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“Thy kingdom come: What are we building? ”
Text: Matthew 6:10
Preached by Pastor Don Hubbell at the
York First Church of the Brethren on New Year's Day, February 5, 2011



Focus: God's cake... Sometimes we wonder, ‘What did I do to deserve this?' or 'Why did God have to do this to me?' Here is a wonderful explanation!

A daughter is telling her Mother how everything is going wrong, she's failing algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her and her best friend is moving away. Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and asks her daughter if she would like a snack, and the daughter says, 'Absolutely Mom, I love your cake.' ‘Here, have some cooking oil,' her Mother offers. 'Yuck' says her daughter.. ‘How about a couple raw eggs?' 'Gross, Mom!' 'Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?' 'Mom, those are all yucky!' To which the mother replies: ‘Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake!

God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good! We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful! God is crazy about us. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart. Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!

Missions in the Church in light of the Lord’s prayer.

Read text here: “Thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Introduction: Jean Arnwine was a member of her church’s mission team that flew from Texas to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in January 2010, to work at an eye clinic for the poor that her church had built and sponsored. She was donating time that could have been spent with her husband, son, and daughter, not knowing that she would not make it home for her daughter’s wedding and would never see her family again. Jean suffered internal injuries during the Haiti earthquake when the clinic walls collapsed on her. She died before she could be flown to a hospital capable of treating her injuries. Although Jean lost her life while living out the mission of her faith, in death as in life, her Christian witness continues. Perhaps her testimony is made all the more powerful by her sacrifice and its consequences for her family and loved ones.

I.) If missions fulfill the will of God, what does the kingdom of God on earth look like?

A.) What is God’s idea of the divine kingdom realized on earth?
1.Certainly, building the kingdom of God is not merely about building an edifice, though we have plenty of those.
2.The Lord’s Prayer was given at a time of Roman domination.
3.At that time, it was urgent, especially for people of faith who were potentially facing persecution under pagan imperial reign, to establish God’s idea of rule and order.
4.Perhaps Jesus’ words in this portion of the prayer are a reminder that we must seek to understand the nature of God’s realm if our actions are to be consistent with God’s design for our lives and all of creation.
B.) The biblical text repeatedly supports the observation that Jesus’ intention for his followers was for them to think and act differently from others.
1.Christians are called to look at the world through different lenses.

Illustration. World famous architect Philip Johnson designed some magnificent buildings in his life. His last design was the Interfaith Peace Chapel at Cathedral of Hope in Dallas. The chapel will hold services for Jewish, Roman Catholic, and Spanish-speaking Protestant congregations. What makes this chapel unique is that it is one of the few buildings in the world designed without right angles in any of the exterior or interior walls. The interior walls are unique because they are made of a material that repairs itself from nail holes and “dings.” Johnson’s design is a visual lesson in the requirement for peace: think differently.
II.) Building the kingdom of God requires much self-examination and the exploration of many questions.

A.) Is the church about membership or discipleship?
1.We need not apologize for constructing buildings for the work of the church, since this is a practical and essential component when homes can no longer contain a growing faith community.
2.An important question to ask when we do undertake physical construction regards the purpose of our efforts.
3.Are we building an ecclesiastical mansion or a place for holy mission?
4.I am not suggesting that all church architecture be relegated to the most simplistic utilitarian form, but I am asking that we consider the motive behind our efforts.
B.) When we look to grow larger as a church, do we seek to be bigger for multiplying ministry or satisfying ego?
1.Bragging rights can apply to churches too, as we proudly proclaim the attendance numbers at the Easter service or the new decimal place that is added in the annual operating budget.
2.We need be honest about our true motives and desires, whether our faith community is large or small, because our devotion to Christ cannot ring true when we are dishonest with ourselves.

Example. Small congregations may say that they welcome newcomers, but there can be mixed messages given to those who seek affiliation there. The unspoken message might be, “You can join us for worship as long as you agree with us, don’t try to change anything, and recognize that you will always be the ‘newcomer’!” One couple in a small town church where I once served said that they were still the “newcomers” to the congregation with which they had united thirteen years ago!

Example. Edward Hick’s famous painting, “The Peaceable Kingdom,” is the artist’s representation of Isaiah 11:6-9. The text paints an image of a time when the wolf lies with the lamb and the child plays near the den of the cobra without fear of harm. It is an ideal world where real peace, God’s peace, can exist among the created order. Our current natural order requires that wolves eat meat, not vegetables, and parents must protect their children from that which they do not instinctively know to fear. I believe that the kingdom of God on earth that Jesus spoke of is not an expectation of a world where everything goes our way, but rather a world where we do what is within our power so that things unfold in God’s way.
III.) Christian community is about selfless service, caring commitment, and daily discipleship that make a transforming difference in people’s lives.

A.) Before we put on our “tool belt” and launch forth into whatever missions work is at hand, examining the biblical blueprints may reveal that what God requires is hardly conventional construction but trans-formational change.
1.For justice to be realized it may require bulldozing previous construction (physical, social, or ideological) and starting afresh.
2.I want to live in a world where no child must go to sleep at night hungry, abused, alone, or afraid.
3.I want to live a world where violence and injustice is something that we have to study history books to learn about it.
4.I want to live in a world where governments around the world respect the human rights of all people not just the privilege few in the wealthiest countries.

I think that is the sort of kingdom that Jesus had in mind too.