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Jul 28, 2024

His…Forever

His…Forever

Passage: Matthew 6:9-13

Speaker: Craig Lotz

Series: Practice the Presence - Prayer

Keywords: power, kingdom, glory, forever

As we consider the final words of the Lord’s prayer, we will also take a quick look back at our entire series on prayer. His kingdom, power, and glory. Forever.

Readings & Scripture

PREPARATION: Hebrews 12:1-2a, 28
LEADER: Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

ALL: 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,

PRAYER:

Eternal Kingdom (from The Valley of Vision)
LEADER: Join me in this ancient prayer from The Valley of Vision.

O Spirit of God
Give us faith to walk the separated life with firm and brave step.
Teach us to adore and magnify Christ with the music of heaven.

We do not crouch at Your feet as a slave before a tyrant,
But exalt before You as a child with a Father.
Give us power to know this love and make known to others.

Preserve us from the intoxication that comes with false prosperity;
Sober us when glad with a joy that comes not from You.
Lead us ever onward in the eternal kingdom,
Making known the grace of Christ to all. Amen

CENTRAL TEXT: Matthew 6:9-13
Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

PRAYER: The Lord’s Prayer
LEADER: Let’s pray in the way Jesus taught us to pray.
ALL: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

CONFESSION OF SIN: Adapted from The Worship Sourcebook
LEADER: God of everlasting love, we confess that we have been unfaithful to our covenant with you and with one another.

ALL: We have had disordered loves.
We have worshiped other gods: money, power, pleasure, and convenience.
We have served our own self-interest instead of loving you most of all.
We have not loved our neighbor as you have commanded,
nor have we rightly loved ourselves.
We have gotten out of step with your Spirit.
Forgive us, gracious God,
and bring us back into the fullness
of our covenant with you and one another.
Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: 2 Corinthians 5:21
LEADER: 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
ALL: Amen

BENEDICTION: Colossians 1:11-14
LEADER: 11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

ALL: 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

POST SERVICE: Hebrews 12: 1b-2a
…and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter
of our faith,

RELATED SCRIPTURES:

  • Hebrews 12:28
  • Colossians 1:13-14
  • James 1:17
  • John 10:10-11
  • John 16:13
  • Revelation 3:20
  • Romans 8:31-39

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 

  1. Why do we traditionally close the Lord’s prayer with “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.” even though it’s not included in the gospels? 
  2. What image comes to mind when you hear the word Kingdom? Power? Glory? Forever? 
  3. C.S. Lewis said “All that is not eternal is eternally out of date.” Unpack what this means.
  4. Looking back on the overall prayer series, what are some of the topics that have been most helpful to you? Are there any other topics you wish we would have covered?
  5. What do you think the main goal is with prayer?
  6. What role does the Spirit have in our daily prayers? 

ILLUSTRATIONS:  

 

QUOTES:

  • “All that is not eternal is eternally out of date.” - C.S. Lewis
  • God always gives you what you would have asked for if you knew everything that He knows. - Tim Keller
  • “The only way to break the hold of a beautiful object on the soul is to show it an object even more beautiful.” - Thomas Chalmers
  • “The opposite of addiction is not sobriety. The opposite of addiction is connection” - Johann Hari
  • If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ were not there? - John Piper

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