Keys of the Kingdom
Keys of the Kingdom • Pastor Chris Pletcher • November 2nd, 2025
For the next several weeks, I will be leading us through a teaching series that I am calling “Keys of the Kingdom.” My hope is to focus on principles of God’s unshakable Kingdom so that we can be equipped to use the keys that Jesus has entrusted to us.
Matthew 16:13–19
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
1. Jesus told us that it was HIS JOB to build the church.
This ekklesia—the “called out ones”—would be a gathering of those who have been called out of darkness and into His Kingdom.
Colossians 1:13–14
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
The promise to build the church and the promise of its victory are exclusively upheld by Jesus—that is incredible news!
So our job is to learn how to use the keys that we might build the Kingdom. As we focus on Kingdom living, Jesus Himself will take care of building His church.
2. What is the Kingdom?
Philippians 3:20–21
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
→ The Kingdom is the realm of our truest citizenship.
Hebrews 1:8–9
“But of the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.’”
→ The Kingdom is the realm that Jesus righteously rules over.
Romans 14:17
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
→ The Kingdom has a culture that is antithetical to the earthly realm.
3. How do we access this realm?
By learning to use the keys!
John 3:1–6
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?”
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
But first… a miracle must take place if we are to “see” and to “enter” the Kingdom. This miracle of salvation is a spiritual rebirth that takes place by grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.
Titus 3:4–7
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Those who have been reborn through faith in the blood of Jesus have had their citizenship transferred to the realm of heaven. As newborn spiritual children, we begin an entirely new growth process called discipleship—learning the culture of heaven and growing into spiritual maturity by learning to use the keys that Jesus gave us.
Notice the emphasis on “the Spirit” in this passage. These keys are not carnal, earthly principles. They are heavenly, spiritual realities that we must learn to access by faith.
Example of an earthly law: Gravity
Example of a spiritual law: “Seek first the Kingdom of God.”
Human instinct says, “There is so much that I need and want to do today! Bills to pay, children to raise, work to get done, chores to accomplish, fun to be had, people to spend time with and adventures to go on! And my happiness is contingent upon my ability to manage all of these things in my life.”
But Jesus says, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.”
It takes faith to order our lives in this way. When we do, we will experience that spiritual laws simply work—just like gravity. It is part of a heavenly culture that Jesus revealed to us through His teaching. When we learn to use the keys, they give us access to the Kingdom realm—“on earth as it is in heaven.”
Discipleship is simply learning how to use the Keys of the Kingdom to pull heaven’s culture down into our lives.
Where do we find these keys?
In the teachings of Jesus, the greatest Rabbi of all time. His sermons and His parables contain a treasury of Kingdom Keys that give us access into the unshakable nature of His Kingdom. Go seek them out!
Matthew 5:1–10
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
The Way of Blessing
Blessed = makarios = happy!
Romans 14:17
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
It begins with righteousness—simply put, what is right in heaven’s culture. The question to ask is always, “Does this please the Lord?” If it pleases God, it’s right. He loves righteousness!
When we live in a way that pleases God, we are at peace with Him. Righteousness is the foundation for true peace. The fruit of a life that pleases God and is at peace with Him is joy. This is the blessed way of the Kingdom.
The meek and the merciful, the pure and the peacemakers, the spiritually hungry—these are the people who have learned how to use the Keys of the Kingdom to enter God’s realm and bring heaven’s culture to the earth.
Let’s Pray
Jesus, thank you for causing me to be born again and for transferring me into your eternal Kingdom! You are the best teacher, and I want to learn how to use the keys of the Kingdom that you have given me. Show me how to unlock heaven in my life by choosing to walk by faith and access the spiritual nature of Your Kingdom on the earth. The world around me is shaking, but I am a citizen of an unshakable Kingdom! Help me to pull down heaven’s culture into my world. Let Your Kingdom come, let Your will be done, on earth and in my life as it is in heaven. Amen!