Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one. —Matthew 6:9-13

Last Week: Only in the Lord’s Prayer does Jesus say, “Pray like this…” (Matthew 6:9)

God is the Father of

nations and peoples.

We live in a world that is focused on my, mine, and me, but Jesus teaches us to pray our, us, and we. —Rev. Adam Hamilton

The Kingdom of Me

What is your life all about?

In our society, it is all too easy to make our lives all about our comfort, pleasure, and

.

Too often our primary concern is accumulating more and more for

and

Reveal Answer

.

This desire leads to selfishness, lack of empathy, and eventually, even

.

The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either – but right through every human heart – and through all human hearts. —Alexander Solzhenitsyn

When we’re focused on me, my, and mine, we will never be able to get

.

Thy Kingdom Come

Jesus teaches his disciple to pray for God’s kingdom to come

asking anything for themselves. (Matthew 6:10)

The Kingdom of God/Heaven is the

of Jesus’ teaching and ministry.

Kingdoms reflect the

of their rulers.

In Jesus, the Kingdom has come

. (Matthew 4:17)

For who is Jesus? Simply the kingdom of God in person. —Theologian Jürgen Moltmann

Praying “thy Kingdom come” is a prayer for God’s mercy, justice, and love to

. (Isaiah 11:6-9)

“Thy Kingdom come” is both an anticipation of the future and invitation to participate

.

Thy Will Be Done

In a kingdom, what the king

is done.

As we pray “Thy will be done,” we place our wills

God’s will. (Matthew 22:36-39, 42)

The world as it is falls far short of

will for creation.

Praying “Thy will be done” requires us to put the good of others

our own. (1 Corinthians 10:24)

On Earth as it is in Heaven

When the Kingdom comes, God’s will is done on earth as it

is in Heaven.

We do not only pray for the Kingdom to come, but we join Jesus in the Kingdom’s

.

We cannot pray the Lord’s Prayer while putting “my” Kingdom and will

God’s.

That, in a nutshell, is prayer - letting Jesus pray in you, and beginning that lengthy and often very tough process by which our selfish thoughts and ideals and hopes are gradually aligned with his eternal action. —Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury

Action Steps

Continue to pray the Lord’s Prayer in the pattern of the first Christians: at 9am,

, and 3pm.

Reflect on where you are putting “

will” above “Thy will.” Ask God to help you fix it.

Embody the Kingdom of God in a

way for someone else this week.