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In Part 5 of "The Lord's Prayer," we explore the themes of God's Kingdom and Will, delving into the prayer "Your Kingdom Come" and "Your Will Be Done." This section emphasizes that God's Kingdom is a tangible hope and goal, while His Will on earth is often not fully realized as it is in heaven. We discuss the attributes, paradoxes, and perspectives of God's Kingdom, and how they interact with eschatological, mystical, political, and institutional aspects. Participants are encouraged to recognize the significance of their role within the overarching divine plan.
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Happily Ever After The Lord’s Prayer – Part 5
“Your Kingdom Come” • “Let it come – your kingdom” • Implies • Something to come • A goal or hope • Something that is tangible • God desires to establish His kingdom
Perspectives on God’s Kingdom • A Few Attributes • Historical • Paradoxes • Understandings
Perspectives on Kingdom • Historical • Meaningless • Cyclical • Directed • Directed / Apocalyptic • History has direction and meaning • Participants may not see the big picture • Participants should not try too hard to figure out meaning of isolated events
Perspectives on Kingdom • Paradoxes • Already, and not yet • Near, yet far away • Signs of coming, yet coming unknown
Perspectives on Kingdom • Understandings • Eschatological • Mystical • Political • Institutional • Kingdom involves all of the above • Eschatological: Future • Mystical: Individual relationship to God • Political: Believers’ relationship with the world • Institutional: Believers’ relationship with one another
“Your Will be Done” • “Let it be done – your will” • “On earth as it is in heaven” • Implies • God’s will is not always accomplished on earth • In heaven, His will is carried out without fail • God desires His will to be carried out on earth
God’s Will • God’s desire for the good of all people • Present time… • And for the future • Can God’s will be thwarted or blocked? • God is sovereign • Created beings have free will
Kingdom and Will • Two go hand-in-hand/together • God desires… • To establish His kingdom • To work His will on earth • God is… • Establishing His kingdom • Working His will on earth • Question: How?
Heaven and Earth “The defining phrase on earth as it is in heaven is critically important and often forgotten. This phrase obliges the disciples of Jesus to care about the earth and what happens to it and to the people who live on it. The Christian faith is not just a methodology for preparing disembodied souls for the next world…” Kenneth E. Bailey Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes