Ep 454 | Your Kingdom Come - Clint DeFrance - 2022 California Memorial Day Meeting

We're going to be reading from the 11th chapter of the Gospel

of Luke. Let Luke chapter 11 would begin

Luke 11 · chapter mention

reading in verse 1. The Bible says it happened that

while Jesus was praying in a certain place after he had

finished one of his disciples said to him, Lord teach us to

pray. Just as John also taught his

disciples must have been an amazing thing to hear.

Someone like John the Baptist Pray to God.

Someone who had had such intimate in remarkable and

encounters with God unique in the history of the world.

There were other prophets, but that was not a common

experience, given to men and women over and over throughout

the years. What John new of God's Eternal

purpose. The tasks that had been laid

upon his shoulders, the burden that he felt for his people, and

for the unfolding of God's purpose.

And what it must have been to your him.

Pray, but all the more, what must have been to hear Jesus.

Pray, we only have a few examples in the scripture that

list or record in detail the words that he spoke on occasions

like that. I think John 17, of course, the

prayer that he prayed for his disciples and then later, the

prayer that was brief and repetitious.

In The Garden of Gethsemane, as he was begging God for

deliverance, if it were possible, but he prayed many

times in his life, he who knew God even in a greater and closer

way than John the Baptist or any other Prophet before.

And he had been in the bosom of the father, before he became

flesh to dwell Among Us what message of been to hear him

pray. And so, when the disciples heard

him were not surprised that they would ask.

Teach us to pray and he did in verse 2.

He said to them, when you pray, say our father who is in heaven,

Hallowed Be Your Name, Your Kingdom come.

Now he said more than that, and we're not going to go on and

look at the rest of this model or instructive prayer.

That Jesus presented to his disciples.

We're going to focus our attention on that one.

Online. Your kingdom come.

This comes into the theme of the meeting so far.

If you have not been with us in previous studies, the theme of

this meeting is the establishment and increase of

the kingdom of God. And so tonight we're going to

consider what Jesus meant when he taught his disciples to pray.

Your kingdom come. So tonight, we're going to be

talking about the establishment and increase of the kingdom of

God. I think this merits a little bit

of review from what we spoke about last evening.

What is the kingdom of God is the kingdom of God present in

the world today, if so? When was it established, is it

now all that it will ever be or does it have a future stage and

is that future stage going to be good and glorious?

Or is it going to be tragic and ended in Failure?

If the kingdom will grow and spread and increase?

How exactly would that happen? Well, these are the sorts of

questions. We're going to be working on in

this lesson, but first, we need to understand what the kingdom

is. The word Kingdom carries for

essential ideas within its definition.

We have them represented in the top panel farthest from me a

kingdom, refers to a rank, a rule, or realm and Terrain.

A rank is the power to rule then there is the Practical

expression or exercise of rule. There is the territory and the

people over which the rule is exerted.

And finally, there is the time when that power has been given

and the authority is being exercised and expressed.

Now the phrase kingdom of God or it's alternative in Matthew's

gospel Kingdom of Heaven. Furs in the Old Testament to the

rank rule realm and reign of God himself.

God, because he is, God has the Supreme right to rule over the

Earth. He created it for his own.

Pleasure says, the fourth chapter of the Book of

Revelation. It was made according to his

will and it exists. Rightly only, according to his

purposes, he rules over the universe by his decrees, which

brings certain things infallibility to pass.

And by his Revelations, which inform his intelligent

creatures, what he wants them to do and by his permissions, which

Grant certain creatures, the ability to do things, according

to their own will, some of which are actually contrary to his

revelation. His realm is the whole universe

spiritual and material visible and invisible, and his Reign is

without beginning, or end from Everlasting to Everlasting.

In the New Testament, these phrases find a new meaning, cast

around the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Jesus has received the Kingdom from the father and he has a

rank. And a rule and a realm and a

reign of his own. His rank was given to him by God

the Father his rule also consists of his own decrees and

permissions and Revelations. His realm is the whole universe

material and physical and visible and invisible.

His Reign had a beginning and there will come a time when it

concludes what it accomplishes its purposes.

Now, it's vital here to remember the Bible story.

Last evening, I suggested that we could break the Bible story

down into four related sections creation, corruption, correction

and completion in the first section creation.

God made the universe. So that he might rule over it

and receive glory in and through it.

And then, in the midst of the universe, he created Earth to be

his Temple and on the earth, he placed a garden called Eden in

which he would dwell and he filled that temple with humans

or at least that was his intention.

He put humans as priests within the temple.

Ministers of the sanctuary. Who would there be his image

bearers and Tate, the spread of his knowledge and Glory

throughout the world. At this point, everything was

very good because it was operating all precisely.

According to the rule of God, God spoke and it was so, and it

was good. The kingdom of God was intact

and in order, however, in the second stage of the Bible story,

the corruption things change significantly.

And for the worse, Humanity was led by Satan to rebel against

God. God's rule was abandoned in his

kingdom, became broken and disorderly.

Things were no longer the way that God wanted them to be and

all kinds of problems and evils began to permeate the universe

to its deepest and most fundamental parts.

And in the midst of God's realm a new rival, Kingdom was

established seeking to wrench more and more power away from

the Creator. This was the kingdom of Satan or

the kingdom of darkness as the scripture also calls it.

Now, at this moment, God might have destroyed the universe and

it would have been a very reasonable thing for him to do,

because it was no longer accomplishing the purpose for

which he created it, but instead he began the third section of

the Bible story, The correction and here, Gob set in motion a

plan to restore and redeem creation to put down the

rebellion and to destroy Satan. And his kingdom, and bring

everything back to his stage of goodness.

Once More by reclaiming, it under his Rule.

Now we should note that Jesus was present from the very

beginning of this story. The Bible tells us and passages

like John chapter 1 and Colossians chapter 1, that all

John 1 · chapter mention Colossians 1 · chapter mention

things were created through him. And without him nothing was

made, that was made by his word and his power.

All things came into existence and found their order and

structure and purpose and stability.

But Jesus Takes center stage in the correction narrative and

Here, we learn that God's Eternal plan was to give his

kingdom over to Jesus because Jesus was going to accomplish

some important works. That would ultimately result in

what the Bible calls the restoration of all things.

Acts chapter 3 and verse 21. That's very important to

Acts 3 · chapter mention

understand that the work of Christ is not merely a work of

salvation. Sometimes I think people limit

it to that exclusively but Jesus is not merely a savior, the work

of Christ is a work of restoration and in restoring

creation back to God's purpose. Jesus will indeed save.

What can be saved? But he will also destroy what

cannot be saved. John the Baptist said that

Messiah would come with spirit and with fire with blessings,

but also with judgment those who Jesus saves and restores to the

kingdom are gathered together as the redeemed people of God,

called The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Finally beginning, to accomplish all that God intended Humanity

to accomplish from the start. When the Bible story ends, in

the last section of completion, we see a glorious vision of what

it will look like when Jesus accomplishes.

All that God intended in the universe, the story is essential

to appreciating some of the things that we're going to

consider. Today, I want to begin with

three questions, which will explain the establishment of the

kingdom of God. How did?

Jesus receive his rank. When did the Reign of Jesus?

Begin. And how is the rule of Jesus

expressed. If we answer all three of these

questions will know, a great deal of significant information

about the Bible story and especially about this Kingdom

concept. Now, you'll note that when I ask

these questions I'm putting them all in the past tense and sort

of revealing to you. You that I understand these

things have already happened. Of course.

There are many people in the world who would insist that none

of these things have happened and they put them off into a

future stage. Even after the second coming of

Jesus, as we consider the Bible answers to these three

questions. However, I think that we'll see

very plainly that a futuristic understanding of the kingdom of

Christ. Cannot be supported by

scripture. The Bible is very plain in

explaining how Jesus received his rank that is his right or

his authority to rule, it was given to him by the father.

Jesus said in Matthew 28:18, all authority has been given to me

Matthew 28:18

in heaven and on Earth, of course, Jesus said this after

his death and his resurrection, and I believe that the Bible

teaches it was because of his death and his resurrection.

Direction that he received this Authority.

The Authority was a reward conditioned on his victory, over

Satan and sin and the curses of sin chiefly among them death and

this victory was accomplished by the cross.

And the resurrection of course foundational to this work was

Jesus coming to Earth and being incarnate in the form of a man.

During his time on Earth. Jesus could say the kingdom of

God is in your midst. The kingdom of God has come upon

you because in him, the kingdom was inaugurated already.

Its presence was already underway, but it was not merely

his life, but his death, which established the kingdom, fully

and provided, the means for Rebels for Sinners and the

kingdom of Satan to be pardoned. And Got back into the kingdom of

God in Matthew chapter 16 and verse 18.

Matthew 16 · chapter mention

Jesus famously told, his Apostles, that death would not

stop him, from establishing his congregation, his church, and

creating a people for himself in the world.

That little did Satan know that. It was actually through Jesus

death, that he would establish it and would defeat death and

sin. As the Bible says in Hebrews

Hebrews 2:14

chapter 2, Verses 14 and 15, he defeated death in his own death

because after he died, he rose again to life Everlasting and he

manifests his resurrection by many convincing proofs.

And then the Bible says that Jesus ascended back to heaven.

And in his Ascension, the scripture tells us that he led a

host of captives in his train that unusual statement.

Found in Psalm 68 verse 18, but it's quoted in Ephesians 4:8 and

Psalms 68:18 Ephesians 4:8

the Apostle Paul applies it. To the Ascension of Jesus

Christ. It refers to Jesus, taking the

defeated devil and the evil spirits and demons and making a

spectacle of them before the Holy Angels.

And before God himself, as he vanished from the side of the

Apostles, on the The other side of the clouds.

The scripture says he was joined by an innumerable company of

Angels, the heavenly host in all of its glory and fullness and

they March together with him in a victory Triumph.

And behind him in Chains where the old agitators and enemies of

God's kingdom, Satan, and all of his spiritual forces and powers,

and they were LED in this Victorious.

Aid through the Gates of Heaven into the very presence of God

the father in Daniel chapter 7 verses 13 through 14.

Daniel 7:13–14

The Bible tells us what happens next.

Daniel was caught up into the dwelling place of God and he was

given a vision from the Heavenly perspective.

He says I kept looking in the night visions and behold with

the Clouds Of Heaven one. Like the son of man was coming

now sometimes when he read a passage that talks Talks about

the son of man coming with the Clouds Of Heaven.

We might be intuitive to think it's talking about him.

Coming back to Earth the second time, that's not the case here.

Remember that? Daniel is viewing this scene

from up there, he's seeing Jesus, coming with the Clouds Of

Heaven up. There he is.

Coming up to the Ancient of Days, to the throne of God, the

father. And he was presented before him

and to Was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all

the peoples and Nations and Men of every language might serve

him. His Dominion is an everlasting

Dominion, which will not pass away.

And his kingdom is one, which will not be destroyed.

The writers of the New Testament, describe this in

several different ways. Mark, 16:19 simply says he was

received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God in

Acts 2 verse 34, Peter quoting. From Psalm, 110 says that When

Acts 2:34

Jesus ascended, the Lord said to my Lord, that is God, the father

told Jesus sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a

footstool for your feet. How do you remember what that

phrase means? Some of you weren't here last

evening, but last evening, we discovered that that expression

of footstool for your feet Was an old poetic way of describing

enemies being subjugated and brought under the power of the

rule of a king, sometimes by being utterly destroyed, and

sometimes by being made his Slaves by being forcibly pulled

out of the state of rebellion and Independence in which they

once lived. And now brought under his power.

God the father said, sit at my right hand until I make all your

enemies a footstool for your feet.

And Peter interpreted this to mean that God had given the

Throne of his father David to Jesus.

That's what he says in Acts chapter 2 and verse 30.

Acts 2 · chapter mention

He gave him that Throne not on Earth but over the Earth in

heaven, it was not a chair. It was a position of authority

in the Nation of God's old Covenant promises to Israel long

before in Philippians 2:5-11. Paul says that Jesus could have

Philippians 2:5–11

claimed the right to rule over the whole universe by his own

nature because he had equality with the father.

But in the interests of God's plan, he did not, he humbled

himself and he became a man. He was obedient to the father's

purposes even to the point of Of death on the cross.

And for this reason also God highly exalted him and bestowed

on him the name which is above every name.

So that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow of those who

are in heaven and on the earth and under the Earth and that

every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the

glory of God, the father. Now if the rank of Jesus was

given to him on the basis of the Read that he won by his death

and Resurrection. Then he has that right now

because he has accomplished that work.

So the reign of Jesus Christ which begins when the rank is

received, has already begun. We know that this is true

because all of the language that we have just read about sitting

down on a throne at God's right hand and being given a kingdom

and given dominion and being highly.

Exalted over all peoples and receiving a name that is above

every name. Well, this is coordination

language. It's the language of the

official installment of a king and the Bible says that all of

that happened when Jesus ascended and returned to Heaven,

two, thousand years ago. If there was any doubt, Jesus,

demonstrated, what had taken place in Heaven by wonderful

signs on the Earth? Do in particular, the baptism in

the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost and the destruction of

Jerusalem in ad 70. I believe that when John the

baptizer said that Messiah would come and he would baptize in the

spirit and in fire, that fire was specifically a reference to

God's judgment against Jerusalem.

This was the great and terrible day of the Lord that had been

foretold by the prophet Joel in Joel chapter 2.

Joel 2 · chapter mention

ER, to the baptism in the spirit, symbolized, all the

blessings that God gives to those who are redeemed into the

kingdom, and the destruction of Jerusalem, symbolize the

Judgment against those who reject the Messiah by the

removal of old Israel, and their replacement with the true

spiritual Israel, the New Jerusalem, which had come down

from heaven, the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And if we have ears to hear and eyes to see, These things were

designed by God and they were laid out on the landscape of

History to show us incontrovertibly indisputably

unequivocally that Jesus Christ has become king and he is

raining. Now, now, there's one more

question. Along this line that we need to

answer. How is the rule of Christ

expressed It's one thing to say that Jesus is King, but it's not

much of a kingdom. If the king cannot express his

will and express our expect the people to obey it.

If I told you that I was the king of Madagascar, but nobody

in Madagascar. Knows it.

I've never been there. I've never met any of them.

They've never heard of me. They've never heard anything

that I've said, but I'm the king of Madagascar.

You'd say yes. Some King.

Not very impressive. So, how can Jesus be the king of

the universe if Jesus is in heaven, and his people are on

earth? I don't know how Jesus rules

over angels. I know that he does the Bible

says that God has placed the Angels under his feet.

I don't know how Jesus exercises his authority over the sainted

dead. I know that he does because

Jesus said that Abraham and Isaac.

And Jacob and all those Noble, faithful men, and women of God

from the ages past. Said in the Kingdom of the

Messiah. I don't know how Jesus

exercises, his rule over infants, but I know that he does

because Jesus said of such, is the Kingdom of Heaven.

I don't know how Jesus exercises, his rule, over the

lower creation, centipedes, and rhinoceroses and giraffes and

octopuses are however, the you say the plural of that, and

Those and volcanoes and black holes and how does Jesus keep

all that going the way that it should?

Well, I don't know that the Bible affirms his authority over

all those things but it doesn't seem to be that interested in

it. It doesn't explain it, it simply

affirms it, but the Bible does answer this question.

How does Jesus rule over the church?

That's an important question to answer.

Jesus, when he prophesied the establishment of the church in

Matthew. 16:18 then said in verse 19 to the Apostle, Peter,

Matthew 16:18

I will give to you the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and

whatever you bind on Earth will have been bound in heaven and

whatever you loose on Earth will have been loosed in heaven.

This language about Keys is an Old Testament prophetic image.

For stewardship and authority. Jesus was making Peter the

custodian. Over the kingdom, he would be

gone. Someone would have to take care

of it in his absence, and it would be the Apostle.

Peter, he would become the mouthpiece of Jesus Christ in

the world. And Jesus would communicate his

authority to the church through Peter.

Now, that promise which was initially given to Peter is

extended to the whole College of the Apostles in John 14 verses

John 14:16–21

16 through 21 and 26, John 16 verse Verses 7 through 15 and

John 20 verses 22 to 23. And the promise was fulfilled on

John 20:22–23

the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came to them as a

Helper and began to work in them.

And those to whom they gave the gifts of the Spirit until they

had received and delivered the complete body of the testimony

and teaching that constitutes, the will of King Jesus and

deposited it in the Holy scriptures so that it Be present

for all believers in all ages, throughout all time.

And thus, those who would be servants and subjects of King

Jesus today. No, and obey his rule by

continuing steadfastly in the apostles teaching.

That's what the Bible says. In Acts chapter 2, Jesus was

Acts 2 · chapter mention

already gone from the Earth but his kingdom was proclaimed.

And people said, what should we do?

And when they were pardoned and brought into his kingdom, they

continued steadfastly in the apostles teaching Acts 2 and

verse 42 says. Now, what this means is that,

there is no reason why Jesus should not be understood as

ruling and reigning. Now, his Reign was inaugurated

at his Ascension. His rule is expressed in the

teaching of the Apostles. Apostles, which is now given to

us and the New Covenant scripture and in its

interpretation and application of the old Covenant scripture

and with all of this considered It's very common for someone to

object and say, well, if this is the reign of Christ, it isn't

very impressive. I mean, just look at the

condition of the world, but there's much we could say about

that. And perhaps, as the meeting

continues, will say more, but I think that the most important

response to that objection is to remember that the reign of Jesus

Christ is not the completion stage of the Bible story.

The reign of Jesus Christ is the ultimate manifestation of God's

purpose in the correction stage. The reign of Jesus Christ is

about fixing the broken world. That's the very reason that it's

happening. That's the reason it was

inaugurated to begin with. It's true that right now,

everything is not yet the way that it should be, but because

of the reign of Jesus Christ, the power of God is now present

in the world for everything to get there in time.

So that brings us to our next question.

How is the kingdom of God practically manifest in our

lives? And in the lives of our families

and our communities and in Nations and all over the world?

How should we expect to see it increasing and progressing?

I believe that the Bible teaches the kingdom of God in Christ is

Manifest and grows in four ways. I remember when I talked about

the kingdom of God in Christ, I'm not only talking about the

institution of the church, that's part of this thing.

We're discussing, that's a society that is formed and

created through the work that Christ is doing.

But I'm talking about the rank and Rule and realm and rain.

Reign of Jesus in all of its fullness.

How does that grow? How does it go?

How do we see it in the world? First, we see it through the

conversion of the Lost second. We see it through the

transformation of the saved into the image of Jesus third.

We see it through the unification of Believers and

forth. We see it through the increase

of the knowledge of God. God, the education of humanity

to a better grasp of who God is and what God has done and what

God is doing and what God wills. And as these four things

increase, then the church increases and the kingdom of

God, fills the Earth, more and more and more, where these

things are not present. The kingdom of God is Not.

Not yet present. That has the potential to be

there. It's been inaugurated, but it's

not there yet until these things happen in history, the

conversion of the Lost involves the preaching of the Gospel that

is the proclamation of God's work.

In ancient Israel, culminating in the Incarnation of Jesus

Christ, and his death and burial, and resurrection and

Ascension and glorious reign. Faith in Jesus, which were going

to talk about tomorrow night submission to Jesus through some

repentance and baptism resulting in justification by the pardon

of our sins. This is how one who was

previously, a rebel against God in the Kingdom of Satan, or of

darkness is taken out of that condition in the Bible says in

Colossians chapter 1, verses 13 and 14 translated out of the

Colossians 1:13

kingdom of darkness and And into the kingdom of the son of God's

love. Now the transformation of the

saved into the image of Christ is also necessary.

It's not enough for God to Simply forgive Sinners, just

pardoning criminals. Does not restore his rule over

the Earth, they're going to have to change from criminals into

law-abiding, citizens from centers into something.

Greater something that obeys God's Commandments.

That's why they need to be transformed into the image of

Jesus. God created Humanity to be his

image Bearer. There was never anyone on Earth

who was more perfectly the image bearer of God, then Jesus

Christ, he is the express image of the invisible.

God, the Bible says and thus, we find our purpose in him.

We find the Fulfillment of the real reason we were made by our

Conformity Into His Image by are following his pattern by are

imitating, him more and more. And this is a painful and

lifelong process. The Apostle Paul calls it being

led by the spirit of God and that doesn't sound too bad, but

then he goes on to discuss that being led by the spirit of God.

Involves the person, you used to be dying.

And not dying easily, not dying in his sleep, but being

crucified mortified, put to death, you take the old

character, the old lifestyle, the old Ambitions, and loves,

and wishes, and dreams, and hopes.

Those that had bound you to Satan and made you part of his

kingdom, and you kill those things.

So that when they die a new life can be formed a life.

In the likeness of Jesus as the flesh.

No longer is the guiding principle of life.

It is replaced by the spirit, which has been LED and filled

and directed and educated. By the holy spirit of God,

through the teaching of the word of God.

And over, the course of many years, a radical change takes

place. And one who was like, Satan,

Begins to resemble Jesus and each time a growth a movement

forward takes place. The kingdom of God is more

abundantly present in this world.

Then we have the unity of Believers, the unity of

Believers refers to the increasing Oneness of heart and

mind, and the supernatural christ-like.

Love that binds. All of Jesus followers together

into a great worldwide Brotherhood.

By their growing apprehension of christ-like character.

And the truth of Christ is revealed in the apostles

teaching. When you become more like Jesus,

you grow closer to others who are doing the same and something

amazing begins to happen. Old enemies.

Begin to be brothers and sisters, the oppressor and the

oppressed embrace one, another and love one another and they

take their swords and they beat them into plowshares and their

Spears, and they beat them into pruning hooks because they've

changed and they're going to study war.

No more. That's what the Bible says

happens in this world. When the kingdom of God comes to

it. It and finally the knowledge of

God refers to the understanding of God's self-revelation which

results in a fuller grasp of his glory and majesty and a greater

strength to triumph over the lies of the devil.

It is the result of Bible study and teaching and participation

and worship and all aspects of the life of the church, which

God has designed for the edification of his people.

Now, you'll note that each of these Four principles are

mutually, codependent and supportive of one.

Another, in fact, in reality, one cannot occur without the

others and one necessarily leads to the others.

You cannot turn to God, really. Without being transformed into

the image of Christ, you cannot be transformed into the image of

Christ without growing in love, for others who are experiencing

the same. You cannot be transformed

without growing in the Ruth, the knowledge of the truth and will

of Christ. And so these things all flow

together in one great, glorious Direction toward one ultimate

end. Jesus is making a redeemed.

People in this world right now. By these principles, he is

redeeming you and me, and all of us by these principles.

And when he is finished, he will take his people now converted

transformed unified and enlightened, and he willfully

deliver them from the curse by giving them immortality in the

resurrection and utterly purging from the universe, all the

remaining vestiges of rebellion and satanic influence.

And then the Bible says, he will give that rescued.

Creation over to God, the Father for his eternal glory.

So that God, may be all in all. That is the kingdom of God,

that's how the kingdom of God, comes and grows and increases.

Now in Matthew 6:10 and Luke chapter 11 verse 2.

Matthew 6:10 Luke 11:2

Jesus taught his disciples that when they pray.

Are you one of his disciples then I should change that?

Shouldn't I should say when we pray, we should pray and open

our prayers with the petition to this effect.

Your kingdom, come. This is God's purpose and Jesus

wants it to become our purpose as well and because God has made

us as his priests in this world he has made us with a tremendous

intercessory power. Where our petitions to him help

to bring his will to pass in the world.

And so Jesus said, all of this can only happen.

If it begins to dominate our cries to God, the Father,

Father, your kingdom, come before you ask anything for

yourself before you say, give us this day, our daily bread and

forgive us of our sins and do not lead us into temptation

before you say anything about that.

Pray first for God's purpose to be accomplished your kingdom

come. Now, some people who have seen

the problems with the idea that the reign of Christ is Future

and will not begin until his second coming.

We know that, that cannot be true.

We know that Christ is raining now.

So some people who have seen that have I think mistakenly

concluded that this prayer is no longer appropriate for Christ.

People, I've heard people preach that all of my life. in fact, I

think I've preached that before, They suppose that when Jesus

said these words, when you pray, pray your kingdom.

Come that. All he meant was that the

disciples should pray for the establishment of the Kingdom

through his death. Resurrection Ascension, and the

outpouring of the spirit. Now, if that was all that Jesus

meant, I would agree that we should no longer be asking for

that to happen. I'm not in the habit of praying

for the Virgin birth. To take place because it already

took place and I don't expect that.

It should ever happen again. And if Jesus meant pray for the

day of Pentecost, pray for my crucifixion and resurrection and

Ascension into Glory. If that's what he meant then we

ought not to pray that anymore. But I don't believe that's what

Jesus meant. This example, prayer, first of

all is given in the midst of The Sermon, on the Mount, which was

designed to teach how we should live within his kingdom.

Not how people should live in the Old Testament, to prepare

for his kingdom. And most importantly, it is

given in the style of Hebrew poetry now, some of us might not

know much about Hebrew poetry. Some of us might not know much

about any delish poetry and it can be a little difficult to

understand sometimes, but in Hebrew poetry, the chief

characteristic of Hebrew poetry is a structure called

parallelism. Now depending on what printing

of the Bible you use, you will note that in certain parts of

the Bible. When a poem is being recorded,

you will see the Lions or sort of staggered like this into two

verse sets. And that's how, you know, I'm

reading a poem here, I'm not reading Pros.

Now, the two verse sets are coupled together and they work

together to get the message across by relating to one

another somehow, the first verse said, and the second verse set

are parallel in some respects sometimes, they mean the same

thing. The first and the second are

just two ways of saying the same thing.

Sometimes the second verse set is the opposite of the first

verse set. Sometimes the second verse set

completes the idea of the first four set.

The Beatitudes are written this way.

Blessed are the poor in spirit. Why for theirs is the Kingdom of

Heaven. You say the second verse set,

explains the first one. But the most common form of

parallelism in Hebrew. Poetry is when they both

basically mean the same thing. The second percent simply

repeats the idea of the First with greater Clarity, it

amplifies, it and explains it. Such is the case in Matthew 6,

and verse 10, when Jesus says that we ought always to pray

your kingdom, come, he explains that he does not mean pray for

the day of Pentecost to happen. He means pray your will be done

on Earth as it is in heaven. That's how the kingdom comes.

That's what it means for the kingdom of God, to be really

present in this world. Not just for Jesus to be

enthroned in glory, but for people on earth, To submit

themselves to his Rule and to live out, his will on Earth as

it is in heaven. Rather Steve's prayer was

beautiful. I love to hear him pray and he

painted for us, a very graphic picture of the disparity between

Earth and Heaven. but the purpose of the kingdom of God is

to bring Heaven to Earth, That is its purpose and it happens

through the conversion of the lost, the transformation of the

saved, into the image of Jesus Christ, the unification of

Believers, and the increase of the knowledge of God, Jesus is

Calling on us to pray for the increase of the Kingdom to its

completion. And that work remains to be done

in my life. And in yours and in all the

world, how does the kingdom of God in Christ?

Come by the rebellious World, being conquered and reclaimed by

Jesus Through The Gospel and thus restored to the rule of

God. This is God's will and he would

have it become our will also