Maybe most of you are more patient than I am. When something is decided upon, I want to get it done A.S.A.P. Red lights should be replaced by green lights at my arrival at the intersection. Over the years God has painstakingly, progressively, patiently helped me cool my jets when waiting for something to happen over which I have no control. He has a long way to go. Still, I order the red lights to give way to green.
The disciples were somewhat impatient as well. After the resurrection of Jesus and revival of their hope, they queried Jesus, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the Kingdom to Israel?" He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." Acts 1:6-8 (NASB). They hoped to get the ball rolling; they were chomping at the bit for some action; they wanted the Lord to hasten a bit.
Those with a consciousness of God and His Kingdom should eagerly wait and work and watch for its consummation. Jesus taught us to pray for that in that prayer we call “The Lord’s Prayer.”
He did not intend this prayer to become a ritual, or prescribed formula or a thing to be mindlessly repeated word-for-word. It is an example of brevity, humility, dependency, praise and surrender.
Having said that, we ought to be conversant with God in the kind of terms and expressions in that prayer. Today we will look at some of the kind of words that should be part of every prayer in some way or another.
In this simple, short, prayer there are two requests oriented on the Kingdom theme. Let’s look back at that prayer Jesus taught His disciples: "Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.'” Matthew 6:9-13 (NASB).
I. YOUR KINGDOM COME:
A. A Kingdom is a domain ruled by a King. It can be a malevolent or benevolent king, a foolish or wise king, a bad or a good king, who reigns supreme.
B. The good news is that God is the epitome of benevolence, wisdom and goodness. The ultimate expression of this is that He gave His Son to die for His enemies to establish them in His Kingdom. Though there was a wide gap between Holy God and sinful mankind, we can get in. Linda sang,
I don't need to walk on water.
A bridge was built for me
God gave His Son who gave His life
on a cross at Calvary
I can walk in faith sheltered safe
because of what He did
I don't need to walk on water.
I have a bridge
C. And still, though the Kingdom is readily available to us 24/7/365, we need to work and pray for the absolute reign and rule of God to hasten.
D. For what kind of Kingdom do we pray and wait?
1. It is a DIVINE Kingdom. It is not ruled by any human potentate. God reigns with Jesus at His right side.
2. It is an ETERNAL Kingdom. Isaiah rightly said, “ His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. ....” Isaiah 9:7 (NLT2).
3. It is a RIGHTEOUS Kingdom. Paul wrote, “ For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans 14:17 (NLT2).
4. It is an INTERNAL Kingdom. “Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, ‘The Kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, “Here it is,” or “There it is,” because the Kingdom of God is within you.’” Luke 17:20-21 (NIV).
5. It is a CHRIST CENTERED Kingdom. The writer of Hebrews wrote, “about the Son He says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your Kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.’” Hebrews 1:8-9 (NIV).
6. It is a CERTAIN Kingdom. It is sure to come in Gods time. Paul wrote, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the Kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.” 1 Corinthians 15:22-25 (NASB).
7. It is a VERY NEAR Kingdom.
a. Jesus said, “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”
b. Paul said, “The Lord is near.”
E. Many people seek their own Kingdom; they want to sit on their own Thrones. They chase a dream of an idyllic life lived by their own desires.
1. Many are like the little boy who built a sand castle on the beach. He used sticks and stones and shells and, of course, sand. When it was finished, he was thrilled — until the incoming tide washed it away. Our sand castles will fail us, too when the tide of trouble comes in. Seeking the wrong kingdom is like building with sand.
2. Many are like Dean and Keri’s dog, Bailee, who set her mind on catching a little black kitty with 2 white stripes. When she got too close she found out she really didn’t want that kitty, after all and she was sorry; so was Keri and thank the Lord for hydrogen peroxide and baking soda or whatever she used. Seeking the wrong kingdom is like chasing a skunk. We want it, but if we gain it we have cause to regret it.
When we don’t live by God’s Kingdom standards, we sin and when we sin we will regret it and so will God. When wee sin we need cleaning up and thank God the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin!
Let us all, with patient impatience, sincerely pray, “Your Kingdom come” and follow it with the next logical request and surrender:
II. YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN:
A. How is God’s will done in Heaven?
1. It is done WORSHIPFULLY! about Jesus we read, “Let all the angels of God worship Him.” Hebrews 1:5 (NASB).
2. It is done WILLINGLY! The only ones to rebel, Lucifer and other angels, were expelled from Heaven.
3. It is done IMMEDIATELY!
4. It is done PERFECTLY!
5. It is done HUMBLY!
B. Sometimes we
1. Believe that God’s will should be compatible with ours. “He ought to see things as we see them,” we declare.
2. Get hyper Calvinistic and believe that everything that happens, happens because God willed it. He thus gets the blame for much of what man or Satan has caused.
3. Imagine that God’s will must be a horrible thing that puts all sorts of burdens and rules and restrictions and suffering into our lives.
C. Let me share some clear statements from God concerning His will:
1. His will is that we be HOLY, SET APART PEOPLE. “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;” 1 Thessalonians 4:3 (NASB).
2. It is His will that we be GRATEFUL. We read, “in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NASB).
3. It is His will that EVERYONE REPENT. Peter assures us, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV).
4. It is His will that we do WHAT IS RIGHT. “For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.” 1 Peter 2:15 (NASB).
D. God’s will, sometimes, it seems, is difficult to accept. I want to illustrate that. You will surely remember Todd Beamer, who was a passenger aboard United Airlines flight 93, which was hijacked as part of the September 11 attacks in 2001. He was one of the passengers who attempted to gain control of the aircraft from the hijackers. During the struggle, the aircraft lost control and crashed in a field in Stony Creek Township near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, saving the hijackers’ intended target and additional victims. (Wikipedia).
Subsequently, Lisa Beamer, Todd’s daughter wrote “Slowly I began to understand that the plans God has for us don’t just include ‘good things’, but the whole array of human events. . . . .. I remember my mom saying that many people look for miracles – things that in their human minds ‘fix’ a difficult situation. Many miracles, however, are not a change to the normal course of human events; they’re found in God’s ability and desire to sustain and nurture people through even the worst situations. Somewhere along the way, I stopped demanding that God fix the problems in my life and started to be thankful for His presence as I endured them.”
Instead of demanding her own way, she accepted God’s, though she didn’t understand it:
E. God is King; His territory includes the whole Creation. We need to remember that the kingdom of God did not start with the coming of Jesus. The kingdom of God has always been. God has always been on the throne.
"The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all" (Psalms 103:19). The question is, “Are you pat of that Kingdom? Is His will being done in your life?
Wherever God is obeyed, there is His Kingdom. Whether or not we submit to His rule and reign, the Kingdom of God still exists.
If you resist the Spirit of God who is moving upon your heart, the Kingdom of God will still exist and the intent and purposes of God Almighty will go forward.
God has always reigned. He ruled through creation. The heavens obeyed Him, even when man did not.
God ruled through providence. He was working all things together for our good and especially preparing to bring forth Messiah for the world.
The ones who pray, "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done" are surrendering their will to the reign and authority of God.
It is to be in our own Gethsemane. It is to do, without argument, whatever He bids us to do. It is to make our heart His throne.
He will not occupy a cluttered, sin stained throne. Let Him cleanse your heart and do that right now as we stand to sing “Create In Me A Clean Heart.”
