THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM

THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM
MATT. 16: 18 - 19
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.
This evening I want us to look at the keys of the kingdom. Keys are a means to open and entrance to an area otherwise closed. Jesus used them as symbols of his plan of salvation and access to the church. God himself has provided the keys for our redemption or salvation from our sins.
I. The Gospel and Righteousness are keys.
A. Rom. 1: 16 – 19 The Gospel is God’s power to save.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.




B. 1 Cor. 15: 1 – 4 The gospel is defined as the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without this key there would be no kingdom.
1 ¶ Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
This gospel never changes. It is always the key to salvation.
C. Rev. 5: 4 – 9 It is through Christ righteousness we are saved.
4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
1. Rom. 3: 25 - 26 God sent Christ to declare his rightiousness.
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
He came to declare His righteousness because he is the only one righteous in God’s sight.
2. Phil. 3: 8 – 9 Paul says it is not his own righteousness.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 ¶ And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:










3. Rom. 10: 1 – 4 Our righteousness can not save us.
1 ¶ Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

II. Two Other Keys are Grace and Mercy.
A. Rom. 5: 14 – 16 Grace is the unmerited, undeserved, unearned, favor of God.
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
Jesus brought us God’s grace freely as a gift. We can not buy it, earn it, but we can sure loose it. Christ will judge our rightiousness.
1. Eph. 2: 8 – 10 Paul writes we are saved by grace.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
2. Rom. 11: 5 – 6 Grace is something God must give.
5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
3. 1 Cor. 15: 9 - 10 Paul says it is by the grace of God he is what he is.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
B. Eph. 2: 4 – 5 It is God that is rich in grace and mercy.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
1. Titus 3: 4 – 7 not by our righteousness.
4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; {abundantly: Gr. richly}
7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
2. 1 Peter 1: 3 Peter says it is God’s abundant mercy that gives us hope.
1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
3. 1 Peter 2: 9 – 10 We were once without hope with no mercy.
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.



III. Blood and Salvation are the next two keys.
A. Rom. 5: 8 – 10 We are reconciled and saved through Christ death.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
10. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
B. 1 Peter 1: 18 – 21 Redeemed us with the blood of Christ that we might have faith and hope in God.
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
C. Eph. 1: 7 We have redemption and forgiveness of sin through his blood.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

IV. The master Key, if there could be one is the Love Of Jesus Christ.
A. Rom. 5: 6 – 8 No greater love could be shown.
6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. {in due time: or, according to the time}
7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
1. John 3: 16 God’s love is seen.
16 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.
2. John 15: 13 No greater love ever shown.
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Christ has given the Keys from His Father. He has given his word, righteousness, grace, mercy, blood and hope of salvation and Love. None of these can we obtain without obedience to the Gospel. He had preserved the Gospel in written form that all might read, be taught, understand and obey.
All this is for you. All you have to do is obey Jesus Christ. You must be baptized for the remission of sins that Christ might add you to his church. Being in Christ you will receive all these spiritual blessings. Heaven can be your home. What hinders you from being saved? Is it worth loosing your soul for? Will you come and obey Jesus Christ today? Do you need to come back to Him? Will you come today, before the desire leaves you and it is to late? Will you come?