Sermon On The Mount Lesson 22

Lesson 22

Matthew 6:10

"...Thy kingdom come..."

Having opened our prayer with praise, we now move to the part of our praying where we begin to petition the Father. The first petition deals with the coming of His kingdom. There is actually two aspects of the coming of God’s kingdom.

I. THE PROSPECTIVE KINGDOM OF GOD’S ETERNAL GLORY

A. The Coming of the Kingdom

1. The Bible speaks specifically about a time in the future when the kingdom of God will be established upon this earth. This does not mean however that we are gradually bringing in the kingdom through human effort. The world is not gradually getting better and better due to our Christian activity and missionary efforts, nor will it slowly be changed and evolve into the kingdom of God on earth.

2. The coming of God’s kingdom is what we refer to as the millennium. The word "millennium" is a Latin word meaning "a thousand years."

3. Christ’s coming to earth to establish the millennial kingdom will follow His coming in the air (the rapture) for the saved.

4. This kingdom is foretold in the Old and New Testaments (Psalm 72; Isaiah 11:25-27; 35; 60-66; Jeremiah 30-33; Daniel 7; Hosea 2;14-23; 3:4-5; 14:4-8; Joel 2:18-3:21; Amos 9:11- 15; Obadiah 15-21; Micah 2;12-13; 4:1-13; 5:4-15; 7:7-20; Zephaniah 3:9-20; Haggai 2:6- 9; Zechariah 1:16-17; 2:1-13; 3:8-10; 8:1-10:12; 12:1-14:21; Malachi 3:1-6; 4:1-3).

5. It is the fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel and David (Jeremiah 23:5-8, 33:15-26).

B. The Characteristics of the Kingdom

1. Two things will characterize the kingdom: universal peace (Isaiah 2:4) and universal righteousness (Isaiah 11:4-5; Jeremiah 23:5). Righteousness will be maintained in the earth by the speedy judgment of sin (Zechariah 14:17-19). Jesus will rule with a rod of iron (Psalm 2:8-9; Revelation 2:27). Satan will be removed from the earth, and he will not be deceiving the nations any longer (Revelation 20:2-3).

2. The saints will reign with Christ (Revelation 20:4-6).

3. Great topographical changes will take place (Isaiah 55:13).

4. The nature of ferocious animals will be changed (Isaiah 11:6-9).

5. Rain and soil fertility will be restored (Isaiah 35:6b-7).

6. Human life will be prolonged (Isaiah 65:20).

7. The kingdom will be joyful and no sorrow will be there (Isaiah 35:10).

II. THE PERSONAL KINGDOM OF GOD’S INTERNAL GRACE

A. Entering the Kingdom of God’s Grace

1. John 3:1-7

2. We enter the kingdom of God’s grace by way of salvation. We are born again into this realm of God’s Kingdom. There will be no hope of our reigning with Him in glory until first of all we have experienced His saving grace.

3. Just as the world cannot gradually merge into the kingdom or reach it by development and effort, neither can we in terms of the kingdom of grace.

4. A person does not gradually get better and better until one day they find themselves saved. The moment an individual turns to Christ in faith and repentance they pass from death to life, from darkness to light, from the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of God.

B. Establishing the Kingdom of God’s Grace

1. The kingdom of God refers to His dominion, rule, or authority.

2. When we pray "Thy kingdom come", we are praying that Christ will have dominion in our life. We are in essence submitting ourselves to His Lordship. We are asking Him to overrule our desires and establish His purposes for our lives.

3. Christ does not come into the life of the believer on the basis of democracy, He comes on the basis of dictatorship.

4. Christ demands the right of kingship so that in the setting up of His kingdom He may destroy in us the kingdom of the flesh and of sin.

5. A person wishing to become a United States citizen must renounce all allegiance and loyalty to the country in which they previously lived. They must completely severe all ties to the one country in order to be a citizen of the other. The same is true in the spiritual realm. A person must severe all ties with sin and Satan and must give themselves totally and completely over to the rule and reign of Jesus Christ.

6. The kingdom of grace is a kingdom in which Christ is the undisputed King and we are His servants.

C. Exhibiting the Kingdom of God’s Grace

1. Romans 14:17

2. A person experiencing this present reign of grace is characterized by:

a. Righteousness

(1) We demonstrate the reign of Christ in our life by the way we act.

(2) Titus 2:11-14

b. Peace

(1) This peace is inward in that we have a good conscience toward God knowing that Jesus is in His rightful place in our life.

(2) This peace is also outward in that we "follow after the things which make for peace" (Romans 14:19) and "as much as lieth in" us we seek to live peaceably with all men (Romans 12:18).

c. Joy

(1) Joy is the result of living righteously and peaceably.

(2) This joy will extend to every aspect of our live (Philippians 4:10-14).