Matthew 16:13-25 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some [say that thou art] John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. Mat 16:15-18 KJV He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? (16) And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. (17) And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. (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. Mat 16:19 KJV 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.
Peter received a revelation from the Father.
Jesus told him about hearing from the Father and then said, "AND I SAY ALSO UNTO THEE."
Bro Michael Smith noted Sunday that the keys to the Kingdom are TRUTHS that unlock all the potential of the Kingdom.
Notice that Jesus said HE WOULD SAY ALSO, build the church on the rock, and give keys of the KINGDOM.
The gates of hell would not prevail against the church.
Notice that we read how Jesus first told Peter he was blessed to receive revelation from the Father.
Matthew 16:20-25 KJV Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ. This is because each must receive a revelation from the Father as well. (21) From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. (22) Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. (23) But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. (24) Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (25) For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. Jesus just said the gates of hell (hades-death) would not prevail against the church due to the revelation that Jesus gives that builds the church on a rock.
Peter continued to know only the identity of Jesus.
Jesus speaks of the cross.
Everybody likes the Father's revelation.
These TRUTHS FROM JESUS are KEYS TO THE KINGDOM!
It takes the CROSS to deny yourself, to bear fruit of the Spirit.
But when flesh is laid aside, and God's Spirit is ruling our lives, THE KINGDOM OF GOD COMES THROUGH and takes dominion in us. Speaking of the ROCK, this exact picture of getting the first revelation and missing the second is found in Matt 7. Mat 7:21-25 KJV Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (24) Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: (25) And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. The people in this picture KNEW THE LORD'S IDENTITY.
HEARING THE WORDS OF JESUS - THESE SAYINGS OF JESUS' - puts your house of your calling and election on a ROCK. Jesus said I NEVER KNEW YOU.
Matthew 17 actually PLAYS THIS OUT: Matthew 17:1-5 KJV And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, (2) And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. (3) And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. (4) Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. (5) While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. They're on a ROCK - a mountain.
And the sequence of revelation starts all over again.
And the gates of hell can send storms and winds and the HOUSE ON THE ROCK WILL STILL STAND! Let me prove to you that all of this is exactly what Romans 12:1-2 meant when it spoke of being transformed by the renewing of the mind. When we read JESUS WAS TRANSFIGURED, that word TRANSFIGURED is the same GREEK WORD in Romans 12:2 that is translated TRANSFORMED.
When dad gives his car keys to his son, his son must have come to the place with his dad where HIS DAD CAN TRUST HIM.
YOU ARE STABILIZED. You are on a ROCK. You have some SOLID GROUNDING beneath you when you learn kingdom principles. 2Pe 1:2-11 KJV Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, (3) According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: (4) Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (5) And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; (6) And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; (7) And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. (8) For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (9) But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. (10) Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: (11) For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Like the house on the rock that would never fall, and like the church on the rock against which the gates of hell could not prevail, YOU WILL NEVER FALL IF YOU GAIN THESE PRINCIPLES. And remember in Matt 7 when Jesus said THOSE WHO DO THE WILL OF THE FATHER SHALL ENTER THE KINGDOM?
It is on earth because it says WHAT YOU BIND ON EARTH IS BOUND IN HEAVEN. Matthew 18:2-5 KJV And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, (3) And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. (4) Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (5) And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. Jesus spoke of ENTERING THE KINGDOM here as well.
And notice that Jesus said that such a child is received as though Jesus, Himself were received.
This principle of Jesus giving us that much status is mentioned as you continue. Matthew 18:15-20 KJV Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. (16) But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. (17) And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. (18) Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (19) Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. (20) For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. The above passage mentions something people think was a totally different subject from the context of the discussion.
Jesus is not going to bind or loose in heaven everything that some half-backslidden carnal saints binds and looses on earth.
If you would BE TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your mind and LEARN KINGDOM PRINCIPLES, you could say things that Jesus says is as good as Him saying them. This is what Paul meant: Just like Jesus, Paul told the Corinthians to take that fornicating member of the church and put him out.
1 Corinthians 5:3-5 KJV (3) For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, (4) In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, (5) To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Gather IN HIS NAME -- (where two or three are gathered together in my name) who follow kingdom principles and have the daddy's keys, with the authority of Jesus -- THE KEYS -- you can deliver someone over to satan.
Jesus said, when you learn to live by kingdom principles, HEAVEN BACKS UP YOUR trustworthy decisions! Back to Peter's epistle. 1 Peter 1:10 ...give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall 2Pe 1:16-18 KJV (16) For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. (17) For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (18) And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. 2Pe 1:19 KJV We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: TAKE HEED to the Son's revelation.
2 Peter 1:4 KJV Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. THESE ARE THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM! AND YOU ARE TRUSTWORTHY BECAUSE YOU HAVE already BEEN MADE A PARTAKER OF HIS DIVINE NATURE AND HAVE SHONE LIKE JESUS' SHONE, HIMSELF.
You are transfigured! . |