Continuing on with the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew ch6 Vs 9-15) we are looking at verse 10. Remembering that scripture rather than tradition has the priority. Remember to there are 7 petitions In the prayer , the first 3 towards God, the other 4 towards ourself. Numbers mean something in scripture 3 being the number of divinity, 4 the number of the creature and 7 the number of perfection. Remember we considered the first petition ‘Hallowed be thy name’ where we soared to the highest form of prayer of worship. Giving God His rightful place ….High and lifted up in heaven. This time we encounter 2 more Godward petitions in verse 10 ‘Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven’. From the heavenly kingdom we descend to the earth from heaven. Heaven where His glory and majesty come first to earth where His glory and majesty are rejected by men.
In these first 3 petitions we can find God’s purpose for the world.
Christ says to the ‘Father Hallowed be THY name’, Man says Hallowed be MY name.
Christ says to the Father ‘Thy kingdom come’, men say we have no king but Caesar.
Christ says to the Father ‘Thy will be done’, Man says my will be done.
All three diametrically opposed to one another. One bound for success the other to failure.
Two things to ponder on ….
I. A SONS DESIRE FOR THE KINGDOM.
‘Thy kingdom come’ v10a. What is this about? A kingdom? Who’s Kingdom is it ? When, where, how? Indeed from the text we see that the Son has a desire for the Fathers kingdom so do we have that same desire? Let’s explore some scriptures and establish the kingdom in the old testament and new testament. Psalm145 vs10- 13 ‘all thy works shall praise thee, o LORD : and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power. To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations’.The pre supposition of the kingdom.The disciples in their early days did not understand it. Acts ch1 vs6. The Lord wasn’t confused about the kingdom though and frequently preached about it ‘REPENT for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matt 4:17). He understood it’s coming and it’s principles.He told his disciples to preach it. Of course the way to the understanding of the kingdom is found in the word REPENT, which means a change in life from the present one, a change of mind. Another key word was AT HAND, which means is near, approaching. Another key is found in John 18:36 where Jesus says to Pilate “My Kingdom is not of this world”. It was not a kingdom of this world system of things. Another key is in Luke’s gospel ch17:20-25 when the Pharisees demanded when the kingdom of God should come Jesus responded ‘The kingdom of God cometh not with observation……the kingdom of God is within you’.So we have a small understanding about the kingdom, it is spiritual , repentance is necessary,it is not of this world system, and a belief that it is coming soon.
From what Jesus has said there another aspect to consider Christs kingdom is also in the heavens established. There is to be a literal physical messianic kingdom. It isn’t to be anything like the kingdoms of this world. To get into the kingdom of heaven as said before you must be a REPENTANT sinner, saved ,washed in the blood,regenerate. When Christ uttered this prayer and simply said THY KINGDOM COME it was loaded with meaning. So for us to utter this petition we are asking for the establishment of the messianic kingdom upon the earth and the establishment of Christs kingdom within our heart..For a believer to pray this we must realise that in asking the Father to come into our hearts we are also asking for the king to reign in our life. We should realise our king should have sovereign rule over us. This scripture ties in with our body being a temple of the Holy Ghost. So when we pray remember it’s THY Kingdom come not MY Kingdom come. Remember that song we used to sing ‘Im the king of the castle, don’t be! let God be the sovereign ruler, the king of your heart.
II. A SONS DESIRE FOR HIS WILL
“Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven”
Gods will is always done in heaven. And…….it isn’t done reluctantly, sullenly, hypocritically, or phariseecally. Neither is it done tardily or fitfully or partially. In the courts of heaven Gods will is done joyfully and willingly. Worship and service go together in complete harmony. Gods presence in heaven is never felt as if it is not wanted. Everyone delights to do his will. If we want a little bit of heaven here on earth beloved we had better mean “Thy will be done in earth”……. by letting my will be subject to the Lord Jesus Christ. We see then that the Lord asks for sovereignty over our lives and control of our will. ‘Thy will be done in earth’. The truth here is even thou we pray for His will in our lives we are not always successful in giving our will over to the Lord.The 6th and 7th chapters of the book of Romans tells us what is going on in our lives……..There is a struggle of two nature’s “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man. But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members (Romans ch7 vs22 -23).Verse 24 goes on to say ‘Who shall deliver me from the body of this death. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord’. We must walk after the Spirit to be more than conquerors. We must wait upon the Lord see Psalm 40:1&2. Remember to He is the potter we are the clay. See jer 18:3, What’s that hymn ‘mould and make me after thy will while I am waiting yielded and still.’ let’s do that thy will be done on earth and continue with me.
God Bless
Michael Whitehouse