Introduction:

1. In Matthew 6:1-18, Jesus taught to do right things for right reasons.

2. In verses 5-15, He addressed the essential content of prayer.

3. The core of it all was the desire for God’s kingdom in the world.

Discussion:

I. The Biblical Meaning of Kingdom

A. Most envision a kingdom as a realm, land with borders, a people, etc., and sometimes the Bible uses it this way (Gen. 10:10; 2 Chr. 11:17).

B. However, the primary meaning of kingdom is the rule, the reign, the power, the dominion of the king (Psa. 145:11-13).

C. This makes sense of Jesus’ otherworldly kingdom (Jn. 18:36).

D. It has a people, and a realm, but it is not geographically demarcated.

II. The Already Yet to Come Kingdom

A. God has always had a kingdom (Dan. 4:23-27), but a specific manifestation of His dominion was expected (Dan. 2:44; Mk. 1:14-15).

B. This is the kingdom for which Jesus told the disciples to pray (Mt. 6:10).

C. He told Peter he would receive the keys to this kingdom (Mt. 16:19).

D. The NT reveals the church is the current manifestation of the kingdom:

1. In Matthew 16:18-19, Jesus used the terms interchangeably.

2. Paul spoke of the Colossians as being in the kingdom (1:13).

3. John said he and his readers were in the kingdom (Rev. 1:9).

E. Other passages point to a future, final manifestation of God’s kingdom (2 Tim. 4:18; 2 Pt. 1:11).

III. King of My Life

A. Though we need not pray for God’s kingdom to come as the church fulfilled this, there is still a need to pray for His kingdom in our lives.

B. Luke 17:20-21 speaks of the kingdom as “within you.”

C. Matthew 6:10 appears to be a Hebrew synonymous parallel where a writer repeats the same thing in different words.

D. If this has merit, the kingdom of God “within you” would mean His will being done in our lives as it is in the heavenly realm.

E. For this, we all ought to pray and strain towards that goal.

1. The solution to all the issues Jesus addressed is found in this pursuit.

2. The church is the current manifestation of God’s kingdom, but it is not defined by numbers on a marquee, but by lives yielded to the King’s will.