But what about you?” He asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Matthew 16:15-16
Jesus asked His disciples: Who do people say the Son of Man is? (Matthew 16:13) They replied: Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others,
Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Jesus asked the question a second time, directing it this time to the disciples, and Peter responded: You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Jesus replied that God the Father revealed this profound truth to Peter. We also know Christ as He is revealed to us through the Holy Spirit. He opens our eyes to know Christ is the Son of God. After Peter revealed that he knew Jesus was the Son of God, Jesus gave him the keys to the kingdom. As Jesus is revealed to us, the keys to the kingdom are given to us. (Matthew 16:19)
Today I noticed that one of my keys had fallen on the floor. I sensed the Lord saying, “Joanne, remember you have the keys to my kingdom.” One of the keys that unlocks the doors of His kingdom rule on earth is faith.
Peter exercised his faith when he believed that Jesus was the Son of God, and in turn Jesus entrusted him with the keys of the kingdom.
What are some of the other keys besides faith? Prayer is a key to kingdom rule. When we pray to ask God to bring heaven to earth – Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10) – we pray to invite God’s perfect will and His kingdom rule into the situation that is our point of prayer.
What about you? Who do you say that Jesus is? Is He just a teacher, a prophet, a miracle worker, or is He the Son of Man? Like Peter, when we believe that Jesus is the Son of God, we are given the keys to the kingdom.
Heavenly Father,
I place my trust in You as the Son of God. I ask You to increase my faith and enable me to use the keys to the kingdom to unlock Your truth through Your Word and through prayer.
In Jesus’ name, Amen
