Your Kingdom of God

Week 3: Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done

Text: Matthew 6:10

Big Idea: Believers should be praying for the reign of God to come.

Application Question: What does it mean for you personally to see God's will done "on earth as it is in heaven"?

Preamble: Practicing the Way - Spring 2025

Before we dive into our text this morning, I want to take a few moments to talk about something significant we’re doing as a church family this spring. If you’ve been around Turning Point for any length of time, you know that we deeply value the diversity and flexibility of our small groups. We believe groups should have the freedom to respond to what the Spirit is doing in their particular community—whether that’s digging into a book, working through Scripture together, or simply creating space for authentic relationship and prayer. But every now and then—maybe once every couple of years—we bring all our groups together around a single focus. We don’t do this lightly, and we don’t do it often. When we do, it’s because we believe God is inviting us into something that requires all of us moving in the same direction at the same time. This spring, starting February 15th, we’re launching a unified small group experience called “Practicing the Way.” And here’s why this matters: For years, we’ve talked about discipleship using three simple phrases that capture the heart of what it means to follow Jesus:

Be with Jesus.

Become like Jesus.

Do the things Jesus did.

This isn’t just a catchy slogan—it’s our conviction about what spiritual formation actually looks like. It’s relational. It’s transformational. It’s missional. But if I’m honest, sometimes language is easy and practice is hard. We can affirm these truths without actually ordering our lives around them. And that’s exactly what this season is about—moving from agreement to embodiment, from knowing to practicing. Practicing the Way is going to give us a common language, a shared rhythm, and practical tools to live into this calling together. Imagine what could happen if every small group, every life stage, every corner of our church was asking the same questions, wrestling with the same practices, and encouraging one another toward the same goal: becoming people who not only believe in Jesus, but who actually live like him. This is about more than content—it’s about formation. It’s about creating space for the Holy Spirit to do the deep work that only He can do. And it’s about recognizing that we need each other in this journey. Transformation doesn’t happen in isolation; it happens in community, with people who know us, challenge us, and walk alongside us. So I want to invite you—whether you’re already in a small group or you’ve been waiting for the right time to jump in—to be part of this spring season. Let’s lock arms together. Let’s practice the way of Jesus, together. Because when we do, I believe we’ll discover that the life Jesus offers isn’t just something we hope for someday—it’s something we can taste, here and now, as we learn to be with Him, become like Him, and do the things He did. This is who we are. This is Turning Point’s purpose. And I couldn’t be more excited about this season ahead.

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever felt like the world is spinning out of control?

Turn on the news, scroll through social media, look at what's happening in our schools, our government, our culture—and it's easy to feel overwhelmed. It can feel like chaos is winning, evil is advancing, and darkness is spreading.

But in the Lord's Prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray words that confront that despair head-on:

Matthew 6:10 (NIV) “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

These aren't passive words. These isn’t wishful thinking. This is a declaration of war against everything that stands opposed to the reign of God. This is a bold, audacious prayer that God's rule would break into our broken world.

Today we're going to explore what it means to pray these words.

I. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS THE WILL OF GOD (v. 10a)

"Your kingdom come, your will be done..."

A. Hebrew Parallelism

Notice how Jesus structures this phrase. Kingdom and will are set parallel to one another—this is a Hebraic way of stating the same thing two different ways for emphasis.

Jesus is teaching us that:

- The kingdom of God = the manifestation of the will of God

- The will of God = the reign of the kingdom of God

These aren't two separate petitions; they're two sides of the same coin.

B. Kingdom Means "Reign"

The Greek word translated as "kingdom" doesn't primarily mean a place or a territory. It means the reign, power, or rule of God.

So we could translate this: "May you reign, may your power be displayed, may your rule be established."

When we pray "Your kingdom come," we're praying for God to actively reign on this earth, just like he does in heaven.

C. Already and Not Yet

This raises an important theological question: Is the kingdom here already or not yet?

The answer is: Both.

The kingdom broke into history when Jesus came

The kingdom is present wherever God's will is being done

The kingdom is growing, advancing, spreading

The kingdom will be fully realized when Jesus returns

We live in the tension—the kingdom is here, but not fully here. It's present, but not complete. And Jesus teaches us to pray for its full arrival.

II. WHAT IS GOD'S WILL? (v. 10b)

"...your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

A. The Range of God's Effective Will

Dallas Willard writes that,

"The kingdom of God is the range of his effective will: that is, it is the domain where what he prefers is actually what happens."

Dallas Willard

Think about that. In heaven, what God prefers is what happens. Completely. Perfectly. Without exception.

No one in heaven rebels against God

No one in heaven hurts another

No one in heaven acts in selfishness or sin

Perfect love, perfect justice, perfect peace

But on earth? On earth, God's will is constantly opposed, resisted, rejected.

So we pray:

"May earth become like heaven. May what you prefer actually be what happens here."

B. Alignment with God's Design

Believers are to pray, then, that this world would live and act in accord with the way God has made clear he wants things to be.

This includes:

Justice for the oppressed

Care for the vulnerable

Restoration of the broken

Reconciliation of enemies

Healing of the sick

Freedom for the captive

Truth overcoming lies

Love defeating hate

When we pray "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven," we're praying for the complete transformation of our world to align with God's design.

III. IT'S NOT ABOUT US (v. 10)

A. The Focus of Our Lives

Notice the progression in the Lord's Prayer so far:

1. "Hallowed be your name"

2. "Your kingdom come"

3. "Your will be done"

We haven't reached the point of personal petitions yet. We haven't asked for anything for ourselves. Instead, after asking for God's name to be hallowed, Jesus teaches that believers are to pray for God's will to be done on earth.

B. Transformation Through Prayer

Praying this way regularly can **work change in the heart of a believer** as they realize the life of faith is less about them and more about the will of God.

This is counter-cultural in the extreme:

- Our culture says: "Follow your heart, pursue your dreams, do what makes you happy"

- Jesus says: "Pray that God's will would be done, even when it conflicts with your will"

When we pray "Your will be done," we're surrendering:

- Our plans to his plans

- Our agenda to his agenda

- Our preferences to his purposes

- Our kingdom to his kingdom

IV. TOTAL DEVOTION TO THE KING (Illustrations)

Let me give you two pictures of what this kind of devotion looks like.

A. The Knight Templar (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade)

In the climactic scene of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indiana reaches the chamber where the Holy Grail is kept. It's being guarded by an ancient knight—a Knight Templar who has been in that cave, guarding the chalice for nearly one thousand years.

Think about that. One thousand years. In total isolation. Waiting. Watching. Guarding.

Whether we agree with his theology or not, this is an example of **complete obedience to a calling**. This knight believed he had been given a sacred duty, and he fulfilled it regardless of the cost.

B. Sermon Illustration: The Gravestone at Greenwood

The Story:

There’s a gravestone at Greenwood Memorial Terrace in north Spokane that preaches the Lord’s Prayer better than I ever could. Joe Eugene Mann. Born in Reardan. Fifth of nine kids. Wheat farmer’s son who wanted to be a pilot but ended up a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne. September 19, 1944. Holland. Operation Market Garden. Joe’s platoon was surrounded, outnumbered, cut off. Joe had already been wounded four times—both shoulders hit by enemy fire. His arms were bandaged to his body. He couldn’t raise them. His commander told him to pull back. Joe refused. The next morning, during a German counterattack, a hand grenade landed a few feet from Joe and five other men in a foxhole. Joe couldn’t pick it up. His arms were strapped to his sides. So he yelled “Grenade!” and threw himself backward onto it. He was 22 years old. Those six men lived.

The Landing:

In Best, Netherlands, where Joe died, they built a monument to him. At the top is a pelican—the ancient Christian symbol of total self-sacrifice. The pelican that gives everything, even its own blood, for its young. When Joe threw himself on that grenade, he wasn’t thinking about his future, his plans, his life. He surrendered his will completely. He chose something bigger than himself. That’s what it means to pray “Your kingdom come, your will be done.” Not my comfort, but Your kingdom. Not my life, but Your will. Joe Mann’s gravestone is still there at Greenwood. A witness to someone who understood that God’s kingdom is worth everything—even life itself.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

C. Our Lives Characterized by Devotion

In praying regularly for the kingdom of God to come and God's will be done, believers can gain an appreciation and even desire to serve God and see his reign fully realized.

What if our lives were characterized by our devotion to the King?

What if, when our lives are over, it could be said of us: "They lived as servants of the King. They prayed for his kingdom. They sought his will. They devoted themselves to seeing God's reign established on earth."

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

So what does this mean for you personally? How do we pray "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" in a way that actually changes our lives?

A. In Your Relationships

"God, may your will be done in my marriage—let me love my spouse the way you designed."

"God, may your will be done with my children—help me parent them according to your wisdom."

"God, may your will be done in this conflict—give me grace to forgive as you have forgiven me."

B. In Your Work

"God, may your will be done in my workplace—help me work with integrity and excellence."

"God, may your will be done through my skills and talents—use them for your glory."

"God, may your will be done in this decision—give me wisdom to choose what honors you."

C. In Your Community

"God, may your will be done in Spokane—bring healing, justice, and peace to our city."

"God, may your will be done in our church—help us be faithful to your calling."

"God, may your will be done in our nation—raise up leaders who honor you."

D. In Your Heart

"God, may your will be done in me—change my desires to align with yours."

"God, may your will be done through me—use my life as an instrument of your kingdom."

"God, may your will be done even when I don't understand—I trust your goodness."

CONCLUSION

What does it mean for you personally to see God's will done "on earth as it is in heaven"?

It means:

Surrendering your will to his

Aligning your life with his purposes

Praying actively for his reign to be established

Living as a citizen of his kingdom, even while you're here on earth

This isn't about passive resignation—"Well, whatever will be, will be." This is about active participation in God's work in the world. This is about praying with faith, expectation, and hope that God's kingdom really is breaking in, really is advancing, really is coming.

And here's the beautiful truth: When we pray this prayer, we're praying with confidence, because we know how the story ends. We've read the last chapter.

The kingdom WILL come

God's will WILL be done

Jesus WILL return

Heaven WILL come to earth

So we pray, and as we pray, we live in light of that coming reality.

Let's pray.

Matthew 6:9–13 NIV

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today 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 the evil one.”