The Bible with Nicky and Pippa Gumbel, Classic Version, 2015Sample

The Keys of the Kingdom

On 15 January 2009 US Airways flight 1549 hit a flock of geese. Both engines failed. The plane was flying over New York. Potential disaster loomed. Not only were the 155 occupants on board in danger, but thousands more could have been killed had the plane hit one of New York’s skyscrapers. Captain Chesley B “Sully” Sullenberger III guided the crippled US Airways plane with immense skill and courage. He performed a successful emergency landing on the Hudson River. Not a single passenger died, nor were there any serious injuries. The Mayor of New York City gave to the heroic pilot, who had saved them, the keys to the city.

To give someone the keys to a city is an immense privilege. They symbolise access and authority, and are usually given in recognition of some great service to the city. In the New Testament, we see that Jesus is the key holder. The risen Christ says, ‘I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades’ (Revelation 1:18). Through his death and resurrection, Jesus has brought about a far greater salvation than any other person could achieve. The authority he holds as a result is also the greatest there could ever be – he holds the keys of life and death. 

Amazingly, Jesus gives to Peter and the church (that is, to us) ‘the keys of the kingdom’ (Matthew 16:19). So many Christians feel powerless, lacking in any kind of spiritual authority. They do not seem to realise what Jesus has given to them. You are not powerless. You have the immense privilege of having been given ‘the keys of the kingdom’. In today’s passages we see how to use these ‘keys of the kingdom’.

Psalm 14:1-7

1. Use the keys to enjoy access to God

To be given ‘the keys of the kingdom’ (Matthew 16:19) means to be given access to God. This is what Jesus achieved for us. God has always looked for those who seek him (Psalm 14:2). You can enjoy access to God.

But no one is righteous. The whole human race has sinned. Every single one of us has become corrupt (vv.1,3; quoted in Romans 3:9–12).  

David describes this corruption in general terms (v.1b), but he also gives two specific examples:

• Denying the existence of God
  ‘Fools say in their hearts, “There is no God” ’ (v.1).
• Failing to help the poor
  ‘You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor’ (v.6).

The kingdom of God involves seeking God and seeking justice for the poor, and that is exactly the note on which this psalm ends. David cries out to God, asking, ‘Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!’ (v.7a). Thank God it did. Salvation for Israel came out of Zion in the person of Jesus. He lived, died and rose again to make it possible for us to be forgiven, made righteous by his blood, and given access to the Father (Ephesians 2:18). Now Jesus gives us the keys to the kingdom of God.

Lord, thank you for your amazing grace. None of us are righteous. We have all turned aside. None of us do good by ourselves. Thank you that you died for us. Thank you that you make forgiveness possible. Thank you that you give us a righteousness that is not our own. Thank you that you give us access to the Father. Lord, I seek you today.

Matthew 16:1-20

2. Receive the keys of the kingdom by faith

The context of Jesus’ teaching about the keys of the kingdom is understanding and acknowledging who Jesus is. Just as we read in the psalm for today, God is looking for ‘any who understand’ (Psalm 14:2b), so Jesus is quite amazed at the lack of understanding of his disciples: ‘Do you still not understand? ... How is it you don’t understand?’ (Matthew 16:9,11).

Then the penny drops for Peter that Jesus is ‘the Christ, the Son of the living God’ (v.16). It is within this context that Jesus gives Peter ‘the keys’ saying, ‘On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven’ (vv.18–19).

The words of Jesus are addressed to Peter. On the rock-like faith Peter has displayed, Jesus is going to build his church. Peter receives the keys of the kingdom. On the day of Pentecost, Peter opened the door for 3,000 people (Acts 2:41). He opened the door for the Gentile centurion, Cornelius, and thereby to the whole Gentile world (Acts 10).

But it is not only Peter who has the keys of the kingdom. Later on in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus gives the disciples a similar authority: ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven’ (Matthew 18:18).

This is the extraordinary responsibility and privilege that Jesus gives to us, his church. He gives us the keys of the kingdom. ‘You will have complete and free access to God’s kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is a yes in heaven. A no on earth is a no in heaven’ (16:19, MSG). 

Jesus says, in effect, that the powers of hell will ‘not overcome’ the person who has faith in him (v.18). Rather, the church, armed with the keys of the kingdom, can storm the gates of hell and set the prisoners free.

Lord, thank you that you have given us the keys of the kingdom. Thank you for the amazing privilege of seeing people set free through the preaching of the good news of the kingdom. Thank you for the joy of seeing people set free from drug addiction, alcoholism, crime, and every other bondage. Thank you for your promise that whatever we bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever we loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

Genesis 45:1-47:12

3. Unlock doors with the keys and see lives changed

‘He who has felt the deepest grief is best able to experience supreme happiness’ wrote Alexandre Dumas. Jacob (Israel) and his family had been through deep grief. Now they experience supreme happiness.

Often we try to hide our emotions. Yet Joseph was a man of intense emotion. When he identified himself to his brothers, ‘his sobbing was so violent that the Egyptians couldn’t help but hear him’ (v.2, MSG). He then ‘kissed all his brothers and wept over them’ (v.15, MSG). Emotions are as much a part of our ‘createdness’ as hands and lungs. We don’t have to fear showing our emotions. Jesus wept and showed compassion openly.

Joseph totally forgives his brothers (v.5). Joseph is able to see that despite all the hardships he has been through, he has been used by God to ‘save lives’ (v.5). Three times he says it was God who sent him (vv.5,7–8).

Joseph says, ‘Don’t blame yourself for selling me. God was behind it. God sent me here ahead of you to save lives’ (v.5, MSG).

As I look back on my life I realise how many times I have worried unnecessarily. If only I had trusted God completely I would have saved myself so much turmoil. Think of how much Jacob must have suffered over Joseph when actually God had it all totally under control.

Jesus said he came to fulfil the Old Testament (Matthew 5:17–20). The story of Joseph is a good example of this: Jesus fulfilled what was foreshadowed by Joseph. Joseph’s suffering was part of God’s plan to save his people. In saving his people, God made Joseph a lord and ruler over all Egypt (Genesis 45:8–9).

One of the keys of the kingdom is to understand that Jesus is the Saviour of the world – to see that behind the cross was the hand of God saving lives through the suffering of Jesus ‘by a great deliverance’ (Genesis 45:7). Now God has made Jesus not just ‘lord of all Egypt’ but Lord of all creation.

The hero of flight 1549 saved the lives of 155 people and is given the keys of New York. Joseph saved the lives of the people of God and was made lord of all Egypt. Jesus saved the world and is given the keys of the kingdom, which he hands on to his church. What an amazing privilege we have.

Thank you, Lord, for the wonderful example of Joseph. Thank you for the way in which he models forgiveness. Thank you that, through Jesus, we can receive total forgiveness. Help us to forgive others totally. Thank you that this is one of the keys of the kingdom. May we, the church, never sit back and simply enjoy the fact that we have the keys. Rather, may we use those keys to unlock the gates of Hades and set people free.

Pippa Adds

Genesis 45:1–47:12

Reconciliation is only possible with lots of forgiveness all round. Joseph’s forgiveness of his brothers is total – love covering over a multitude of sins. If I had been Jacob I would have been furious with my sons for all the suffering they had put me through. But Jacob is too overjoyed that his precious son is alive. They can only have been amazed by God’s extraordinary rescue plan.

Notes:

Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo, (Wordsworth editions, 1997)

Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version Anglicised, Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 Biblica, formerly International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Publishers, an Hachette UK company. All rights reserved. ‘NIV’ is a registered trademark of Biblica. UK trademark number 1448790.

Scripture quotations marked (AMP) taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Scripture marked (MSG) taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.