Keys to the Kingdom (Week 3)
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Alright, let’s get back into our sermon series that we began last week, Keys to the Kingdom. The past two weeks, we have discussed what is the Kingdom of God/Heaven. Why did Jesus talk it about it more than any other NT author? We specifically looked at Matthew 16 at the revelation of who Jesus is as the foundation for His Kingdom and the cost of establishing His Kingdom.
15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Peter replies on behalf of the group answering with heavenly revelation who Jesus was.
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.
18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
19 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.”
Jesus then begins to explain to His disciples the things that must occur for the Kingdom to be established. His predicted death; the things HE MUST suffer (but also be raised from the dead). HOPE/LIFE
The cost is the same for the leader as well as the follower, for a servant is not above his master.
Deny yourself.
Take up your cross.
Follow me.
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.
Today, we will shift gears and look at the characteristics and qualities of the Kingdom. I want us to discover some of the biggest KEYS we could discover for our own lives. Keys that have the power to unlock life and health and healing for our souls in a way that few others spiritual ideas could and do.
I had intended to talk about one topic today that I thought would flow well in the Scripture from where we have been and followed next in the teaching from Jesus on the Kingdom.
What I found as I studied this week was that the Lord had a very different idea for what we would be discussing this week.
It couldn’t be more foundational from I see in the text, and I am so excited to jump into it this morning. I believer the Lord will speak powerfully to each of us.
PRAY
CH. 17
To give you a little bit of the timeline since our last passage, about a week passed by and then Jesus took Peter, James, and John up the mountain. He was transfigured before them. He gives some context as to the forerunner of His coming, and that ‘Elijah’ has already come in fulfillment of the Messiah’s arrival.
Jesus cast a demon out of a boy (they had tried, but didn’t have faith) (some come out by prayer and fasting)
Displaying that the dominion of darkness submits to the Kingdom of His Light.
Jesus predicts His death AGAIN
Questioned about Temple Tax
CH. 18
Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven
1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
Jesus calls a child forward (humility)
3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus is answers their question by correcting their (worldview) understanding of the Kingdom.
The child is held up as an ideal, not of innocence, purity, or faith, but of humility and unconcern for social status. Jesus advocates humility of mind (v. 4), not childishness of thought (cf. 10:16). With such humility comes childlike trust. The disciples must change (lit., “turn,”) from their present conduct and attitudes and adopt this new norm or be excluded from the kingdom. Conversely, the person who truly humbles himself like this child is “the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” The expression completes a link with v. 1, and the present tense may suggest that the disciple’s greatness, doubtless made obvious in the consummated kingdom in the future, has already begun here as far as kingdom norms are concerned.
Jesus replies to their misunderstanding again about the Kingdom and its ways. Don’t you remember the Upside Down Kingdom? If you want to GAIN the Kingdom, you must LOSE yourself. Denial is the way to gain. I will show you the way of suffering that leads to glory as it relates to the values systems of this world.
Who then is the greatest?
SMH
“Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Change, στρέφω, “to change the position of something relative to something else by turning”
You don’t get it. Unless you turn away from your understanding of the Kingdom, you won’t even be there (getting in). The kingdom you are trying to get in is still self-serving, about YOU.
If you are even going to be able to receive the grace being brought to you through my sacrifice, it will be done because you come dependent upon it, in humility.
Who is it that God gives grace to?
The humble.
5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
Peter talks about how humility positions you in relationship with one another, showing mutual submission, being able to prefer (preference) other ahead of yourself.
He will lift you up in due time.
Peter still associates humility as the rails that lead to spiritual promotion. Jesus had painted that picture for the disciples right here in Matthew 18, and it has not left their frame of reference.
It was not only the pathway to spiritual advancement, but humility is the greatest warfare. It insulates us against the tactics of the enemy because the devil knows well that pride is what prefaces a fall. If he can walk/lead us into prideful thinking or living, he can get a crack in our armor to exploit and tear us apart.
James is talking to double minded believers. He talks to the folks in Ch. 3 about the worldly wisdom they have been ascribing their allegiance. You are full of selfish ambition, bitter envy.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
Into Ch. 4, James writes:
4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
You are living this double life because you are living by Kingdom principles. You are missing out on the change that is actually required, the turning of one direction to head towards God fullness in all areas of your life. The only way you are going to get there, he says, is by grace. But how do you get that?
6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.
10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
“The humble” are the people who willingly submit to God’s desire for them rather than proudly insisting on satisfying their own desires for pleasure (cf. vv. 1–3).
Since “God opposes the proud” but helps “the humble,” believers should submit to him. Submission is not the same as obedience. Instead, it is the surrender of one’s will, which leads to obedience.
Rather than resisting God’s will for us, we should “resist the devil.” James seems to suggest that the spiritual unfaithfulness of v. 4 was the result of the devil’s influence. The promise “he will flee from you” gives assurance that, as powerful as he may be, Satan can be resisted.
The Keys to the Kingdom that unlock doors that this world can’t unlock for you, that turn things from one direction towards another, bring lasting change, start with this Key right here—HUMILITY.
Walk in humility, in complete and utter dependence upon God, and watch as the door to grace begins to open. What is the basis of our salvation?
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Humility turns the key to open up and receive grace, and it is by grace, through faith, that we are saved. There is no performance for greatness. No earning a spot in the starting line-up of heaven. It will never be about you what you bring to Him that He hasn’t already given you. Humbly depend completely upon Him. Accept His grace. Operate in faith. All of which originate, point us towards, and flow from our Father in Heaven.
This revelation came from Him, Jesus said to Peter. And it is here that we will set up shop for the Kingdom. Here are the Keys. They still demand that everything still have its origin in Him.
36 For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
While this exalted and moving ascription of praise has in view God’s plans and operations in the history of salvation affecting the great segments of mankind, Jew and Gentile, the closing verse applies also to the individual life that pleases God. For that life has its source in God, lives by his resources, and returns to him when its course has been run. To God be the glory!
“Humility, the place of entire dependence on God, is the first duty and the highest virtue of the creature, and the root of every virtue. And so pride, or the loss of this humility, is the root of every sin and evil.” ― Andrew Murray
Humility is the first step towards Christ’s redeeming work. Humility is necessary response to experience and accept God’s grace. It is foundational for salvation, but also for every other good work God will do in our lives.
It insulates us. Providing refuge from the schemes of the enemy. If you find yourself vulnerable and experiencing attacks on your mind, body, soul, or spirit ask the Lord to help you to walk in humility today. So that you might unlock the door to His grace, receiving what He destined for you to have all along.
Come to Him as a child. Humbly. Placing utter and complete trust in Him and Him alone for all things.
“Humility is simply the disposition which prepares the soul for living on trust.” ― Andrew Murray
This morning we are going to spend some time communion, realigning, and both giving/receiving from the Lord through remembrance.
BAND
COMMUNION
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread,
24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
PRAY
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