We had a scripture this morning that was interesting in the class I teach.  I remember very clearly hearing Ken's dad preach on this scripture--and I couldn't have been over 8 or 9 years old at the time.  Here's the way he explained it using words from the original Greek language.  I have never forgotten his sermon from Matthew 16:18-19.

"And I say unto you that you are "Peter", and upon this "rock" I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven..."

Jesus used the Greek word "Petros" translated as "Peter" which was--a pebble.  Jesus then used the word "Petra" translated "rock," or huge stone.  In other words, Jesus was not--absolutely not--saying that He was going to build his church on Peter.  He was saying He, himself, was the rock on which the church would be built.  I can picture Jesus pointing to Peter and saying, "Peter, you are a small pebble," and then pointing to himself and saying, "But on this huge rock I will build my church." (kingdom)

In Ephesians 2:19-22 (and many other scriptures) God says, "...you are not foreigners, but citizens with the saints and the household (kingdom) of God and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets--Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.  In whom all the building fitly framed grows in a holy temple...in whom you are builded together for a habitation of God..."

And the key to the kingdom was the gospel.  The story of Jesus.  That is what he left with Peter and the other disciples.  The gospel is what gave people the way (the key) to open the door to the kingdom.  Not by some church saying whether you got in or not.  The kingdom is made up of people who hear the gospel, accept it as truth and believe in Christ.  We build up the kingdom of God.

We pebbles are fitly framed into a building, a holy kingdom, left behind to change the world through the gospel.  Christ was God.  He lived, he died for our sin, and He rose from the dead.  He is the foundation, the cornerstone of our faith.  "By grace you are saved through faith--and that is not of yourselves.  It is the gift of God lest anyone should boast."   I'm the pebble one foot up from the foundation on the back wall by a window.  Where are you????
Ephesians 2:8