Matthew 6:10

GOD’S KINGDOM

‘Thy kingdom come.’

Matthew 6:10

It may help us to make this prayer more real if we try to know something of the Kingdom of which our Lord so often speaks and for the coming of which He bids us pray.

I. A visible kingdom.—The Kingdom of God is a visible Kingdom, made up of men and women and children, body as well as spirit. True, some speak of an invisible Kingdom, as if there were two Churches here on earth—one material and manifest, the other spiritual and unseen. But the words ‘invisible Church’ can only apply to the Church in Paradise. The Church on earth is a city set on a hill. It must be visible, or it would fail of the purpose for which its Founder intended it.

II. A catholic kingdom.—The Kingdom of God is a Catholic Kingdom. It has no territorial barriers. It has no national limitations. It is not for time, but for eternity.

III. One kingdom.—True, like the Empire over which our King reigns, it has many parts. True, it has many members, but together they make up only one body under one Head. Some may talk of the Churches, but Jesus never did. It has many subjects, young and old, rich and poor, educated and illiterate, good and bad, loyal and rebel. And God claims all for His own.

IV. An organized kingdom.—Else it were an anarchy.

(a) It has its fixed form of admission.

(b) It has duly commissioned officers.

(c) It has eternal principles.

(d) It is in the world, yet not of the world.

V. Is this kingdom a reality to us?—Are we true and faithful subjects? How are we using our privileges? How are we discharging our responsibilities? Let us try and examine ourselves by such questions as these, nor shrink from facing the answers conscience may give to them.

—Dean Ridgeway.

Illustration

‘That was a touching story of the late German Emperor William. Entering a national school one day, he pointed to a plant on the table, and asked a child, “What kingdom does that belong to?” “The vegetable, Your Majesty.” “And this stone?” “The mineral, Your Majesty.” “And what kingdom do I belong to?” The little maiden paused a moment and replied, “The Kingdom of God, Your Majesty.” The Emperor was deeply moved, and, putting his hand on the child’s head, said, “May it indeed prove to be so.” ’

(SECOND OUTLINE)

EXTENDING THE KINGDOM

Christ’s ‘kingdom,’ on the earth, may be divided into three parts;—nature,—providence,—grace. And ‘the kingdom of grace,’ again, is triple. There is ‘the kingdom’ in our own hearts; there is ‘the kingdom’ over the earth; and there is ‘the kingdom’ of the glory of the Second Advent. We are praying for all three. We have to do now with the second,—the spread of God’s kingdom among the nations.

I. Extending the kingdom.—To make the Gospel ‘ a witness to all people,’ is, according to Christ’s own Word, the first duty of the Church. The Gospel has been ‘a witness’ to all in England! Our great work is Evangelisation. More we cannot do. We cannot convert; but we can evangelise. We can make Christ known to every inhabitant of this earth. The rest is with God. But to do this, and pray for this, is the primary obligation which is laid upon every Christian.

II. The King and the kingdom.—It would be well when we are praying for ‘Missions,’ that we should realise what they are indeed doing; and that we should not only be thinking of the missionaries who preach, or of the heathen who hear, but of Christ’s kingdom. Missionary work is not like other work,—mere natural cause and natural effect. It is on a much higher level. It is different from all ordinary undertakings. It is Christ’s own power to do Christ’s own work; for Christ’s own glory. It is a King—‘the King of kings’— asserting His right and taking His kingdom. We are working with promises. We are co-operating with faith. We are leaning on majesty. We are allied to Omnipotence. It is a King,—taking a kingdom,— which His Father has given Him. When you pray, think of Christ. Do not think of men. ‘ Thy kingdom come.’

III. Praying for the kingdom.—Our Lord’s own Prayer, and directions, give us clear instruction for what we are chiefly to pray.

(a) For union of the Church, as the highest testimony and the truest sermon in the whole world.

(b) For increase of missionaries. His prescient eye foresaw the universal difficulty which there would be in every age—not of openings, not of money, but of men,—hard-working, faithful, loving men of God.

(c) For grace to give power to truth.

(d) The far end—‘Glorify Thy Name.’

(e) Nearness to that end—‘Thy kingdom come.’

For these five, you are especially to pray. Pray on. Pray ever. Prayer does the work. Pray till His kingdom come.

The Rev. James Vaughan.

Illustration

‘The Marquis of Salisbury (then Lord Cranborne), speaking at the C.M.S. Centenary meeting, said, “It is only because we know that in the train of the British government comes the preaching of Christ that we are able to defend the empire of which we are so proud. Therefore, gentlemen, I ask you to pledge this meeting to the Christianity of the British empire. I do not care in what quarter of the globe it may be, I do not care what may be the political exigencies of the moment, I do not care what colleges of secular instruction you may establish, but unless, sooner or later, in due and proper time, you carry with those institutions the definite teaching of Christianity, you have done nothing at all.” ’

(THIRD OUTLINE)

THE CHRISTIAN’S ASPIRATION

‘Thy kingdom come!’ A prayer so simple that a child can utter it, and so profound that an angel may desire to fathom it. It is a missionary text; it is a consecration text also, for there is a parallel between the setting up of Christ’s kingdom upon earth, and His full and complete enthronement in the believing heart. Let us look for a moment at this parallel, and attempt to indicate it in these particulars.

I. Its source.—Whence does this kingdom come? ‘My kingdom,’ said its Founder,’ ‘is not of this world.’ Its source is heavenly. Christ’s kingdom comes down out of heaven from God. Education, morality, culture—these things may do much, but there is one thing they can never do—regenerate a soul.

II. Its characteristics.—How is this kingdom to be recognised? By what marks will it be distinguished? It will be—

(a) Universal, not partial. Christ is to be universal King (1 Corinthians 15:25). Christ can brook no rivals. He must be all or nothing. It is even so in the little world within—Christ must have all.

(b) Transforming, not Tyrannical. The Greek word for kingdom is traceable to a Hebrew root, which has not only the meaning of ordering and ruling, but also of making like. Thus the true idea of government is not by coercion, but by assimilation—the assimilation of the subject to the mind and character of the Ruler. It is thus that righteousness and peace are to be secured, whether in the secret heart within or in the wider sphere without.

(c) Peaceful, not perturbed. ‘The work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever’ (Isaiah 32:17).

(d) Abiding, not temporary. It is a kingdom which cannot be moved (Daniel 6:14).

III. Its conditions.—On what terms is this kingdom established? The answer is:—

(a) By the revelation of the King. No kingdom without the King.

(b) By the surrender of His foes. Self must be crucified if Christ is to be King.

—The Rev. E. W. Moore.

Illustration

‘ “God give you a good day, my friend” said Tauler of Strasburg to a beggar, whom he met at a time when he was seeking a deeper knowledge of God. “I thank God,” said the beggar, “I never have a bad day.” Tauler, astonished, changed the form of his salutation. “God give you a happy life, friend.” “I thank God,” said the beggar, “I am never unhappy.” “Never unhappy!” said Tauler; “what do you mean?” “Well,” rejoined the beggar, “when it is fine, I thank God; when it rains, I thank God; when I have plenty, I thank God; when I am hungry, I thank God: and since God’s will is my will, and whatsoever pleases Him pleases me, why should I say I am unhappy when I am not?” “But what,” said Tauler, “if God were to cast you hence into hell—how then?” Whereat the beggar paused a moment, and then, lifting his eyes upon him, he answered, “And if He did, I should have two arms to embrace Him with—the arm of my faith, wherewith I lean upon His holy humanity; and the arm of my love, wherewith I am united to His ineffable Deity; and thus one with Him, He would descend thither with me, and there would I infinitely rather be with Him than anywhere else without Him.” “But who are you?” said Tauler, taken aback by the sublimity of the reply. “I am a king,” said the beggar. “A king!” said Tauler; “where is your kingdom?” “In my own heart,” said the beggar.’