Matthew 6:10a

The second petition, ‘Your kingdom come’, brings us back to the central theme of the Gospel.

Christ has come to inaugurate God’s reign on earth.

There’s two categories that I’m aiming at this morning, in terms of preaching on the coming of God’s Kingdom.

Extensively and Intensively.

The Extent of Kingdom advancing.

The kingdom comes increasingly as more and more people willingly submit to the King’s authority.

The Kingdom expands.

God’s sovereign reign in the general sense is always in operation; it does not come and go.

This petition “Your Kingdom come” concerns the effective reign of God in the

hearts and lives of men through their faith in, and service of, King Jesus.

The kingdom that was typified in the Old Testament and

that drew near in the ministry of John

is now established in Christ’s coming and

grows in extent and depth as the gospel of Christ spreads and men and women submit to His rule.

describes how: "May he rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.” () "Let all kings bow in homage to him, all nations serve him.” ()

"The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Armies will accomplish this.” ()

In the context of this Gospel, and especially 5:20, the mention of ‘righteousness’ in is very significant.

The kingdom will finally come in its eternal form at the end of the age, when the Saviour returns:

"Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he abolishes all rule and all authority and power.” ()

We must continue to offer this second petition until that final kingdom comes.

In practice this covers all our praying extensively and intensively for the

success of the gospel,

the extension,

reviving and

building up

of the church,

the work of the ministry at home and abroad,

the conversion of sinners and

the spiritual growth of saints and

the work of the Holy Spirit.

Doubtless, God will be glorified and His name hallowed in the judgement of the Last Day,

but primarily it will be by the coming and extension of His kingdom.

So the desire of the petition is not only that the kingdom mar come extensively

Legg, J. (2004). The King and His Kingdom: The Gospel of Matthew Simply Explained (p. 106). Darlington, England: Evangelical Press.

but also that it may more and more be established intensively, that is, that

He Himself and all those already converted may increasingly acknowledge God in Christ as their sovereign Ruler.

With God’s help we see our MAIN POINT.

We pray that others are brought out of the kingdom of darkness and that the kingdom of grace would be set up in their hearts and increase!

In our praying for the God’s Kingdom to come we’re praying for the kingdom of darkness to be demolished!

And at the same time, we’re praying for the kingdom of grace to be set up into the hearts and everyone around us and advance!

This Kingdom of grace set up in the heart of a man is what leads him to the Kingdom of glory.

This seed of the Kingdom of grace turns into the flower of the Kingdom of glory!

The kingdom of grace is glory militant, and

the kingdom of glory is grace triumphant.

Our PAST

A. The World’s PLIGHT

The first thing implied in this petition, “Your Kingdom come” it’s implied that the world currently sits in the kingdom of darkness.

So we pray for them to be brought out of that kingdom.

In this kingdom sin is reigning.

In sin is described in it’s former state as it “reigned in death” (v21).

Now that the gospel has come (in Romans 6) we’re commanded to “not let sin reign” (v), “sin will not rule over you” (v14); as enslaved to sin and obeying it leading to death (v16).

In it’s described as law that wages war and takes us prisoner and how we need rescue! (vv23-24).

Which means that those who are in Christ (by grace) are currently under the reigning death sentence of sin!

Sin reigns, rules, enslaves, wages war and holds prisoner everyone that is not saved by the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!

This is their PLIGHT.

As you hear about what God did to us through Christ, listen also to the plight of everyone else!

"He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.” ()

They’re in a ‘domain of darkness’.

We’re in this domain of darkness a few different ways.

Answer 1. Deep Denseness. "They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts.” ()

Darkened understandings cause us to be ignorant and then hardens our hearts.

Ignorance is a black veil drawn over the mind;

people by nature, may have a deep reach into the things of the world, but ignorant in the things of God.

Ignorance draws the curtains around the soul,

"But the person without the Spirit does not receive what comes from God’s Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to understand it since it is evaluated spiritually.” ()

Answer 2. Defiling Dirtiness. A natural man us under the darkness of corruption and defilement.

In , sinful actions are called “deeds of darkness”.

Pride and lust darken the glory of the soul.

The plight of the lost soul who’s hear is a dark secret, it’s blacker than hell itself!

B. The Church’s PRAYER

Answer 3. Difficult Dilemma. A natural man is under the darkness of misery.

They are exposed to divine vengeance. And the sad part of this darkness is that the lost person is aware and sensible to it!

Though blind, they think that they see.

The darkness of Egypt was such thick darkness as “may be felt,” .

By nature, lost people, are in thick darkness, but here is the misery;

the darkness cannot be felt; they will not believe they are in the dark, till they wake up in the lake of fire!

Do you see the nature of this kingdom of darkness? It’s a bewitching darkness.

It actually causes people to love darkness and hate the light (according to ).

What comfort is their, from this plight, in earthly things?

While the Egyptians were in such darkness, which was "felt", they could take no comfort in their food, gold, and silver.

So also, the natural man may have riches and friends to delight in, yet he is in the kingdom of darkness, and how dead are all these comforts?

If you’re here today, and you’re in this kingdom of darkness, you’re not aware of where you’re going!

And if you die in this natural state, while in this kingdom of darkness, blackness of darkness is reserved for you forever! ()!

So what can we do?

B. The Church’s PRAYER

We pray what Jesus says. “Your Kingdom come”!!

So implicitly we pray against the devil’s kingdom!

We pray that Satan’s kingdom may be demolished in the world!

Satan has a kingdom. He got his by conquest, he conquered mankind in paradise.

He even has a throne (according to ) which Jesus says to the church at Pergamum, "I know where you live—where Satan’s throne is. Yet you are holding on to my name and did not deny your faith in me...” ()

His throne is set up in the hearts of mankind. He doesn’t care for their wealth but their hearts!

says that satan works “in the disobedient.” (v2).

According to , as the dragon, satan receives worship!

Satan has a large kingdom and most of the inhabitants of the world pay homage and give tribute to him.

His kingdom is really noticeable.

ONE. Satan’s kingdom is one of Ungodliness. Nothing but sin goes on in his kingdom.

Murder and heresy,

lust and treachery,

oppression and division,

are the constant business transacted in Satan’s kingdom; Satan is called “the unclean spirit,” .

TWO. Satan’s kingdom is also one of Slavery. Satan makes all his subjects, his slaves.

He’s a usurper and a tyrant, worse than any other.

Tyrants on this earth rule people’s bodies. Satan rules their souls!

He rides their backs into the ground like we would a tired horse!

Earthly tyrants have some pity on their slaves; though they make them work in the gallies,

yet

they give them food, and

let them have their hours for rest,

but Satan is a merciless tyrant, he gives his slaves

poison instead of meat,

he gives them “harmful desires” to feed on,

So we pray that this ungodly enslaving kingdom would be brought down! DOWN!!!

Doesn’t it grieve your soul to think of such a dreadful kingdom should have so many subjects that support it?

Satan has more to stand up for his kingdom than Christ has for his.

Many in the visible church (the tares sown in among the wheat) has many loyal subjects that serve satan right under the roof of the church!

Please turn over to John’s gospel chap.12.

We come to a passage where Jesus is predicting His death. He’s prompted to do this at the arrival of some Gentiles (in v20).

Skip down to v31.

"Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out.”

When Jesus died on the cross it seemed as if the world was victorious and the Christ defeated.

The world appeared to be the winner!

We take the term world here as indicating the

Jewish people who rejected him,

their leaders who condemned him,

Judas who betrayed him, the

soldiers who mocked him,

Pilate who sentenced him—

in brief, this whole society of evil men, alienated from God and having the devil as its prince.

The world had put the Christ on trial and had cast Him out!

This is the “judgment of the world” spoken of here by Jesus.

Because, little did the world realize that by means of this very action it had condemned itself.

As the context indicates, the term judgment is here the divine decision with reference to the world.

That decision amounts to a condemnation.

Then it says that the “ruler of this wold will be cast out.” which is interpreted by what follows:

Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Gospel According to John (Vol. 2, p. 202). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

"As for me, if I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all people to myself.”” ()

Both Jews and Gentiles! This drawing others to Christ is the casting out of the devil!

So, through the death of Christ the power of satan over the nations of the world is broken.

So we pray and beat back satan’s kingdom through evangelization not political conservatism!

Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Gospel According to John (Vol. 2, p. 202). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

Men are willingly slaves to Satan; they will fight and die for him;

Men are willingly slaves to Satan; they will fight and die for him;

So, Satan is not only called “the ruler of this world,” .,

but the “god of this world,” ., to show what power Satan has over men’s souls.

O let us pray that God will break the sceptre of the devil’s kingdom, that Michael may destroy the dragon,

that by the help of God’s Spirit in evangelism the hellish kingdom of the prince of darkness may be beaten down!

Satan’s kingdom must be thrown down before Christ’s kingdom can flourish in its power and majesty.

This is the Church’s PRAYER.

C. The Heart’s PLEA

C. The Heart’s PLEA

Together, as the church body, we pray that His kingdom come! Why do we do this if God’s kingdom of grace has already come into your soul?

C. The Heart’s PLEA

Well…we still pray “Your Kingdom come” so that grace may be increased!

That His kingdom would flourish more and more in your souls!

1. Think with me, until we come to live among the angels, we shall need to pray this prayer, “Your kingdom come;”

Lord, let Your kingdom of grace come in more power into my soul;

let Your kingdom of grace come in more power into my soul;

let grace be more developed, intensified, and increased.

Ask yourself. Do I have more oil in my lamp than last year?

Is the knowledge of God more clearer?

Is my love for my brothers and sisters in Christ and my neighbors grown as a fire, kindled hotter & hotter?

Grace is capable of degrees, and may rise higher as the sun in the horizon.

We’re told to “build up the body of Christ” ()

By speaking the truth in love we cause one another to “grow in every way into Him who is the head— Christ.” (v15)

"From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part.” ()

So part of our PLEA is that we grow in these areas!

2. As those graces increase, you actually become a stronger believer.

"Yet the righteous person will hold to his way, and the one whose hands are clean will grow stronger.” ()

You become stronger in resisting temptation, more apt to desire to suffer afflictions, forgive your enemies etc.

You picked up your cross, see to it that you follow Jesus all the way through and so you’ll need strength for this journey!

This journey is described in like the way that Jonathan and his armor-bearer took,

“There were sharp columns of rock on both sides of the pass...” (v4).

It requires more strength to climb steep mountains that it does to walk the paved track in Demotte!

It takes stronger equipment to sail a ship in the storm than when it’s calm!

So when a believer is able to bear up under an affliction w/out grumbling or fainting, there’s a picture of grace increased!

3. This kingdom of grace increases when a believer is most in conflict with spiritual corruptions!

Not when he’s abstaining from gross evils but is in combat with inward, hidden, close corruptions,

as pride,

envy,

hypocrisy,

vain thoughts,

carnal confidence,—

these are spiritual the wickednesses remaining in believers, and

does both defile and disturb us, and so we say with Paul,

"...let us cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.” ()

But what’s the big deal. Isn’t being in possession of heaven enough?

Why all this talk about increasing and growing in grace, as we plead in our hearts, for the Kingdom to come?

1. This is in keeping with God’s design of standing ministry in the body of Christ, to increase the kingdom of grace into the hearts of God’s people.

“He gave gifts to people” (), of pastors and teachers to equip “the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ” (v12)

Not just ministry for conversion but for development!

The preached Word is compared not only to seed but also to milk.

"Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that you may grow up into your salvation,” ()

2. We need to increase in grace because of the amount of work to do and a little grace will hardly carry us through.

Our Christian life is described as ‘labor’.

A devil to resist, promises to believe, commands to obey that require a great deal of grace!

Oh that God’s kingdom would be enlarged upon our souls!

As the work increases, so to does His grace!

3. If the kingdom of grace does not increase it will decay.

The church of Ephesus decayed to the point that it left its first love! ()

Sometimes are graces are like winter plants, all the sap runs to the root, and it looks as if it were dead.

Like the church of Sardis (in Revelation) where the church is told "Be alert and strengthen what remains, which is about to die...” ()

Even though our grace never will expire (for those in Christ) it may whither.

In keeping with the plant metaphor, a withering believer loses some of their beauty and fragrance.

Paul told Timothy, "You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” ()

Some American Christian’s are weak in the faith and have lost strength.

They’re like a sick man that can’t walk or work, their prayers are sick and weak and they are as if there was no life in them.

His faith can hardly catch it’s breath and you can barely feel the pulse of his love to Christ and others beating.

After all, who is actually the King of this Kingdom?

ONE. He is a King. The one that has a Kingdom can be no less than a king.

Can I encourage you to 1. Take great pains to get it.

There’s not a harvest of crops without labor first.

"if you seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasure, "then you will understand the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God.” ()

If you seek it like silver!

Our salvation cost Christ blood and it will be a sweaty anguish for us. "He went through one town and village after another, teaching and making his way to Jerusalem. "“Lord,” someone asked him, “are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, "“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because I tell you, many will try to enter and won’t be able” ()

“Make every effort to enter” means to strive to do something with great intensity and effort—to do everything possible to, to strain oneself to.

That the sense of the word.

2. Let’s go to God to set up this kingdom of grace in our hearts!

God is actually called ‘the God of all grace’ in . Say, “Lord, I want this kingdom of grace,—I want an humble, believing heart,—O enrich me with grace, let Your kingdom come!”

Be like Caleb’s daughter. Listen to this conversation between a father and his child.

"...As she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?” "She replied, “Give me a blessing. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me the springs also.” So he gave her the upper and lower springs.” ()

So, “Lord, You have given me enough of the world,—here is Negev,—but Lord, give me the upper-springs of grace, let ‘Your kingdom come.’

3. Stay close to the Word preached!

The preached word is the rod of God’s strength used to set up His kingdom of grace into the hearts of man..."So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.” ()

This is the main means that God works grace into people’s hearts! "For since, in God’s wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of what is preached.” ()

Why did Naaman’s leprosy need the waters from the Jordan river and not the waters from Damascus?

Only this, because God did appoint and sanctify the waters of Jordan to heal, and not the others; therefore let us keep the word preached, because the power of God goes along with it.

"...for God is King of the whole earth.” And He reigns upon His throne: "God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne.” ()

He’s got a royal title. He’s called, “the High and Exalted One”.

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 68.74 ἀγωνίζομαι

to strive to do something with great intensity and effort—‘to make every effort to, to do everything possible to, to strain oneself to

He’s got a sword. The King says, "when I sharpen my flashing sword, and my hand takes hold of judgment, I will take vengeance on my adversaries and repay those who hate me.” ()

He has a “scepter of justice” which is called “the scepter of Your Kingdom” ().

He has “many crowns” according to .

Our King has His own Kingly prerogatives. He has the power to make laws, seal pardon’s for sinners,

these serve as the jewels in His crown.

He not just the King. He’s also a great King. “a great King above all gods.” ().

We know He’s great because of the enormity of His being: “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” the Lord God asks?” ().

He is the center everywhere and no one or no where is excluded!

The enormity of His being is so immense that says, “...Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain You...”

His greatness appears by the effects of His power. says that our help is "...in the Name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” ()

He the only One that can unmake it. God can with a breath crumble us to dust; with a word he can unpin the world (if you will).

He is King.

Watson, T. (1855). The Select Works of the Rev. Thomas Watson, Comprising His Celebrated Body of Divinity, in a Series of Lectures on the Shorter Catechism, and Various Sermons and Treatises (p. 417). New York: Robert Carter & Brothers.

He is the Great King

He is also a glorious King. "Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord of Armies, he is the King of glory. Selah” () "The Lord reigns! He is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed, enveloped in strength...” ()

Kings have their guard about them to defend their persons,

because they are not able to defend themselves;

Watson, T. (1855). The Select Works of the Rev. Thomas Watson, Comprising His Celebrated Body of Divinity, in a Series of Lectures on the Shorter Catechism, and Various Sermons and Treatises (p. 417). New York: Robert Carter & Brothers.

but God needs no guard or assistance from others.

God has the pre-eminence above all other kings for majesty. "And he has a name written on his robe and on his thigh: King of Kings ...” ()

He has the highest throne, the richest crown, the largest dominions, and the longest possession. says that “the Lord sits enthroned, King forever.”

God has many heirs but no successors.

He puts His throne where no other king does. It’s to this great King to whom all people must given an account and from His tribunal there no other higher court to appeal to.

This great King is what make the Plight of man so dangerous.

It is to this great and glorious King that we pray to and His power creates our heart Pleas before Him!

All glory and praise to Jesus Christ the King!