- Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near.
Matthew 3: 2 repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand
- Kingdom of heaven and kingdom of God are interchangeable
- Prophets would not say the name because they were fearful of taking the name of the Lord in vain
- Jesus had no problem with it as he proclaimed the kingdom of God in Mark 1: 15.
- Near means present now.
- What is it?
We are a long way from John’s definition if we are thinking pearly gates and streets of gold. It is the Messianic era where God reigns supreme. Starts in some form now in us and will come to a point where
Luke 3: 4, 5 it will reign over all the earth.
This is restoration.
2. Disciples and prayer
Luke 11: 1 – 4 Disciples ask Jesus about prayer
- They knew how to pray because they were trained in it as children
- Some of them were John’s disciples and they were already taught to pray.
- They were asking for a meditative prayer to put at the end of their prayers like John’s disciples had
- Lutheran church we had this as we ended every service with Hymn 644 Praise God from whom all blessings come.
your kingdom come, your will be done.
Obviously his will is not being done here on earth or we would not be asked to pray and meditate on this as we close out our prayers.
Jesus ministry gave us the first glimmering of the coming kingdom and what that looks like in our lives.
- Announce the kingdom of heaven is near. Matthew 10: 7, 8
- Heal the sick
- Raise the dead
- Cure those with leprosy (Those who are ceremonially unclean)
- Cast out demons (Destroy the kingdom of satan)
This is a definition of what the kingdom of heaven looks like and it is also a great definition of restoration.
3. Two thoughts on the kingdom of God.
- It starts small
- Like a mustard seed which becomes the largest plant in the field. Matthew 13: 31
- Like yeast which works its way through the whole patch of dough Matthew 13: 33
- John said kingdom would level mountains, make rough paths smooth and all people will see the salvation of the Lord. Jesus was the kingdom and all of these things didn’t happen during His physical time on earth.
Don’t get discouraged when we are praying your kingdom come because in the last charge to hid disciples, Jesus stated we would have to cast out demons to bring the kingdom of God in
b) Kingdom will come when your will is done.
Started by saying kingdom will start in us and then come to a point where it will reign over all the earth.
kingdom cannot blossom in its fullness until his will is done here on earth as it is in heaven
Rabbi Lichtenstein “A person who petitions God for his will to be done should be conscious about carrying out that will. We can become a hypocrite who asks this and then lives in rebellion to His revealed will.”
Jesus realized this when he prayed this in the garden of Gethsemane Luke 22: 43 not my will but your will be done. “If your kingdom is going to come, my will must get out of the way.”
totally convinced that God’s way is better than our way.
We have our own concepts about the kingdom and what it looks like and what should be the fruit of it. People got excited for it in John’s day, but when it looked like Jesus they rejected it.
EXAMPLE Job was 70 years old when he went through his trial. At some point Job had erected an altar to God where he spent hours worshipping and praising. He was taught about God, his character, nature, holiness, but when the trial came it just seemed like so many empty sermons. Until the end of the trial he was able to say Job 42: 5, 6 “I had only heard about your before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance”
God I don’t know you the way I want to. I want your kingdom to come in my life. Your will to be done in my life.
Small prayer that will take control of your whole life. Conflict will continue to happen over our wills, but in the end we will see him with our on eyes.
4. Jewish prayer and blessing.
Jewish prayer Do his will as if it was your own will so that He may do your will as if it was His own will. Set aside your will before His will so that he may set aside the will of others before your will AVOT 2: 4
- May his kingdom reign
- May his deliverance sprout forth
- Bring near His Messiah during your lives and during your days.