“Yours Is the Kingdom, Power and Glory”

(Matthew 6:13)

I. Introduction.
A. Orientation.
1. The Lord’s Prayer is the prayer Jesus taught His disciples.
a. It answers the question: how should we pray?
b. This is the definitive answer.
(i) We could almost wish we had as clear answers in every area.
(ii) But certainly we have no excuse for ignorance in prayer.

2. When we pray, there are certain things we should pray for:

a. God’s glory: the honor of His name, the growth of His kingdom, that all
would submit to His will.
b. Our needs: daily physical and spiritual bread, forgiveness, ability to forgive,
spiritual strength and humility, and deliverance from temptation and sin.
c. In this order.
d. The prayer is perfect, because One who is perfect, anointed with the Spirit of
perfection above measure, gave us a perfect communication of it.

B. Preview.
1. It’s interesting to compare it to the best of today’s acrostics.
a. ACTS:
(i) Adoration:
(a) In this prayer, we ask that He would be feared: “May your name be
reverenced.”
(b) “Our Father” shows our filial love for Him.
(c) “Who is in heaven” shows how exalted He is.

(ii) Confession:
(a) Certainly He teaches us to ask for forgiveness.
(b) But as we forgive others?
(c) This isn’t explicit in ACTS, but implied.
(d) It’s another sin we should ask forgiveness for.

(iii) Thanksgiving:
(a) It’s not included it in the prayer.
(b) It’s something separate that should accompany prayer.
(c) How could we be so ungrateful as not to?

(iv) Supplication:
(a) There are supplications in the Lord’s Prayer.
(b) But also a definitive order: God’s glory – then our needs.
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b. But still, ACTS is not quite enough.

(i) We need more.
(ii) Especially as we consider there is more element: argument.

2. Jesus tells us to end the prayer with arguments, reasons the Father should hear
and answer.
a. Have you ever asked, Why should the Lord hear my prayers?
(i) What does He get out of it?
(ii) What should He get out of it?

b. What is the right answer to these questions:

(i) Why should God forgive my sins?
(ii) Why should He hear my prayer to save a child, parent, relative, friend,
neighbor?
(iii) Why should He heal our diseases, provide us with food, or protection?
(iv) Our answers usually tend to focus on us: because He loves Me, because
I’ve been faithful, because I’ve promised to serve Him better.
(v) But are these valid answers?
(vi) Consider the conclusion of Daniel’s prayer on behalf of God’s people:
“So now, our God, listen to the prayer of Your servant and to his
supplications, and for Your sake, O Lord, let Your face shine on Your
desolate sanctuary. O my God, incline Your ear and hear! Open Your
eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by Your name;
for we are not presenting our supplications before You on account of any
merits of our own, but on account of Your great compassion. O Lord,
hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Your own
sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people are
called by Your name” (Dan. 9:17-19; emphasis added).
(vii) This is the prayer God will hear, because it focuses on His glory.
(viii) This is why He made us.
(ix) This is His aim in all Creation, redemption, and judgment.
(x) This must be ours in prayer.

3. This evening, Jesus gives us three reasons to plead in prayer, all focused on
God:
a. Yours is the kingdom.
b. Yours is the power.
c. Yours is the glory.

II. Sermon.
A. First, Jesus tells us to plead, “Yours is the kingdom.”
1. The Kingdom is His.
a. Not so much the kingdoms of the earth, although they are.
b. But the eternal kingdom, redemptive kingdom, kingdom of God.

2. He is the King, the Master, the One with all authority, the Protector of it.
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a. Why should His name be revered?

(i) Because He is the great and mighty God.
(ii) He is the King of Creation.
(iii) He’s the One who holds the nations in His hands.
(iv) The destiny of all souls depends on His good pleasure.
(v) To Him belongs the kingdom of righteousness/salvation.

b. Why should His kingdom come?

(i) Because it is right that it does: it is God’s kingdom, the Creator’s.
(ii) Because it is good that it does: it alone holds the hope of God’s elect.

c. Why should His will be done?

(i) As the One with absolute authority, He should be obeyed.
(ii) As a part of His kingdom, we owe it to Him.
(iii) And since the King is holy, we should be holy: on earth as in heaven.

d. Why should He give us our daily bread?

(i) He alone has the authority to do so.
(ii) It is His kingdom; He controls its goods: both physical and spiritual.
(iii) As King, He is bound to provide for His subjects as a father does his
children.

e. Why should He forgive our debts?

(i) He alone can.
(ii) The debts are to His justice.
(iii) He alone can provide the basis for their forgiveness.

f. Why should we forgive others?

(i) The Lord of redemption who holds the keys to the kingdom commands it.
(ii) Without it, we are not forgiven.

g. Why should He not lead us into temptation and deliver us from evil?
(i) Again, this is in His power alone.
(ii) He alone can keep us from temptation.
(iii) He alone can deliver us from evil.
(iv) This is how He builds His kingdom.

h. He possesses the redemptive kingdom: we must come to Him and argue that
He alone has the authority to do these things.

B. Second, He tells us to plead, “For Yours is the power.”

1. Authority is one thing, but it must be backed with power.
a. Authority implies power, but it might not be enough power.
b. God alone has enough, enough to do what we ask.

2. God alone can make all men fear Him.

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a. He did it at the flood, at Babel, in Egypt.

b. He can and will do it again. It is His will: every knee shall bow.

3. He alone can advance His kingdom on earth.

a. Only He can crush Satan’s dominion.
b. Only He can change the hearts of men.

4. He alone has the power to enforce His commandments.

a. You don’t resist absolute power but at your own peril.
b. God can and will enforce His rule, and men will submit to Him.
c. His children will do so willingly, because they know Him to be a benevolent
Ruler.
d. His enemies will do so reluctantly, because they don’t love Him or His
commandments.

5. He alone can provide bread from the earth, manna from heaven.
6. He alone has the power to forgive sins and change hearts to be forgiving.
7. He alone can keep us from temptation and deliver us from the snares of the evil
one.
8. We don’t have this power, no one else does, but God alone.
9. When we pray, we are to plead His power as the reason He should answer.

C. Finally, Jesus tells us to plead, “For Yours is the glory.”

1. Why does God do all He does? For His glory.
2. Why should He answer this prayer? For the same reason only.
a. This is why we seek His glory first.
b. God is glorified when men fear and honor His name, not use it for swearing.
c. When His kingdom is advanced through evangelism, not when it doesn’t
through laziness.
d. When men obey Him, not disobey.
e. When His children glory Him for His provision of bread and spiritual food.
f. When He forgives sins for the sake of His Son.
g. When we forgive others and reflect that same nature.
h. When He saves us from temptation and evil.

3. When we enforce our prayers with these reasons, God hears us.
a. He will not hear self-centered prayer.
b. He will hear when we pray with the right focus, the right end in view.
c. Jesus begins and ends this prayer with God’s glory.
d. We ask and don’t receive because we ask with the wrong motives (James
4:3).
e. Then to enforce it, we must say Amen, “so be it,” “may it come to pass.”
f. We should say it from our hearts and mean it. Amen.