Lesson
11: Yours Is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory Forever. Amen.
Our
Father 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 the evil.
For
yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen.
Matthew 6:13b
For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the
glory forever. Amen.
The Main
Points for This Lesson:
This last part of
the Lord's Prayer is really two parts. The first part, “For yours
is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever,” is a type of
doxology, that is, a form of praise of glory given to God. The second
part is the amen.
Even in its
conclusion, the Lord's Prayer teaches us both how to pray and how to
live.
The doxology teaches
us three things about how to pray and how to live.
It is an exhortation and a warning. To put it in a simple way, it
reminds us that our heavenly Father is bigger than us. This calls us
to fear God and to walk humbly before him. We dare not usurp his
place in his kingdom, nor think we can mock his power, nor take his
glory for ourselves.
It is also a comfort to us. Again, it reminds us that our heavenly
Father is bigger than us. Just as on one hand this calls us to fear
the Lord, on the other hand it calls us to rest in the Lord and wait
patiently for him (Psalm 37:7). Nothing can separate God from his
kingdom. With the apostle we ask, If God be for us, who can be
against us? And again, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
When circumstances look bad, we are reminded that our Father in
heaven has control of all things, and has the power to accomplish his
will.
The doxology is also a guide to us. We should seek God's kingdom, not
the building of our own personal kingdom. We should seek God's
eternal kingdom, not the temporal kingdoms of this world. Trusting in
God's power, we should stay within the bounds given to us by God in
serving his kingdom and glory. Consider the example of David, who
humbly obeyed and served God and his people, waiting for God to exalt
him at the proper time (rather than taking matters into his own hands
to become king). We should do all things to the glory of God, not our
own glory (1 Corinthians 10:31).
The Amen. This word
is often used by Jesus in his teaching, and is translated “truly”
or “verily” in many instances (John 3:3,5). In relation to
prayer, it is used to show agreement, and also the thought of “so
be it.” Hence, the apostle Paul mentions in his first epistle to
the Corinthian Christians about saying the “amen” at someone's
giving of thanks (1 Corinthians 14:16). With our tongue and with our
very living we say “amen” to this prayer. We agree with it and
desire it to be fulfilled. So we say “amen” with our mouth. With
our lives we say “amen” to this prayer when we daily seek first
God's kingdom and righteousness and humble ourselves before our
Father in heaven.
Suggestions:
Open each lesson
with prayer for the teacher and the students and this class time.
Begin by reminding
the children that we are learning about the Lord's Prayer, and that
this lesson is about the doxology (or a word of praise or glory to
God) in the Lord's Prayer - “For yours is the Kingdom, the power,
and the glory forever. Amen.”
Discuss briefly with
the children the two parts, the doxology and the amen. Ask them the
meaning of the words of this last section, and help them to
understand them in a simple way. Talk about saying “amen” with
our tongue and with our lives. Ask how we might say “amen” with
our lives.
The stories below
(Mark 4:35-41; Luke 23:32-46) can be used to show both that the
kingdom, power and glory do belong to the Father, and what it looks
like to believe that the kingdom, power, and glory belong to God.
Close the lesson
with prayer related to the subject and the students. Pray the Lord's
Prayer together.
Stories:
Mark 4:35-41
[35] On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let’s
go over to the other side.” [36] Leaving the multitude, they took
him with them, even as he was, in the boat. Other small boats were
also with him. [37] A big wind storm arose, and the waves beat into
the boat, so much that the boat was already filled. [38] He himself
was in the stern, asleep on the cushion, and they woke him up, and
told him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are dying?” [39] He
awoke, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be
still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. [40] He said
to them, “Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?”
[41] They were greatly afraid, and said to one another, “Who
then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
[see also Matthew
8:23-27]
Luke 23:32-46
[44] It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the
whole land until the ninth hour. [45] The sun was darkened, and the
veil of the temple was torn in two. [46] Jesus, crying with a loud
voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”
Having said this, he breathed his last.
It
seems that the son of God could face death because his Father held in
his hands the kingdom, power and glory, forever.
More Stories
and Examples:
1 Samuel 16-31
David
was anointed king in chapter 16. For the rest of the book (several
years), David faithfully loved and obeyed God, and served God's
people, yet he was not king. During much of that time, King Saul
attempted to kill David so that he could not become king. Though he
had at least two good opportunities, David did not attempt to kill
Saul so that he could become king. Instead, he waited patiently for
the Lord, trusting in the one to whom belong the kingdom, power and
glory, forever.
Job 1:20-22
[20] Then Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell
down on the ground, and worshiped. [21] He said, “Naked I came out
of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. Yahweh
gave, and Yahweh has taken away. Blessed be Yahweh’s name.”
[22] In all this, Job did not sin, nor charge God with wrongdoing.
Job
had just lost his wealth and his children. In the midst of such great
loss, Job remembers that God is in control, and can say, “Yours is
the power.”
Daniel 3:16-18
[16] Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king,
Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. [17] If
it happens, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the
burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of your hand, O
king. [18] But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will
not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set
up.
The
three friends did not fear or respond in desperate anger. They knew
that God had the greater power in this situation, and however God
chose to use that power, they were committed to God's kingdom and
God's glory.
Acts 16:16-34
[25] But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing
hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. [26]
Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations
of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were
opened, and everyone’s bonds were loosened.
Paul
and Silas had been beaten with rods for the sake of the Gospel, and
then their feet put in stocks in prison. Of course we do not know
what they were praying or singing. I only say it is possible that
they could have been praying the Lord's Prayer. Whatever their prays
and hymns, it seems that God answered them by sending a great
earthquake. In such an answer, we see that “yours is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, forever.” Further, we see that Paul
and Silas believed that the kingdom, power and glory were securely
held by their Master and Father in heaven, for they did not try to
escape when given the chance, but waited patiently for their God to
direct them.
Other Verses:
YOURS IS THE
KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND THE GLORY FOREVER.
Psalm 107:23-32
[23] Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business in great
waters; [24] These see Yahweh’s works, and his wonders in the deep.
[25] For he commands, and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up its
waves. [26] They mount up to the sky; they go down again to the
depths. Their soul melts away because of trouble. [27] They reel back
and forth, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’
end. [28] Then they cry to Yahweh in their trouble, and he brings
them out of their distress. [29] He makes the storm a calm, so
that its waves are still. [30] Then they are glad because it is
calm, so he brings them to their desired haven. [31] Let them praise
Yahweh for his loving kindness, for his wonderful works for the
children of men! [32] Let them exalt him also in the assembly of the
people, and praise him in the seat of the elders.
Matthew 10:28
Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to
kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and
body in Gehenna.
Luke 12:4-5
[4] “I tell you, my friends, don’t be afraid of those who kill
the body, and after that have no more that they can do. [5] But I
will warn you whom you should fear. Fear him, who after he has
killed, has power to cast into Gehenna. Yes, I tell you, fear him.
John 18:36
Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If my
Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I
wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from
here.”
Romans 8:28-39
[28] We know that all things work together for good for those who
love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. [29]
For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the
image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
[30] Whom he predestined, those he also called. Whom he called, those
he also justified. Whom he justified, those he also glorified. [31]
What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who
can be against us? [32] He who didn’t spare his own Son, but
delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely
give us all things? [33] Who could bring a charge against God’s
chosen ones? It is God who justifies. [34] Who is he who condemns? It
is Christ who died, yes rather, who was raised from the dead, who is
at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. [35]
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Could
oppression, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or
peril, or sword? [36] Even as it is written, “For your sake we are
killed all day long. We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
[37] No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him
who loved us. [38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to
come, nor powers, [39] nor height, nor depth, nor any other created
thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Corinthians
10:31 Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do,
do all to the glory of God.
2 Timothy 2:15-19
[15] Give diligence to present yourself approved by God, a workman
who doesn’t need to be ashamed, properly handling the Word of
Truth. [16] But shun empty chatter, for it will go further in
ungodliness, [17] and those words will consume like gangrene, of whom
is Hymenaeus and Philetus; [18] men who have erred concerning the
truth, saying that the resurrection is already past, and overthrowing
the faith of some. [19] However God’s firm foundation stands,
having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are his,”
and, “Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from
unrighteousness.”
2 Timothy 2:24-26
[24] The Lord’s servant must
not quarrel, but be gentle towards all, able to teach, patient,
[25] in gentleness correcting those who oppose him: perhaps
God may give them repentance leading to a full knowledge of the
truth, [26] and they may recover themselves out of the devil’s
snare, having been taken captive by him to his will.
Because
the power belongs to God, the Lord's servant does not need to (and
should not) step beyond the bounds of love, humility and meekness to
accomplish the work of his master. The Lord's servant should not use
violence or coercion to correct those who oppose, for the granting of
repentance is in the hands of his Father in heaven. He should teach
and correct, but with patience and gentleness as his companions in
the work.
Revelations
11:15-18 [15] The seventh angel sounded, and great voices in
heaven followed, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become
the Kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ. He will reign forever and
ever!” [16] The twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones
before God’s throne, fell on their faces and worshiped God, [17]
saying: “We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is
and who was; because you have taken your great power, and reigned.
[18] The nations were angry, and your wrath came, as did the time for
the dead to be judged, and to give your bondservants the prophets,
their reward, as well as to the saints, and those who fear your name,
to the small and the great; and to destroy those who destroy the
earth.”
The
kingdom, power and glory are his, FOREVER. This is the most wonderful
news to the children of God, and the most terrible news to his
enemies.
THE AMEN
1 Corinthians
14:16 Otherwise if you bless with the spirit, how will he who
fills the place of the unlearned say the “Amen” at your giving
of thanks, seeing he doesn’t know what you say?
COMMENTARY
Thine is the kingdom - That is, thine is the reign or dominion. Thou
hast control over all these things, and canst so order them as to
answer these petitions.
Thine is the power - Thou hast power to accomplish what we ask. We
are weak, and cannot do it; but thou art Almighty, and all things are
possible with thee.
Thine is the glory - That is, thine is the honor or praise. Not for
“our honor,” but that thy glory, thy goodness, may be displayed
in providing for our wants; thy power exerted in defending us; thy
praise be celebrated by causing thy kingdom to spread through the
earth.
This “doxology,” or ascription of praise, is connected with the
prayer by the word “for,” to signify that all these things - the
reign, power, and glory of God - will be manifested by granting these
petitions. It is not because we are to be benefited, but that God‘s
name and perfections may be manifested. His glory is, then, the first
and principal thing which we are to seek when we approach him. We are
to suffer our concerns to be lost sight of in the superior glory and
honor of his name and dominion. We are to seek temporal and eternal
life chiefly because the honor of our Maker will be promoted, and his
name be more illustriously displayed to his creatures. He is to be
“first, last, supremest, best,” in our view; and all selfish and
worldly views are to be absorbed in that one great desire of the soul
that God may be “all in all.” Approaching him with these
feelings, our prayers will be answered; our devotions will ascend
like incense, and the lifting up our hands will be like the evening
sacrifice.
Amen. This is a word of Hebrew origin, from a verb signifying to be
firm, secure, to be true and faithful. It is a word expressing
consent or strong approbation, a word of strong asseveration. It
means verily, certainly, so be it. It is probable that this word was
used by the people in the synagogue to signify their assent to the
prayer that was uttered by the minister. And to some extent, it was
probably so used in the Christian church. See 1Cor 14:16.
It may be proper to remark, that this doxology, "for thine is
the kingdom," etc., is wanting in many manuscripts, and that its
authenticity is doubtful.
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