As we continue our series on living the Lord's prayer we come to the second petition which says literally "let your kingdom come." The original audience who heard the Sermon on the Mount including the disciples suffered from an affliction that is fairly common in our time. They mistook the kingdom of God with their own homeland. God had a special covenant with Israel and they were to be a nation that represented Him to the nations. But disobedience and idolatry brought about the loss of their homeland for a period of time (known in the Old Testament as the "Babylonian Captivity") and when they were able to return to their land, they continued as a vassal state first to the Persians and then by the time of Jesus, the Roman Empire.

That beneath the disciples understanding of the kingdom there was a hope of restoration of their national fortunes, is betrayed by their final meeting with Jesus before His ascension. Their question at the time: Lord, are you now going to restore the kingdom of Israel? (Acts 1:6). The Lord doesn't deny that the Father has a future time and plan for Israel, but for now (which includes our present time) there is an expansive plan for the kingdom of God that includes winning both Jews and Gentiles through the preaching of the Gospel (Mt. 28:19). Much as we all love our homeland and people, the Kingdom of God is not one nation in particular but all of them.

In Mark 1:15 as Jesus began preaching he said "the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe the Gospel." Jesus is the king in his kingdom which was inaugurated during his earthly ministry, is growing among the peoples of the earth today, but at some future date will be fully realized when Jesus returns and reigns as king over all the earth. In this sense, the Kingdom has come, is coming through the passage of time, and will come in the future.

How shall we pray in this regard?

1. We pray for Conversions: when God snatches someone out of their rebellion and turns them towards Himself, a new piece of ground has been gained for the kingdom. We pray for the lost both near and far. Those people who don't know Jesus yet in our families, workplaces, and neighborhoods, but also those among the many nations who have yet to hear of Jesus. God delights to answer these prayers and so above all pray and do not lose heart.

2. We pray for Consecration: that God's people (including ourselves) will set aside their own small kingdoms and devote to God our time, resources, and energies in such a way that disciples are made of all nations. Kingdom increase never comes apart from sacrifice.

3. We pray for Consummation: that the Lord will hasten the day when Jesus Christ will return to the earth and take it over as his own Kingdom. Some people might regard this as a selfish prayer and that we should pray for the delay that more people might be saved. But the kingdom of Christ will be the most glorious era in human history and will be the best thing that ever happened to this planet. The Scripture says that the entire creation groans and anxiously awaits this wonderful day (Rom. 8:22). Why shouldn't we pray that our precious Lord be seen by the nations that He might be glorified and the people marvel?

See you Sunday,

We'll meet Thursday nights from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the Eagle Point Campus Life Building. Register at the Information Counter using an Event Envelope, enclose $8 or pay at the first class. You are welcome to come and sign up and pay at the first class. Registration closes February 11 or when all the books are taken. Questions? Pablito: (949) 246-9615 or email pablito@trail.org