Lesson #13 

“I Will Give unto Thee the Keys of the Kingdom”

 

FHE idea for everyone!

FHE Idea for teaching of Priesthood Keys for small kids.

Lesson Highlights
Jesus heals the daughter of a Gentile and feeds more than 4,000 people.
Peter is promised the keys of the kingdom.
Jesus is transfigured before Peter, James, and John.

A study of this lesson will help strengthen our testimonies that Jesus is the Christ and that the priesthood keys bestowed on the Mount of Transfiguration have been restored.

 

HOW IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST?

 

Canaanite woman begs for scraps

Matthew 15:21-28

Jesus traveled to the border of the Jewish nation along the Mediterranean coast to the city of Tyre. Not far from Tyre was the town of Sidon, which was a Gentile town. In this setting, Jesus was accosted by a Canaanite woman to heal her child from demonic possession. The Canaanites long had been neighbors of the Israelites, but were often enemies. Centuries before Jesus, the Canaanites were major competitors of Israel and its God. Canaan’s major god, Baal, competed against Yahweh for primacy in the days of Elijah. The Canaanite Jezebel and her husband Ahab, king of Israel, introduced Baal worship to the kingdom. Family members would later bring Baal worship to Jerusalem’s temple. There was a very long period of distrust and feuding between the two gods and their nations.

 

As the Canaanite woman begged for help, Jesus chose not to do so. He told her he was sent only to the House of Israel. Not long before, he commanded his apostles to.

"not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel"  (Matthew 10:5-7).

Not until years after Jesus’ death would Peter receive the vision to bring the gospel to the Gentile nations. But Jesus was not sent to the Gentiles, only to Israel. In clarifying this view, he explained to the woman that the dogs do not eat from the Master’s table. The term he used is closer to the idea of a lap dog than that of a wild dog, often used in the Middle East as a derogatory term towards other men. But the Gentiles were not Israel, and could not eat at the table. She took up the idea of lapdog and ran with it. The lapdogs still ate the scraps from the table. Because of her faith and determination, she succeeded in receiving the blessing she sought.

 

 

Many years ago President Spencer W. Kimball and several other Church leaders visited the small cathedral in Copenhagen, Denmark, that houses Bertel Thorvaldsen’s famous statues of Jesus Christ and the Twelve Apostles. Speaking of this experience, Elder Rex D. Pinegar said: “As we looked at those beautiful works of art we noted that Peter was sculptured with large keys in his hands. … As we were ready to leave the cathedral, the Danish caretaker … was standing near the door awaiting our departure. President Kimball shook his hand [and] thanked him for his kindness in letting us visit the cathedral. Then the president began an explanation of the church established by Jesus Christ and of its importance to us. … Gathering President Tanner, Elder Monson, and Elder Packer closer to him, the president continued, ‘We are living apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are Twelve Apostles and three others who are the presidency of the Church. We hold the real keys, as Peter did, and we use them every day. They are in use constantly’” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1976, 104; or Ensign, Nov. 1976, 69).

 

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO HAVE PRIESTHOOD KEYS ON THE EARTH TODAY?

Matthew 16:19

 19 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.

 

Matthew 17:1-9

1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

 

5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

 

6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

 

7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.

 

8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.

 

9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

 

 

What happened on the Mount of Transfiguration?

• Jesus was transfigured before them.
• Joseph Smith taught that on the mount of transfiguration; Peter, James, and John were also transfigured.  They saw a vision of the earth as it will appear in its future glorified condition.
• Received the priesthood keys of the kingdom.  With these priesthood keys, the Apostles had the power to continue the work of the kingdom after the ascension of Jesus.
• Moses appeared to them and gave them the keys of the Gathering of Israel.
• The descendants of Abraham (the 12 tribes of Israel) were scattered due to disobedience and apostasy.  These priesthood keys of the gathering of Israel enables those descendants of Abraham (both literal and adopted) to be gathered again to receive the blessings of ordinances and covenants in God’s true church.
• Elijah (Elias) appeared to them and gave them the keys to the Sealing Power.
• The sealing power is to make valid in heaven, the ordinances performed by priesthood authority on earth…the power to bind, or seal, on earth and in heaven.
• The Lord gave Elijah power over the elements as well as over men, with authority to seal for time all eternity on the righteous all the ordinances pertaining to the fullness of salvation.      –Joseph Fielding Smith

 

 

Those SAME PRIESTHOOD KEYS that Peter, James, and John received were given to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery on April 3, 1836 in the Kirtland Temple.

 

 

We have the SAME KEYS on the earth today.

 

 

  

Matthew 16:13-18

13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
 

14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

WHOM SAY YE THAT I AM?

IN WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU ALLOWED JESUS CHRIST TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE?

 

 

Faith in Jesus Christ consists of complete reliance on Him.  As God, He has infinite power, intelligence, and love.  There is no human problem beyond His capacity to solve.  Because He descended below all things, He knows how to help us rise above our daily difficulties.  Faith in Him means believing that even though we do not understand all things, HE DOES.  We, therefore, must look to Him "in every thought; doubt not, fear not". His gospel is the perfect prescription for all human problems and social ills.  But His gospel is only effective as it is applied in our daily lives. –Ezra Taft Benson

 Before the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter declares

that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

6 Months later he will deny knowing him 3 times.

WHICH PETER ARE YOU?