A lesson by Pastor John Skaggs
Sovereign Grace Baptist Church
Date: 7-26-98
When Your Father is the King
Each year when I am about to leave on vacation I look through the lessons of the past to see if I can find something to leave you with that was encouraging and comforting and will be so again. This year I have settled on the last lesson from the Lord's Prayer series that I did in 1995 and early 96. This lesson will also serve to keep us from becoming so familiar with the Lord's Prayer that it means nothing to us when we recite it together.
Open your Bibles with me to Matthew 6:9-13 NASB. "Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. {10} 'Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. {11} 'Give us this day our daily bread. {12} 'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. {13} 'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND THE GLORY, FOREVER. AMEN."
The children of God have no greater need, or privilege, than to commune with God in prayer. So, with the Disciples we say, "Lord teach us to pray as John taught His disciples to pray." (Luke 11:1) The words of our text this morning are Christ's response to this request.
The prayer is focused on God. Jesus tells us to begin with the words, "Our Father who art in heaven," and to end by praising Him as the powerful and glorious "king of the universe.
There are six requests Jesus tells us to make when we pray. Lets remind ourselves of what they mean. First we are to pray that God's name would be "Hallowed." By this request we declare our desire that GOD be thought of, spoken of, and treated as Holy by all men. By this request we ask God to direct and dispose of ALL THINGS in a way that will bring glory to Himself. When we pray, "Hallowed be Thy name," we are saying," God grant that we should think of, speak of, and worship You". It is the special duty and privilege of Christians to Glorify and treat God as Holy, to hallow His name.
Second we are to pray "Thy Kingdom Come." To pray, "Thy Kingdom come," is to ask God to bring all His holy will to completion. It is to pray for the salvation of the lost, for when one has been born again, the Kingdom of God HAS come to him. To pray for the coming of the kingdom is to pray that this present order of things would soon come to an end. We are asking that Jesus would come again to rule and reign over the new heaven and the new earth. This is the desire of all God's children.
The third petition is, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." With these words we are saying, "Father, let Thy will be revealed TO me, let it be accomplished IN me, and let it be performed BY me. Make me WILLING and ABLE to SUBMIT to all your will for my life with a glad heart."
The fourth petition is this, "Give us this day our daily bread." This request has to do with the necessities of both spiritual and physical life. When we take this petition to our lips we are asking God to give us what we need, NOT WHAT WE WANT. He may determine that we need only the bare necessities of life. Or He may think it wise to make us relatively wealthy. Whatever the case we must praise and thank Him for His wise provision.
The fifth petition is this, "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors." In our recitations we say it a little differently. "Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us." Christian pray for forgiveness of daily sins. This is the only way a Christian can enjoy a clear conscience and fellowship with God. The Bible tells us that the believer who refuses to turn from his sin will not be heard by God when he prays. It is an awful thing to have God turn a deaf ear to us. Therefore, we have good reason to seek God's forgiveness. In addition, this petition forces us to consider the forgiveness of those who have sinned against us. Are we holding a grudge against a fellow believer? Are we demanding that they pay some price for their sins against us? If we are unforgiving toward a brother we are being less gracious than God has been to us in Christ. We are to forgive those who sin against us just like God has forgiven us in Christ.
Next Jesus tells us to pray, "Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil." This request is first of all not selfish. It is a prayer that includes our brothers and sisters, it is intercessory in nature. When we take these words to our lips we are asking God to keep us from sinning as we experience the life He has designed for us. It is God's will that we face many trials and temptations. But it is only by His grace that we can endure these tests of faith without sin. Therefore, we pray, "Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil."
These are the requests Jesus tells us to make when we pray. But what motivates and encourages us to pray like this, faithfully, for life? The answer is found in the last phrase of the Lords Prayer, "FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND THE GLORY, FOREVER. AMEN."
The word "for" means "because'. In other words, "I pray with confidence to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Jacob, in the way prescribed by Christ, "because," His is the kingdom, power and glory forever. I pray with confidence to my Father in Heaven because He possesses absolute authority over all things. I pray in the above way because He does as He pleases among the hosts of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth and no one can stop Him from doing so. The God to whom I address my prayers is God supreme in all things including the bestowal of saving grace. All things are under His full and complete control. His is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. That is why I come to Him with my prayers and to no one else. My Father is the King of Kings, the ruler of the greatest of all kingdoms! Hear the word of the Lord. Psalm 103:19 "The LORD has established His throne in the heavens; And HIS SOVEREIGNTY RULES OVER ALL. (There is no limit or measure to the Kingdom of God! Therefore, says the Psalmist . . . ) {20} Bless the LORD, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His word, Obeying the voice of His word! {21} Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, You who serve Him, doing His will. {22} Bless the LORD, all you works of His, In all places of His DOMINION; (which is everywhere all the time) Bless the LORD, O my soul!"
If God were to ask one of his children why they pray and expect an answer they should say, "Because Thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory forever." "He is God, He sits on His throne, and His Sovereignty rules over all!" His dominion reaches to all of heaven and earth. Our Father's kingdom knows no bounds.
Earthly kings sit on thrones and rule over kingdoms, BUT they haven't the power to do with their kingdoms what they wish to do. Theirs is a kingdom but theirs is NOT the power! Not so with our King! His is the kingdom AND the power! Not only is the King of the Kingdom willing to give US our daily bread, forgive OUR sins, and keep US from the evil one, He is ABLE to do these things for us.
As a human dad I am willing to provide all the physical and spiritual things my children have need of. However, I haven't the power to do that which I am willing to do. Mine is NOT the Kingdom and mine is NOT the power. That is why I pray to God in the way prescribed by Christ. I do so because He is both WILLING AND ABLE to answer the prayer of faith in accord with His will. That He does have the power to do what He wills to do is seen in many texts of Holy Scripture. Let us look at one of them.
(Psalm 104 NASB) "Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, Thou art very great; Thou art clothed with splendor and majesty, {2} Covering Thyself with light as with a cloak, Stretching out heaven like a tent curtain. {3} HE LAYS the beams of His upper chambers in the waters; HE MAKES the clouds His chariot; He walks upon the wings of the wind; {4} HE MAKES the winds His messengers, Flaming fire His ministers. {5} HE ESTABLISHED THE EARTH upon its foundations, So that it will not totter forever and ever. {6} Thou didst cover it with the deep as with a garment; The waters were standing above the mountains. {7} AT THY REBUKE THEY FLED; At the sound of Thy thunder they hurried away. {8} The mountains rose; the valleys sank down To the place which Thou didst establish for them. {9} THOU DIDST SET A BOUNDARY that they may not pass over; That they may not return to cover the earth. {10} HE SENDS FORTH springs in the valleys; They flow between the mountains; {11} They give drink to every beast of the field;. . . {13} HE WATERS the mountains from His upper chambers; The earth is satisfied with the fruit of His works. {14} HE CAUSES the grass to grow for the cattle, And vegetation for the labor of man, So that he may bring forth food from the earth, . . . {19} HE MADE THE MOON for the seasons; The sun knows the place of its setting. {20} THOU DOST APPOINT DARKNESS and it becomes night, In which all the beasts of the forest prowl about. {21} The young lions roar after their prey, And seek their food from God. {22} When the sun rises they withdraw, And lie down in their dens. {23} Man goes forth to his work And to his labor until evening. {24} O LORD, how many are Thy works! In wisdom THOU HAST MADE THEM ALL; The earth is full of Thy possessions. {25} There is the sea, great and broad, In which are swarms without number, Animals both small and great. {26} There the ships move along, And Leviathan, which THOU HAST FORMED to sport in it. {27} THEY ALL WAIT FOR THEE, TO GIVE THEM THEIR FOOD IN DUE SEASON. (Men are certainly included here as dependents on God for all provision.) {28} THOU DOST GIVE to them, they gather it up; Thou dost open Thy hand, they are satisfied with good. {29} Thou dost hide Thy face, they are dismayed; THOU DOST TAKE AWAY THEIR SPIRIT, THEY EXPIRE, AND RETURN TO THEIR DUST. {30} THOU DOST SEND FORTH THY SPIRIT, THEY ARE CREATED; (Our Father who is on His throne in Heaven has in His possession the POWER of life and death. He gives the Spirit of Life and He takes it away when He sees fit to do so. That is why we pray to Him concerning these things. He alone possesses the power to do something about life and death.) And Thou dost renew the face of the ground. {31} Let the GLORY of the LORD endure forever; (God's glory is revealed by all of the above, His rule, His power, His creative and sustaining works.) Let the LORD be glad in His works; {32} HE LOOKS at the earth, and it trembles; HE TOUCHES the mountains, and they smoke. {33} I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing PRAISE to my God while I have my being. {34} Let my meditation be pleasing to Him; As for me, I shall be glad in the LORD. {35} Let sinners be consumed from the earth, And let the wicked be no more. BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL. PRAISE THE LORD!"
My God is my King and my Father! He is the King of all heaven and earth. His is the Kingdom and He dominates this kingdom with power shared by no other. My all powerful Father never sleeps or slumbers, (Psalm 121:3-4). Therefore, I can always be at rest. Nothing is too hard for Him, (Matthew 19:26), no one can withstand Him, (Daniel 4:35). Therefore, I need never fear. This Father of all Christians promises that He will impart His strength to us even while He remains near to help us. This truth should fill us with confidence when we pray. Hear again the word of the Lord which speaks of His greatness and power.
Psalm 44:1-8 NASB "O God, we have heard with our ears, Our fathers have told us, The work that Thou didst in their days, In the days of old. {2} THOU WITH THINE OWN HAND didst drive out the nations; (here is God's control of men.) Then THOU DIDST plant them; THOU DIDST afflict the peoples, Then THOU DIDST spread them abroad. {3} For by their own sword they DID NOT possess the land; And their own arm DID NOT save them; BUT THY RIGHT HAND, AND THINE ARM, AND THE LIGHT OF THY PRESENCE, FOR THOU DIDST FAVOR THEM. {4} THOU ART MY KING, O GOD; COMMAND VICTORIES FOR JACOB. {5} THROUGH THEE we will push back our adversaries; THROUGH THY NAME we will trample down those who rise up against us. {6} For I will not trust in my bow, Nor will my sword save me. {7} BUT THOU HAST SAVED US from our adversaries, And THOU hast put to shame those who hate us. {8} IN GOD WE HAVE BOASTED ALL DAY LONG, AND WE WILL GIVE THANKS TO THY NAME FOREVER. SELAH."
This is the God to whom Jesus tells us to pray. This is our Father the King! Take special note of the words found in verse four, "Thou art my King, command victories for Jacob!" Who is the Jacob spoken of? Jacob is true Israel. Not flesh and blood Israel, but the elect from every nation under the sun, both Jew and Gentile. The name is to be applied to all who have, do now, or will believe in Christ alone for salvation. The people of God are those who have warrant to say, "Thou art my King, command victories for Jacob!" We can and ought to pray like this. For our Father is the King of the kingdom, He has all power, and is all glorious!
What about the Glory of God? First we must understand that glory is not something men add to God. He is and always has been glorious beyond measure. Nothing created by Him can add to His glory. God's glory can only be revealed. This is the purpose of creation, the unfolding of history, the fall, redemption, damnation, the judgment, the new heavens and earth. It all has to do with revealing the glory of God. Hear the word of the Lord on this.
(Psalms 19:1-6 NASB) (For the choir director. A Psalm of David.) "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; (This is what they were designed to do.) And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. {2} Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge. {3} There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard. {4} Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their utterances to the end of the world. (This declaration of God's greatness, power, wisdom, i.e., glory, reaches every man in every age, none are left out. As to the extent and detail of this declaration and revelation I send you to Romans 1:18-21. The psalmist continues . . . ) In them He has placed a tent for the sun, {5} Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; It rejoices as a strong man to run his course. {6} Its rising is from one end of the heavens, And its circuit to the other end of them; And there is nothing hidden from its heat." The Sun, with its brightness and glory, points to God the Father, God the Son, (the Bridegroom), and God the Holy Spirit. That glorious ball of fire casts its rays on every man and beast. It declares God's glory to all, without exception. This is the purpose of the Sun, Moon, the seas, the beasts and of man himself. It has all been created with a purpose, to reveal something of the glory of God. Even the coming of Christ was designed to glorify God and it did. Listen to the words of John 17:4-5 NASB. "I GLORIFIED THEE ON THE EARTH, having accomplished the work which Thou hast given Me to do." And now, glorify Thou Me together with Thyself, Father, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was." Christ came to glorify God. This is exactly what He did and continues to do today.
The Christian exists to reveal something of the Glory of God. (1 Cor 6:20 NASB) "For you have been bought with a price: THEREFORE GLORIFY GOD in your body." (1 Pet 2:12 NASB) "Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may ON ACCOUNT OF YOUR GOOD DEEDS, AS THEY OBSERVE THEM, GLORIFY GOD in the day of visitation." (1 Pet 4:16 NASB) "but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name LET HIM GLORIFY GOD." Our privilege, responsibility, and goal is to live, and speak, and worship in such a way that we reveal something about our God to those who look on.
God's glory has to do with everything that He is. The root word from which glory originated has to do with something being heavy or weighty. The idea is that the heavier something is the more value or worth it has. The greater the weight the more glorious a thing is. Of course the question must be asked, "Who or what could be heavier or more glorious than our God?" The question demands the answer, "Nothing can come close to the glory of God!"
If it were possible to place all the glory of the heavens, the earth, the kings and princes of all the ages, on a scale opposite the glory and magnificence of God, what would happen? It's obvious. The moment the scales were released God's Glory would so out weigh the glory of His creation that it would all be tossed violently into oblivion. He is the heaviest, the most glorious, the most worthy of all. For, His is the Kingdom of Heaven and of earth, His is the Power to do as He pleases, and His is the Glory, immeasurable and great.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is "Our Father who is in Heaven," to whom Jesus tells us to pray for all our physical and spiritual needs. We can pray confidently. For our Father is the King. He is willing to help us and He has the power to do so. Within the confines of His will He will answer our prayers in ways that reach beyond all we could ever ask or think. All things are possible beloved, when your Father is the King!