Saint James UCC of Hamburg, NY

Philippians 2:1-10; Luke 9:57-62

Preached by Pastor Alva Looze
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For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen Let's take the time to look in our Bibles on Jesus teaching on prayer Luke 11:2-4, pg. 1236. How does the prayer end? "And do not bring us to hard testing." If we now turn to Matthew 6:9-13, pg. 1138 how does the Lord's Prayer end? "Do not bring us to hard testing, but keep us safe from the Evil One." If you look in the NIV Study Bible it says "But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." We end the Lord's Prayer with "for thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, Amen." Our Catholic sisters and brothers do not add that to the Lord's Prayer.

It is a doxology, which exists in various forms in different manuscripts, that was evidently added by copyists who understood from their own use that such was the customary way to end a prayer. A doxology, "a hymn of praise to God." When we say "for thine is the Kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever", we are lifting up our praises to God. Doesn't that give you closeness to your feeling to God?

Barclay quotes, "Someone has said that the Lord's Prayer has two great uses in our private prayers. If we use it at the beginning of our devotions it awakens all kinds of holy desires, which lead us on into the right pathways of prayer. If we use it at the end of our devotions it sums up all we ought to pray for in the presence of God."

John the Baptist appeared as a prophet among his people with the proclamation, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand" Mat.3:2 It was clear to John that God was about to send a person who would be sent by Him. Barclay tells us "John came from God. He came out of the dessert. He came to men only after he had undergone years of lonely preparation by God. It was not himself he wished men to see; he wished to prepare them for the one who was to come. Jesus' message is summarized by the same words: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Mt 4:17). "Turn away from your sins, because the Kingdom of heaven is near." That command had become urgently necessary because the reign of God was about to begin. Eternity had invaded time: God had invaded earth in Jesus Christ, and therefore it was of paramount importance that a man should choose the right side and the right direction."

In our scripture this morning it tells us the cost of following Jesus. Jesus was very honest and we probably do the church injustice when we say that letting people think that church membership need not make so very much difference. That attending church is fine but what is the cost of discipleship? Jesus seems to be saying the kind of allegiance we normally show to our family or our best friends, that and more should really be shown to the Kingdom of God. This time seems to be saying that the Kingdom must be absolutely first. Finding the Kingdom, gaining access to the Kingdom requires absolute concentration. Just like plowing a straight furrow.

I'm not a farmer but I know how much concentration it takes to back up a car straight or when I'm snow blowing looking back seeing that my first cut in the middle of the driveway wasn't so straight. I can only imagine the concentration required to plow a straight furrow. Concentration, which makes the first pass as important as the last. If you look back, lose concentration, let your mind wander the results are not straight rows.

So to it is with the Kingdom of God. It requires work. According to Jesus, if you and I expect to be a part of God's Kingdom, now and forever, we must be serious about our work. We can't wander or look back. We need to be committed, no matter how hard or what may come along to distract us we need to press on with the task at hand.

Don't you find yourself asking this question, "If this is what it takes to be fit for the Kingdom of God, then who measures up?" It's hard to be willing to give up our personal comfort and control. It's hard to leave behind our families and friends and every time put the Kingdom first and that's what it takes to put the Kingdom of God first. I get distracted from seeking God Kingdom. Concerns of family, friends, a sick or a shut in takes first priority that what's going on here at church or listening to what God is trying to tell me. I think each one of us shares that concern.

So who is fit for the Kingdom of God? I guess if we measure our own fitness we each can say, "Not me!" For most of us, no matter how hard we try, we can't do it on our own. We need God's help and God's forgiveness to be "fit for the Kingdom of God." Most of all we need His grace.

That the good news! Even if we don't deserve it because of Jesus we will get in. If we seek God grace, He sees us as fit to be part of the Kingdom; part of the Kingdom now and part of the Kingdom to come. That doesn't mean that we should take the cost of commitment to lightly and a journey we might undertake too easily. Jesus believes we can choose the best over the merely very good, That we should try our very best and because of grace we are able to work at letting God lead us and trusting in God.

When we face hardship do we knuckle under and struggle on or do we give up and walk away? Do we pray to God that we will be strengthen and press forward? We are able to be considered "fit for the Kingdom of God" because we live in the context of Grace. We are called to a life of faith and trust in God.

And as Bob shared with us a few weeks ago that, "Hallowed by thy name" is another way of saying "thy kingdom come". For when we live in way that honor God's holy name, then we also are living with an expectation and a hope that God's Kingdom will come both in our lives and in the whole of God's creation.

The Lord's Prayer is not magic. It's not the sum total of what we should say to God. It is a model for us who are interested in knowing our heavenly Father. To pray as Jesus taught us to pray is, above all to be connected when we are afraid, when we are full of courage. Connected when we are weeping and when we are laughing, When we are in need and when we have much to give Lord, teach us how to pray…

When it comes to prayer - nothing else will quite do except that our hearts and our minds be turned to God as a child turns to its parents in trust and in confidence; in the trust and the confidence that they will be heard and helped and encouraged and loved.

Amen