Notes
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”
Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”
Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Matthew 16:13-20
Having keys means you belong; you have access and are authorized to enter. Jesus had been teaching the disciples for about two years at this point; he had been telling them who He was, and now they needed to know who they were in Him. Jesus gives us identity and purpose, and He gives us the keys to the Kingdom that He is building. Our purpose and responsibility is to use those keys to help bring people out of darkness and into the light.
About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”
Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
“And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.
Matthew 18:1-6
“What sorrow awaits you experts in religious law! For you remove the key to knowledge from the people. You don’t enter the Kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from entering.”
Luke 11:52
One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.
But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.
Matthew 19:13-15
“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.”
Matthew 23:13
Jesus was talking to people who had exposure to the Kingdom of God, but weren’t using their keys. They knew all about God, but they didn’t actually know God. And even Jesus’ disciples misunderstood that they weren’t there to stop people, but to help them.
The keys give us total access to our heavenly Father. It is Him saying we are a part of the family. But if we don’t use the keys, we are missing out on bringing others in so they can experience the love of God. The Church’s job is to step into the world and help rescue those who are held captive by sin and darkness.
And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
Acts 15:19
And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
Acts 15:19
Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13
God wants us to invite people over. When people come seeking Him, we’re not to send them away but invite them in with open arms, to show them where to find the King. God’s house is big enough for all who will come to Him.
Group Questions
- How can we use the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven to help others find their way to God?
- How can we ensure that we are not placing obstacles in the way of those seeking to know God, as Jesus warned against?
- How does recognizing our identity and purpose in Christ empower us to bring others into the Kingdom of Heaven?
- In what ways can we show the love of God to others who are seeking Him?
Prayer
God, help us to use the keys to your Kingdom with wisdom, leading others to your light and love. Help us to live with humility, love, and purpose, always welcoming and leading others to you.