Experiencing the Kingdom of God: Keys to the Kingdom!
Matt 16:5-20 5 Later, after they crossed to the other side of the lake, the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 "Watch out!" Jesus warned them. "Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees." 7 At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn't brought any bread. 8 Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, "You have so little faith! Why are you arguing with each other about having no bread? 9 Don't you understand even yet? Don't you remember the 5,000 I fed with five loaves, and the baskets of leftovers you picked up? 10 Or the 4,000 I fed with seven loaves, and the large baskets of leftovers you picked up? 11 Why can't you understand that I'm not talking about bread? So again I say, 'Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.'" 12 Then at last they understood that he wasn't speaking about the yeast in bread, but about the deceptive teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Pharisee and Sadducees: They were different religious leaders during the time of Christ, much like the different denomination we have today. What separates these groups is their teaching on the scripture.
Jesus warns the disciples about the deceptive teachings of each group and
He questions their lack of ability to understand what He was trying to communicate.
We are the same today, many of our beliefs come from teaching that appear to be truth but are not. Like yeast, it has worked in through us unknowingly!
The Older I get, the more I recognize how I have let the “yeast of life” invade my heart, by limiting myself to what I see!
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" 14 "Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets."15 Then he asked them, "But who do you say I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."17 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. 18 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. 19 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." 20 Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. NLT
The Inquiries
Jesus asked, who do people say that the Son of Man is?
Jesus asked, but who do you say I am?
These two questions go back to the previous passage about the “Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees”
The Response
16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."17 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.
The unveiling of the scripture to us individually is the most important thing in your life.
Revealed: to remove a veil, to make manifest or reveal a thing previously secret or unknown, particularly applied to supernatural revelation!
It was always there in plain sight, but we couldn’t see it because of our manmade veil!
Prov 25:2 2 It is God's privilege to conceal things and the king's privilege to discover them. NLT
Matt 13:11-13 11 He replied, "You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. 12 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. NLT
Deut 29:29 29 "The Lord our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions. NLT
There’s the reason many will not search the scriptures, accountability!
16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."17 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.18 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.
Peter is a piece of the rock; Christ is the Rock
1 Cor 10:4-5 4 and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. NLT
The Revelation Messiah: anointed one, savior, and liberator of the people
Peter was saying that Jesus was “the one” sent and set apart by God!
Heb 11:13-14 13 All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. NLT
They saw it, we are living in it!
2 Cor 1:20-22 20 For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding "Yes!" And through Christ, our "Amen" (which means "Yes") ascends to God for his glory. 21 It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, 22 and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us. NLT
Through the unveiling of the Holy Spirit that Jesus is the Messiah, I will build my Church!
Luke 11:52 52 "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." NLT
Jesus warns the disciples about the deceptive teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees - it would remove the Keys of Knowledge by creating false beliefs!
The Keys
What do keys represent?
Knowledge of access, authority, rights, ownership, Etc.
19 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." 20 Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. NLT
When the Veil is taken off, you will gain Access, Authority, and/or Rights into the Kingdom of God.
If you have the Keys of knowledge that open the Kingdom of Heaven, you can’t leave them clipped to your pants, on the dashboard, or in the center console; you must forbid on earth what will be forbidden in Heaven, and what you permit on earth will be permitted in Heaven!
Paul’s Prayer for the church: Spiritual Knowledge
Eph 1:15-21 15 Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God's people everywhere, 16 I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, 17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. 19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. NLT
Conclusion: Ultimately, the "Keys to the Kingdom" are not found in religious tradition or intellectual effort, but in the personal revelation of Jesus as the Messiah. By purging the "yeast" of man-made teachings and worldly logic, we remove the veil that hinders our spiritual sight.
When we move from knowing about Him to having Him revealed to us by the Father, we step into our true identity and authority—possessing the power to align our earthly reality with the atmosphere of Heaven.
