every kind of disease and sickness. When He sent the twelve out on their first ministry trip he told them Matthew 10: 7-‐8 7 “As you go, preach this message: `The kingdom of heaven is near.' 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give” When He sent out the larger ministry team of seventy -‐ two disciples he told them Luke 10:8-‐9 8 “ When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, `The kingdom of God is near you” The New Testament has numerous accounts of the early disciples healing the sick, as well as performing other miracles Church history too is filed with stories of healing and other miracles. Such famous leaders as Augustine, Francis of Assisi, Martin Luther, C.H. Spurgeon, and others prayed for the sick and saw them recover. This is the ministry that has been entrusted to the Church through the ages, and has now been entrusted to us!
