THE KEYS
REVELATION 1:18–MATTHEW 16:19
REVELATION 1:18–MATTHEW 16:19
Revelation 1:18. “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”
Matthew 16:19, “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.”
Introduction:
The Bible speaks of only tow sets of keys. The church was given the first set of keys by Christ during His public ministry on the earth. These keys are of great importance and the local church controls the use of these keys.
The second set of keys is in the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ. These keys have an effect on the lives of every man on the earth. No one will escape the effect of these keys if he does not take advantage of the keys that Jesus gave the church.
I. THE FIRST SET OF KEYS.
Matthew 16:19, “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.”
A. The keys of the preaching of the Word of God. Mark 16:15, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
1. It is the church that has the responsibility to preach the Word of God.
2. Man has the responsibility of accepting the Word of God, Romans 4:3, “For what saith the scripture? ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS COUNTED UNTO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
B. The Keys of the preaching of the Truth. John 8:32, 36: “And ye shall know the truth, an the truth shall make you free. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
1. Knowledge of the truth is the key that opens many doors.
a. The door of liberty.
b. The door of democracy.
2. Knowledge of the truth in Christ frees man from the greatest burden of life, SIN. Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
II. THE SECOND SET OF KEYS.
A. Jesus Christ has this set of keys. Revelation 1:18, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”
1. A key for the door of death.
a. The death of the body – separation of the soul from the body terminating life upon the earth.
b. This word in the Greek has the idea of misery because of sin that began on the earth, but continues and grows after death in Hell.
2. Another key is to the door of Hell.
a. Hades, In Biblical Greek it is associated with Orcus, the infernal regions, a dark and dismal place in the very depths of the earth, the common receptacle of disembodied spirits. Usually Hades is just the abode of the wicked, Luke 16:23, Rev. 20:13,14; a very uncomfortable place. Luke 16:23, “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.”
b. This key also opens the Lake of Fire, the SECOND DEATH, Revelation 20:13-15, “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
1) The BELIEVER IN CHRIST dies only once.
2) The UNBELIEVER dies TWO TIMES.
a) A physical death.
b) A spiritual death (the second death) when he is cast into the Lake of Fire.
B. Do not wait to trust Christ as your Savior.
1. Time is not on your side, 2 Corinthians 6:2, “(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)”
2. Jesus invites you to come, Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
CONCLUSION
Jesus has the keys of death and hell in His hands. If you leave this life without trusting Jesus as your Savior, that key to hell will turn in the lock to open the door to hell for you to enter for all eternity. There is not second change after death.
But there is time right now! Don’t put it off! Tomorrow never comes! You have today, now. RIGHT NOW!!!!!!