Thy Kingdom Come
Matthew 6:5-15
Yesterday, we celebrated a tremendous milestone – 250 years of the American experiment.
250 years of self-rule.
No monarch.
No dictator.
Government by the people and for the people.
A nation built by God-fearing men for God-fearing people.
I love America.
I love our ideals, our heritage, and our aspirations.
I thank God than men like Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and so many others risked their lives and fortunes so that we could håçave the freedoms we have today.
As much as I love America and celebrate her, there is a greater nation that we owe our allegiance to.
No, it is not Texas.
Well, at least not in this case.
My Bible tells me that there will come a day when the King of Kings and Lord of Lords will return to this earth.
His name: The Lord Jesus Christ.
He has many titles:
The only begotten of the Father
The Second Person of the Trinity
Isaiah said:
Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isa 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
He has already been here before.
Technically He has always been here.
He was here before there was a here.
John said:
Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
He created all that we see by the power of His word.
He molded man from the dust of the earth and breathed supernatural life into him.
I personally believe, and I think I can back this up, that when God appears before man in Scripture it is Christ..
He walked in the Garden with Adam.
He talked with Abraham.
He met Hagar by the fountain in the wilderness.
He wrestled with Jacob.
He answered Job out of the whirlwind.
He called Moses from the burning bush.
He carved the commandments in stone on Mt. Sinai.
He led Israel with a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night.
He met Joshua outside of Jericho with the plan to defeat that city.
He called Gideon to deliver Israel from the Midianites.
He appeared to Solomon in a dream and granted his request for wisdom.
He appeared to Daniel in His glory.
He was in the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
There are more in Scripture, and I think more still that were not recorded.
Then, He did the most miraculous thing.
He left the throne of heaven, laid aside His glory and majesty, and came to dwell among us.
Paul wrote about Him:
Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
He took up residence in a virgin’s womb.
He was born in Bethlehem.
He was circumcised under the Jewish ordinance when eight days old.
He fled to Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod.
He grew up in Nazareth in Galilee, working as an apprentice under Joseph.
He is suddenly identified by John the Baptist – “ Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
He submitted to the New Testament ordinance of baptism.
With great grace and great power He came to minister to us.
He turned the water into wine at Cana.
He healed the leper, the blind, the crippled, and the possessed.
He walked on the water.
He raised the dead.
His enemies said, “Never man spake like this man.”
Matthew said,
Mat 7:28 …the people were astonished at his doctrine:
Mat 7:29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Peter said that only He had the words of eternal life.
It was He that revealed the heart of the Father to mankind.
Then, He was betrayed by one of His disciples.
He was arrested and convicted in a series of trials that are the greatest mockery to justice this world has ever seen.
He was pure and innocent, and sinful man could not bear His light.
He was beaten, whipped, and scorned.
He was crucified – one the most agonizing deaths mankind has ever devised.
The crowds mocked Him.
The soldiers gambled for His clothes.
He did not respond in anger nor did He try to free Himself.
He looked upward and said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
No, they did not.
They thought they were getting rid of a nuisance.
They thought they were executing an upstart Messianic wannabe.
Little did they know that they were the one that killed the sacrifice for the sins of mankind.
Isaiah said:
Isa 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
He laid down His life after the victor’s cry, “It is finished!”
Friends had to beg for Him body.
They hurriedly prepared Him for burial in a borrowed tomb.
His enemies did want any rumors of a resurrection going around, so they placed guards at the tomb.
When the women went to the tomb, the angels told them, “HE IS NOT HERE, FOR HE IS RISEN.”
Luke said in Acts 1:3 that, “he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs”
He ascended to Heaven, leaving His followers to spread the Good News to the World.
But He did not leave for good!
He had told them, “I WILL COME AGAIN”
Mark it down, my friends.
The world may mock it.
Satan may try to stop it.
But it is as sure a fact as anything in this world – HE IS COMING AGAIN!
He came the first time as God’s perfect lamb.
Next time, He is coming as the Lion of the tribe of Judah.
The first time, He reveal the grace of God to man.
The next time, He will reveal the judgment of God against the powers of this world.
It starts, I believe, with the rapture of believers.
Then the Tribulation period starts – 7 years of literal hell on earth.
The Antichrist will move to exterminate the Jews, gathering the armies of the world at Armageddon.
The Jews will repent and accept Christ as their Messiah.
John tells us what happens next:
Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
Rev 19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
Rev 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Rev 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
No quarter, no mercy will be given in that day to the enemies of God and the Jews.
Absolute victory will be His.
He will descend on the Mt. Olives and establish His capital in Jerusalem.
The surviving nations will submit to Him
He will rule and reign for a thousand years.
The saints of this age will be there with him.
John said:
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
This is what the theologians call THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM.
Christ ruling and reigning on earth for 1,000 years.
It is the fulfillment of promises to the Jews and to David.
It is the fulfillment of prophecy.
It will be the greatest time of peace and prosperity this world has known.
Friends, we talk vaguely about a kingdom to come.
Yes, you can say that all the universe is ruled by God and is thus His kingdom.
But when you are dealing with the Bible, there is ONE kingdom that really matters.
It is the kingdom of the Messiah with the heir of David on the throne.
It is coming.
It is not the church.
The church is but a portion of God’s kingdom in my opinion.
We are witnesses of the coming kingdom and herald its arrival.
We cry out in the immortal words of Isaac Watts:
1 Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
does its successive journeys run,
his kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
till moons shall wax and wane no more.
2 To him shall endless prayer be made,
and praises throng to crown his head.
His name like sweet perfume shall rise
with every morning sacrifice.
3 People and realms of every tongue
dwell on his love with sweetest song,
and infant voices shall proclaim
their early blessings on his name.
4 Blessings abound where’er he reigns:
the prisoners leap to lose their chains,
the weary find eternal rest,
and all who suffer want are blest.
5 Let every creature rise and bring
the highest honors to our King,
angels descend with songs again,
and earth repeat the loud amen.
So, what does this mean for us today?
I close with two questions.
First to the Christian – what are you doing for that coming kingdom?
What souls will be there because of you?
Is your heart set on the realization of the promises that Christ will be glorified on earth?
Second, the unbeliever – are you ready for king’s arrival?
He is coming – be ready to meet Him.