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Back to Sermons Index Back to Home Page 4th March 2007 AMPRAYING FOR GOD'S KINGDOM Pastor Colin MeadowsPsalm 2:1-6, 10-12, Matt 6:9-13, Luke 17:20-21 Ø Learn from Jesus about prayer: The early disciples spent three years learning from Jesus. They watched him, modeled what he said and did and slowly grew to become more like him. At one point on their journey they asked Christ to teach them to pray. They wanted to learn to be obedient in this area for their realized the vital importance of prayer. As the watched Jesus, they could see that Jesus’ prayer life was the key to both his personal life and public ministry. Thus they asked him to teach them to pray. We have thus the Lord’s Prayer or perhaps more correctly The Disciples Prayer, an outline or framework of how a follower of Jesus should pray. We too should pay close attention to this prayer for it directs us into God’s pathway for our lives. Last week we were reminded that God loves, he is the almighty one, and he is holy. Thus we should approach him with great humility and reverence. He alone is God! Today we move on to the next part of the prayer, asking that God’s kingdom may come in all its fullness. Ø Pray for God’s Kingdom to come: God calls us to pray for the increase of his kingdom here on earth, so that it will become like it is in heaven, where the angels live in submission to God. Matt 6:10 “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” These days we are not really familiar with kings and kingdoms. However in the time of Christ and up until recent times, kings were part of the fabric of social life. The king was master and ruler of his kingdom. He would issue a decree and expect his subjects to obey it. That is what is like in heaven. When Christ began his ministry, almost immediately he began to speak about his father’s kingdom. He proclaimed a decree that called for the response of people: Mark 1:14 ‘After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said, “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”’ Jesus went about heralding his father, the King’s, decrees. The kingdom Jesus spoke about was not of this world. Then how did one enter the spiritual kingdom he was speaking of? In order to enter God’s kingdom one needed to repent and believe. The kingdom was thus near, just a prayer away. This was a kingdom of the spirit, one that was concerned with a person’s heart attitude towards God. This was a quiet revolution of the heart, not an outward physical battle between warring armies. Most of the people in Jesus time could not understand this. They expected Jesus to lead an army of resistance against the Romans. Such was not the case. When a person repented and believed the good news, then they enter God’s kingdom. Then God’s rule begins in their lives. Such is the kingdom of God. Where the Spirit of God rules in a person, there God’s kingdom is present. We are called to pray for that to happen. Ø Pray for God’s Kingdom to come one heart at a time: Jesus was asked about when the kingdom was coming. He replied at one time: Luke 17:21 ‘The kingdom of God is within you.’ The kingdom would come one heart at a time as people accepted the good news. God’s rule was slowly spreading one heart at a time as people submitted to Jesus as Lord. That is what we are called to pray for. To pray that God’s rule in people’s hearts will continue to increase, just as God rules in his heaven. How does God’s kingdom come? One heart at a time, as people submit to Jesus. But what should we pray as people come into the kingdom? Ø Pray for people to walk in God’s will: What should be the characteristics of people living in God’s kingdom? How can we tell if someone is living in the kingdom? The second part of the statement on the kingdom helps us in this regard. With much Jewish writings, a key point was often reinforced by repeating it in a slightly different way but still holding with the same meaning. Our verse today is an example of this: Matt 6:10 “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” The kingdom of God comes when a person repents and believes the good news. They will then desire to do the will of God. As the Holy Spirit comes upon them and takes hold of their wills, He draws them into line with doing God’s will for their lives. We should pray for others in this regard. There is the daily battle of submission, of putting aside our will with its desires and instead seeking to follow God’s will and his desires. How can we know what God’s will for our lives is? By submitting to him in prayer each day, reading his Word and quietly seeking his face. This is why our times of prayer are so important. In the quietness we begin to hear the voice of God, gently directing us into his path for us. Firstly in prayer meditate on his word: Psalm 119:105 ‘Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.’ Yes, meditate on his word. We need further to have a child-like trust as we meditate on his word and seek to walk with God each day. Prov 3:5-6 ‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.’ Put God first as you seek to discover what his will is. In so doing you usher in the kingdom in your life. The Apostle Paul puts this very clearly: Rom 12:1-2 ‘Therefore I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.’ Yes, submit daily to God, listening to his word, responding to the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit. Step out in faith and live as children of the kingdom, children of light and salt. Yes, God’s kingdom comes as we daily submit to his will for our lives and reflect kingdom values to others. God’s kingdom will grow further as we share the good news with others. Ø Pray that we will share the kingdom with others: Children of the kingdom will by nature be people who want to share about God’s kingdom with others. Just how do we do this? Pray for wisdom each day. Firstly we share by our lives, by living in such a way that other people will be curious about who we are and what motivates us. Then secondly when the opportunities present to share from our hearts the reason for the hope that we have in Christ. Use your own words to do this, explaining gently of how you entered God’s kingdom and of how they too can enter. Pray for such opportunities. 1 Peter 3:15 ‘But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…’ Yes, pray for times when you can share of the hope that you have in Christ. Pray for others who are involved in sharing the good news. Let us pray for the sharing of God’s kingdom. Ø Pray for the ultimate triumph of God’s kingdom: We live in days when it seems the Christian church is going backwards in many places. This can perhaps cause us to wonder about the future, of what will happen to God’s kingdom. We can pray with confidence however as a glorious future lies ahead: Rev 11:15
‘The seventh angel sounded his trumpet and there were loud voices in heaven,
which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of
his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.”’
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