Jesus tucked the phrase, "Thy Kingdom come," into the model prayer for two reasons:

1. God's Kingdom is not of this world.

2. This prayer invites God to bring His Kingdom into this world.

The Kingdom of God is a Future reality that God is bringing into our Present reality.

I. THE KINGDOM AND THE CHURCH

1. The church exists as a Kingdom Outpost, an earthly manifestation of another world.
1. The fellowship of saints is a sure sign of better things to come
2. Worship gatherings are Dress Rehearsals for an eternity of ceaseless worship.
3. The church's message points to The Future.

 

2. Kingdom-minded congregations are future-minded people

God was in the past, but He is not there now. He is calling out to His people from the Better Future of The Kingdom.

Kingdom-minded churches hear & obey the voice of God, they do not resist the future, they embrace it.

II. GOD on a MISSION

1. What is God's Mission?

God is on a mission redeeming humanity so people can fully experience what it means to be created in the image of God.

"Let us make man in our own image" (Genesis 1:26)

2. Jesus was the most human Human to ever walk on the planet. He died so dying humanity could live.

 

3. Father sent the Holy Spirit to enlighten and empower His followers to live abundant lives.

 

4. The church is charged with the mission of stretching the kingdom by depopulating hell!

III. A CHURCH on MISSION

A church's being prepared for God's future means, at the very least, understanding the mission of God and partnering with Him in it.

18 "All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us." (2 Corinthians 5:18-20)

1. Signs of a Church missing this truth.

1. Lacks Enthusiasm for others to hear and respond to the gospel.
2. Self-centeredness.
3. Little concern for those outside the faith.
4. Does not Assess their efforts in stretching heaven.
5. Focus on Programs rather than people.
6. Prefer Nostalgia to evangelism.
7. Focus on Church Real Estate and Church Activities rather than figuring out ways to connect with people outside the church walls.
8. Worship is Lackluster because they can't adore someone whose values they do not appreciate and whose wishes they ignore.
9. They never ask the important questions, "What difference does all this make?" or "Are we making Kingdom progress?"

IV. THE OLD TESTAMENT GREAT COMMISSION

3 And Moses went up unto God, and Jehovah called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. 5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be mine own possession from among all peoples: for all the earth is mine: 6 and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. (Exodus 19:3-6)

The Hebrew people were chosen for a mission. They were to be priests to the world. Priests were charged with the responsibility to bring people to God and take God to the people.

V. ISRAEL'S FAILURE and JESUS' RESPONSE

1. Israel refused to exercise their priestly role.
1. Focused on privilege of their relationship with God.
2. Forgot their mission
3. Wanted God for what He could do for them (freedom, protection, national prominence, prosperity.)
4. Decided those outside their faith were to be avoided.
2. Jesus challenged this approach at every turn.
1. Told stories of God's Love and Grace for all.
2. Said people not descended from Abraham would sit in the Kingdom of God.
3. Heart issues were most important.
4. Relationships mattered to God.
5. Infuriated the Pharisees -- Grace and Forgiveness ran against their legalism and condemnation (Matthew 23.)
6. Jesus said, "Go Get Them";  Pharisee said, "Come and Get It."
3. Book of Acts records the Spirit's work with disciples who struggled with the implications of their assignment from Jesus.

VI. PASSING the BATON to the CHURCH

1. God used the Samaritan Pentecost (Acts 8) and the Gentile Pentecost (Acts 10) to stretch Simon Peter. Then he wrote:

5 ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ ... 9 But ye are a elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (1 Peter 2:5,9)

2. Being the "people of God" means being on mission with God.
3. Signs of Church on Mission:
1. Worship is culturally relevant so that pre-Christians find God.
2. Evangelism meets people where they live, work and play.
3. Efforts to develop disciples are intentional.
4. Care of church members, its decision-making processes, and communications reflect the values of the New Testament.

These are Concerns of Thy Kingdom Come - Worship, Evangelism, Spiritual growth / ministry development, Congregational life and Missions.

VII. THY WILL BE DONE

1. The key to experiencing God's best, boils down to one thing: Obedience.
2. We must say "YES" to God. Faith is submission to His desires and plans.

11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you," saith Jehovah, "thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end." (Jeremiah 29:11)