The Lord’s Prayer - “Thy Kingdom Come”

The Lord’s Prayer - "Thy Kingdom Come"

Before Jesus started His ministry, John the Baptist was a prominent teacher in Jerusalem. When, John the Baptist was arrested, things started to change. Jesus began to teach HIS message. Matthew records this for us:

Matthew 4:17

"From that time Jesus began to preach and say, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'"

Jesus brought this new message because the world had changed. The Old Testament had closed and Jesus began the new one. John had been setting the stage for the Messiah and this was now Jesus’ moment. He sat down to teach us The Lord's Prayer, in which He prayed, "Thy kingdom come.”

Kingdom? What kingdom? How would it come and when? What would this Kingdom be like? Many imagined Jesus with an army and a palace overthrowing the Roman occupiers of Israel.

Jesus was once confronted by some religious leaders who were threatened by this idea of a coming kingdom. They asked Him about paying taxes to Rome. Should they support the Romans taxes? Was that lawful? Was it moral? Jesus asked them for a coin and He showed them the image of Caesar which was imprinted on it.

Matthew 22:20-21

"’Whose likeness and inscription is this?' They said to Him, 'Caesar’s.' Then He said to them, 'Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.'"

He did not have to ask them the next question because they all walked away from Him. By asking whose image was on the coin, Jesus’s next question was going to be, “Where is God’s image?”

Caesar’s image made it clear that the coin was part of the Roman kingdom. What Jesus was asking was, "Whose image is on you?” In other words, to what kingdom do you belong? We are made in God’s image. The kingdom of God is for those who bear that image. While we must give Caesar what belongs to him, we must also make sure we are giving God what is His.

So, the point is this: who is your King? Do you bear God’s image or do you bear the image of the world? Where does your allegiance lie? Do you live life in a way that shows people who your King is?

Pray, today, to make Him your King. “Thy kingdom come.”

Luke 17:20-21

“The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”