Grace and Peace Episode 41

 Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Grace and Peace Episode 41

Presbyterian Church of Easton

June 27, 2021

Watch Episode 41

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2

Heidelberg Catechism

83Q.  What are the keys of the kingdom?

A. The preaching of the holy gospel and Christian discipline toward repentance.  Both of them open the kingdom of heaven to believers and close it to unbelievers.

84Q.  How does preaching the holy gospel open and close the kingdom of heaven?

A. According to the command of Christ:  The kingdom of heaven is opened by proclaiming and publicly declaring to all believers, each and every one, that, as often as they accept the gospel promise in true faith, God, because of Christ’s merit, truly forgives all their sins. The kingdom of heaven is closed, however, by proclaiming and publicly declaring to unbelievers and hypocrites that, as long as they do not repent ,the wrath of God and eternal condemnation rest on them.  God’s judgment, both in this life and in the life to come, is based on this gospel testimony.

Matthew 16:18 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.”

Christ gave the keys to the Apostle Peter.   The purpose of the keys is to be the foundation upon which the church of Jesus Christ is built.   What is the foundation upon which the church stands?   The church stands on the word of God faithfully proclaimed and repentance taught.   

This word of God, the Gospel, was entrusted for safekeeping by the Apostle Peter and all of the ordained leaders of the church since then.  That is why whenever a pastor or elder is ordained in the church the other elders all lay on hands.  The laying on of hands is symbolic of the continuous line of elders, going back to Peter, who have faithfully preserved and proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And so the keys of the church are not kept in the pocket of a trustee.   Rather the keys of church are the faith elders and pastor who make sure that the gospel of Jesus Christ continues to be proclaimed in every community.   Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, we thank you for the keys that you presented to Peter and to all elders and pastors who faithfull proclaim your word to the world.  We thank you for the elders and pastors who make it possible for us to worship every Sunday.  And help us to train a new generation of pastors and elders to proclaim the gospel to future generations.   This we pray in your glorious name.  Amen.