The Key Power Of The Word
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 5/10/2009 PM |
Text: | Matthew 16:19; Lord's Day 31 |
Psalters: | 418, 351, 133, 182 |
Preparatory to the Lord's Supper |
- The concept.
- This language pictures the kingdom as a walled city with gates.
- The gates can be locked and opened by means of keys.
- The reality is a spiritual kingdom (of heaven, not earthly or physical), so the keys are spiritual.
- The keys are the authority and power to determine what has a place within the walls of the church on earth.
- Jesus holds the keys.
- He is the King (Isaiah 22:22 with Rev. 1:18 and 3:7,8), and He is the Door (John 10:9).
- Only Christ knows who are the citizens of the kingdom and who are not.
- As King He has the authority to determine the character of the kingdom and to give that character to whom He will.
- Jesus exercises the keys through humans: Peter (Matthew 16:19); the church (18:18); the disciples (John 20:23).
- The apostles passed along this authority to elders whom they ordained when they instituted a church.
- The Bible is clear that the elders have authority to be watchmen.
- When the elders do this work, it is obvious that the work is Christ?s, being done through the church.
- The exercise of the key of the faithful preaching of the pure doctrines of salvation as found in God?s Word.
- A primary task of elders is to feed the flock with the Word (Acts 20:28) and to send the preacher (Rom. 10; Acts 13:1-3)
- Preaching is the authoritative proclamation of the truth of God?s Word according to the command of Christ.
- The nature of the preaching is that it is something which must be believed and obeyed.
- The preaching is the voice of the King and Head of the Church Himself calling His people unto Himself.
- The contents of the preaching is the gospel found in the Scriptures.
- The power of this key is that it opens and shuts the kingdom of heaven.
- Because the key is spiritual (not physical), so its power is spiritual: simply proclaiming what God?s Word teaches.
- While God alone forgives and condemns, the church makes the declaration of who is and is not forgiven.
- Christ?s Spirit works the experience of being drawn irresistibly by their Lord as they hear Him.
- Others, without the Spirit of Christ, are offended by the Word.
- While in the world the church must be as a fortress, for Satan knows his time is short and he is fierce.
- We need a strong gate (faithful preaching) and good guard (faithful elders and preachers).
- You, the members, must faithfully attend where the Word is most faithfully preached.