Wherever Jesus went - crowds went. For whatever their reason they followed Jesus - expectantly - hopefully. One day, Jesus looked at these crowds of people - and in the hill country near the Sea of Galilee - Jesus sat down and began to teach these thousands of people about the Kingdom of God. What He taught was what we have recorded here in Matthew chapters 5 to 7 - what we’ve come to call the Sermon on the Mount.

In that message Jesus taught about what it meant to be a part of God’s Kingdom. He shared principles - life changing truths - about life with God. Last Sunday we began to look at what Jesus taught. Last week we looked at the first of these principles - that the Kingdom of God - Almighty Holy God - is given to ordinary people - like us - people whom God deeply cares for - so much so that He came and died so that we could have a relationship with Him.

Which brings us to Matthew 6 and the Lord’s Prayer. Now, you don’t have to answer this. But, how many of you have ever written a book report without actually reading the book? Or, graded a book report and known that the student never read the book. We know that nobody here would do this. But - there are some people - they read the back cover to get the summary of what the book is about - then write a report as if they’d read the whole book.

The Lord’s Prayer is like that for the Sermon on the Mount - except it comes in the middle not on the back cover. But, it’s the whole point - the summary of what Jesus is talking about in the rest of the sermon. So, we’ve been looking at the Lord’s Prayer and seeking to understand how we can live with God - enjoying the benefits and blessings of His Kingdom - all that God has for us - seeking to understand this incredible teaching of Jesus.

If you have your Bible open to Matthew 6:9-13 we’re going to read this aloud together - in whatever version you have - that’s fine. We’ll read aloud together so we have this prayer fresh in our minds. Then we’re going to come back and look at verse 10.

Matthew 6:9-13: Pray, then, in this way: Our Father who is 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 do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Once again - look at verse 10 which is our verse - our principle - for today: “Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

There are three parts to this verse that we want to look at. The first is when we pray, “Your kingdom come.” What does it mean to pray, “Your kingdom come”?

Once, when Jesus was in Jerusalem, a man - a Pharisee - a leader of the Jews - a man by the name of Nicodemus came to Jesus with some personal questions. In the course of that conversation, Jesus says to Nicodemus, “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:1-21)

Which sounded very strange to Nicodemus. It sounds strange to many people today. So, Nicodemus asked, “How can a man be born a second time?” Its a physical impossibility.

Jesus answers him, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh - physical birth is physical - and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” - spiritual birth is spiritual. The second birth is spiritual.

Nicodemus - the Jews - correctly understood that the Kingdom of God was basically every place where God is King - every place where God’s will is being done. Which includes every place we can imagine and beyond.

To the Jews - the Kingdom of God was right here - right now - always available to every person living in a covenant relationship with God. Let me repeat that because this is where people get into trouble. To the Jews - the Kingdom of God was always available to every person living in a covenant relationship with God.

In others words - a person had access to the Kingdom of God - was a part of God’s Kingdom - if they kept the law of God - the Ten Commandments - followed the teaching of the Old Testament prophets. Do everything God says you should do and every blessing of God’s Kingdom is available to you.

Thinking that through we can see the problem with that and feel the burden that the Jews were living under. God’s Kingdom is available, through the law and the prophets. But its not accessible. Practically - who can live up to God’s expectations of what we should and shouldn’t do.

“Your kingdom come” is a prayer asking God to make the practical reality of His kingdom accessible to us now. Make it be here now - so we can really be a part of it.

So many people today are in this trap - under this burden - thinking that what we do is the way into God’s Kingdom. Don’t eat certain foods. Don’t use the wrong language. Don’t play cards. Don’t listen to that kind of music. Don’t, don’t don’t! And, go to church on Sunday, pray a lot, read your Bible, do, do, do! Does this sound familiar?

But, the way into God’s Kingdom is not by what we do - although a holy life is an expectation of those who are in the Kingdom - but, the way into the Kingdom - access - is not by what we do but by who we are before God.

Which is what Jesus was explaining to Nicodemus. The Kingdom of God is available and its accessible to the spiritually reborn.

In Matthew 4:17 - we read that Jesus as He was beginning His ministry, Jesus “began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven - the Kingdom of God - is at hand.’” - its here - its accessible.

“Repent” means to reconsider - change your thinking - about the Kingdom of God. Its accessible - its “at hand” - in a new way. Not through the nearly impossible demands of the law - but through faith - through confidence - in Me. The Kingdom comes to us as we place our lives and our eternal destiny in the hands of Jesus Christ as our Savior.

“Your kingdom come” is a prayer - an asking of God - for His Kingdom to come and be real in our lives. Say that with me: “God, make it real.”

The second part of verse 10 makes this asking even more personal - “Your will be done.” The Kingdom of God comes when God’s will is done in us.

Years ago when Henry Ford was building his huge automobile assembly factory in Deerborn, Michigan - he hired a man named Charlie Steinmetz - a man who was an electrical genius - Henry Ford hired Charlie Steinmetz to design and build the generators that would supply power to the plant.

Have any of you been out to the Ford Museum in Michigan and seen these generators? I happened to be out there and saw these things. They’re huge. The size and complexity is very impressive.

Charlie designs these generators - the automobile factory was built - the generators were put together - the switch was thrown - the factory began to operate. After the factory had been operating for some time - these massive generators stopped and the factory ground to a halt. Henry Ford’s repairmen worked and worked and couldn’t get the generators going again.

So Henry Ford called Charlie to come and fix the generators. Charlie came - puttered around for a few hours - threw the switch and the generators worked. The factory went on producing cars. Charlie sent Henry Ford a bill for $10,000.

Henry Ford - who was rich and a tight wad - sent the bill back to Charlie with a note - which said something like, “Charlie, isn’t this bill just a little high for a few hours of tinkering around these motors?”

Charlie returned the bill with this note: “For tinkering around the motors $10.00. For knowing where to tinker $9,990. The bill is still due.”

God knows where we need to be fixed - spiritually transformed so that He is in control of our will - our heart - what motivates and moves us.

Turn with me backwards in the Sermon on the Mount - back one chapter to Matthew 5 - starting at verse 20. We want to look at this in a very practical way. The question Jesus is dealing with here in these verses is, “Who has access to the Kingdom?”

Verse 20 - Jesus says, “I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the Kingdom of God.” Unless what you do is better - more righteous - than the people looked up to as the example of being right before God - you’ll never make it in.

Verse 21: “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.” That’s the law and the prophets - the righteousness of the Pharisees - who patted themselves on the back and said, “Look how righteous we are, we haven’t murdered anyone.”

Look at verse 22: “But - in contrast to all these righteous acts - I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court....” Be angry without cause and we’re guilty of murder - just as if we took out the knife and stabbed our brother.

“....and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good for nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court....” Some translations - when translating “you good for nothing” use the original Aramaic word “raca.” Which is a term of contempt. It even sounds like an insult. “You raca.”

To say it properly we have kind of clear our throat “raca.” Try that with me - “raca” - deeper, “raca” Good. So if you ever want to insult someone in Aramaic now you can do it. And, you can tell them that you learned how in church. Jesus says, say “raca” to someone - say this - and we go to court - guilty of murder.

“....and whoever says, ‘You fool’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.” “Fool” in the original Greek is “moros” which is where we get our word “moron” - a senseless fool. Its said in anger. Something we might say when someone cuts us off on the freeway. Of course none of us have ever done that. But, just suppose we might be tempted to. Jesus’ point is that we’re all guilty of murder.

Do you remember the O.J. Simpson murder trial? For what seemed like an eternity the whole world was focused on major issues like did the glove fit? Or, how did the knife get into the airplane toilet? After weeks of this incriminating evidence, it was obvious to everyone except for the jury and a few others that O.J. had killed his wife and Ronald Goldman.

Whether O.J. Simpson was acquitted or not there’s a more basic issue here. Outwardly - before the law he may innocent. But inwardly he is guilty.

That’s Jesus’ point. So many people will pat themselves on the back and think they’re doing what God wants them to do because they haven’t taken out a knife and killed someone. Legally they can’t be touched. But inwardly - where God sees - they’re guilty of murder. Jesus is going beyond what we do and talking about our hearts - our will - who we are before God.

When we pray, “Your will be done” - we’re asking for God to deal with us in the depths of who we are spiritually. Your will be done in my life. Conform my spirit - my heart - my mind - to the doing of your will. Say that with me: “God, conform me”

“Your kingdom come” - make it real in my life - “Your will be done” - conform me according to Your will - then the third part of verse 10 - “on earth as it is in heaven.”

This is really the best part. As we surrender our lives to God through Jesus Christ and allow Him to transform us inwardly - we begin to live as Kingdom people - living out the will of God here on earth - doing His will here just as it is done in heaven.

Living like this is very exciting. It’ll transform our relationships - our homes - our society. Its revolutionary - powerful.

Look back with me again at Matthew chapter 5 - starting at verse 23. Remember that Jesus is talking about what happens when God gets a hold of our hearts - what happens when our inner lives are surrendered to God.

Verse 23: “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.”

Jesus is talking about a special occasion. Something that for the Hebrew people might have been done once a year or so - not like our weekly Sunday Service of Worship. This is a special solemn offering to God - performed publicly in the Temple. Rather than doing this wonderful outward religious ritual with an inwardly corrupt heart - which God will reject - Jesus says, “Go get your heart right first.”

Notice - Jesus has moved from murder - what we saw earlier in chapter 5 - to how our inward attitudes effect our relationships with others. When we let God change us inwardly first our actions towards others will change. How many of us have ever had that backwards? When God changes others then our actions towards them will change. But, that’s not the way God’s Kingdom works. God’s way is better. Amen?!!? When we let God change us inwardly first our actions towards others will change.

We’ll be freed to reconcile with our brothers or sisters. Imagine, how many homicides - murders - would there be in this country if we removed the motivations of contempt and anger from our hearts.

Verse 25: “Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way - before you get to the courtroom - so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.”

There are times when issues need to be resolved in court. But imagine - how much litigation would be avoided if we dealt with our contempt and anger and learned to reconcile with our brothers and sisters.

Jesus goes on. And, I’d like to highlight just a couple more of these because they hit so close to home. Sometime go back and read through Matthew 5:17-48 and look at the complete list of what Jesus says about what happens when God’s will is done here on earth in us and through us.

In verse 27 Jesus deals with divorce and the hardness of our hearts. And imagine how many divorces could be avoided - how many families restored if contempt and anger and hardness of heart were replaced by hearts controlled by God.

In verse 33 He focuses on how we influence others. Then Jesus goes on to talk about revenge and justice and loving our enemies as God loves us. All from the perspective of what’s going on inside of us and the doing of God’s will here on earth. What He’s teaching is revolutionary.

There is one question that is before each of us this morning. “Who is in control?” God, your will or my will? His Kingdom comes to us as we surrender control of our lives to Him through Jesus Christ and allow Him to shape and mold us - to conform our will to His. And, when He is in control, our lives will never be the same.

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