Turn with me to the Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 31. Lord's Day 31. So we're going to be talking about the keys of the kingdom. Lord's Day 31, questions and answers 83 to 85. Please respond to the questions. These are subordinate doctrines that summarize the teachings of what the Bible says. And let's please respond to the questions. What is the office of the keys? The preaching of the Holy Gospel and Christian discipline. By these two, the kingdom of heaven is opened to believers and shut against unbelievers. How is the kingdom of heaven open and shut by the preaching of the Holy Gospel? in this way, that according to the command of Christ, it is proclaimed and openly witnessed to believers, one and all, that as often as they accept with true faith the promise of the gospel, all their sins are really forgiven them of God for the sake of Christ's merits. and on the contrary to all unbelievers and hypocrites that the wrath of God and eternal condemnation abide on them so long as they are not converted. According to this testimony of the gospel, God will judge men both in this life and in that which is to come. How is the kingdom of heaven shut and opened by Christian discipline? In this way, that according to the command of Christ, if any under the Christian name show themselves unsound either in doctrine or in life, and after several brotherly admonitions do not turn from their errors or evil ways, they shall their complaint to the church or to its proper officers. And if they neglect to hear them also, are by them denied the holy sacraments and thereby excluded from the Christian community and by God himself from the kingdom of Christ. And if they promise and show real amendment, they are again received as members of Christ and his church. Amen. So why are we talking about keys? Often our Lord uses simple illustrations to communicate really profound truths. And we can understand keys open and close things, whether doors or cabinets or lockers or whatever. And that's their purpose, to open or close things, either allowing something to enter in or allowing to bar somebody from entering. But we talk about the keys of the kingdom because that's what the language of our Lord Jesus Christ uses in Matthew 16. This comes after the confession, well after the question posed to the disciples, who do you say that I am? And Peter, the disciple Peter, responds by saying, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus responds, blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but by my Father in heaven. And then he continues on by saying this, and also I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 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 in heaven. So we see here the clear language of our Lord using keys of the kingdom. What are those keys of the kingdom? Well, Peter immediately starts using the keys of the kingdom after the event of Pentecost, when he stands up and preaches the gospel, predominantly to his Jewish brethren, but by extension to the world. And as a result of his preaching, the people were cut to the heart. And those who responded in repentance and faith were baptized, and those who rejected the gospel message either walked away or harbored hatred and anger in their hearts. The preaching of the gospel opens the gates of heaven towards all who humbly come to Jesus and place their faith in him. It is open, the invitation is open for all. The call of the gospel is universal. All who come to me, Jesus says, I will by no means cast away. But they respond to what the gospel says, which reveals that you are a sinner in need of a Redeemer. And all those who humble themselves with placing their faith in Jesus, the kingdom of God will be open to them. This is a marvelous reality that does not exist for many other things. Faith comes by hearing the gospel, it doesn't come through music, it doesn't come through any other means other than the proclamation of the word and of the gospel. But the preaching of the gospel also closes to all those who reject the gospel. The other key that Christ has given to the church is church discipline. And we notice the language in a couple chapters after in Matthew 18, when Jesus says that if there is a brother caught in sin, you must go to him. You have to talk it out with him. Hold him accountable, but try to restore him. And if that brother refuses to listen to you, then take one or two other brothers and again, try to bring him to restoration. But if the brother continues to reject admonition after admonition, after every opportunity to repent and to be restored, then you bring them to the church, which as the New Testament unfolds, it's very clear that Jesus is referring to the leadership as Paul conducts As he plants churches, he plants churches to be led by leaders, by elders and deacons and pastors. But also go back to what Jesus says, if he refuses to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. Very strong language. But we're not... We don't have to guess what Jesus means by this because this is applied in the New Testament through Paul's ministry. You can read about it in 1 Corinthians 5 where there is an incident of a brother in the congregation of Corinth who was caught in gross sexual sin of incest. And he was, Paul prescribes to the church to, and he says this, to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord." So that already, especially at the end of that verse, it communicates to us what the purpose of church discipline is. Now, many misunderstand church discipline, and sometimes rightfully so, because church discipline can be abused. It can become very authoritarian. more of a power grab than anything else. But as we hear Paul's language, the purpose of church discipline is not just to cut people off who we don't like. The whole purpose of church discipline is to save that person. It's to rescue that person. Any more than if you see a child in the street and the child is unaware of the car, and the driver is unaware of the child, and you're just standing as a bystander, and, well, you know, he'll figure it out. I'm sure he'll see the child. If you say nothing, that's wicked. It's evil. Of course, you would do everything in your power to scream or to, if you have the chance, to run and to save that child. That's what church discipline is. In 2 Corinthians 2, it may very well be possible that the person in 1 Corinthians 5, the man who committed incest, is the same person in 2 Corinthians 2 who was then restored, who repented as a result of church discipline. It may be, it may not be as well. But in 2 Corinthians 2, Paul tells us this, that as this person who has been restored as a result of church discipline, And as he's trying to be ingratiated back into the congregation, he tells this to the church. Forgive him, comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. Therefore, I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. Church discipline is not about a power grab. It's a rescue operation. The point of it is to reconcile. The keys of preaching and church discipline are two keys Christ has given the church. Pastors and elders and the leaders will be held accountable by a higher standard in how they conduct their responsibilities. If Christ and his word is centered, both in the preaching and in church discipline, it will be done in humility. It will be done with compassion. The men are to depend on God's wisdom for guidance, which is interesting because in Matthew 18, as you continue down that passage, That's where we hear the passage where two or more are gathered, I will be with them. We often quote that to mean, well, if there's only two people in church worship, in the worship service, then God is present. God is always present with his people when there's worship. But specifically in that passage, that is intended for the church leaders who gather together in this very emotionally challenging situation. where he will be with them, and present with them, and guiding them. And that's what we, the leaders, must give ourselves up to, to the Lord for his wisdom. It's no small task, but it is what honors Christ, and it is what magnifies the power of the gospel. So let's conclude our summary of Lord's Day 31 with that.