The Keys to the Car

Matthew 16:13-20

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’ Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Like many kids, when I was sixteen years old, I got my driver’s license.  Shortly after passing my driving test, my mom handed me the keys to the car.  There was power in those keys!  Freedom.  Independence.  Status.  Adventure.  Then, my mom said something like, “If you’re old enough to drive, you’re old enough to get a job.  Why don’t you drive yourself into town and fill out some applications?”  Deflation.  But, she taught me a valuable lesson that day:  with freedom, comes responsibility.  She managed to let me loose and bind me all in one motion!  It was a masterful act of parenting wisdom.

Jesus took his disciples to a place called Caesarea Philippi and asked them a seemingly simple question, “Who do people say that I am?”  Peter gets it right.  “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.”   He blurts out.  Through Peter and his confession Jesus promises to build his church and gives Peter, and by extension, the whole church, the “keys of the kingdom of heaven” to do it.   There is power in those keys.  Keys to loose and to bind.  Keys that give freedom from sin, death and evil.  Keys that open the way to heaven and the way of life that Jesus invites his disciples to follow.  

But, with those keys also came responsibility.   Peter didn’t fully understand it right there in Caesarea (he proves that in the following passage), but, eventually, he does.  Paul tells us we are set free to be ambassadors of Christ and ministers of reconciliation, (2 Corinthians 5:20).  We are released from the power of sin and death so that we might proclaim the Good News of the Messiah, the Son of the Living God and God’s Reign in the world.  In other words, we are set loose because we have a job to do. 

I took the keys from my mother, drove into town and eventually got a job cleaning tables and washing dishes at a local restaurant.  It was hard, dirty work.  But, happily, I got to drive the car and make a little money too.  Holding the keys to the Kingdom is not always easy work.  In fact, it demands our whole lives.  The ministry of reconciliation, and living out the Good News of God’s love, grace and forgiveness in Christ can be very challenging.  The power of sin, death and evil are usually close at hand.  But, we can rejoice in the fact that Christ is always closer.  Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, is the Key.  The cross and the resurrection assure us of that. 

Peace,

Bishop Mike

Thanks for reading.