Wednesday, September 26, 2012

“In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come” (Matthew 6:9).
“From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’” (Matthew 4:17).

IDEA: When we pray, “Thy kingdom come,” we are also praying that this will somehow affect how we as Christians live today.

PURPOSE: To help listeners realize that praying for Christ’s kingdom in the future also asks for our lives today.

Have you ever heard someone say of Christians, “They are so heavenly minded, they are of no earthly good”?

Do you buy it?

Do you think when Jesus preached, “Repent – the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” He was only preaching about the “sweet-bye-and-bye”?

The prayer involves us in four practical implications.

I. Why do you think Jesus linked “repent” with the kingdom of heaven (Mark 1:14, 15; Matthew 4:17)?

What is it to “repent”? How is that linked with Christ’s kingdom?

II. Jesus told several parables about what the kingdom is like.

What do you make of the parable in Luke 9:62? The kingdom is for those committed to Him who do not keep looking back. Committed to what? Looking back to what?

III. Later in Matthew 6 Jesus said, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.”

In the context, what “things” is Jesus talking about?

What is it like to “seek” first His kingdom?

IV. Do you think that the Beatitudes have much to do with living out Christ’s kingdom?

Conclusion:

Is it possible, then, to be so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good?