06/12/2026
KINGDOM COME II: THE MEANING OF “KINGDOM COME”
“The world has always needed a king. For the mass of us, there is the absolute conviction that we aren’t able to direct our own steps. Our lives are littered with broken vows, half-finished schemes, unwise ventures, and vast periods of bewilderment. We’re just as certain that those who exercise power in the world aren’t able to direct our steps. What is true of individuals is true of world leaders and nations: There is none righteous, no not one! And the race longs, as we’ve always longed, for someone to take the reins of our world and our lives and create unity, purpose, honor, and joy out of the shambles we’ve made of things.” –Jim McGuiggan, The Reign of God.
What Does “Your Kingdom Come” Really Mean? We’ll get into the details Sunday, Lord willing, but for now, many of us regularly pray the familiar words of the Lord’s Prayer: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” What are we actually asking God to do?
In our current sermon series, Kingdom Come: One King, One Kingdom, One People, we’re taking a closer look at these powerful words from Matthew 6:9–13. Jesus teaches us to pray not for our kingdom, but for His. The kingdom belongs to the Father and is centered on His Son, Jesus Christ—the one true King. A kingdom is formed when Place (A Domain, Land, Space), Power (Security, Economy, Prosperity), People (Citizens, Culture), and Person (King, Ruler) come together. In God’s kingdom, Jesus is the King, His rule is the Power, His people are the citizens, and the “world to come” (Heb 2:5) is the Place where His will is perfectly done. However, when we pray “Your kingdom come,” we are not simply asking for a future event. We are asking God to bring His rule into our lives right now. The phrase “on earth as it is in heaven” shows us that the future has already begun. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we have already been “transferred… to the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Colossians 1:13). We are citizens of heaven even while we live on this earth.
This prayer also calls us to obedience. When we ask for God’s will to be done, we are surrendering our own plans and desires. It’s a prayer of alignment: “Lord, let what is true in heaven become true in my life, my family, my church, and my world today.” Praying “Your kingdom come” is both a longing for Christ’s return and a commitment to live under His lordship right now. It reminds us that we are not building our own little kingdoms. We belong to the one King who is making all things new.
This week, as you think about and pray the Lord’s Prayer, slow down and meditate on those familiar words. Ask God to help you live as a faithful citizen of His kingdom—trusting the King, doing His will, and pointing others to the hope we have in Jesus. “For [His] is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”
Join us in person or virtually this Sunday at 9:00 a.m. to hear more on this subject.
Daily Scripture Readings for this Week:
June 14—1 Kings 12:20-13:34; Psalm 132:1-18; Proverbs 17:6; Acts 9:26-43
June 15—1 Kings 14:1-15:24; Psalm 133:1-3; Proverbs 17:7-8; Acts 10:1-23
June 16—1 Kings 15:25-17:24; Psalm 134:1-3; Proverbs 17:9-11; Acts 10:24-48
June 17—1 Kings 18:1-46; Psalm 135:1-21; Proverbs 17:12-13; Acts 11:1-30
June 18—1 Kings 19:1-21; Psalm 136:1-26; Proverbs 17:14-15; Acts 12:1-23
June 19—1 Kings 20:1-21:29; Psalm 137:1-9; Proverbs 17:16; Acts 12:24-13:15
June 20—1 Kings 22:1-53; Psalm 138:1-8; Proverbs 17:17-18; Acts 13:16-41
—JLP
