As recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus begins in Caesarea Philippi to prepare His disciples for the beginning of the Church and the importance of their coming ministry in using the keys of heaven.
Jesus: “‘But whom say ye that I am? … Simon Peter … ‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus … ‘Blessed art thou, Simon … for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven … 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.’ Then charged He His disciples that they should tell no man that He was Jesus the Christ (the Messiah). From that time forth began Jesus to show (explain) unto His disciples, how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and Suffer many things … and be Killed, and be Raised again the third day” (Matthew 16:15-17,19-21 KJV)
Jesus shares that His suffering, death, burial and resurrection are “The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.” He Testified that the gates of Hell would not overcome the Christ, the Son of the Living God because He would be raised to life.
Matthew records Jesus’ explanation of these keys: “He must go unto Jerusalem, and SUFFER many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes (teachers of the law), and be KILLED, and be RAISED again the third day” (Matthew 16:21 KJV).
“Jesus said … ‘The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: And they shall KILL Him, and the third day He shall be RAISED again'” (Matthew 17:22,23 KJV).
Apostle Paul used these Keys: ” … I declare unto you THE GOSPEL which I preached … which … ye have received … wherein ye stand: By which … ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached … For I delivered … that which I also received … CHRIST DIED for our sins According to the Scriptures … HE WAS BURIED and that HE ROSE AGAIN the third day According to the Scriptures. And that He was seen of Ce’phas (Peter) … And of me” (1 Corinthians 15:2-5, 8 KJV).
Apostle Peter used these Keys for the Jews: “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth … being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have CRUCIFIED AND SLAIN: Whom God hath RAISED UP, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that He should be holden of it … His soul was not left in hell, neither His flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God RAISED UP” (Acts 2:22-24, 31, 32 KJV).
Apostle Peter used these Keys for the Gentiles: “God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh (practices) righteousness, is accepted with Him. The WORD WHICH GOD SENT … PREACHING PEACE BY JESUS CHRIST … Ye know … Whom they SLEW and hanged on a tree: Him God RAISED the third day and showed him openly … To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receieve remission (forgiveness) of sins” (Acts 10:34-37, 39, 40, 42, 43 KJV).
As the Apostles teach and preach, those who believe, the message of Jesus death, burial and resurrection, as the full payment for their sins will be loosed from their sins. Those who do not believe will still be bound in their sin.
Apostle John sharesWHY Jesus came: “He that commiteth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose THE SON OF GOD was manifested (revealed), that He might destroy the works (operations) of the devil” (1 John 3:8 KJV).
The Book of Hebrews revealsHOW Jesus came: ” … Priest, Who is made … after the power of and endless life … a priest forever” (Hebrews 7:15-17 KJV). “A high priest in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15 KJV).
Jesus was sinless. Death and Hell could not overcome Him. Those who trust in Him will not be overcome. Jesus’ victory over sin and death becomes their victory. Believers in Jesus will be loosed from their sins by obeying the call of faith in the Message of The Cross: Jesus is the Christ, the sinless Son of the Living God who suffered/died, was buried and resurrected on the third day in victory over sin and death.
Jesus warned unbelievers: “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24 KJV).
Apostle Paul on Jesus’ sacrifice and victory: “For THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God … ” (1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV). “It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe … we preach CHRIST CRUCIFIED … who of God is make unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:21, 23, 30 KJV). “that, just as it is written, ‘Let Him Who Boast, Boast In The LORD’ ” (1 Corinthians 1:31 NASB). “For since by man came death, by man came also the RESURRECTION of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so IN CHRIST shall all be made alive … The sting of death is sin; and the stregnth of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our LORD JESUS CHRIST” (1 Corinthians 15:21-23, 56-57 KJV). “He was delivered over to DEATH for our sins and was RAISED to life for our justification” (Romans 4:25 NIV). “Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our LORD JESUS CHRIST … For if by the transgression of the one death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the ONE JESUS CHRIST” (Romans 5:1. 17 NASB).
The Book of Acts Records Peter Using “The Keys of The Kingdom of Heaven.”
“Peter … ‘The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified His Son JESUS; whom ye delivered up, and denied Him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; and KILLED the Prince of life, whom God hath RAISED from the dead; wherefore we are witnesses … through ignorance ye did it … God before had showed by the mouth of all His prophets, that CHRIST should SUFFER He hath so fulfilled. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out'” (Acts 3:12-15, 17-19 KJV).
“Peter … ‘Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel … by the name of JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH, whom ye CRUCIFIED, whom God RAISED from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the STONE which is become THE HEAD OF THE CORNER (CAPSTONE). Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved'” (Acts 4:10-12 KJV).
“The angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, ‘Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people ALL THE WORDS OF THIS LIFE.’ And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught … Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence … set them before the Council (Sanhedrin) … Peter and the other apostles answered and said, ‘We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers RAISEDUP Jesus, whom ye SLEW and hanged on a tree. Him hath God EXALTED with His right hand to be a Prince and Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey Him’ … they departed from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach JESUSCHRIST” (as Messiah) (Acts 5:18-21, 27, 29-32, 41-42 KJV).
The full message of this new life or “The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven” has been explained by Jesus and used by the Apostles to loose people from their sins. Those who have heard and obeyed the message of salvation and forgiveness have had their sins cleansed away by the blood of Jesus.
When you put your faith in Jesus Christ you are saying that Yes, I do not want to receive God’s grace in vain, I believe Jesus is who He says He is; He is the Christ the Son of the of the Living God. He was sinless, I am an unrighteous sinner deserving of eternal separation from God (Hell), He suffered and died for my sins according to and in fulfillment of the scriptures, He was buried, He was raised to life on the third day according to and in fulfillment of the scriptures and He appeared to His disciples and was seen. Because He lives, I can live through Him.
Apostle Paul said: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but CHRIST Lives inMe. The life I live in the body, I Live By Faith In THE SON OF GOD, Who Loved Me, And Gave Himself For Me” (Galatians 2:20 NIV).
Jesus went to and is seated at the right hand of God the Father, who accepted Jesus’ sacrifice as full payment. No other sacrifice for sin is needed, nor can any be offered. The sacrifice God wants from His followers now are sacrifices of praise that confess Jesus as Lord and sacrifices of service which show God’s love.
The Book of Hebrews records: “For CHRIST is not entered into the holy places made with hands … but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor … that He should offer Himself often … For then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world: But now once in the end of the world hath He appeared toPUT AWAY SIN BY THE SACRIFICE OF HIMSELF. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So CHRIST WAS ONCE OFFERED to bear the sins of many; and unto them that LOOK FOR HIM SHALL HE APPEAR THE SECOND TIME WITHOUT SIN UNTO SALVATION” (Hebrews 9:24-28 KJV)
“JESUS CHRIST is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever. DO NOT BE CARRIED AWAY BY VARIED AND STRANGE TEACHINGS … Through Him … let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased” (Hebrews 13:8-9, 15-16 NASB).
“PURE RELIGION and un-defiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself un-spotted from the world” (James 1:27 KJV).
Have you forgotten or not realized what JESUS has done? Will you NOW believe and trust in the deliverance He has provided?
Paul writes: “Working together with Him, we also urge you … for He says, ‘At The Acceptable Time I Listened To You, And On The Day Of Salvation I Helped You’; behold, NOW is “The Acceptable Time,’ behold NOW is ‘The Day Of Salvation’ (2 Corinthians 6:1-2 NASB).
A criminal on a cross next to Jesus used “The Keys of The Kingdom of Heaven” and experienced the NOW of “The Day of Salvation.” Above Jesus it read: “‘This Is The King of The Jews.’ … One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him … ‘Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!’ But the other answered, and rebuking him said, ‘Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’ And he was saying, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” And He said to him, ‘Truly I say to you, TODAY you shall be with Me in Paradise‘” (Luke 23:38-43 NASB).
The foolish criminal may have been thinking only of maintaining his earthly life. HOWEVER, the wise criminal recognized his impending death and humbled himself.
HE: Feared God. Acknowledged his guilt … his sinful deeds … and that his punishment of death was just and deserved.
HE: Recognized that Jesus was guiltless, sinless and that Jesus’ suffering and death was undeserved.
HE: Believed that Jesus would live again and have His own Kingdom and that Jesus was the Christ who could forgive him and give him eternal life.
JESUS: Recognized the faith of the wise criminal and promised him eternal life TODAY.
The simple message given by Jesus in John 3:16 KJV is proven true:
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have EVERLASTING LIFE.”
Copyright by: Gary Westgerdes. Please Freely Pass It On.
