Yours is the Glory Forever

Our theme for 2024 is “Possessing the Land”

We are in a summer series on The Lord’s Prayer.

We want to, not just speak the prayer, but let it speak to us.

Last week Tyler Herz Spoke to us about the importance of prayer and I hope that you were challenged to up your prayer life.

So far we have talked about addressing God as our heavenly Father.

And also seeing God as He is, holy and transcendent.

We talked about how being part of the Kingdom of God means having an eternal perspective - the bigger picture of reality.

We talked about how our lives and our desires are shaped by God’s will and knowing Him.

We said that when God asks us to do something, He also provides what we need to do it.

We need to take a moment to understand an internalize God’s mercy toward us, and then extend that same mercy toward others.

The last statements about deliver us from temptation and evil are all pleading for God’s help in turning the tide of our human existence.

This week we are wrapping up The Lord’s Prayer.

How does it conclude?

It depends on which Bible you are reading.

The NKJV and the NASB include a doxology ending.

Matthew 6:13 NKJV

13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

The ESV, RSV and most recent translations do not have it.

The NIV has it as a footnote and the Amplified Bible has it in italics - meaning that it is added text.

People who study the various texts of scripture think it was likely added in the fifth century or later since the early church fathers do not refer to it when teaching on the Lord’s prayer.

This is one of a few examples of things that are in our Bible that were probably not in the original manuscript, but have become an important prat of church tradition.

Next week, I am going to cover one more “hot topic” and that is going to be “Understanding your Bible” we are going to be talking about how and why we have all the different translations.

Last weekend, Karie and I attended an informal reunion of students and faculty from my old Bible School - Christ for the Nations Stony Brook Campus. We had Marty Nystrom leading worship and Dr. Michael Brown as a speaker. At one point Marty was leading a medley of songs that have gone around the world that were written at our little Bible school - like his song “As the deer pants for the water.”

He was also doing Eugene Greco’s song, “Mighty is our God” and he kept doing just the verses and not the bridge - “His name is higher..” Everybody was wondering why he didn’t just sing the whole song. Then He told us that he was only singing the parts that Eugene wrote. The Bridge was added later by Don Moen at Hosanna Music because Don felt that it needed something more. He felt that it needed a contrast to the repeated rhythm, a place to soar.

Those who compiled the scriptures into the Bible as we now have it today, felt that the Lord’s prayer needed something more.

It needed an ending - a fitting conclusion to the prayer.

You don’t just end a prayer with “deliver us from evil”

You don’t want “evil” to be the last thing people hear.

The prayer needed a doxology, a crescendo, a satisfying conclusion.

The prayer needed and ending that would make your spirit soar.

And so this extra line is a sort of reprise of the earlier themes of the prayer.

But its more than that - its right out of the Old Testament and David’s prayer at the conclusion of his life.

1 Chronicles 29:11–13 ESV

11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. 12 Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. 13 And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.

It is very important that we begin to pray be focusing on God, his attributes and how they impact our reality, but it is also fitting to end our prayer with the same realization.

We are going to move through the themes in the doxology and review what we have already learned about them in the Lord’s prayer.

Yours is the Kingdom.

As in heaven… let it be done on earth.

The Kingdom is about experiencing God’s reality right here in our fallen human world.

This world is not all there is… we are just beginning to know and experience all that there is to heavenly reality.

We are like children playing in the sandbox and pretending that we are doing adult work.

Let me begin to do in my earthly sandbox what you have destined for me to do in eternity.

OK. I know I can’t actually do what you do, but let me begin to experience it.

Let me imagine that I am doing it until I fell like I can actually do it.

Let me participate with you God, in some small way, in what you are doing, both here and in eternity.

That is the Kingdom- when I realize that the world doesn’t revolve around me - but all of us and all of life revolves around Him!

That leads to the most important question of our lives:

Am I fully surrendered to God?

Matthew 4:17 ESV

17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

What is the Kingdom of God?

It is the state in which God reigns supreme.

Is the Kingdom a religious institution?

Is it a political system?

When Jesus came and said, Repent, because God’s supreme reign is here

he meant, “recognize that you have been serving the wrong master”

Turn back to God because the time for restoration is now.

The tide is turning and you are on the wrong side of the battle.

So what is the Kingdom if it is not about power and control, either through the church or through the government?

What if the Kingdom is about people - people individually surrendered to God and His authority and working together.

People who each listen to and obey God’s voice but who refuse to control and dominate each other.

People who have different ideas and opinion -

even different cultural norms -

but we all have the same goal - to glorify God!

How do you know what Gods will is for your life?

The answer is going to be different for each person

But the “big question” is the same.

Am I walking in obedience to Christ?

Does my life glorify God?

Other than that.there are a million different ways to do God’s will.

It is a matter of aligning yourself to God’s will.

How do you do that?

Have God’s desires become my desire?

Psalm 37:4 ESV

4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

In other words, His desires have become what you want.

You really want to see his rule and authority established on earth as it is in heaven.

You really want to see Jesus exalted and magnified as Lord of all, uniting heaven and earth as one.

You really want to see His body in all of its diversity functioning as one with Christ as the head -each part supplementing the others.

When you have God’s heart for the world, go ahead and ask - you can’t go wrong!

We are so preoccupied with our own lives and things that are not eternally important.

What are the things that last into eternity?

Your relationship with God.

Your relationships with other people, those you bring with you into eternity.

And the character that you develop (which will factor a million times over).

Reality is so much bigger than we are.

1 Corinthians 15:42–43 ESV

42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.

Think about the relationship between a seed and what grows from it.

The tree is not contained within the acorn, but all of the potential, the information on how to become a tree is all in there.

All of the information on who you would become, your DNA was all there from the moment of conception.

Now project that same difference into eternity.

Who you are now is a mere indication of who you are becoming.

Take everything you know times a million.

Every ability you have times a million.

Take every sensory perception you have times a million.

Take every inclination of your heart times a million.

Oh, now you see why God is so interested in the condition of your heart!

Now you know why it is so important that your desires are shaped by God’s desire.

Yours is the power.

We tend to take "your’ is the power” as a declaration that only God has power.

That’s not quite what is says.

This is what David said in his prayer.

1 Chronicles 29:12 CSB

12 Riches and honor come from you, and you are the ruler of everything. Power and might are in your hand, and it is in your hand to make great and to give strength to all.

What is says is that human power comes from God.

Its not, “God you are powerful and I’m powerless”

It’s “God you are the source of all real power, so empower me with your power!”

That is the power that we can expect when we have aligned our will with His.

God’s power is for transformation.

Romans 12:2 ESV

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

We already said that your desires become God’s desires when God’s desires become your desire.

That speaks of a process of learning to know God and then having our desires shaped to resemble His.

That is also God’s will - that our will would be formed by His will.

What does this scripture tell us about God’s will?

We don’t automatically know God or His will.

In fact, God’s will is often the opposite of what this world thinks and believes - even about God!

So how do we learn to know God's will?

There is a process of testing and examination.

In other words - trial and error.

If you want to know if something is God’s will or not, try it out (unless you already know how it will go)!

Then I just have one more question for you; how is that working for you?

Paul how to know God’s will.

God’s will is good (doesn’t cause harm),

acceptable (it actually works),

and perfect (leading to good long-term results).

Try measuring your decisions by that standard.

Peter suggests another test.

1 Peter 4:1–2 ESV

1 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.

Peter’s suggestion is to compare your own thoughts and desires - your will - to that of Jesus.

Jesus was completely unselfish - he was willing to suffer and die for us.

Our sinful nature is selfish - we tend to want what is best for us or what makes us feel good.

Becoming like Jesus may mean suffering.

God gives us the power to change, even if that means moving through suffering.

Is that is? Is the power of God just to change us by helping us to get through whatever trials come our way?

No, Its more than that - its having a bigger vision - a whole new outlook!

Where God gives vision, He gives provision.

How and why to we have the courage to ask god for our needs?

It is based on what we have prayed in the Lord’s Prayer.

Who am I asking? - My Father in heaven who loves me and cares for me.

How am I asking? - With reverence and awe, knowing that God is able to do more than I can even imagine.

Why am I asking? - Because I have aligned myself with God’s Kingdom and God’s purpose. I want to do His will.

It’s not just about what I want; it’s about what I need to do His will.

Remember the Macedonians that Paul visited and took up an offering for the famine in Jerusalem?

When they began to do God’s will by giving, their giving became a supernatural manifestation of joy in generosity.

Paul tells the Corinthians that what he saw happen in Macedonia is a sign of God’s of grace -

that they can trust God to give them everything they need to be similarly generous.

2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV

8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

How many times does it say “all”?

Five times - 4 alls and one every.

Five is the number of God’s grace.

He gave the five-fold ministry as a gift of grace to the church.

If you are trying to get God to bless and fund your ideas, then I can understand why you might be conflicted as to whether or not God will provide.

But if your life is devoted to doing Gods will - sure, some of it may be your idea, but aligned with what God has told you - than it’s up to God to make it happen!

We are not just praying for what we want, we are praying for what He wants!

And if you ask God for what you already know He wants, how confident are you that your prayer will be answered!

Daily bread isn’t just about asking - it’s about trusting God and being confident in our relationship with God.

Trusting God is what gives Him glory.

Yours is the glory forever.

The Creeds of Christendom, with a History and Critical Notes, Volume III: The Evangelical Protestant Creeds, with Translations The Westminster Shorter Catechism. A.D. 1647: Catechismus Westmonasteriensis Minor

Question. 1. What is the chief end of man?

Quæstio. Quis hominis finis est præcipuus?

Answer. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

The Creeds of Christendom, with a History and Critical Notes, Volume III: The Evangelical Protestant Creeds, with Translations The Westminster Shorter Catechism. A.D. 1647: Catechismus Westmonasteriensis Minor

Ques. 107. What doth the conclusion of the Lords Prayer teach us?

Quæs. Quid nos docet orationis Dominicæ conclusio?

Ans. The conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer, which is, ‘For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever Amen,’ teacheth ns to take our encouragement in prayer from God only, and in our prayers to praise him; ascribing kingdom, power, and glory to him; and in testimony of our desire and assurance to be heard, we say, Amen.

So our purpose in life is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

And the end of the catechism reminds us that God is our only source.

So in total - The Lord’s prayer reminds us that everything is from God and everything is for God!

He is both the source and the goal of everything good in life!

Beholding, we are changed.

2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV

18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

So this is the story of Moses, who wanted to know God’s name.

Well God told Moses his name.

In fact, God hid Moses in the crevice of a rock and caused all of his goodness to pass before Moses, including a generous description of His character.

And what happened to Moses? Moses began to glow with the radiance of the presence of God.

So much so, that they had to put a veil over Moses’ face.

Moses was changed by beholding God.

Now Paul says that the same thing happens to us, believers in Christ.

Except we don’t have to veil our faces.

We see Jesus, the expressed image of God.

We know His name, his attributes and his character.

We see the glory of God.

We have the glory of God - the Holy Spirit - living in us.

If Moses glowed with the radiance of God’s presence, surely we ought to shine in some way or another.

God is restoring His image in us, and when He does, we reflect His glory.

God’s restoration is perpetual.

1 Peter 5:10–11 ESV

10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

We are not just declaring the rightful rule of God.

We are not just learning to move in His power, aligned with His will.

We are not just reflecting his image and living for His glory.

But we are doing all of that …forever!

Forever is a long time!

We tend to think only in terms of our lifetime.

But the Bible teaches us to think in terms of eternity - forever.

The child in the womb probably thinks that the womb is where they are meant to be.

Unless, of course their parents are talking to them about, ‘We can’t wait to see you, hold you, etc...”

Can the child even comprehend what it is to be seen and held?

No, they just kick back at the voice or the touch… do it again!

But the truth is, those nine months you spend in your mothers womb, though they are formative, you won’t even remember it in comparison to your entire lifetime.

What is this world is just a womb for eternity?

What if this life is really meant to form us and shape us for something more?

I believe that is why we pray about forever… to prepare us for forever.

God is restoring His creation.

Bringing us back to the way the He intended it to be from the beginning.

That means that when God has finished His restorative work on earth, all He has done has merely brought us back to the intended starting point.

This is only the beginning of what God has for us!

We may be finished the prayer, but we are just getting started with God!

It’s time for us to let our spirits soar on that thought.

God has more for us!

We have to allow ourselves to imagine and dream about the more!

This prayer isn’t over - it’s on repeat.

As often as we pray it, we need to let it take us higher and further.

Yours is the glory forever - it’s a doxology -

doxa is the Greek word for glory.

It is reveling in the glory of God and letting it transform us.

The more we speak these words, the more they speak to us.

The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13)

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen