When we study Martin Luther’s Small Catechism, in the section of Confession, there is a strange section called “The Office of the Keys.” The “Keys” unlock the gates of hell, they open the gate of heaven. They unlock the fetters of sin by forgiveness. In other words, the “The Office of the Keys” is about forgiveness. This expression comes from the words spoken to Peter by Jesus in today’s Gospel lesson, Mt. 16:18-19, “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. 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.”

Who gets the Keys? Only Peter, all the disciples, or all Christians? Who or what is the Rock? Is it only Peter or all the disciples or all Christians that make the same confession of faith? In the Roman Catholic Church, they say that the “rock” is Peter. After all, the name “Peter,” in Greek, means “Rock.” In English we should probably nickname him “Rocky,” like the boxer in the movie who is tough and dependable. When Peter denied Jesus at the time of his trial, the rock foundation was like sand, but after that, after the Resurrection of Jesus, he is always a strong and solid worker for Christ. Later, Peter moved and lived in Rome where he became “head pastor” or “bishop” of the local congregation there. And so the Church in the City of Rome rightly traces its foundation or beginnings to Peter. Of course the Easter Orthodox Church and the Lutherans and other Christians who do not want to follow Rome have a different interpretation. They say, perhaps correctly, that the rock-like foundation is none other than Christ only. The rock is the faith that Peter confesses, and upon that confession the church is built. Peter was given the keys to forgive sins, and on Easter Evening, Jesus breathed on all the disciples and gave them all the power to forgive sin (John 20:22). This authority is given to the whole church. And so wherever the Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached and proclaimed, the forgiveness of sins, the power of the cross of Christ is proclaimed at the same time.

There is the expression, “The Priesthood of All Believers.” First Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” This means that all Christians are “priests.” Of course we are not priests in the meaning of the Old Testament because we do not offer burnt sacrifices on the altar of the Temple. But we are priests in the sense that we all offer prayers and praise to God. We are all priests because we do the work of God as we work for God. In this sense, all Christians are priests of God by virtue of their Baptism.

Some people think that the Priesthood of All Believers means that anyone can do the work of a pastor or minister, so we do not need ordained ministers like myself. But that is a misunderstanding. Not all Christians have work as being a pastor or preacher. We all have various ministries. Look at today’s Epistle Reading in Romans Chapter 12:6-8. “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.”

What that means is that the ministry of the church is very broad and goes all over society. There are preaching ministers, Sunday School ministers, youth ministers, service ministers, good-works ministers, love-the-neighbor ministers. We are not all pastors or bishops, but all do the work or ministry of God. The work of God is not just in the church. God works wherever his governance or love is needed. When we are working in our daily jobs, we are doing the work of God. Martin Luther said that when he was changing the diapers of his little son John, then he was dong the work of God, and so even that was a ministry. So the Priesthood of All Believers is more that preaching and doing the sacraments. It is doing the ministry of God that is given to all believers because they have been baptized. Whatever your station in life, whatever your job is, you are a priest, a minister of Christ right there. I cannot do ministry on the Flight Line or in the elementary school or in a thousand other places. But some of you can. When you do a job well, that is God-pleasing ministry. In that way, God’s will is done on earth. If you think of it this way, the work of the Okinawa Lutheran Church is very broad. You are the minister of OLC in charge of supplies, in charge of security, in charge of a second grade class, in charge of changing diapers.

When Jesus called Peter and his faith the “rock” foundation of the church, he immediately gave the church the Keys of the Kingdom to forgive sin. These Keys are turned when the death and resurrection of Jesus are proclaimed and believed. These Keys are turned and the forgiveness of sin through that death and resurrection is announced and believed and accepted. Our chains and prisons are unlocked and we are set free. The gate of heaven is opened for us. It is also like an ignition key in a car. It allows us to go forward and do the work of Christ. Forgiven and happy, we confess with Peter, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

Amen.

Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church

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