Manifesting the Kingdom of God pt. 8

Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is

designed to uplift and strengthen you in your

walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until

the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive

right in. I'm going to pray in this dimension.

Psalm 55. Verse 22. It says, cast your burdens

on the Lord and he shall sustain you. Hallelujah.

Does this sound like an instruction? Amen? Does

this sound like an instruction to us this morning.

Cast your burdens. Do we have burdens? If you

don't have a burden, you can sit down. But do

you know that you can even generate a burden

now? Right? Amen? It says, cast your burdens

on the Lord. On who? On your parents? On your

pastors? Some of you, your body is overwhelming

on us. You are meant to just share it with us,

but you are casting it on us. Hallelujah. The

scripture says, cast your burden on the Lord

and he shall sustain you. He shall never permit

the righteous to be moved. He will never permit,

it's a promise of the Lord, that he will never

permit the righteous to be moved. When we come

to the New Testament, we will see where he says,

for he cares for you affectionately. Cast your

burdens on the Lord, for he cares for you affectionately.

So I want you to just, whatever burden he came

into this place with, Whatever body he came into

this place with. Listen, God is here. God is

in our midst. Hallelujah. One of the things that

happened in this place, as the people of God

gather, is that God lifts up burdens in people's

hearts. Amen. And that is what God has started

in this place. And God is lifting up burdens

in people's hearts. So I just want you to just

communicate that thing that is a burden in your

heart. No matter how big it is. No matter how

small it is. Take advantage of the move of God

in our midst. The steering of God in this place.

And communicate to God. Now open your mouth and

speak to God. Open your mouth and speak to God.

Speak to God. Speak to God. I want to hear somebody

speaking to God concerning your circumstance.

Speak to God concerning your circumstance. Speak

to God passionately concerning what is the burden

in your heart. Just like the woman in the temple

praying to God expecting a child, Praying to

God, I want you to just pray fervently concerning

what the burden is. Concerning what the burden

is. Speak to God concerning that burden. God

is doing something in this hour. The power of

God is here to meet our needs. The power of God

is here to meet your needs. Speak to God concerning

that thing. Make sure you're praying. Thank you,

family. concerning your family. Shalikapatusa

kata lapatusekitakaya. Ashalimbranasisketia.

Alipranusakata lapranisketia. Mangapatusa kata

kata kata kata kata. Ilaparusekata lambranasisketia.

Mangapatusulupranusite. Ishalapusakaya. Mangapatia.

Maripasusakata. Malapranisisekite. Ishalusakaya.

Nevabisale, nevabisale, nevabisale. Speak to

God. Speak to God concerning that issue, concerning

that matter, concerning that matter. God is interested

in your situation. The Bible says he will never

allow the righteous to be moved. He will never

allow the righteous to be moved. Just speak to

God at this hour. Speak to God concerning that

matter in your family, in your life, in your

family, in your life, in your ministry, in your

work, even in the practical part of your life,

whatever it is, whatever burden it is. Speak

to God. Speak to God. . . . . . . . . Speak to

God. That is why we are here. We are here to

pray. That's what we do in the garden of the

believers. We pray. We pray. We pray. Say, Lord,

this is what is disturbing my heart. This is

what is disturbing my heart. This is what is

disrupting my peace. Father, we thank you, Lord,

that you are meeting our needs. Thank you, Lord,

that you are meeting our needs. Thank you, Jesus,

that you are meeting our needs. You are meeting

our needs. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Holy

Ghost. Thank you, Father, that you are meeting

our needs. Every practical need in this house

is met in the name of Jesus Christ. Every practical

need in Christ is met in the name of Jesus Christ.

We shall never be moved. Hallelujah. Now, please,

when you leave this place, make sure that you

live with a free mind. Hallelujah. Some of you,

if you come to church, as though you drop your

burdens by the door, and when you are leaving,

you pick it up again and you continue throughout

the week. Hallelujah. When you lay your burdens

before God, you leave it there. Amen? Leaving

it there simply means that you don't worry about

it. Leaving it there simply means that you trust

God's ability to cater for your needs. Leaving

it there simply means that you trust God's ability

to answer the desires of your heart. Hallelujah.

So I just want to encourage you in this place,

not only today, but continuously. inculcate the

habit of committing everything that disturbs

your heart to God. And trusting that God is sufficient.

You see, the reason for depression, the reason

why someone will wake up and say, I'm depressed,

is because you carry your problems so much on

your own head. And you forget that you have a

God that is interested in every detail of your

life. Amen? So I want to encourage you that this

should be a habit that at no time, in fact, when

you catch yourself worrying, sometimes it happens

to me. Amen? I'll discover that I'm going out

of order. Going out of order will mean that I'm

not living in joy. Hallelujah. The spirit of

God in you is a spirit of what? It's a spirit

of joy. So at all times, the believer ought to

be full of joy. Regardless of whatever things

that are happening in the external, we are not

saying that challenges will not come. Amen? There

is no promise that problems will not come. But

even when problems come, the believer is stable.

Hallelujah. Because we are sure that we are not

without help. We are sure that God is our help.

We are sure that God is able to rescue us in

all situations. Hallelujah. So I want you to

be encouraged by this. I want you to be encouraged

by this because I sense in my heart that a lot

of people have burdens in their heart. And I

trust that every burden is lifted up in Jesus'

name. Amen. Hallelujah. Let's have our seats.

Let's have our seats. Matthew chapter 16. Matthew

Matthew 16 · chapter mention Matthew 16 · chapter mention

chapter 16. I want to welcome everybody to church

this morning. Turn to your left and right and

welcome your brother, your sister, and say, You're

welcome to church. If the face by your right

or your left is new, say, What is your name?

Ask the person's name. Amen. Matthew chapter

Matthew 16:18

16, verse 18 and 19. Matthew 16, verse 18 and

Matthew 16:18

19. I want to welcome those who traveled and

are back. I can see some faces that have been

away for a while and some couple of new students

that have joined us freshly. You're welcome.

Matthew 16, verse 18. And also I say to you that

Matthew 16:18

you are Peter. And on this rock I will build

my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail

against it. Verse 19. And 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 where? In heaven.

Hallelujah. So, we confirm that from the foundation

of the world, God is building a house. God is

doing something. God is working. God is building

a house from the foundation of the world. From

the inception of time, God is doing something.

And that house is not a fiscal house, but it's

something spiritual that God is doing. Hallelujah.

That house is what we see as the family of God.

That house is what we see as a church of God,

that God intends to build a family of people.

And all nations we saw shall flow to this house

of God, to this family of God. The intention

of God, is to have a people that are called His

own. The intention of God is to have a people

who are called by His name. And this encompasses

all nations. All nations. The house of God, we

saw, will be constituted of people from every

tribe of the nation. It doesn't matter where

you're coming from. It doesn't matter your nationality.

It doesn't matter your skin color. It doesn't

matter your level of education, the intention

of God is to have all nation in His house, in

His family, the house of God. Every tribe, every

race, every tongue, and of course, every gender.

Two genders, the two genders. Hallelujah. Now,

we saw that the Father's house is not just a

building, even though we see in the In the writings

of the Old Testament scriptures, the writings

of Moses and God's way of communicating to the

prophets of old, we see fiscal buildings, constructions

of houses and of temples. We see when David wanted

to build a temple for God and then God executed

this plan through his son Solomon. And we see

when Moses came, Moses instituted the tabernacle.

And over and over and then we see the continuity

of that even to the time of Christ. And we see

where Jesus Christ was speaking today to the

disciples in Matthew 24 from verse 1 and 2 about

the destruction of the physical temple. And we

say that the physical temple is actually God's

way of communicating what he will do in the spirit.

Hallelujah. That a physical temple is only a

representation. It is not the real thing. It

is only a way of communication of God. That God

is communicating his plan and his purpose. Let's

look at Matthew 24 once again to remind ourselves.

And of course, for the interest of those who

are not here in the previous weeks. Matthew 24,

from verse 1 to 3. Then Jesus went out and departed

from the temple, and his disciples came up to

show him the buildings of the temple. So they

were showing him the magnificence of the temple,

how glorious the construction is. And Jesus said

to them, Do you not see all these things? That

is referring to the building. As surely I say

to you, not one stone shall be left here upon

another. that shall not be thrown down. Now,

as he sat on the mountain of olives, the disciples

came to him privately, saying, Tell us, when

will these things be? And what will be the sign

of your coming and of the end of the age? And

we say that the question that was asked in verse

3 was concerning what Jesus Christ said in the

previous two verses about the destruction of

the temple. And in our stories, we saw that Jesus

Christ was telling them that the error of these

sacrifices that are done in the temple will end.

That the error of animal sacrifices, the error

of ceremonial washings that are done in the temple

will end. And God will introduce a new system.

And this new system is what is called... It is

actually what is eternal. It is what is spiritual.

Hallelujah. And this new system that God will

bring to be will be in the death and the resurrection

of Jesus Christ. When Jesus Christ dies and is

rose again, he's going to usher in a new system

of worship, a new system of interaction with

people. And we call this system the family of

God. We call this system... The kingdom of God.

We call this new system the church of God. Hallelujah.

And in Matthew 16 verse 19, we see Jesus similarly

Matthew 16:19

communicating the plan that he had. Let's go

back to that Matthew 16 verse 19. He says, and

Matthew 16:19

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.

The keys of the kingdom of heaven. So we also

saw from the scriptures previously that the house,

that this house or this temple or this that God

is building is also referred to as land, as a

land. That is in God's way of communication to

Abraham, he promised them a land, a people, a

nation, to Isaac and also to Jacob. And we are

able to see from Hebrews that this land, is a

city, the city of God. The heavenly Jerusalem.

Heavenly refers to something spiritual, not a

physical Jerusalem, but a heavenly Jerusalem.

Something that is not physical, but something

that is spiritual. And we saw that this land,

this heavenly Jerusalem, is also called the church

of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 11, verse 8. Verse 8.

Hebrews 11:8

Hebrews. Yes. Hebrews 11 from verse 8 to 16.

It says, By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was

called to go out to the place which he will receive

as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing

where he was going. By faith, he dwelled in the

land of promise. So what God promised was a land.

What God promised was a country. By faith he

dwelt in the land of promise, as in a foreign

country dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob,

the heirs with him of the same promise. So it

means that the promise of God to Abraham is the

same promise that was given to Jacob, to Isaac,

to Jacob, even to the children of Israel. For

he waited. This is what Abraham waited for. This

is what Abraham was promised. For he waited for

the city which has foundations. whose builder

and maker is who? It's God. That wouldn't be

an earthly nation built by men. So what Abraham

was promised was something spiritual, something

that is built by God. By faith, Sarah herself

also received strength to conceive seed, and

she bore a child when she was past the age, because

she judged him faithful, Who has what? Has promised.

God has promised. And God is faithful. Therefore

from one man and him as good as death were born

as many as the stars of the sky in multitude,

innumerable as the sun which is by the seashore.

This wouldn't be the nation of Israel of today.

Hallelujah. Because the nation of Israel today

are not... are not as much as even Nigeria, where

I come from. They're not even half of my country.

So we can say that they are the fulfillment of

God's promise. Amen? So these all died in faith,

not having received the promises, but having

seen them afar off, were assured of them, embraced

them, and confessed that indeed they were strangers

and pilgrims on earth. For those who say such

things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.

The word homeland here refers to a community.

Hallelujah. It refers to a community. And truly,

if they had called to mind that country from

which they had come out, they would have had

an opportunity to return. But now they desire

a better. Now the word better here, We always

explain to you, it means something permanent.

Amen? Beta here refers to something permanent.

They desire something permanent. That is a spiritual

country. Heavenly refers to what? Spiritual.

Something spiritual. So, they desire something

permanent. They desire a spiritual country. Therefore,

God... It's not a shame to be called their God.

For he has prepared a city for them. And we explained

this city on Wednesday. We said this city, what

does the word city refer to? Of course, from

the Greek word polis, right? It means what? People.

For he has prepared a people for them. For he

has prepared a family for them. Alright? So the

plan of God is what? It's a family. It's a family.

Hallelujah. Let's jump to chapter 12, verse 22.

Hebrews 12, 22. But you have come to Mount Zion

and to the city to the family, to the community,

to the country, to the church of the living God,

the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company

of angels, to the general assembly and church

of the firstborn, who are registered in heaven,

to God the judge of all, To the spirits of just

men made perfect. To Jesus, the mediator of the

new covenant and to the blood of the sprinkling

that speaks better things than the blood of a

bell. Hallelujah. So we see that the culmination

of the explanation of all that God is doing or

what God will do is that he is establishing his

family on earth. what we call their household,

what we call the church. Hallelujah. Now, the

promise that God made to Abraham, to Isaac and

Jacob, was also made to David. Now, let's look

at David. 2 Samuel 7. 2 Samuel 7, verse 12. I

2 Samuel 7:12

just want you to see the consistency of God's

plan. Once God says something, He ensured that

what? That that didn't come to pass. Hallelujah.

And we saw earlier on in Psalms, He said that

He will never allow, it is not in God's, it is

not in God's attitude or culture to allow the

righteous to be moved. Amen? It is not in God's

character to allow the righteous to be forsaken.

And God is committed to His words. The psalmist

will say that since I was young and now I am

old, I have never seen what? The sons of the

righteous do what? Huh? Is he forsaking or begging?

Begging for bread. Hmm? Okay. He has never seen

the righteous forsaking. No, he sits. Doing what?

Begging for bread. And you hear such kind of

promise and then you say you are depressed. It's

impossible because God is consistent. God is

consistent in his promises. And all through scriptures

we'll see the consistency of God. God's consistency

goes beyond your own inconsistency. Because God

is not dependent on you to take an action. Hallelujah.

The idea of salvation is not because we requested

for it. Amen. It was on a plan of man. Man never

sat down and negotiated with God. Please God,

can you come and die for us? Because we have

a problem. No. God originated the plan for our

salvation. And he designed the plan how it will

be executed. And he alone executed it. Amen.

So it was not, man never contributed in God's

plan. of saving men because no one can do it.

He became man so that he would die to save men.

Hallelujah. Now let's go back to God's promise

to David. It says, when your days are fulfilled

and you rest with your fathers, I will set up

your seed. Is this similar to what we see in

Abraham? A seed, right? Similar to who? To Isaac,

a seat. Similar to who? To Jacob, a seat. I will

set up your seat after you. Who will come from

your body? And I will establish his kingdom.

He shall build a house for my name. This seat

shall build a house for my name. And I will establish

the throne of his kingdom forever. Hallelujah.

I will be his father and he shall be my son.

If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with

the rod of men and with the blows of the sons

of men. This part is concerning Solomon. Hallelujah.

But my mercy shall not depart from him as I took

it. Amen. Verse 16. Amen. The house is also the

kingdom, right? Amen. The house is also the kingdom,

right? Forever before you. Your throne shall

be established. How? Forever. And we see this

promise also reiterated in 1 Chronicles 17. Another

place where this promise was reiterated. 1 Chronicles

17 from verse 11. 1 Chronicles 17 verse 11. 11

1 Chronicles 17:11

to 14. And it shall be that when your days are

fulfilled. When you must go to be with your fathers,

that I will set up your seat, that I will set

up your seat after you, who will be of your sons.

And I will establish his kingdom. And I will

establish his kingdom. He shall build me a house,

and I will establish his throne forever. Verse

13, yes. I will be his father and he shall be

my son. And I will not take my mercy away from

him as I took it from him who was before you.

And I will establish him in my house and in my

kingdom forever. And his throne shall be established

forever. Hallelujah. Now the mercy that God took

away from Saul is actually the plan of God. Amen.

Hallelujah. Now, we'll find time to explain that

subsequently. Psalms 89. We're looking at how

God declared the promises to David. Psalms 89

Psalms 89:3

verse 3. Psalms 89 verse 3. I have made a covenant

Psalms 89:3

with my chosen. I have sworn to my servant David.

What is the covenant? Let's look at it. Next

verse. Your seat I will establish forever. Whenever

you see God establishing the seat of David, you

will see it is forever. Consistently, it is forever.

And build up your throne to all generations.

Hallelujah. To all generations. Sila. Now, if

you are smart, you will ask this question. Today,

do we still see the throne of David in existence

today? Do we still see the son of David on the

throne of David today as a physical kingdom,

as a physical throne? Which means that what God

was promising was not something physical. was

something that is forever, something that is

eternal, was something that is spiritual, but

communicated using physical things. Hallelujah.

Now from the promise, we would be tempted to

think, oh, that is Solomon, that is a promise

of God. Similarly, the way we can easily think

of Isaac as a promise to Abraham. This house

of David, which is also called the kingdom of

David, the Bible says, will last forever. The

seed will also reign over the house of David

forever. Hallelujah. Now, the prophet Isaiah

will later give clarity about this seed of David

that will last forever, that will reign forever.

In Isaiah 9, verse 6 -7, we will see that the

Isaiah 9:6–7

prophet clarified that this He's talking about

the Messiah. Isaiah 9 verse 6. It says, for unto

Isaiah 9:6

us a child is born and unto us a son is given

and the government will be upon his shoulder

and his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor,

Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Verse 7. Of the increase of his government and

peace, there will be no end. Which means that

he is eternal. Upon the throne of David. Upon

where? Upon the throne of David and over his

kingdom to order it and establish it with judgment

and justice from that time forward. Even forever.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do what? will

perform this. So, the prophet Isaiah clarified

that this promise concerning the throne, the

kingdom of David, the house of David, is actually

the prophecy concerning the Messiah who will

come and establish the kingdom, the house of

David forever. Hallelujah. Also, in Luke chapter

Luke 1:32

1 verse 32, we will see that when the angel appeared

to Mary, he clarified his mission. Luke chapter

Luke 1:32

1 verse 32. Luke chapter 1 verse 32. This is

Luke 1:32

what the angel said to Mary. He says, he will

be great and will be called the son of the highest.

Talking about the baby that will be born. He

will be called the son of the highest and the

Lord God will give him what? What will the Lord

God give him? He will give him the throne of

his father, David. And he will reign over the

house of Jacob forever. And of his kingdom, what

will happen? There will be no end. So it therefore

means that that seed of David that will reign

over the kingdom, the throne of David, the house

of David forever, is actually God's communication,

God's communicating his plan of the coming Messiah.

who will reign forever. Hallelujah. Now, people

also recognize Jesus as the son of David. Amen.

It is important that we see in scriptures that

not only did the angel pronounce Jesus as the

son of David, but men who existed during that

time also understood by prophecy that this is

the Messiah. And the scriptures have spoken that

the Messiah will come in the lineage of David.

That the Messiah will be called the son of David.

That the Messiah will come and inherit the throne

of David, the kingdom of David, the house of

David. Let's look at an example. The blind man

in Luke chapter 18 verse 38. Luke chapter 18

Luke 18:38 Luke 18:38

verse 38. 38 and 39. And he cried out, saying,

Jesus, son of Joseph, son of Joseph. But I was

thinking Joseph was the father of Jesus. But

he said, that means that the blind man had an

understanding of Jesus as prophesied by scriptures,

that this is a Messiah. And this man, this Messiah

is actually in the lineage of David. And he cried

out saying, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on

me. Meaning that the Messiah will come along

with mercy. Alright? Have mercy on me. Then those

who went before warned him that he should be

quiet. But he cried out, out loud. Meaning that

he didn't make mistakes. It wasn't a mistake

that he called on the son of David. He cried

out a second time, son of David, have mercy on

me. Also the Canaanite woman, Matthew 15, 22.

The woman from Canaan, Matthew. I think this

woman is a gentile, right? I presume this woman

should be a gentile. Maybe we'll look at it.

And behold, a woman from Canaan came from the

region and cried out to him, saying, Have mercy

on me, O Lord. Son of who? Son of David. Son

of David, my daughter is severely demon -possessed.

So she recognized Jesus as who? As the son of

David, with whom will inherit the promise of

the kingdom of David that has been prophesied

in the scriptures. Matthew 21, verse 9. Matthew

Matthew 21:9 Matthew 21:9

21, verse 9. Then the multitude who went before

and those who followed cried out saying, Hosanna

to the son of David. Blessed is he who comes

in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

So the crowd also prophetically envisioned Jesus

as the Messiah and see him as the one who will

inherit the throne or the kingdom of David. Hallelujah.

Or the house of David. Amen. So similarly, we

will see that the prophet Isaiah also prophesied

about the keys of the house of David. We saw

this on Wednesday. Isaiah 22, from Isaiah 22.

Isaiah 22, verse 23. Then it shall be in that

Isaiah 22:23

day, and I will call myself an Eliakim now. Eliakim

is actually a character in the scriptures. But

prophetically, these words were not about Eliakim,

but it's about the Messiah. Hallelujah. Because

Eliakim is a type, it's a typology of Jesus.

Just like Moses is a type of Jesus, just like

some characters in the scriptures are a type

of Jesus, but not Jesus himself. They represent

Jesus. Hallelujah. Then it shall be in that day

that I will call my servant Eliakim, the son

of Hilkiah. I will clothe him with your rope

and strengthen him with your belt. I will commit

your responsibility into his hand. He shall be

a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and

to the house of Judah. The key of the house of

David. I will lay on his shoulder. So the key,

right, will be laid where? On his shoulder. Do

you sound like Isaiah chapter 9? The government

Isaiah 9 · chapter mention

on his shoulder. Power, authority. Key on his

shoulders. Hallelujah. The key of the house of

David, I will lay on his shoulder. So he shall

open and no one shall shut. And he shall shut.

and no one shall open. I will fasten him as a

pick in a secure place and he will become a glorious

throne to his father's house. Do you read verse

23? Yes, verse 23. So Eliakim, It's a foreshadowing

of Christ. It's a foreshadowing of Christ. We'll

see this explained in Revelation 3, verse 7.

Revelation 3:7

Make a reference to this. Revelation 3, verse

Revelation 3:7

7. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia,

write, This thing says he who is holy, he who

is true, he who has the key of what? He who has

the key of David. He's talking about the Messiah.

He who has the key of David. He who opens and

no one shuts. And shuts and no one opens. Talking

about Jesus Christ. Hallelujah. So in Matthew

18, 16 verse 19. We will see Jesus makes a promise.

Let's go back to Matthew, our key scripture,

Matthew 18 verse 19. Jesus makes a promise. And

Matthew 18:19

what is a promise? He made a promise. He says,

I will give you. He's not saying take the key,

but rather it's a promise. It's still a promise.

He says, I will give you the keys of the kingdom.

And for those that have been following us, he

said these keys is not plural. It's translators,

right? that made it plural. Okay? He says, 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 lose on earth will

be loosed in heaven. And we noted that the church

and the kingdom are synonymous. The church and

the kingdom are synonymous. The kingdom of heaven

is where God rules and reigns. The church is

supernatural. The church is supernatural. Hallelujah.

It's where God reigns. The church is not a social

gathering. It's not a club. It's a supernatural

reality. Hallelujah. All of us that are here

belongs to a supernatural family. We belong to

a supernatural family, meaning that we are spiritual.

I want you to know that the keys, as mentioned

in verse 19 of Matthew 16, is used, the word

keys is used as a metaphor for access. The word

keys is a metaphor. For what? For access. So

what Jesus will be saying to Peter in this verse

is that I'll give you the access to what? I'll

give you the access to what? To the kingdom of

God. I will give you the access to the kingdom

of God. I'll give you that. What access is also

authority. We've seen it previously. I'll give

you the authority of what? Of the kingdom. I'll

give you the access which refers to authority.

We can use power. Amen? Keys is the word kleis

in the Greek. K -L -E -I -S in the Greek. Which

metaphorically can also be referred to as power

or authority since the keeper of the keys, he

who holds the keys, has the power or authority

to open or to shut. Amen? So, Jesus made this

promise to Peter. He says, and I will give you

the keys. He will give the keys because he actually

has it. Jesus will give the keys because he has

the key. The key has been delivered to him. So,

what will the key mean? We said it means access,

right? It will enable Peter to do what? To open

and close, will it? With a key, he'll be able

to bind and also what? And also loose with a

key, with the access. So when will this key be

given? When will this key be given? Huh? When

will this key be given? Because Jesus was making

a promise. So this key, will be given in the

resurrection of Jesus Christ. The key, Lord,

is a promise that will be given when Jesus has

died and he rose again. So the key is a product

of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. If Jesus

has not died, he can't hand over the key to Peter.

Hallelujah. So the key is a product of Jesus'

death. His burial and His resurrection. How did

we come to this conclusion that is actually a

product of Jesus' resurrection? When we look

at the subsequent verses from Matthew 16, we

discover that in the same line, Jesus went on

to begin to speak about His death. Matthew 16,

Matthew 16:21

verse 21. Yes, yes, from verse 20, verse 21.

Give me verse 21. Verse 21, yes. It says, from

that time, Jesus began to show to his disciples

that he must go to Jerusalem and do what? And

suffer many things from the elders and the chief

priests and scribes and be killed and be raised

the third day. Then Peter, because Peter did

not understand, he took Jesus aside and began

to chasten him and began to rebuke Jesus, saying,

far be it, God forbid. Far be it from you, Lord.

This shall not happen to you. But how will you

have the key? How will you have access to the

kingdom if I do not go? Alright? But he turned

and said to Peter, Get behind me, Satan. Now,

Peter is not Satan. Let's clarify this, alright?

And then, We cannot prove that Satan entered

Peter. Except we assume. Hallelujah. So, Satan,

the word Satan, we've learned that it's what?

It's opposition, right? It's a word for opposition.

So, you can be a Satan in this context. I'm not

saying you are the devil. And I hope that nobody

is from the devil in this place. And I hope that

all of us believe and we are from God. Hallelujah.

So Satan, the word Satan here means opposition.

Anything that is an opposition is a Satan. The

word Satan is an opposition. So Jesus said to

Peter, get behind me, the Satan. You are an offense

to me for you are not mindful of the things of

God, but the things of men. For the things of

men. For it was necessary for the Christ to die.

It was necessary for the Messiah to die so that

he can hand over the keys of the kingdom to men.

It was necessary that the Messiah must die that

he will hand over the access to the kingdom to

Peter, to men. Hallelujah. So we can ask again.

Is this key a literal key or something spiritual?

Huh? Spiritual? Is this talking of something

spiritual? Oh, I wish we could have printed some

keys today, Pastor Chidi. And then we can share

in church today the keys of the kingdom. But

then, it's talking of something spiritual, right?

Something that is not physical, but something

that is spiritual. Hallelujah. It is not material.

So what did Jesus give at the resurrection? We

concluded that this key will be given at the

resurrection, right? So what is this key that

Jesus gave at the resurrection? What is this

key that Jesus gave at the resurrection? Not

many keys. It's just one key. What did Jesus

give at his resurrection? Any clue? Jesus gave

us his spirit as a resurrection. Hallelujah.

So the keys, or what we call the key, the access

to the kingdom is actually the spirit. Jesus

gave the spirit at the resurrection. John chapter

John 14:16

14 verse 16. John chapter 14 verse 16 to 20.

John 14:16–20

Let's look at it. And I will pray the father.

That is before dying and rising from the dead.

And I will pray the father. And he will give

you another helper. In fact, this is the only

thing that Jesus promised that he would give

if he searched through all the scriptures. And

I'll give you another helper that he may abide

with you forever. The spirit of truth whom the

world cannot receive because it neither sees

him nor knows him, but you know him for he dwells

with you and will be In you. And I will not leave

you orphans. I will come to you. A little while

longer. And the world will see me no more. But

you will see me because I live. You will live

also. At that day you will know that I am in

my father. And you in me. And I in you. So before

Jesus' death and resurrection, he promised the

Holy Spirit. He gave the gift of the indwelling

of the Spirit at the resurrection. So do we have

the key of the kingdom? Amen? Does the believer

have the access to the kingdom of God? Does the

believer have the access, the authority of the

kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven? Hallelujah.

Do we have the authority of the church? Amen?

The summary of everything Jesus gave at the resurrection

is called the Spirit. We can accumulate everything

and call it the Spirit. Pneumatica. Or is it

pneumaticus, right? We can classify everything

that Jesus did as what? As the Spirit. That is

what he gave us at his resurrection. The indwelling

of the Spirit in the believer. See, before Jesus

died, and when he died and rose again, the only

difference is that the Spirit lives in men. Amen?

Because before Jesus died, miracles were done.

Isn't it? Healings were done, isn't it? Jesus

healed the sick. The apostles performed miracles.

Even in the Old Testament, people performed miracles.

Hallelujah. So, Jesus' death and burial and resurrection

is not really what ushered in the miraculous.

Amen? The miraculous has been in existence even

before he died. Hallelujah. But remember, the

miraculous is a pointer to the fact that the

indwelling will happen. That the Spirit will

live in men and men will perform the works of

the Spirit. Hallelujah. So having the keys will

enable the believer. When the believer has the

keys, what will happen? The believer will be

able to bind and loose. Hallelujah. So we have

the keys, amen, of the kingdom. So we can bind

and loose. Can we bind and loose? Right? So what

does it mean to bind and to loose? Who can help

us? Eh? I want someone randomly to just help

us so we can cross this chapter. What does it

mean to bind and loose? Eh? To what? I didn't

hear. To imprison. Imprison who? Yes, to imprison

people. Anybody from school in training center

should not answer. Binding and losing. Matthew

Matthew 18 · chapter mention

chapter 18. Let's look at one here. I was hoping

we would have more time to explain this binding

and losing. Anyway, Matthew 18. Verse 15 to 20.

So we have the spirit in us. All right? We have

the access to the kingdom. We have the key, the

keys to the kingdom. So we have the ability to

bind and to loose. Isn't it? We have the capacity

to bind and to loose. Hallelujah. So Matthew

Matthew 18:15

chapter 18 verse 15. Moreover, if your brother

sins against you, Go and tell him his fault between

you and him alone. If he hates you, you have

gained your brother. But if he will not hear,

take with you one or two more, that by the mouth

of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

Verse 17. And if he refuses to hear them, tell

it to the ecclesia, the church. But if he refuses

even to hear the church, let him be to you like

a heathen. Verse 19. Again, I say to you that

if two of you agree on earth concerning anything

that they ask, it will be done for them by my

Father in heaven. For where two or three are

gathered together in my name, I am there in their

midst. Hallelujah. So we'll see from this, this

connects with the key of David, right? Isaiah

Isaiah 22:22

22, verse 22. And Revelation chapter 3, verse

Revelation 3:7

7. Showing authority. Jesus giving authority

to the church, to his church, to act on the earth

under heaven's backing. So I want you to know

Matthew 18, 18 is related to what? Forgiveness

and reconciliation. The context of the conversation

here. You don't bind and lose people. Amen. Or

this is not talking about spiritual forces. You

bind and you cast. And people have read this

scripture wrongly when they want to cast devils.

They read this scripture, it's a misappropriation

of scripture. Of course, we have authority to

what? To cast out devils, right? But this is

not a scripture for casting out devils. The context

of the communication here is what? It's reconciliation

of the brethren. The forgiveness that happens,

the forgiveness. Hallelujah. So it is related

to the forgiveness and reconciliation within

the church. As the context suggests, it is not

for cursing demons and spirits. So, let's briefly,

as we close, examine Jesus' instruction at the

resurrection as recorded in John 20. Remember

I gave was a hint that the binding and losing

is in relation to what? Forgiveness and what?

And reconciliation. Binding and losing is in

connection to what? Forgiveness and reconciliation

of sins. This one we see is in relationship between

brothers and sisters in the church. Amen. So

whatever they bind and lose simply means whatever

they've agreed concerning what offense has been

done. Hallelujah. Now in John chapter 20 verse

John 20:19

19. John 20 verse 19. Then the same day at the

John 20:19

evening, being the first day of the week, when

the doors were shut, where the disciples were

assembled for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and

stood in the midst and said to them, Peace be

with you. When he had said this, he showed them

his hands and his side. Then the disciples were

glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to

them, Peace to you. As the Father has sent me,

I also sent you. As the Father has sent me, I

also sent you. And when he had said this, he

breathed on them and said to them, Receive the

Holy Spirit. The next verse. Now look at this

statement very carefully. If you forgive the

sins of any, what has happened? They are forgiving

them. If you retain the sins of any, they are

what? They are retained. Amen? If you forgive,

but first of all, he breathed on them. Now, we're

going to see, we know when the Spirit was given,

right? In this text, we didn't see the Spirit.

He breathed on them and he said, receive ye the

Spirit. But we didn't see the record that they

received the Spirit in this text. We'll see it

later on in Acts. Hallelujah. But then, because

of the spirit that they have, because of the

gift of the indwelling of the spirit that will

come, they can forgive anyone and then the person

will be forgiven. And when they retain somebody's

sin, that sin will be retained. And how does

a believer forgive and retain sin? That's what

we should be asking. How does a believer retain?

and forgive sin. We've noted that the agency

by which we have access to the kingdom of God

is by the Holy Spirit within us. So how does

a believer forgive and retain sin of men? By

preaching the gospel. Amen? By preaching the

gospel, men believe and are forgiven. When the

believer who has the spirit of God in him, who

has the access to the kingdom of God, preach

the gospel and men believe, their sins are forgiven.

By not preaching the gospel, we keep the sins

of men. We return the sins of men by not preaching

the gospel. And they are not forgiven. Hallelujah.

It means, That the forgiveness that men will

receive in this world depends on men. Do you

know why? Because God has given the access to

the kingdom to men. God has given the access,

the authority of the kingdom of heaven to us.

We the church, we have the access to the kingdom.

So we have the responsibility of making men experience

heaven. God shares with us the access. by which

men will come into the house of God, the family

of God, the household of God. Verse 23 means

that the believer is the determinant by which

the men are saved or not. The Christian is a

determinant by which men are forgiven or not.

Hallelujah. So if you as a believer is not preaching

the gospel to the unsaved, what you're doing

is that you are not releasing forgiveness to

them. Amen? You're not releasing forgiveness

to them. So, what have you been doing with the

access that you have? What have you been doing

with the authority of the kingdom that you have?

What have you been doing with the access to the

kingdom that you have? Are you acting like the

Pharisees? Jesus said that the Pharisees, they

themselves did not enter. Right? And they do

not allow others to enter. That was Jesus' problem

with the Pharisees actually. Because of their

conduct, they do not allow others to experience

the kingdom. Because of their irresponsibility,

they don't allow others to see the knowledge

by knowledge. They don't allow people to understand

the kingdom. They themselves are not willing

to understand because of their unbelief. And

then people are not also. able to understand

thereafter experiencing the kingdom. Hallelujah.

Now we're going to see subsequently how we can

exercise the authority of the kingdom. But what

I want to show to you this morning for you to

go on with an understanding that you should have

is that you as the believer has the authority

of the kingdom. And primarily, the authority

vested on you is to bring others into the family.

And whenever you don't preach the gospel, you

are restraining men from receiving forgiveness.

Whenever you preach the gospel and men believe,

you are giving people forgiveness. Hallelujah.

So I want you to say, I forgive sins. I forgive

sins by preaching the gospel. I forgive sins

by preaching the gospel. I bind and I loose by

preaching the gospel. And men are brought into

the kingdom. And men experience the forgiveness

of God. I just want you to pray for yourself

at this moment. And ask God to help you to be

committed to the responsibility Paul would say

that knowing the knowledge, having the knowledge

of God, knowing the terror of God, we persuade

men because we've known God, we persuade men.

We plead with men. Having an understanding of

God's love, we preach the gospel. Paul would

say, what betides me if I don't preach the gospel?

You have a responsibility. I have a responsibility.

We all have a duty to preach the gospel to men,

to bring men into the experience of the kingdom

of God, to bring men into the experience of the

forgiveness of God. You have a responsibility.

And I want you to go into this week committed

to this responsibility. Committed to this responsibility

of telling men about the forgiveness of God.

That God in Jesus Christ has forgiven sins. That

God is no longer holding men accountable because

he has crucified Jesus. He has crucified Jesus

for our sins. Therefore, the debt of sin has

been taken away. Therefore, when men believe

they are forgiven, they are no longer responsible

for sin because God himself has taken the responsibility

upon himself and he has given us Jesus who died

for our sins. If you are a partaker of this free

gift, you have a duty. Because the salvation

you receive comes with a responsibility. And

the responsibility is to tell men about what

you have received. The end goal is that you become

a steward of this message. The message of the

gospel. That men are safe. That men are forgiven

of their sins. That is the plan of God. To populate

heaven. That is the plan of God. To have more

sons in the kingdom. Until next time, stay blessed.