Understanding The Keys To The Kingdom And The Gates Of Hell Shall NOT Prevail Against It - Part 2341

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard [this], they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

Then Peter said unto them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."

And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, "Save yourselves from this untoward generation." Then they that gladly received His Word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." (Acts 2:36-41)

Herein, Peter standing with the eleven on the day of Pentecost proclaimed the good news gospel message of salvation. That is, we are to repent and be water baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, so that we can receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. This is the New Testament message in this current dispensation of grace. 

You see, when we are water baptized in the precious, holy Name of the Lord Jesus, we become clothed in His righteousness. We are strengthened with His Spirit dwelling within. We can proclaim with confidence that the Lord is our Shepherd, and that He -- as Jesus said before the cross -- will never leave us nor forsake us.

In an earlier post, we investigated the conversation between Jesus and His disciples when He asked them, "Who do men say that I AM?" Following that response, Jesus then asks them, "Who do you say I AM?" Note that in Matthew's account, Simon Peter answered and said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered and said unto him, "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven."

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. 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." (Matthew 16:13-19)

Having received the keys to the kingdom, Peter was given the responsibility to ensure the door of salvation was open to one and all -- both Gentiles and Jews. And he did so on the day of Pentecost. The Lord Jesus having just ascended, and now through the Holy Ghost giving commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen. (Acts 1:2-3) Thus, the day of Pentecost marked the beginning of the New Testament church wherein the veil was torn from heaven to earth. Jesus fulfilling the old so that we could have new life in Him.

"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." (Mark 1:15)

The mystery that was held in the bosom of the Father now revealed. The Lord our God's salvation plan established for one and all to behold, when He willingly shed His own holy blood on a cross, and thus, became our Saviour. (I Timothy 3:16; Acts 20:28; II Corinthians 5:19; Matthew 1:21-23; Isaiah 9:6) But the salvation message had to be proclaimed. As Jesus said, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature ..." (Mark 16:15)

"And the key of the house of David will I lay upon His shoulder; so He shall open, and none shall shut; and He shall shut, and none shall open."(Isaiah 22:22)

We know from this scripture that after Jesus died and rose from the dead, ascending into heaven, the price for salvation had been paid in full -- once and for all. Though our sins be as crimson, they shall be as white as snow. Hebrews 9 further elaborates on this point, and provides the rationale for why we are now living in the dispensation of grace.

Continuing into the book of Acts, we see Jesus' salvation message proclaimed, and the early church established on the same Rock which had followed the Israelites through the Red Sea -- that is, Christ. (I Corinthians 10:1-4)

"The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after that He through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen; to whom also He shewed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:1-3) 

In between, a twelfth disciple/apostle was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus in the Garden. "Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that He [Jesus] was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of His resurrection." (Acts 1:21-22)

In the upper room, there were 120 disciples waiting "for the promise of the Father, which," saith He, "ye have heard of Me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." (Acts 1:4-5)

By Acts 2: "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2:1-4)

When we study the scriptures, we begin to see how the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus is connected to the day of Pentecost. Specifically, When Jesus told Nicodemus that we need to be born again. Not a physical birth but a spiritual one, wherein His Spirit dwells within our hearts.

Jesus answered, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, "Ye must be born again!" (John 3:5-7)

So much more to understand, but let this be your starting point for this day. 

Stand in the offering plate.