The Watchman Radio Hour

Thy Kingdom Come

(Matthew 6:10)

Today, we have the prophets of doom telling us that the world is about to go to destruction no matter what. Then we have the escapism mentality which raptures the church away while the world is given over to the Devil. These two, the prophets of doom and the escapism mentality, influence much of the church today. But where is the power of the gospel? Where is the optimistic view of a victorious Christ carrying out his mission in this world? Does God really want us to give over this world to the Devil and leave? Is that really the calling of the church? Christians in the past have had a different attitude. William Bramwell, one of the early Methodist preachers in England who followed John Wesley, wrote that we are to "enjoy the kingdom, to live in God, to have union with him, to bear his image, to glorify our God, and finish the work. That is our grand business on earth." (Wesley and the Men Who Followed by Iain H. Murray, p. 130) It is true that ultimately the Kingdom of God comes in its greatest fulfillment when Jesus returns and issues in the New Heaven and New Earth. However, is there not a greater fulfillment of the Kingdom of God on this earth, in this age than we have yet seen? Esther Burr, the daughter of Jonathan Edwards, wrote, "O I long for the blessed and glorious times when this world shall become a Mountain of Holiness." (Jonathan Edwards by Iain H. Murray, p. 409) Did not Daniel see the Kingdom of God coming as a rock that grew into a large mountain and filled the whole earth? Did not Jesus say that the Kingdom of God would start as a small mustard seed but would grow into a great tree? And did not Isaiah write, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it." (Isaiah 2:2) The Lord Jesus taught us to pray, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." This is a pretty earthy petition. We should seek the reign of Christ be done on earth as it is in heaven. This is a petition that should go up continually even until Jesus returns.

Download

Listen