Matthew 16:18-19 “And I also 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.”

In His study of the Bible, Pastor Ed Roebert marked all the references to the KINGDOM in the Gospel according Matthew. As he read these references several times, some amazing truths began to dawn on him – the Lord  identified the KEYS OF THE KINGDOM to him.

HUMILITY
Jesus says  that the greatest in the Kingdom of God are those who are humble.

Matthew 18:1-4 “At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”  And Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. “Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 19:14 “But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

Jesus also said:

Matthew 5:3  “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Or as the Living Bible paraphrases it:
“Humble men are very fortunate!” He told them, “for the kingdom of heaven is given to them”.

Dr Robert Schuller suggests that this Beatitude is a call to a positive attitude in which we say, “I need help, I can’t do it alone”.
To be dependent is to be humble. All truly great men are humble.
That is the way it was with Jesus!

Philippians 2:5-11 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,  who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,  but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, andcoming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.  Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,  and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

He humbled Himself to the extent of becoming obedient to the death of the cross.  That’s the way Jesus wants it to be with us!

1 Peter 5:6 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time”

According to Jesus, the way up is down!

Matthew 20:26-27  “Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.  “And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave“.

Humility is clearly an indispensable key in the KINGDOM of God!
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