After telling Peter that wonderful secret about His church, Jesus said to him, “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” (Matt. 16:1919And 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 16:19)).
When we look up into the sky on a starry night, and see those billions of stars shining in their glory so far above us, perhaps it makes us feel that heaven must be very, very far away. But though heaven may seem far away, we know that what takes place on this earth is of very great interest in heaven, and even while we are down here we may enter into the kingdom of heaven.
It was after Jesus went back to heaven that the keys of the kingdom of heaven were given to Peter, that he might open the door for all who would turn from their sins and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. The first time he used the keys three thousand of his own nation pressed in at the open door. The key that let in the Gentiles was used later on, when Cornelius the centurion, his family and friends, were let in. Since then millions of men and women and children have entered the kingdom of heaven, and all by the door that Peter unlocked.
You must not think that the keys he was given were great iron ones, keys of that sort could never have opened the way into the kingdom of heaven; but Peter was the first to preach to the Jews and to tell them that though they had so wickedly put Jesus to death on the cross, God had raised Him from the dead and set Him on His throne, and made Him Lord and Christ. By preaching to them about Jesus he opened the door and showed the only way by which they could enter the kingdom of heaven. They must change their minds about Jesus, and instead of refusing and rejecting Him, they must believe in Him and be baptized in His name, confessing their terrible wickedness in crucifying Him.
Peter was the first, too, to tell the Gentiles that Jesus is the One whom God has appointed to be the Judge of living and dead, and that we must believe on Him and receive forgiveness of our many sins.
Have you, yourself, entered the kingdom of heaven by the door that Peter opened? If so, you have come under the rule of heaven, and your everyday life shows whether or not you are an obedient subject to Him who is heaven’s King. Though you have been a rebel up till now, there is mercy for you if you will submit and enter the door into the kingdom, for Jesus has gone up into heaven and received gifts even for the rebellious. He will make your heart loving and submissive, if you will come to Him and pray:
“In the kingdom of Thy grace,
Give a little child a place.”
Even if you were quite grown up this prayer would still suit you, for it was to men Jesus said, “Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.”