Well, it is good to continue on this Lord's Day and to be in this Heidelberg Catechism, question 48, which means we only have three weeks after this, Lord willing, to complete the catechism. So question 48 is question and answer 123. Just as a reminder, we're in the third section, which is a continuation of the section on gratitude. And so we finish up these final weeks of the catechism on the Lord's Prayer. And today we are on the second petition of the Lord's Prayer. Well, before we go to that, let me read a portion of scripture out of Matthew chapter six, verses 25 through 34, a section of scripture I think a number of us should read periodically to think about the things that produce much anxiousness in our hearts and the just getting by in life, living life. We need this reminder from the Lord. It's verse 25 of Matthew 6, Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air. They neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you, by worrying, could add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They neither toil nor spin. And yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now, if God so closed the grass of the field, which is today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore, do not worry, saying, what shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or what shall we wear? For after these things the Gentiles seek. For your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for today is its own trouble. The grass withers and the flower fades. falls away rather, but the word of God endures forever. May God bless the reading and proclamation of his holy word. You know, it is a good thing to have a sense of material security, those things that bring about some safety and comfort to us. They're really just basic things of life. And Jesus talks about eating and drinking not being the focus of our attention, things that we seek. But aren't these things in shelter and food and drink, aren't they necessities of life? Don't we read in 1 Timothy 5, verse 8, if anyone does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever? We read that in scripture. Isn't focusing on shelter, food, and water the things we should be focused on? We don't want to be considered in that group of infidels, do we? Of course not. But consider the Lord's words. Seek first. Seek first. It's not an either or decision. We must be responsible and diligent in every area of life. You think of pastors, elders, all have to be dedicated and focused, deacons, church members, and mothers and fathers, and that goes for brothers and sisters, goes for every type of occupation, farmers, tradesmen, businessmen, employees, employers, employees, employers, excuse me, All have to work for their utmost, whatever sphere of life God puts them in. Even politicians have to work with great purpose and intention. You know the old joke, it put me in mind of an old joke, and how can you tell if a politician's lying? You've probably heard this before. You'll see his lips moving. So even politicians should work their job with the utmost of intention. And so we are by God's grace and enabling, we do the best we can wherever situation God has us in. The difference for believers is that they do so for the King's pleasure. So he takes priority in everything in our lives and takes priority over everything. So we do so under the watchful eye as subjects of the king, the protective hand, the benevolent heart, the providential supply of our heavenly father. Now, Christians are subjects that have been brought into God's kingdom by His grace. The entrance to that kingdom, and there's only one entrance into the kingdom of God, and that is the entrance of the Lord Jesus Christ. His life, His death, His resurrection, His ascension and His session, sitting at the right hand of the Father, all these things are synonymous with bringing us into the kingdom, Him being that gate. And that's what we're to seek first. Now the kingdom that we live in now as believers is referred to as the kingdom of grace, the kingdom of grace. We enter by his grace, as we read in the first chapter of John, verse 12, but as many as receive them, to them he gave right to become children of God, those who've entered into the kingdom, to those who believe in his name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. So we enter by the grace-filled will of God. Now, for those of you who were on the McShane reading schedule this earlier part of the week, you're on the reading of the book of Esther. In the first couple of verses of the fifth chapter, we read that, though her life was in jeopardy, Esther approached the king's throne and made a request. And what did King Xerxes do there? Do you remember? And he held out to her the golden scepter that was in his hand, and that golden scepter represents all the authority and power of his kingdom. And he held that out to Esther, and Esther, we read in scripture, Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter and was accepted before the king. Her life was in the balance, but he was accepted before her. Now how much greater is the scepter in God's hand that has been moved in our direction and gives us glorious privilege to be his subjects in his kingdom. And not only that, but the goal before him, and like Esther, to lay our request before him in prayer. Now it's all seen in the person and the work of Christ. Colossians 1, 12 and 13 states, That last phrase is so poetic that you could say it over and over again and never fatigue the impact it has. The kingdom of the son of his love. You know, the kingdom of the son of his love is the kingdom of Christ to all trusting believers. They're in the now, the present tense. We have been conveyed. We have been transferred into. And there's a number of wonderful things about the kingdom of grace and that we live in now. Too many to talk about this afternoon. This is supposed to be a little shorter on these Community Sundays, so we'll try to make it as such. But a significant characteristic of the Kingdom of God is that it's not bound by geographical boundaries or areas. It doesn't have political distinctions that mark it off. It doesn't depend on a political party. Doesn't that put you at rest as we come into this election year? Or does it depend on military might? A strong army or not? I think of reports that are coming out of Iran now, that the church growth there is incredible. The number of people are coming to Christ in the Middle East. So it's not dependent on geographical boundaries, and it's much, much greater than that. And the kingdom of God, just as it transcends national boundaries, so too does it transcend time itself. You know the Apostle Paul tells us something in the Kingdom of God in Romans 14 verse 17, for the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Now look at, that's an interesting thing, look at the contrast the Apostle Paul puts forth. Not the Kingdom, eating and drinking. What is the Kingdom? Righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Now, would there be folks that, perhaps reading the letter to the Romans, would think that the kingdom of God was a matter of simply enjoying and relaxing and having food and drink all the time? Well, you know, in John 6, in verse 15, we read that Jesus withdrew from the crowd there that was pressing upon him. And what were they doing? Well, that verse tells us they were trying to force Jesus to be their king. Now, how come they wanted to do this? Well, Jesus had just fed the 5,000 with loaves and fishes. And verse 15 reads like this. Therefore, when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he departed again to the mountain by himself alone. Now earlier in the chapter of John chapter 6 in the second verse we read that a great multitude followed him because they saw the signs he performed on those who were diseased. So these miracles that Jesus performed on those who were diseased caught the attention of the crowds and they followed him. But the loaves and fishes, well, that wasn't happening to someone else, that happened to them. That took it to a whole nother level. And you could almost see these people saying within themselves or amongst themselves, this is indeed the prophet that Moses, who fed us with manna, fed our forefathers with manna. This is he who we spoke of, the greater than him. And so they want to make him their king. Their physical needs were met, and it's seen in eating and drinking. And they wanted Christ to be their king, and they would be his happy subjects, wouldn't they? So when Paul wrote that the kingdom of God was more than eating and drinking, he was coming up against a mindset that was already out there. They thought life was to be, living in the God's kingdom was to be epitomized by eating and drinking, where life's basic needs were met and there's not a worry ever to have. So these things are what Jesus said the Gentiles seek for. Now Gentiles here used by the Lord are those who are outside the covenant community people of God, those who didn't have the hope that the children of Israel had, those who didn't possess the promises of God. These folks sought a material kingdom. So that's the An insult to be compared with Gentile, pagan Gentiles and unbelievers. So when Jesus provided the loaves and fishes, they thought he could provide us everything we need. I've already said that, excuse me. Now to the contrary of what the people thought, the apostle Paul writes, the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. These are the characteristics of the subjects of the kingdom. Now in scripture we see this righteousness, peace, and joy of the kingdom. It's expressed in three areas, and the one is that with God we stand before him justified because of the work of Christ and his work in us. And so we're always thankful for the great exchange of Christ's righteous robes for our sinful rags. And because Christ worked towards us, our hearts can concur with Romans 5.1 that says, therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, secondly, it affects our dealings with our brothers and sisters and our neighbors. Well, how does it do that? Well, Jesus said, freely you have received. freely give, forgive others as Christ has forgiven you. We are called to peace and love for others and we're to pursue peace with all men. And thirdly, how does it affect us again as believers? It is a spiritual joy in the heart of every believer. And this is what Peter describes in his first letter. In 1 Peter 1.18 we read, whom having not seen you love, though now you do not see him yet believing, You rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory. Joy unspeakable, joy inexpressible. Is that true? Aren't I speaking of joy right now? We're speaking of it. Yes, but how little justice we really do to the whole issue of true joy given by the Holy Spirit. We just skim the surface as it were. It's a joy given by the Holy Spirit as the truth that God is our Father and heaven is our home and it becomes more and more enlarged in our own hearts. It creates this joy unspeakable. Now this makes the Kingdom of God more about where you are positionally than you are geographically. It isn't the country in which you live, and someone was telling me just today how much they appreciate being in a country that we don't have to worry about traveling back home after we've gathered for worship. You think of our brothers and sisters in Nigeria in particular are catching it a lot. of being attacked, and many have suffered martyrdom in recent years. I think someone said the last two years the martyrdom going on in Nigeria surpassed all the other martyrdom of Christians in that country. So think of that great liberty we have, but it's not bound geographically. More important is it positionally. It's not the country we live, but it's being positionally in Christ, in union with Christ. Now in Acts 16 when Paul and Silas were praying and singing at midnight, where were they geographically? Now those who come to the Wednesday night Bible study should know this. They were in Philippi would be our answer. To be more specific, they were in jail in Philippi. And even more specific than that, they were in jail with stocks on their feet in Philippi. Though they were geographically in Philippi, spiritually, positionally, they were in the kingdom of God. They were in heaven, as it were. And this is expressed in the praying and singing they did at the midnight hour. Now, usually praying and singing doesn't go along with having your feet in stocks in prison, unless they know something that others didn't know. And of course, we know they did, didn't they? They were filled with the Holy Spirit, purchased by Christ as their Savior, and God was their Father, and Heaven was their home. And they knew that. It was confirmed in their hearts. They were living in the Kingdom of God, though they were in Philippi at the time. Now, although it was in part, they were living in the kingdom, it was not the fullness of the kingdom. And so we have this divine tension going on. Listen to this tension as the apostle Paul states in Philippians chapter three, verse 20. But our citizenship, present tense again, is in heaven, that's where our citizenship, and we eagerly await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. So you see the tension, our citizenship is in heaven, and yet we eagerly await the Savior from heaven. And the truth is every believer is in the kingdom and is waiting for the kingdom of God. It's a already, not yet item here. So the life on earth for the believer in this intermediate time, I could say, time of living in the kingdom of grace, waiting for the kingdom of glory. Now we live in the kingdom of grace by faith, but there will be a day that we live in the kingdom of glory where our faith becomes sight, as we'll be with Him forevermore. Now until that day, the Lord gives us the second petition, the Lord's, of the Lord's prayer. And here's the question, question 123. What is the second petition? Answer. Your kingdom come, that is, so rule us by your word and spirit that more and more we submit to you. Preserve and increase your church, destroy the works of the devil, every power that raises itself against you, and every conspiracy against your holy word. Do all this until the fullness of your kingdom comes, wherein you shall be all in all. So again, the kingdom means there's a king ruling there. He reigns. You know, we see this general rule of God in Psalm 22, for the kingdom is the Lord's and he rules over the nations. Even the pagan king Nebuchadnezzar, after he came out of that time of judgment and his sanity restored, he said, I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion. His kingdom endures from generation to generation. Even the pagan king recognizes God's lordship over his creation. But we read that here in the catechism, Chiefly, it's addressing the ruling and reigning in the hearts of God's people. To those who have come into the kingdom through Christ, the ones the Lord Jesus taught to pray, thy kingdom come. Though we have a heavenly father, he taught us, and though his name is hollowed, Yet he is a reigning king." And that's the focus of the kingdom of God, praying that his kingdom come in the catechism answer. Now, the catechism puts forth three parts in this answer. One is to submit. Second is to proclaim. The third is to defend. The petition tells us that the Lord is to rule us by that very word that has been made effectual in our lives by the Spirit, and that by the word of the Spirit that we, in gratitude, in response, submit ourselves, and I like this wording, more and more to Him. It's a progressive reigning of the king, as it were. So the first response of God's people, the subjects in the kingdom, is learning submission more and more of it. It's not a one-time event, even for the new believers who were baptized this day. Submitting to the Lord is an initial act as well, but it's always a everyday act, isn't it? And Jesus said, if you love me, if we love the king, we'll keep his commandments. Now do all God's people need such a work to be done in their lives that they are submitted more and more to the Lord's work? Well, perhaps not in this church. But in other churches, I'm sure, of course, I'm being facetious. Yes, yes, we all need to pray for an expansion of God's kingdom to make us more submissive. That is a very foundational thing to our life. Obedience and submission is foundational. And we realize that we are not our own. We're not our own owners. And that's a daily revelation, if you will, that hits us. Now, we also see in the catechism the responsibility to proclaim God's Word with authority. We read these words, preserve and increase your church. Word of God preserves the believers as they partake and take in His Word. The Word of God is a, we read in Psalm 119, a lamp unto our feet. It's our guide in life. And it also slays the hard heart, does it, of unbelief. Hebrews 4.12 tells us the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. So it's the proclamation of God's word that increases the church. So when we pray for missionaries and mission work, when we pray for church plants and the wellbeing of other churches, we are praying your kingdom come. You know, even praying for physical healing, as we prayed for David Van Wingerding, who went to be at the Lord a couple weeks ago. Praying for physical healing is praying that your kingdom come. We believe physical healing is for all of God's people. It just is that our physical healing ultimately for 99.9% of us will come in, well no, for 100% of us actually, will come in the way of our resurrected bodies. So we pray, your kingdom come, even as we pray for healing for others. So we were to pray God's kingdom come through word and spirit to destroy the works of the devil. Every power that raises itself against you and every conspiracy against your holy word. You know, the preaching of Christ is the proclamation of the kingdom. It's synonymous. And the destruction of darkness. In 1 John 3.8 we read, for this purpose was the Son of God manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil. And again, just to make reference to the three young people who were baptized here today, to think how they came into the kingdom of the son of his love and identify with their savior, that much darkness being pushed back in the lives of these young people. So as we come to Christ by faith, when a believer grows in their love for God, when they grow in their hatred for sin, when there's an increase in zeal for the things of God in the eternal, and the lessening hold of the world has upon us, these things are pertaining to the kingdom of God. We are praying, your kingdom come. And this is the destruction of the works of the devil simultaneously, and every power that raises itself up against God's holy word. Your kingdom come that is related to all expansion and preservation of God's people through His Word and Spirit. And it's to be done until the kingdom of grace becomes the kingdom of glory. When the Lord returns, the fullness of the kingdom comes. You know, the kingdom of grace and the kingdom of glory are really one and of the same. But they have distinctions. The kingdom of grace is in this age. It's got a time limit. The kingdom of glory never has an end, it's eternal. The kingdom of grace, we see the church militant. The battle is still raging on. We still fight the devil, the sin, the flesh. We still fight the pride of life, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes. And so there's still a battle still raging, and we fight for truth and righteousness as well. In the kingdom of glory, we see the church triumphant. All of God's enemies have been conquered. and defeat it. In the kingdom of grace, God rules through subordinates, under shepherds, magistrates, ministers, and in means of grace as well. But in the kingdom of glory, God himself will rule us. And the kingdom of grace is, as I said before, as a set time where the kingdom of glory is an eternal no end. Let me close this afternoon by reading out of Revelation chapter 21, verses one through five. Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people. People, God himself will be with them and they will be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes and there should be no more death or sorrow nor crying. There shall be no more pain for the former things have passed away. Then he who sat on the throne said, behold, I make all things new. And he said to me, write, for these words are true and faithful. So as we live as grateful citizens of the kingdom of God, and as faithful subjects under the lordship of our benevolent, merciful king, let us always come before our king as he taught us, thy kingdom come. Until it comes in its fullness, and he makes all things new. Would you pray with me, dear ones? Our gracious heavenly Father, again we're reminded Even as we heard this morning of addressing you as Father and to think of your work through your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to make us adopted sons in your family. But how many privileges, how many rights come with that adoption? We're thankful that we can pray thy kingdom come. And Lord, we do pray for that as we continue to, even as we gather together in our time of corporate prayer, we do pray your kingdom come. To see it expand in our own hearts, starting in our own hearts, first and foremost, do that work, oh God, by your spirit and your word. And Lord, as we pray for the nations, as we pray for other churches, as we pray for brothers and sisters, to see again the expansion of your kingdom, your reign, your delights and joys increasing more and more in our thoughts, in our hearts, and expressed through worship. Do that work, we pray. Continue to be with us, we pray, oh God, in Christ's name, amen.