Thy Kingdom Come - [Matthew 6:9-13]

How do you gauge preachers.

You say to yourself that was a good message or that pastor was faithful.

Spurgeon said this May I beg you carefully to judge every

preacher not by his gifts not by his speaking

powers.

Not by his status in society.

Not by the respectability of his congregation not by the prettiness of his church,

but this.

Does he preach the word of truth the gospel of your salvation.

If he does you're sitting under his ministry may prove to you the means of beginning faith in you.

But if he does not you cannot expect God's blessing

this morning.

I want you to turn to Matthew chapter 5 and certainly Spurgeon

would say of Jesus Christ of the master preacher.

He preaches the word of truth the gospel of our salvation.

If Spurgeon's right, and I think he is right or was right the standard or the plumb line for preaching is

Biblical fidelity.

Now when we come to this sermon the Sermon on the Mount we will see it Fleshed out in Christ Jesus the

greatest preacher who ever lived.

I always love to ask people Who's your favorite preacher and I usually get Spurgeon Lloyd Jones

MacArthur John Knox, but I rarely get Jesus Christ is my favorite

preacher.

I hope in this series on the Sermon on the Mount that you begin to say I love Jesus Christ

preaching.

I love preaching.

In fact, the Lord has worked in my heart to say that very thing.

I love preaching.

I pay to go to conferences to hear preaching.

I think that's one of the signs of my Salvation is God has given me a love for his word.

God's sheep hear his voice and they love that.

I Love preaching because it turns me into a Christ

like person.

That is to say the more I hear the word preached the more God takes me a saved person and makes me into

Christ.

Image more and more and more every day and so we come to Matthew chapter 5 6 and

7.

Called the Sermon on the Mount my favorite sermon the best sermon ever preached and we've haven't been in Matthew for

some time.

Matter of fact, I don't know how long it's been and I'd hate to find out but let me just do it this way.

How many people who have been coming to the church here recently have not heard?

Me in the series on the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew chapter 5 or 6.

This is your first message on Matthew 5.

Get your hands up higher.

So there have been some good.

Well, I don't know if that's good or not.

But good for me because I'm gonna give you a little review to catch us up.

Matthew chapter 5 6 & 7 the Sermon on the Mount.

Actually, there are about a hundred and eleven verses in these three chapters and that's longer than the book of Philippians.

It's like preaching a book.

It's a book within a book.

It's a sermon in a book and we come this morning to this sermon called the Sermon on the Mount given by the king

of preachers Jesus Christ.

If you had one word to describe the book of Matthew, it would be the word.

What word would that be.

King.

That's exactly right.

And it starts off very early if you flip back to Matthew chapter 1 with me to give you a little background

material on this book about the king written by Matthew.

Matthew's name by the way is gift of the Lord and This is a wonderful gift of the Lord as Matthew focuses on

Jesus Christ the king.

Written specifically so Jewish people could understand but it's helpful for us as well.

Matthew chapter 1 you say it starts off with the genealogy who cares about genealogies?

Well, if there's a new king in town, you're going to be it paying strict attention to

Genealogies because who wants an imposter?

We don't want to have some kind of imposter King.

So we learn in Matthew chapter 1 that Jesus has the right credentials to be the king.

His pedigree is true to be a king.

If you go to chapter 2 There's another king that doesn't like the new king and that king that doesn't like the new

king is named Herod and so what does Herod do.

He begins to push down this other kingship that starts rearing its head up and he does it by killing

children.

Slaughtering babies trying to get rid of Jesus this new king.

King makers are involved in chapter 2 as well.

Where you try to you make a president are you make a king here?

The Magi are involved making this king and everything about the book of Matthew is Jesus King

chapter 1.

Here are his credentials chapter 2.

There are people after him chapter 3.

Usually if you have a king you have somebody sent ahead of you to say here comes the king.

You have a forerunner and if you look at Matthew chapter 3 the forerunners name was

John the Baptist and his ministry was to preach about this King that would come.

Well, there's another King around and it's not and his name's not Herod.

He's actually worse than Herod and we find this other King Tempting Jesus.

In Matthew chapter 4 the devil tempts Jesus.

Satan who's the ruler of the world as Ephesians calls him Tempting Jesus

and we have the the large battle.

Jesus wins that battle and if you move down to verse 17 of Matthew chapter 4 from that time

the King Jesus Began to preach it was an ongoing preaching ministry.

He had and what was his message summarized in one sentence?

Repent for the what?

Kingdom of heaven is at hand and Interestingly and

fascinatingly news about this King began to take off if you lived in these days without internet without

any kind of media.

There were different ways.

There were different ways that news would spread and if you look down in verse 24 again We're just trying to catch up to the Sermon on the Mount

verse 24 of Matthew chapter 4 news about him spread like wildfire

Throughout all Syria and they brought to him all who were ill.

Those suffering with various diseases and pains demoniacs epileptics paralytics and he healed them.

Large crowds followed him from the Galilee and Decapolis and Jerusalem and

Judea and from beyond the Jordan and now Jesus begins to preach.

We now have a not just summary statement Matthew chapter 4 verse 17 repent for the kingdom of God his hand.

But now we have an exposition if you will of that message the King's message.

Here is the King's message Jesus Christ the King.

Matthew chapter 5 6 and 7.

And what does Jesus do verse 1 of chapter 5?

As we see this pressure cooker environment with all the healing now The lid is off

and what comes out preaching he saw the crowds.

He went up to the mountain I think purposely and he's not going to sign I to deliver law.

He's going to be talking about something else.

He purposely goes up to a mountain and after he sat down very Formal for

rabbis to do to instruct them his disciples came to him.

He opened his mouth.

You have to open your mouth to speak.

This is Greek for this is important and solemn and began to teach sane.

He taught them by the way, I don't think I've said this in previous message, this is an ongoing teaching.

It's like you're seeing a video of someone and it's an ongoing process.

And I thought oh if I could be there some people want time travel if I could do time travel.

This would be the verse that I would travel to.

Matthew chapter 5 verse 2 Jesus sitting down preaching to people.

You see it going on the language shows and now what does Jesus

the King do?

The King is going to say if you want to be in my kingdom, let me lay out my kingdom requirements.

He doesn't assume they're already in the kingdom.

He's going to say these are the requirements to live in my kingdom as my

kingdom person and What does he do?

He gives something called the what Matthew chapter 5 verses 3 through 12 and these are called the what

the attitudes?

Now sadly and if your Bible says this then you might want to cross it off.

I almost said you might want to get a new Bible, but we don't want to go too extreme.

I just saw a little note up here preacher Mike preach the word.

All right.

We have this Beatitude blessed.

Sometimes it says happy.

Oh, I wish it wouldn't have said happy some kind of happy.

Oh happy.

I'm just happy.

No, this word means approved by God.

This is a word that always talks about condescension.

You want to know who these approved of God are?

Jesus says let me tell you who these approved of God are and he gives how many Beatitudes eight?

By the way.

Think of the opposite word of blessed and you will move to Matthew chapter 23 and 24 and you'll see

not eight Blessings in Matthew 23 and 24, you'll see what?

Woes.

Cursing's this is the opposite.

I don't see any kind of Sadness in the word.

Whoa, and I don't see any happiness in the word blessed.

It may be a fruit of that but the word of cursed means cursed.

It's a it's a it's a view of God as he sees a person and he says you're cursed.

It's a state I either approve or disapprove and curse would be I disapprove of you

Matthew chapter 5 verse 3 and through 12 though.

This is a word of approval.

It lends itself it gives fruit that says I'm happy.

It's not talking about that kind of happiness.

It's talking about what does God think of me?

Do you want to be thought of by the king with approval or disapproval?

Everyone here has been born and you'll die one day.

And stand before God and he will either approve you or he will disapprove you there will be Welcome to my

kingdom or there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

So you ask yourself the question I would like to be approved by God.

What does it mean for the king of the universe to approve me and he gives eight?

For those of you that aren't Christians.

I want to challenge you with these beatitudes.

We can't just jump into this prayer that Jesus gives his disciples.

If you're not even in the kingdom and you don't have the Father's ear.

Beatitude number one found in verse three blessed are the poor in spirit Approved by God and it's a

conditional thing.

It's not for everyone.

For theirs and theirs only is the what? kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who are weak and Dependent on others.

This is a begging word.

This is a word used of someone who's not a Christian and they know that if they die They're gonna go straight

to hell and they also know that it's by grace that they're saved and they can't save themselves.

And so they throw themselves at the mercy of the court.

They run to the king and say I'm begging you To save me.

That's the word Crouching down.

You can't even establish eye contact because you know who you are.

You're desperate to get in you ought to be desperate to go to heaven.

Well, we move from this First beatitude to now the emotional counterpart.

Found in beatitude number two verse four blessed are those who mourn by the way.

If you're thinking that I'm gonna go through every verse and review and make this a jet tour of Sermon on the Mount.

I'm not but I want to go through the Beatitudes because I want to make sure everyone here is a Christian.

If you're not a Christian, you're welcome to be here.

But I want you to do business with God and here's what the king king Jesus said the attitude number two the emotional

side of beatitude number one blessed are those who mourn.

They shall be comforted When you mourn over your own sin and you realize I've offended not

just you know The government not just someone else.

I've offended you God against you and you only have I sinned and done.

What is what?

Evil in your sight.

Sorrow mourning grief.

Verse five beatitude number three blessed are the gentle for they shall inherit the kingdom.

I Gentleness means this in this particular context.

I can't promote myself.

Someone else will have to promote me.

That's what gentleness would describe here.

I try to forward myself in God's kingdom.

I try to say, you know, I'm not in your kingdom and I want to be but I can't earn it.

I can't work for it.

I can't do anything.

So you'll go.

Wow.

I give you favor.

Please come you've earned your way.

Good job way to go.

Because this person realizes and every Christian has realized by the Spirits enlightenment That everything we do

to try to earn favor has been tainted by sin.

So it's all full of tar and resin of sin.

So this is very humble and gentle the attitude number four.

We see the progression here.

We've got the need in beatitude one two, and three and and now comes

More of a solution More of a working in our heart.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they'll be satisfied.

The attitude number five verse seven blessed are the merciful for they will receive mercy and we see the change in the heart of

people.

The kingdom citizens are pure and hard and peacemakers and They're blessed when they're persecuted.

I Want everyone here as we learn about the king to be in the kingdom and if I had to summarize all of this sermon.

If you move down to verse 20, I would say this.

That you pick the most religious person that you know that's ever existed.

I don't care if you think the most religious person has been Billy Graham mother Teresa

Samuel the Prophet David the king you pick the most religious person you can think of

and then read this verse verse 20.

This is the one that you put the box around saying this is the key that unlocks the Sermon on the Mount.

For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the most religious person in the world.

The scribes and the Pharisees you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

You can't get into God's kingdom by anything that you do kingdom of heaven has to be granted to you.

It's been done by the king himself.

And then Jesus talks about Personal relationships once you're in the kingdom.

You've got issues and he says many times look at verse 21.

You have heard it said but I say to you and Jesus begins to teach what really is

going on in the kingdom.

And how it's not just externals.

It's internals.

It's not how with the Pharisees would just say well You do these things on the outside.

And you don't have to worry about the inside because God wants your motives and your intentions to match up to your actions.

And then we come to Matthew chapter 6 the Lord's Prayer the disciples prayer.

How do you pray.

We all have trouble with praying and now the king tells us this is how you pray?

And In verse 20 was the key to unlock the Sermon on the Mount.

The word father is the word that unlocks the Lord's Prayer of the disciples prayer the word father.

If you look in Matthew chapter 6 you'll find the word father not once not five times but 12 times.

If you look in the Old Testament I Would wager if I was a wagering person that you could

barely find 12 uses of God as father in all the Old Testament.

You could find 12.

I think the number is 14.

But they're not very many and here's a radical paradigm shift when people are in God's

kingdom when the king says You're in my kingdom based on my work and not your own.

And you've seen your sin, and you've begged for another righteousness, and you're a kingdom citizen.

Kingdom citizens pray to God as Father that is the key word and if you see

your Bibles Matthew chapter 6 verse 9

our Father that is really the key so much so that J. I Packer said quote you

sum up the whole of the New Testament teaching in a single phrase.

If you speak of it as a revelation of the fatherhood of the Holy Creator.

Pray then in this way.

It's a pattern prayer.

It's not a rote prayer.

We've had people leave our church because every week we don't stand up and say the Lord's Prayer.

It's fine to say the Lord's Prayer, but this is a template.

It's easy to remember.

You can think about this King who's not just sovereign.

But he's compassionate and he wants his children.

He wants his kingdom citizens to obey and he he gives us a very easy prayer to remember so that all our

prayers can be formatted to this skeleton prayer.

God as a father did you notice.

I have to have a little review.

As I was reviewing the notes myself this week I thought oh, I'm so encouraged to be Reviewing.

I'm gonna have to review as well.

And it's not because I don't have a bunch of new stuff ready, and I slacked off all this week.

I've got a probably and I think Steve Cooley could vouch for this enough for about three or four sermons here.

But we need to know what the context says and we need to as we're diving into the Lord's Prayer.

It's the most well -known part of Scripture.

Maybe but the least understood and if you ask yourself questions like

this you'll be helped if we're to pray to the father.

Our father then it means we're not to pray to

Saints angels.

Some great ground of being some kind of force.

We are not to pray hail.

Mary mother of God pray for us sinners now in the hour of our death.

What does Jesus say.

Jesus says pray to the? father.

I Couldn't help myself, and I found some other prayers that we ought not to pray because they're not to the father.

We don't pray to Saints.

We don't pray to angels.

We don't pray to anyone except we pray to the Father so if you haven't paid attention so far.

I think I can get your attention now.

This is called an interlude

prayer to st. Christopher patron of motorists.

Grant me O Lord a steady hand and a watchful eye that no one shall be hurt as I pass by.

Thou gave us life.

I pray no act of mine might take that that away our mar thy gift of thine.

Teach me to use my car for others needs.

I Can't how can I can't make this up?

Nor miss through love of undue speed.

The beauty of the world that thus I may with joy and courtesy go on thy way.

St Christopher holy patron of travelers protect me and lead me safely to my destiny.

I Don't know who st. Christopher is, but you ought not to pray to him.

It's sinful to pray to Christopher.

I found one other prayer called prayer to st. Joseph.

And it is 1 ,900 years and it's been told to me on the the website that if you say this for nine consecutive

mornings You can get anything you want and that the website said it is

seldom been known to fail.

Oh St. Joseph whose protection is

so great so strong so prompt before the throne of God.

Assist me by your powerful intercession.

Oh St. Joseph I never weary Contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms.

I dare not approach while he reposes near your heart.

Press him in my name and kiss his fine head for me and ask him to return the kiss when I draw my dying

breath.

St. Joseph patron of departing souls pray for us.

Friends you can see the Lord's Prayer all day every day.

And if you don't stop and think of the words you will run off into the seat fullness of sin and the foolishness of praying to somebody besides

God the father.

You won't just do that.

If you look back at verse 5 of chapter 6 if you forget God is your father.

You might be a hypocrite when you pray.

Who could stand before your father and really be a hypocrite verse 5 when you pray or not to be like the

hypocrites?

See, they don't have a father.

They don't understand the fatherhood of God.

And so what do they do instead of relying on the relationship of father and creature father and son

father and daughter.

They love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men.

You don't improve your status of son to a father by doing that.

You don't gain Anything with God.

You might be gaining things with men.

If you look at verse 6 if you forget God's father, you might pray insincerely.

You wouldn't go to God your father and pray insincerely, would you?

But you verse 6 of Matthew 6 when you pray go in here in a room close your door and pray to your

father who's in cryptos and secret.

Close your door pray to him and your father who sees what is done in secret will

reward you.

What good father doesn't want to reward his children.

Look at verse 7 if you forget God is father when you pray.

You might just say a bunch of words blah blah blah blah blah.

And when you're praying.

Don't use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do for they suppose that they will be heard for their many

words.

When my kids want something from me, they don't say now if I talk long enough I think I can get it

and you know, we'll do the old sales thing.

They taught us this in sales sadly if you can get somebody to say yes five times in a row.

They might just say yes the sixth time so you say all kinds of things.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes, and before that comes out of their mouth again, they say yes.

If God is some kind of weird ogre like deity that doesn't really exist that's not compassionate.

They're just always Angry, maybe you've got to do a lot of fast talking, but if he's your father it affects the way you

pray and you don't just say.

Let's see.

I'd like to go on that hike today with the church.

I Think.

I'll go to my father and ask him.

He doesn't really want to go but.

But I'll go to dad.

La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la.

Would you ever do that?

No, of course you wouldn't.

He's your father.

He listens and if you're too young to talk, he even will stoop down and and condescend a

baby talk.

But here he says and mark it well for those who want to have some kind of private prayer language.

That's not English or not their main language.

I don't care if you're you praying Deutsch if you understand Deutsch.

Don't just make stuff up verse 7 when you're praying.

Do not say this over and over Bata over and over and over in the Greek Bata logo

set a do not keep saying when you pray.

Bata Bata Bata Bata Bata Bata Bata Bata Bata.

Don't say that don't say shit about a Honda.

Don't say any of that.

Don't say anything except with words.

It's like with Jack MacArthur.

He said this guy came up to him and said you're gonna speak in tongues today.

So he grabbed my arm and said I want you to say a chickamaka.

Hilo.

Jack MacArthur looked at him and said number one.

Don't touch me.

You don't say chickamaka.

Hilo unless it means in Zulu God, I'm hurting please help me.

Nothing, that's vain.

Nothing.

That's repetitious.

You have an audience with God your father.

Because of what the king has done.

He says in verse 8 if you forget God your father.

You might go with fear and trembling and you might not have any confidence when you go before your father.

And maybe you've got a bad earthly father.

But this wonderful father who's in heaven will allow you to pray with confidence

verse 8.

So do not be like them for your father knows what you need before you ask him.

He already knows you don't have to explain every little detail if you want to that's fine.

But he knows and he cares and he's proved that he's cared before so Jesus says

kingdom citizens I Want you to pray like this?

He didn't say I want you to pray this.

I want you to pray like this pray then in this way.

Our father for those of you that think this is just an option pray as a command when you pray you

pray this way our father.

That's how you pray and the good news is he's a close God.

He's an intimate God.

He knows all about our weaknesses.

Yet he's still a God don't forget that's over us and he might be compassionate he might be close.

He might be comforting he might come alongside.

But he's also an awesome transcendent God who Jesus says pray to your father who is

in the what in the where?

The heavenly places who are in Heaven

so now Jesus says I want you to pray to this great heavenly father, and he's going to give six petitions.

Three directed towards God and his glory his name his kingdom and three directed

towards our needs.

Is it okay to pray for our own needs?

Yes, but we first start with God and his program in the first one.

We did four weeks on hallowed be thy name our hallowed be your name.

We talked at length About how some petitions won't be needed anymore.

You won't in heaven have to say God.

I'm a hungry I'm tempted and I need forgiveness of sins.

But in heaven you will offer up those petitions of praise that says God your name is to be what?

Hallowed.

Very very important porthole as we we get our mind right we get the the ambiance of this prayer.

And it's all directed upward because sadly Lloyd -jones is right when he

says you want to find the worst sin in all the world.

It's not down on the street corner.

It's not in the red -light district.

It's not down at a bar.

It's in the heart of a Christian as he kneels down or she kneels down and

prays.

Selfishly that's convicting to me.

We're not to just drop down to our knees and say give me give me give me give me give me give me.

Somebody else's glory is at stake.

God's hallowed be thy name.

That's what really these first three petitions are about.

These first three petitions talk about God and his greatness his glory his program.

That we are just along for that.

We're just along for the ride these things would go on even without us but he's chosen to use us and.

So we want to make sure we pray according to Jesus's formatted prayer.

Let's move now to the second petition.

Verse 9 pray then in this way our Father who is in heaven hallowed be your name.

That's petition number 1.

Hallowed be our name your name.

Petition number 2 found in verse 10 your kingdom.

Come petition number 3.

Let me read that one as well found in verse 10.

Your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in

Heaven for the outline this morning.

Let me just give you several questions that when you have the right answers.

You'll understand the text better.

I have a couple goals number one I want you to understand the text better so you can do what it says.

And number two, I want to ask them in question form.

So you try to retain the knowledge a little bit.

I love the Bible one man said because it doesn't give me the right Answers to my questions.

It gives me the right questions to ask.

But that was pretty good.

So let me give you a series of questions for those of you that want the exact number.

I don't do that because then I'm held to those numbers and I just have several today.

Question number one.

When you pray what preoccupies your mind.

I can say it in life as well.

What is your top priority in life?

What what do you find yourself going back to often in life?

What do you think about in your imagination and in your plans and dreams?

And you're just walking down the street and you think about oh, yes that and this what preoccupies

your mind not just in life.

But here specifically when you pray.

What do you think about when you pray it keeps coming back over and over and over as waves keep crashing

on the shore of?

The ocean.

What do you dream about?

Might be school.

It might be getting a spouse having children.

What is grabbing your attention?

And so left to ourselves.

We're going to drift away.

So God thankfully wonderfully has revealed his mind and he wants our mind to be Captivated not

by our own dreams and interests, but primarily were to be Captivated by God's

kingdom you see it in verse 10.

When you pray pray this way our Father who is in heaven hallowed be thy name my kingdom come.

That how we're to pray.

It's one man said my little fiefdom come.

My little program for all I've got going on my five -year program my 10 -year program

my 15 -year program all my hopes and dreams and all the things that I think about and all the things that even

Happen to good people all the things that are probably good when recognized as as from a gift of God.

But that's not what we do, but we're tempted to do it.

So Jesus in kindnesses when you pray.

You're already preoccupied with yourself.

So when you pray pray like John the Baptist.

That I'm going to have to decrease so that God's kingdom what?

Increases this is similar to hallowed be thy name kind of praying.

It's not hallowed be my name.

It has nothing to do with me.

It has to do with God.

And so here you almost can see that the Hebrew construction here.

What here's what a Hebrew would do a Hebrew would emphasize something by saying, holy, holy, holy.

Saying the same word three times or you could say set -apart holy

sanctified saying three different words that are pretty synonymous and that's almost

what's happening here with these first three petitions Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come would certainly be a great extension of God's Hallowness as this future kingdoms

comes.

And when this first future kingdom comes it will hallow God's name to the degree that as people obey in

heaven.

They'll now obey on earth.

So there's some nuances that are a little different.

But he's really saying the same thing three different ways that it's all about God when you pray

not about us.

And it's okay to say God.

For my example today Haley's at home sick today.

And I pray that you be with her and comfort her and and doesn't seem anything terminal and she just is under the weather.

Please help her.

Would that be an okay prayer?

Oh, there she is.

Hi Haley.

How are you?

I Was wondering what all that coughing was.

See God answered that prayer before I even prayed it.

She's back with us.

It's like Isaiah 66, but that's it.

That's a fine prayer.

What father would say.

I can't be bothered with that kind of stuff.

No father would say that but when we pray the pattern should be because of our Selfishness

that's even existed in a Christian's life that exist in a Christian's life.

Our selfishness tends to go towards us and Jesus says when you pray remember you're in my kingdom.

This is about me and my kingship and in my kingdom and the what here's what kingdom citizens do.

Not Satan's kingdom anymore.

You're in my kingdom and so you should be ready to promote me and my name and I will not give my

glory to another.

So when we pray we're to be preoccupied with God's kingdom even if it's at the expense of

our kingdom we pray Outside of ourselves that is to say

vertically.

Jay Packer said when we are left to ourselves any praying that we would do.

Would both start and end with ourselves.

And he's talking about Christians here.

What a dagger to the heart for our natural Self -centeredness knows no bounds.

God my felt needs.

God my needs.

God my marriage.

God's my relationship.

God my money.

God my family.

I think those are fine things to pray about.

It's not about us first.

It's about God.

Jesus had a priority for the kingdom and we ought to as well.

Don't turn there, but Luke 4 443 Jesus said I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also

for I was sent for this purpose.

His priority was the kingdom.

Ours should be as well.

Question number two number one.

Preoccupation with God's kingdom when we pray question number two.

Are you aware that there are two aspects of God's rule?

Are you aware that there are two aspects of God's rule?

Here's what I'm after and I just don't want to spend tons of time on it, but just briefly.

There's a kingdom to come.

But God is still sovereign today, would you believe that?

All right.

Let's go back in time.

To when Jesus was preaching was God sovereign over everything that happened.

Did Jesus uphold the universe by his mighty right hand?

Did everything go according to plan every prophecy every birth every creation everything happened

perfectly according to God's sovereign rule.

We believe that's true.

The Bible teaches it Psalm 103 my sovereignty rules over all.

But there's another nuance here that you've got to remember Jesus isn't praying by the way I want

God to finally be sovereign over everything.

He's praying that there's something Extra something beyond this something that contains itself

underneath this there's a kingdom that must come and so I want you to understand that there's a sovereign

rule of God over every atom of the universe and there's also in the heart of a Christian

Words given by Jesus that says you ought to pray for God's kingdom to come.

This cannot be a request that says God, would you please sovereignly rule over everything in the universe?

Can it?

Because he already rules over everything sovereignly in the universe.

One man said Jesus conception of God's kingdom is not simply of sovereignty of God.

Which may or may not be accepted by men, but is always there.

No.

Can't be that James or said there is therefore recognized in Scripture a natural and

universal Kingdom our dominion of God embracing all objects persons and events all

doings of all Individuals in all nations all operations and all changes of nature in history

absolutely without exception.

Yet there's a future aspect of this kingdom that were to pray would come.

Let's turn to Acts chapter 1 and I think I can help you understand this by going to Acts chapter

1 the second account of Luke.

What's the first account of Luke?

Good Gospel according to Luke.

I don't want you to default and say to yourselves when you pray a God just be sovereign.

He is already sovereign.

There's an aspect of this kingdom that will come here.

The kingdom Is inaugurated as it were the kingdom is being preached by Jesus.

This is what kingdom citizens do but they're still yet talk to Covenant theologians are

dispensationalists alike.

There's a future kingdom or else when you pray thy kingdom come it is simply lip service.

Acts chapter 1 verse 1.

Fascinating account.

I won't make all kinds of comments, but let's just start at the beginning of the chapter.

This is the first account I composed Theophilus about all that Jesus began to do and

preach.

Until the day when he was taken up to heaven after he had by the Holy Spirit given orders.

This is the truth you better go do this.

To the Apostles whom he had chosen.

Okay, now it gets interesting.

To these he also presented himself alive after his suffering by many convincing proofs appearing to them

over a period of 40 days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.

Gathering them together verse 40 commanded them not to leave Jerusalem.

But to wait for what the father had promised which he said you heard of from me for John was

baptized verse 5 with water.

But you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.

Okay, this is the key this is important.

You'll understand the sermon on that about better and the prayer of Jesus the pray that Jesus wants us to pray better if you understand this

section right here.

So when they had come together they were asking him saying

Lord is it at this time?

You are restoring the kingdom of Israel.

Is there going to be some kind of earthly kingdom now?

They understood that there was already kingdom talk kingdom preaching kingdom citizens, but there's something in the

future.

What about this future kingdom now would be a good time and would it be?

Understandable by the disciples to ask such a question or was that a real stupid question.

Was that a pre?

Cross Peter question that's really stupid to ask.

I

think it's the right question to ask.

The people on the Emmaus Road in Luke 24 were hoping Jesus would redeem Israel.

It's not yet verse 7.

It is not for you to know the times or epics which the father has fixed by his own authority.

You got the kingdom idea, right?

You just got the time wrong.

He didn't say you've got them both wrong.

No, that's wrong.

It's a spiritual kingdom in the hearts of people only.

But you've got this right that it's it's it's an earthly kingdom.

Is this the time where I'm gonna set up the kingdom now?

You got that, right?

You just have the wrong timing.

So when we pray thy kingdom come.

We're not praying for something that's already happened.

It is future and it is future past not just Matthew Mark Luke and John but future acts.

Jesus should have said by the way that literal earthly kingdom that kind of kingdom is to come that

doesn't exist.

And let me tell you how it's all spiritual.

And again, this is not a dispensational covenant issue.

I meant I read many covenant theologians this week non dispensationalists that know there's got to be some kind of future kingdom coming

or else.

Why do you pray that?

Verse 9 and after he had said these things he was lifted up.

Can you imagine maybe I need to go back in time to this time.

I'll probably say that every other passage I read in my life if I could only have been there.

They were looking out.

He was lifted up while they were looking on and a cloud received him out of their sight.

And as they were gazing intently by the way gazing intently a means not just staring but it's like

a heartbroken thing.

I'm looking but I'm heartbroken.

I'm going to the train station and I'm sending off my child in 1940.

And I don't know if I'll ever see them again and you're looking down to that final train car as it goes away with Sadness and

I'm intently gazing through the tears of my eyes.

That's the word here.

They were gazing intently verse 10 into the sky.

It was going behold two white men and white two white men.

Did I just say that?

Oh Oh Whoa, whoa,

it's time to get a drink

you laugh you try this someday.

I Got a preaching discipleship class coming up in a couple months.

Then we'll see how many sign up.

They probably looked white after all this Folsom glory around them make the tape say that they

look white

as I was saying earlier verse 10.

Behold two men and white clothing stood beside them and we're gonna see a kind rebuke but a

rebuke nonetheless.

Man of Galilee, why do you stand?

Interpretedly forlornly looking into the sky.

Let me give you some good news this Jesus Who has been taken up from you

into heaven?

It's gonna come back.

It's got kingdom language written all over will come in just the same way as you have watched him go into the heavens.

Why to establish the kingdom?

That's why in the same way.

You are sitting there forlornly saying Ichabod the glory of God has Departed

but he's coming back.

Your timings wrong, but your idea is not wrong.

Back to Matthew chapter 6.

Question 1 when we pray were to be preoccupied with God's kingdom not our own.

Question number 2 don't forget that God sovereignly rules over everything yet were to

pray for a future kingdom to come.

So I don't want you to confuse kingdom as only rule and say he already sovereignly rules.

So why do I pray for a future rule?

We'll get to the answer those questions sometime.

I'm trying to take step -by -step question 3 when you

pray.

What is your hope in life?

When you pray, what is your hope in life?

To be more blatant about it.

Do you long to see Jesus return to earth and gloriously reign.

Do you long for that I?

Mean we all need hopes and dreams.

Hope of maybe good health in the future.

There's nothing wrong with that.

Hope that their children your children exceed you and what you've done.

Maybe your hope is political.

Maybe your hope is I just saw there's a new green Bible out now on on soybean paper.

Carried or held around by two white men, you know,

is your hope the Eco -friendly green world

our hope.

From Jesus's perspective should be that Jesus will return his kingdom is going to come.

Jesus returns as we forlornly look into our own future with all kinds of stock issues and money

issues and oil issues and health Issues.

When we pray we're looking for hope.

There's more than this we have the future hope of Christ return your kingdom

come.

It's gonna come he's gonna come back the return of Christ Jesus that word come by the way

number one.

It's imperative.

It's a command and number two.

It's got a nuance of something quickly.

Suddenly rapidly happening there could come at any time.

There was an old prayer written by some Jewish people before Or around the time of Jesus.

Here's the prayer.

Exalted and hallowed be his great name in the world, which he created according to his will.

May he let his kingdom rule in your lifetime and in your days and in your lifetime of the whole house of Israel

speedily and soon and to this say amen.

There's gonna be a consummation.

There's gonna be an end.

Which will turn out to be just the beginning.

What's the last?

Words you hear in revelation from Jesus he who testifies that these things says revelation 2220.

Yes, I am coming quickly.

Come Lord Jesus one writer said quote our greatest desire

should be to see the Lord reigning as King in his kingdom to have the Authority and honor that have always been his but

not yet for him to come to claim

Jesus returning.

Diacarson said see the ultimate kingdom as Christ returning.

How about the end of 1st Corinthians chapter 16.

They were messed up church, but they understood this.

Greetings in my own hand.

Paul if anyone does not love the Lord.

He is to be accursed.

Maranatha what's maranatha mean.

Lord come that's a good prayer.

By way when that all happens.

Gone are all the things in Matthew chapter 5 verse 21 and following about adultery in the heart and hitting

Faces and all these other kind of things.

Messianic kingdom come quickly.

Covenant theologian Miller Burroughs said those who maintain that for Jesus himself the kingdom of

God has already come in his own person and ministry.

Inevitably treat this second petition of the Lord's Prayer in a rather cavalier fashion.

What do you hope for our hopes are built on this future consummation of the kingdom of God?

By Jesus Christ return.

Okay last one for today number four this is going to be

Provocative number four do you acknowledge that it

takes a supernatural work of God to make his kingdom come?

You acknowledge that it's gonna take God to make his kingdom come.

I mean think about it verse 6 chapter 6 verse 10 God you make your kingdom come.

God I I'm praying that you would do it.

It's not gonna come in through human means.

Oh God might use means but this is going to be all of God.

It has to be.

I can hear Jesus say to Pontius Pilate.

My kingdom is not of this.

What?

World how can sinful people inaugurate the kingdom and bring it in?

Did Jesus say true or false when you pray pray this.

God help me to make your kingdom come.

Jesus did not applaud the zealots as they try to bring in the kingdom and for us.

If I can digress just for a moment because it's in all the news.

It's not really digression digression, but the gospel doesn't proceed and march on

fruitfully and faithfully if it is caught in the

straight jacket of politics.

Doesn't work that way.

I read this week 30 preachers are gonna get up and say this is who you vote for.

I don't care if Barack Obama John McCain

Ralph Nader Hillary Clinton.

Are there's even an outside chance if all the electoral votes are all split that Nancy Pelosi could be the president.

If you put them all together and take the worst sins that are in their heart and put them all together in some kind of

amalgamation.

We would still live under a better rule than those people in the New Testament did.

Kingdom doesn't come by the religious right.

You say well you tell me not to vote.

No, go ahead and vote.

But the kingdom comes the kingdom has flashes of of what it does through gospel preaching

not legislation not lobbying.

Not political action committees.

You and you know, if you're a Democrat, you're like, yeah.

Yeah, go get those Republicans.

I'm after you Democrats too.

I'm after you autocrats.

I'm after you libertarians and I'm after especially you people that worship trees.

No, just kidding.

Do you see the video this week?

Oh, man.

Vote be glad we don't live under anarchy.

But on November 4th at midnight if they've got it sorted out.

Don't sit there and have a pity party because your secular humanists didn't make it because they both are.

Should Christians be in politics.

Maybe but you're going to have to compromise if you are.

Say I want to be in call politics because I can help God's kingdom along.

I Think Ted Haggard was a good illustration of how that doesn't work as the Wall Street Journal said of him that he has more

influence in politics than any other Christian while at the same time he's

Disqualifying himself.

It is the Holy Spirit's job to bring in the kingdom not by political coercion.

Friends, I have a little rule.

Here's my rule.

I make people mad enough already.

Why would I make them mad enough by me walking around all the time saying I'm a Green Party guy.

I'm a libertarian.

I Care I'm interested.

But we are not political citizens.

We have a different kind of kingdom that a we live in now and be there's gonna be a real future kingdom

coming.

That's what I'm after.

How about this show me someplace where Christians are involved in politics to a great degree and I'll show you a

corrupt church.

Show me but in the iron curtain before the wall went down what goes on in communist Russia and I'll show you

a pure church torch pure church.

This is not something that we do now.

God might use us in evangelism and other things.

We'll talk about next week.

But it is not our job to bring in the kingdom through any means let alone some kind of notion like it's a

political deal.

The Bible changes hearts not the Constitution.

The Trinity brings in the kingdom not the executive legislational and judicial

judicial branch of the United States government moral majority.

I don't think so.

I'd rather go for what Paul says.

I determine not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and him Crucified

and may God strike me dead if I think I want to bring the kingdom in and I'll do it by putting my arms around blasphemers

who deny Justification by faith alone whether they're Mormon or whether they're Muslim or whether as Phil

Johnson said they're Mooney.

How can we cut away?

Parts of the gospel that are sure to offend.

If any of you think you're running a political office.

You might as well forget it right now because the first thing they'll do if you get to be big.

They're gonna pull up my sermons and judge you based on my sermons.

You're done One and done the guy that talks about Jesus seeing the two white

guys in Acts chapter 1 you'll never get another vote.

When you pray for God's kingdom.

You're praying for a gospel oriented salvation by faith alone through grace alone for God's glory

alone.

Christ alone, that's how it comes.

And it's gonna maybe get worse before it gets better.

And then what do we do?

We still pray our father who art in heaven, that's what we pray.

We pray God may your name be hallowed.

May your kingdom come.

Your homework assignment for next week is read the Sermon on the Mount chapter 5 6 & 7.

Let's pray.

Thank you Lord for this day.

Thank you that you do sovereignly reign and yet with this congregation today, I would ask

you as a son with these other sons and daughters Father that you

would make your kingdom come soon Father the best that we have on earth

children pleasures fellowship food family.

Will Not be anything when we think of seeing Christ

face to face because it'll all be gain.

Help us to be a kingdom minded church.

Lord help us to be protected from what society is putting into our brains every day that it's all about.

The stock market.

It's all about oil and it's all about Republicans and Democrats.

Lord, you'll give us sovereignly the person we either need or deserve and we will change nothing in Scripture

based on who we have.

As a president by your grace in Jesus name.

Amen.