Lenten Series: The Lord's Prayer
Thy Kingdom Come
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from
God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Jesus
teaches to pray, “Thy kingdom come.” So,
what exactly are we praying for? That
Jesus ushers in a perfect utopia here on earth?
That Jesus would come and reign here in this world and that all
Christians would live in happiness?
Well, no. When we pray “Thy
kingdom come,” we’re praying for something altogether different.
Scripture teaches
us what a real king looks like. But He
doesn’t look like any king that the people have seen. He doesn’t look like any king, president, or
magistrate we’ve ever seen either. Jesus
is standing before Pilate – the king, so to speak, in that area and only a
couple of steps down from Caesar himself.
Jesus is standing there before him as a criminal. Doesn’t look much like a king does He? He’s been betrayed, handed over to the high
priest, and now, since it’s not lawful for the Jews to carry out corporal
punishment, he’s been delivered to the Roman authority. No, the obvious king in this scene is
Pilate. He’s the one doing kingly
things, has people at his beck and call, handing down sentences, ordering
people around.
Jesus doesn’t look
much like a king as He stands before Pilate and He’s about to look less and
less like a king. But Jesus says to
Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world.”
The kingdom of God isn’t ushered in my mighty men who sit on impressive
thrones, wearing golden crowns; but by a man who is humbly nailed to His throne
wearing a crown of thorns. The kingdom
of God is ushered in by Jesus, who was crucified for sinners like you and
me. God’s kingdom is wherever Jesus is;
this beaten, mocked, shamed, naked, crucified man is our king.
We pray, “Thy
kingdom come.” God’s kingdom comes on
its own without our prayers. It doesn’t
come by our initiation; God’s kingdom doesn’t come by asking in prayer that
Jesus enter into your heart. God’s
Kingdom comes wherever the Gospel is proclaimed – wherever Jesus, crucified for
sinners, are the royal words being uttered.
God’s kingdom is wherever people are baptized, where God washes them
clean from the filth of sin. God’s kingdom is wherever the body and blood of
Christ is distributed for the forgiveness of sins. Because it’s there God is at work; through
these means that God gives us His Holy Spirit is there, working in us faith so
that we can believe, trust, hold fast to Jesus.
That we can look at Jesus on the cross and say, “For me. That crucified man there on the cross is my
Lord. He’s there for me”
The Holy Spirit
has called us by the Gospel, enlightened us with His gifts, sanctified – made
us holy – and kept us in the true Church.
God’s kingdom is wherever His gifts are freely given because in these
gifts we receive Jesus. The Church
stands as an embassy in a foreign land.
We gather here, not as Americans, or Canadians, or Germans, or
Norwegians. We gather here as
Christians, citizens of the kingdom that’s not of this world. Like an embassy in a foreign land, when you
stepped into this building you left the United States of America to enter the
place where the crucified and risen King would be proclaimed to you and for
you. Where our King has promised to be
for you, where our King has promised to forgive your sins through His Word
preached, through His Word that attaches itself to water, bread, and wine.
This is what we’re
praying for. That not only would God’s
kingdom come, but that it would come to us.
That, by His Word, we would be made citizens of it and sustained in it
by believing that Jesus was crucified and raised for you.
Believe it. Jesus has taken your sins upon Himself. He was crucified on your behalf, paying the
price that you owe. The blood that Jesus
sheds on the cross, He sheds for you, that by it you are made clean, pure, and
holy. King Jesus, who ascended His
wooden throne, has made you a citizen of His kingdom and an heir of the
heavenly kingdom to come.
We may not like
the idea of an earthly king who rules his kingdom, but our true King loves and
cares for you like no other earthly king would.
Our King Jesus gave Himself into death so that you, His people, would
live and live eternally. You belong to
Him, you’re apart of His kingdom. Jesus
may not seem, by earthly standards, like much of a king. But He’s the king who’s come to save
you. He’s the king who loves you. He’s the king who sustains you by His Word
proclaimed and His Word connected to those visible elements of water, bread,
and wine. The kingdom of God is wherever
Jesus is forgiving His people and we pray that this kingdom comes to us. What a gift to be a part of this
kingdom. As we sang a few moments ago,
“I love Your kingdom, Lord,” because in His kingdom He gives us His Holy Spirit
so that we can lead a godly life of faith and trust in our King Jesus. Amen.
