Do you remember we gave alternative titles to each message.
Vs 9 was Filial Reverence.
Vs10 was Filial Reaction.
Vs 11-13a was Filial Reliance.
Our message today vs13b is Filial Rest.
“For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever. Amen.”
Dwell on this phrase for a time,…….. it has an awesome depth to it.
It is a powerful doxology, the dictionary defines a doxology as a hymn, a verse or form of words in Christian services that glorify God. (Uttering praise, giving glory). There are several in the scriptures Rom 11:36, Eph 3:21, 1 Tim 1:17 are just a few. There are many in the OT
In our scripture we are back in the heavenlies again saying so much in such few words. We have reached God’s throne again, we are in His presence and what better way is there to say this eulogy of praise to burst from our lips than “FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM”. In considering the first word FOR it means ‘because’ or ‘on account of’. Can you see it “because Thine IS the kingdom. What an acknowledgement of the believer as he kneels before God’s throne Thine IS the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever .amen. THINE IS, IS ,IS. It’s no one else’s but yours. I can get into the presence of the Father in the kingdom. Because the kingdom is His .Wow. THINE IS, present tense
I can get into the presence of the Father because He is my Father and as my Father i can ask all things according to His will because His is the kingdom, power and glory for ever…Amen, Amen.
1. THE KINGS PATERNALISM
‘THINE IS THE KINGDOM’ These words are intimately connected to verse 10 ‘ Thy kingdom come’. We sometimes pray for things that can never happen. We don’t have assurance that we are praying right. Well we are assured about verse 10 with verse 13. Remember it’s Jesus speaking the creator of heaven and earth. Thine is the kingdom . God’s kingdom “is”, not will be or has been it IS. With this statement the lord sets forth God’s universal right and authority over all things. He is proclaiming the supreme sovereignty of God in Creation, Providence and Grace. The first and second person’s of the trinity are seen here. Praise God.
2. THE KINGS. POTENCY
‘AND THE POWER’. These 3 words take us back to the petition ‘Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven’. When we call for His will to be done in our lives He has the power to act accordingly to His will in our lives. Also the word AND links ‘thine is the kingdom and the power together. Here is a proclamation of The infinite sufficiency of an almighty heavenly Father. He has the power to fulfil His will on earth as He does in heaven. None can withstand His power.The wonder of Deity. Beloved do we recognise His power, do we have faith in His power to change lives, situations, circumstances. I pray to God we do
3.THE KINGS PRE- EMINENCY
‘AND THE GLORY’ The word AND unites the kings pre-eminency with His potency and paternalism. Verse 11 – 13a. How is God glorified? In this instance it is through his saints. God is also glorified as He gives us our daily bread and forgives us our debts (our sins). He is glorified as He delivers from evil. His pre-eminency is shown clearly here in that He is the source of all bread of all forgiveness and the source of all deliverance. This the character of God and His character is His glory and His glory is His character. All excellency is His. The wonder of wonders is that He stoops down to impart some of that glory to those who seek His likeness. Thine is the glory.
4. A KINGS PERPETUITY
‘FOR EVER’ . What better word could finish these 3 statements…..none. ‘For ever’ tells a story. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory…..for ever. The king of Babylon, The mighty Pharaoh’s, Alexander the great, Julius Caesar, Charlemagnes empire all these are finished not a one is for ever. Their kingdom, power and glory have gone. Not so with Our God it is for ever. He is our eternal God , He is our king the same yesterday today, for ever. Dear Father because yours IS the kingdom the power and the glory for ever please grant us these petitions we are asking .
5. A SONS PERSUASION
‘AMEN’ . In the light of this last verse can we see A SONS Rest, a SONS confidence in the Father.
Jesus opened the prayer with adoration and praise of the Father. Then sends forth the petitions to be granted, all with the eye of believing faith, with confident assurance that the Father will answer them in His time according to His will. The only word that can follow this prayer is the word AMEN.It means ‘verily, truly, so be it, or that it shall be so’. This prayer came so easily from from the lips and heart of Jesus. The question is can this prayer come from our lips and heart. Can we say AMEN and AMEN.
God bless
Michael Whitehouse