2022.08.21 Teach Us To Pray - Kingdom Come

Teach Us To Pray - Kingdom Come

Matthew 6:5-13 • Matthew 18:19-20

Last week, we started talking about the Lord’s Prayer … and his prayer begins with adoring God, proclaiming his name hallowed, highly respected, and revered!

The next line of this familiar prayer moves right to God’s kingdom!

Matthew 6:10 NASB 2020

10 ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.

It may look like these are two statements, but they really are two sentences making one statement! The statement is … God bring about your kingdom and help me submit to your kingdom principles!

There are two main theories of this “Kingdom mandate”

Kingdom Mandate Theories

Evangelism Mandate

Cultural Mandate

Before we jump in there … what’s a mandate?

Not an option! Expected, demanded, an order!

Okay, so God has a mandate for us to allow and even participate in bringing about his kingdom here on earth.

What’s that look like? Now back to the two Kingdom Mandate Theories

Matthew 28:19–20 (NASB 2020)

19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

20 teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The Evangelism Theory wants every man, woman, and child to come to saving faith in Jesus Christ!

The evangelistic mandate, then is God’s call to His people to participate with Him in this redemptive activity.

-- Arthur Glasser

Billy Graham was known worldwide for his unswerving focus on evangelism.

The Cultural Theory wants worldly issues dealt with.

The cultural mandate theory sees homelessness and poverty and wants to do something about it other than just tut and say what a shame it is.

The cultural mandate isn’t satisfied with throwing hands in the air and saying, “It’s too bad there’s nothing I can really do to help the world’s ecosystems and environment.”

The cultural mandate sees racism as a real problem that must be engaged, not just decried or talked about in hushed tones.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was fond of quipping that ‘eleven o’clock Sunday morning was the most segregated hour’ in America.

In 2001, Michael Fuquay observed...

Forty years later, Jim Crow segregation is a memory, and racism has become America's most popular metaphor for evil. Yet King's description of Sunday services remains largely unaltered.

--- Michael Fuquay (2001)

We’ll sing Jesus Loves the Little Children, but there’s still a stripe in most of us that loves certain little children less than others: whether that’s because of the color of their skin; or their ability to behave the way we think proper; or whether they’re clean and well-kempt or not

Kingdom Mandate Theories

These two theories both offer extreme approaches that are sinful and dead wrong! And truth-be-told, every one of us leans more heavily on one than the other in some form or another.

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The unhealthy extreme of the Evangelism Theory leans toward focusing on the eternal to the exclusion of the temporal.

Such unhealthy extremes births many versions of the heresy that salvation is more important than the person who’s being saved:

curse of Ham - used to advance racist theories of a Black heaven and a White heaven to support segregation in the Old South

lack of concern for social issues - a single focus on salvation permits us to ignore the temporal needs around us - like homelessness, poverty, and other social issues

I’ve heard the excuse: “If people would just get saved, this would fix itself!”

I couldn’t find who first said this, but some of us may be familiar with the old proverb: “a hungry belly has no ears”. Ever try to have a conversation about something serious before supper with young kids? They can’t listen. The rumbling belly quickly becomes the only subject they can pay attention to. Well, a “hungry belly” is not always hunger … it can be any number of physical and temporal needs that have become primary to someone’s survival.

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The unhealthy extreme of the Cultural Theory is just the opposite - focusing on the temporal to the exclusion of the eternal.

Our Preschool director told me in our first meeting that a parent complained two years ago that we were teaching their kids about Jesus! Think about how insane that is! They bring their child to a Christian church building every day, and they’re shocked to think we would dare teach their child about Christ in addition to teaching them letters, shapes, and numbers.

Most Relief and Social agencies relieve many temporal needs and nothing more. In recent years, The Church has become more like these secular social agencies and we’ve dropped the desire to see others come to saving faith in Christ.

We still have flood buckets still straggling in, and I’ll tell you I chose to not make UMCOR flood buckets. One reason is that they’re more stringent on the items included.

But, the real reason I chose to not have us compile UMCOR buckets is this from their website:

Advertisements on the outside (of buckets) acceptable

Do not include any personal notes, money or additional material in the kits.

Contents of kits or the containers of kits should not be imprinted with cartoon characters, advertisements, religious, patriotic, military or camouflage symbols.

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The United Methodist Committee on Relief is handing out flood buckets, and they’re okay if we advertise Lowe’s or Home Depot or Menards, but they’re NOT okay if we tell the recipients that they have value to the God who tells us to help relieve their suffering. They’re okay with a Wal-Mart logo, but not okay with a cross!

If someone receives help from a Christian organization and they’re offended by Christianity being a part of our service to them … they’re nuts.

Here’s what HelpingHisHands says about their flood buckets: “We encourage you to also include a personal note of encouragement for the family who is receiving the kit. You are welcome to include your name, church or organization who assembled the kit.”

Our world has gone crazy! We don’t have to go with them!

We must do our best to balance these two portions of bringing about God’s Kingdom. We can’t do just one or the other.

We work to relieve suffering and oppression because our God cares about those being oppressed and wants to see them liberated. But their oppression is not just temporal - earthly oppression. Human beings are oppressed by their own sin and the weight of the guilt that comes with it.

So, we also work to relieve suffering and oppression at the hands of the ultimate Oppressor. Salvation in Jesus Christ is the greatest liberation we have to offer, and withholding the invitation to join God’s family is sinful!

God’s Kingdom Mandate includes both cultural and evangelism mandates because our God is a BOTH/AND God, not an either/or god.

Teach Us To Pray - Kingdom Come

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

May God drive you and me to make a difference in people’s lives AND their eternities … every day … and every person. Amen?

[Song - Offertory]

JOINING THE CHURCH

from The Baptismal Covenant I

[Pg. 34]

When we receive someone by transfer of membership, much of the following liturgy is not necessary. However, I find these times to be good opportunities to remind everyone of the vows they took when they joined the church. So, I use the full Confirmation vows even for a simple transfer of membership:

RENUNCIATION OF SIN AND PROFESSION OF FAITH

4 The pastor addresses candidates who can answer for themselves:

On behalf of the whole church, I ask you: Do you renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, Reject the evil powers of this world, And repent of your sin? I DO.

Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you To resist evil, injustice, and oppression In whatever forms they present themselves? I DO.

Do you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior, Put your whole trust in his grace, And promise to serve him as your Lord, In union with the church which Christ has opened To people of all ages, nations, and races? I DO.

6 The pastor addresses candidates who can answer for themselves:

According to the grace given to you, Will you remain faithful members of Christ's holy church And serve as his representatives in the world? I WILL.

[Pg. 35]

8 The pastor addresses the congregation:

Do you, as Christ's body, the church, Reaffirm both your rejection of sin And your commitment to Christ? WE DO.

Will you nurture one another in the Christian faith and life And include these persons now before you in your care? WITH GOD'S HELP WE WILL PROCLAIM THE GOOD NEWS AND LIVE ACCORDING TO THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST. WE WILL SURROUND THESE PERSONS WITH A COMMUNITY OF LOVE AND FORGIVENESS, THAT THEY MAY GROW IN THEIR TRUST OF GOD, AND BE FOUND FAITHFUL IN THEIR SERVICE TO OTHERS. WE WILL PRAY FOR THEM, THAT THEY MAY BE TRUE DISCIPLES WHO WALK IN THE WAY THAT LEADS TO LIFE.

[Pg. 38]

RECEPTION INTO THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

14 If there are persons coming into membership in The United Methodist Church from other denominations who have not yet been presented, they may be presented at this time. The pastor addresses all those transferring their membership into The United Methodist Church, together with those who, through baptism or in confirmation, have just professed their own faith:

As members of Christ's universal church, Will you be loyal to him through The United Methodist Church, And do all in your power to strengthen its ministries? I WILL.

RECEPTION INTO THE LOCAL CONGREGATION

15 If there are persons joining this congregation from other United Methodist congregations who have not yet been presented, they may be presented at this time. The pastor addresses all those transferring membership into the congregation and those who have just professed their own faith, in baptism or in confirmation.

As members of this congregation, Will you faithfully participate in its ministries By your prayers, your presence, Your gifts, your service and your witness? I WILL.

COMMENDATION AND WELCOME

16 The pastor addresses the congregation:

Members of the household of God, I commend these persons to your love and care. Do all in your power to increase their faith, Confirm their hope, and perfect them in love.

The congregation responds:

WE GIVE THANKS FOR ALL THAT GOD HAS ALREADY GIVEN YOU AND WE WELCOME YOU IN CHRISTIAN LOVE. AS MEMBERS TOGETHER WITH YOU IN THE BODY OF CHRIST AND IN THIS CONGREGATION OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, WE RENEW OUR COVENANT FAITHFULLY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MINISTRIES OF THE CHURCH BY OUR PRAYERS, OUR PRESENCE, OUR GIFTS, OUR SERVICE, AND OUR WITNESS THAT IN EVERYTHING GOD MAY BE GLORIFIED THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.

[Pg. 39]

The pastor addresses those confirmed or received and the entire congregation:

Receive the benediction:

The God of all grace, Who has called us to eternal glory in Christ, Establish you and strengthen you By the power of the Holy Spirit, That you may live in grace and peace. AMEN.