Dear Christian friends:

We often pray the Lord’s Prayer but do we really understand what we are praying when we say that prayer? The Lord’s Prayer has seven petitions in it and each one has much meaning. Our text, which is the Gospel Lesson for this Sunday explains about one of the petitions in the Lord’s Prayer, the Second Petition: "Thy kingdom come." So, this morning I want to preach about that topic:

I. In this petition we ask our Father in heaven to give us His Holy Spirit so that we can believe His Word and live a holy life as His dear children.

A. Many people misunderstand about God's kingdom.

1. The Pharisees here in our text misunderstood. They thought that God's kingdom was the same as any government here on earth, a kingdom you can see. They asked Jesus, "When will God’s kingdom come?" They thought that when Christ comes He will establish a rich, strong kingdom better than King David's kingdom and King Solomon’s kingdom one thousand years before.

2. Today, many people misunderstand about God’s kingdom.

Those who join a church because they think God will bless them with an easy life, good health, and comfortable money. Those people who think all churches are good no matter what they teach. If they use God's name and worship they are good even if they do not preach the gospel.

B. Jesus corrected these people who misunderstand about God's kingdom.

1. Jesus corrected the Pharisees here in our text. He said to them: "God’s kingdom is coming, but not in a way that you can see with your eyes. People will not say, "Look, God’s kingdom is here! or "There it is!" No, God’s kingdom is within you." (vv. 20-21)

2. Jesus also corrects us: Jesus said, "The time has come. God's kingdom is here. Repent and believe the Gospel."(Mark 1:15) And through St.Paul’s writings Jesus corrects, saying, "God’s kingdom is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit." Again St. Paul writes, "God has rescued us from the rule of darkness and brought us into His dear Son’s kingdom. In Him we have sins forgiven." (Col. 1:13—14)

Summary: Therefore when we pray, "Thy kingdom come," we are asking God to give us His Holy Spirit so that we can believe in Jesus for our Savior, and have Him living in our hearts, leading us to do good works as members of His church here on earth.

II. Also, when we pray, "Thy kingdom come," we are praying for Jesus to hurry and come on the Last Day so that we can see Him in His Glory and go with Him and with all the other believers into His kingdom triumphant in heaven.

A. Jesus warns about false Christs coming to deceive people.

1. Jesus warned His disciples. In our text Jesus says to his disciples: "The time will come when you will want very much to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not be able. People will say to you,"Look, there it is! or, "Look, here it is! Stay where you are; don’t go away and search." Jesus could see into the future. So, He knew that after he ascends into heaven terrible persecutions will happen against the Christians under the Roman rulers as Nero and Diocletian. Jesus knew that the Christians would desire Him to come quickly at that time to destroy those wicked rulers and free them from the terrible persecutions. Jesus knew that they will be tempted to follow false Christs and false Saviors in such terrible times.

2. We have false Christs and false Saviors also today. Some people believed that David Koresh was Christ, their Savior. Many of them died in the terrible fire at Waco, Texas. About 15 years ago many people, more than one thousand, followed Jim Jones from Los Angeles to Guyana, in South America. They believed that Jim Jones was Christ their Savior. When he got in trouble with the U.S.A. government officials he led his people to drink poison and die.

Transition: Jesus in love warns us not to believe in false Christs or Saviors who offer an easy quick salvation. Jesus encourages us to suffer persecution and pray to Him for faith and strength to endure until He frees us in His own way and time.

B. Jesus tells us here in our text about His coming again in glory to free us from this wicked world.

1. All people, everyone, all over the world will see it and know of His coming. It will be a world wide explosive event. Jesus will not come quietly, secretly like he came the first time through the birth from the Virgin Mary at Bethlehem. No! His second coming will be plain for everyone on earth to see at the same time. Jesus says here in our text, "You will know it when the Son of man comes again. On that day when He comes He will shine like lightning flashes across the sky.” (vv. 24)

2. Many, many people will be afraid when they see Jesus, the Son of Man coming in all His glory with all the holy angels and sitting upon the throne of His glory! They will be afraid because of their sins and wrongs and Jesus will judge them and condemn them. He will say to them, “Depart from Me, you people My Father has cursed, go into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels." (Matt. 25) But those who have before confessed their sins and believed in Jesus for their Savior, who have been members of His kingdom, His Church, will not fear when they see Him come in His glory. They Will look up with joy and celebration because they will now be freed from this wicked world and go with Jesus into the Church triumphant and full of glory in heaven. Jesus will say to them, "Come, you people My Father has blessed, enter into the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world." (Matt. 25)

3. No person knows the day when Jesus will come again in glory.

a. Along time ago a preacher named William Miller prophesied that Jesus will come again on October 22, 1984. About 75,000 people believed him. They all wore white robes and waited for Jesus to come that day. They waited and waited on a hill in New England. But Jesus did not come and Miller and his followers were very embarrassed.

b. Now some people are thinking and saying that Jesus will come about Jan 1, 2000, the beginning of the new century, five years in the future.

c. But Jesus says that no_one knows the day or the hour when He the Son of Man returns. Also, the angels do not know, only God the Father knows that day and hour. Therefore, Jesus warns us to be ready always for His coming again. Then we will not be surprised and caught living in sin. We read in our text: (read verses 26-30)

Conclusion: Therefore, when you pray in the Lord’s Prayer, "Thy kingdom come," remember what it means: You are praying that God give you His Holy Spirit so that in your heart you believe in Jesus and receive the forgiveness of sins, secondly, you are praying that Jesus will come quickly and take you to his kingdom of glory in heaven. Come quickly, Lord Jesus, come!

Amen