Rev. David Holwick ZE Lord's Prayer series
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
September 29, 1996
Luke 4:14-21
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I. Heaven on earth.
A. Disney World is the image many would have.
Chuck Colson took his grandson to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot
Center in Florida.
He noticed that the people weren't happy.
The crowds seemed to be rushing from amusement to amusement,
feverishly checking off attractions seen against those
still to be seen.
One ... mother barked at her husband, 'Awright! Now how many
more to go?'"
Colson also noticed an absence of spiritual reference,
especially at Epcot.
"The Magic Kingdom, glorious as it is, is but a toy that mirrors
this broken world.
It ignores, even obscures, the ultimate reality - the enduring
kingdom where God, not humankind, reigns."
#28
B. God's view of heaven on earth. (Millennium)
1) What people are like.
a) Spiritual, obedient, loving and encouraging.
b) No violence.
c) No barriers.
d) No illness or pain, either.
2) What government/society is like.
a) Complete harmony between groups.
b) People are at peace and contented. Zechariah 8:4-5
1> (contrast with Jerusalem right now)
3) Mission of Jesus is to bring it all about. Luke 4:14-21
a) Good news to poor.
b) Release from oppression.
c) Freedom.
d) Healing.
4) "Thy kingdom come" is something to look forward to.
II. How the Kingdom will come.
A. Three main views.
1) A-millennialism (a- means "no")
a) No such thing as an earthly kingdom.
b) Jesus returns and we shoot straight to heaven.
2) Post-millennialism. (post means "after")
a) Church brings about millennium, Jesus returns.
b) Positive, reformist, activist.
1> Social Gospel, Baptist reformer Rauschenbush...
2> Associated with liberalism.
c) Counteracted by pessimism in Bible.
1> Bible assumes many won't be converted.
2> And even when we are converted, we don't
necessarily have wonderful lives.
3) Pre-millennialism. (pre- means "before")
a) Church expands, world eventually worsens, Jesus returns.
1> Seems to be most biblical.
2> Similar to conservative Jewish idea on Temple -
only the Messiah can rebuild it.
b) Has led to pessimism, other-worldliness.
1> Don't get involved, it won't make a difference.
2> The worse the world gets, the happier we are.
B. Harvey Cox on the situation among Evangelicals.
1) Found "Atlantic Monthly" magazine article while on vacation.
a) (When I am happiest, I ignore people and read stuff.)
2) Cox argues conservative Christians are changing their tune.
a) Used to be uninvolved, isolated. (Pre-mill)
b) Now are more involved politically. (Post-mill?)
1> Examples of Pat Robertson and Regent University.
2> Worldly wise, aggressive at changing America.
3> This is reason liberals are so up-in-arms at
strength of Christian Coalition.
3) Cox makes interesting points, but too simplistic.
III. Caught between two kingdoms.
A. The Kingdom comes two ways.
1) Jesus must return to reclaim the earth.
a) We can, and should, make a difference.
2) We must live with paradox.
a) Jesus knew he would be crucified, yet healed people and
went on doing good.
b) Christians must realize we cannot save world, but try
anyway.
B. Related to a basic problem of prayer. (C.S. Lewis)
1) Why pray if God is in charge already?
a) How can his will not be done on earth?
2) We can act and our actions produce results.
a) God gives us the ability to do things (within limits).
b) God's plan must allow a certain amount of free play
and can be modified in response to our prayers.
3) In both work and prayer we try to do what God has not
yet done.
a) And he wants it this way, because he made us to be free.
C. We do not live by logic, but by faith.
1) We can make a difference now.
2) Live as if we COULD bring in the kingdom, but realize
only Jesus can do it completely.
IV. What can Christians accomplish?
A. People can be changed.
1) Importance of evangelism.
a) Not a joke, though many treat it that way.
b) (Scientist at Astronomy club meeting - "World is Ending"
tracts.)
c) Share your faith.
2) Importance of personal moral living.
a) Many Christians are part of problem, not solution.
b) Be as concerned about your own lifestyle as you are
about lifestyles of others.
B. Society can be transformed.
1) Many Christians have been reformers - issues like slavery,
mental illness, etc.
Writing in Imprimis, Marvin Olasky claims that religious
faith is still essential to poverty-fighting.
In Washington, D.C., multi-million-dollar programs have
failed, but, a mile from the U.S. Capitol, success stories
are developing:
Spiritually-based programs such as Clean And Sober Streets,
where ex-alcoholics and ex-addicts help those still in
captivity;
The Gospel Mission, which fights homelessness by offering
true hope; and the Capitol Hill Crisis Pregnancy Center,
where teenage moms and their born and unborn children
are cared for.
They are all saving lives.
In Dallas, Texas, a half-mile from the Dallas Housing
Authority's failed projects, there is a neighborhood
group called Voice of Hope.
It invites teenagers to learn about God through Bible studies
and to work at remodeling deteriorated homes in their
neighborhood.
During the past decade, crime rates among the boys involved
with Voice of Hope and pregnancy rates among the girls
have been dramatically lower than those in the
surrounding community.
Private charities can do a better job than government, but
only if they practice the principles of effective
compassion.
GIVING, by itself, we need to remember, is morally neutral.
We need to give RIGHTLY, so as not to impede the development
of values that enable people to get out of poverty and
stay out.
#3106
2) Be concerned about injustice, welfare of poor, etc.
3) We must confess that too often Christians are only concerned
about their own narrow fellowship.
V. Revolutionary faith.
A. Secular culture wants us to conform.
1) We focus on our little name.
2) We focus on our little empire.
a) (bossing, manipulating others...)
3) We focus on our own silly little will.
a) (frustrated when we don't)
B. Christian counter-culture should change this focus.
1) Faith should not just be something you do an hour a week.
2) How would Jesus transform what you do at work? Home?
3) We need more than winning back America. Win the World.
VI. We don't necessarily win in the end.
A. (note church member's involvement in partial-birth abortion
struggle.)
B. Jesus lost the "Culture Wars."
Last year Philip Yancey was asked to join a panel discussion
before a large gathering of liberal Democrats, and a strong
minority of Jews.
The topic was "culture wars."
Yancey had been selected as the token evangelical Christian on
a panel that included the presidents of the Disney Channel
and Warner Brothers, as well as the president of
Wellesley College and Anita Hill's personal attorney.
To prepare for his talk, he went through the Gospels for
guidance, only to be reminded how unpolitical Jesus was.
Today, each time an election rolls around, Christians debate
whether this or that candidate is "God's man" for the
White House.
Projecting himself back into Jesus' time, Yancey had difficulty
imagining Jesus pondering whether Tiberius, Octavius, or
Julius Caesar was "God's man" for the empire.
He was also struck by what happens when Christians lose the
culture wars.
In Communist countries--Albania, the Soviet Union, China--the
Christians' worst nightmares came true.
These governments forced the church to go underground.
(A missionary in Afghanistan told him that after bulldozing
the only Christian church in the country, the Afghans dug a
huge hole underneath its foundation;
they had heard rumors about an underground church!)
In waves of persecution during the 1960s and 1970s, for instance,
Chinese believers were fined, imprisoned, and tortured.
Yet, despite this government oppression, a spiritual revival
broke out that could well be the largest in the history of
the church.
As many as 50 million believers gave their allegiance to an
invisible kingdom even as the visible kingdom made them
suffer for it.
When Yancey's turn came to speak, he said that the man he
follows, a Palestinian Jew from the first century, had also
been involved in a culture war.
He went up against a rigid religious establishment and a pagan
empire.
The two powers, often at odds, conspired together to eliminate
him.
His response?
Not to fight, but to give his life for these his enemies, and
to point to that gift as proof of his love.
Among the last words he said before death were, "Father, forgive
them, for they know not what they do."
After the panel discussion, a television celebrity came up to
Yancey whose name every reader would recognize.
"I've got to tell you, what you said stabbed me right in the
heart," he said.
"I was prepared to dislike you because I dislike all right-wing
Christians, and I assumed you were one.
I don't follow Jesus--I'm a Jew.
But when you told about Jesus forgiving his enemies, I realized
how far from that spirit I am.
I fight my enemies, especially the right-wingers.
I don't forgive them.
I have much to learn from the spirit of Jesus."
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I. Carson.
A. Broadens and slightly expands second petition.
1) God's ethical will can only be fulfilled at the consummation.
2) At that time Christians won't be opposed by evil.
B. Possible meanings of ambiguous language:
1) That God's desire for righteousness will be fully
accomplished NOW on earth as it is in heaven.
2) That that desire might ultimately be fulfilled.
a) (Same as "thy kingdom come")
3) The righteousness may be accomplished on earth IN THE SAME
WAY as they are in heaven - without reference to
contrasting evil, but purely.
C. Two important responsibilities.
1) We are committing ourselves to learning all we can about
his will.
a) Study the Bible.
2) Pledge that we will do his will, with his help.
D. Our concerns should be God's glory, his reign, and his will.
II. Stott.
A. God's will is perfect. Rom 12:2
1) It is wisdom for us to discern, desire and do it.
B. His will is already being done in heaven.
1) Jesus tells us to pray that life on earth may come to
approximate more nearly to life in heaven.
2) "On earth as in heaven" seems to apply equally to hallowing
God's name, spreading his kingdom and doing his will.
C. Revolutionary implications.
1) Secular culture wants us to conform.
2) We focus on ourselves:
a) Our little name.
b) Our little empire (bossing, manipulating others...)
c) Our own silly little will. (frustrated when we don't)
1> -article on abusive husbands.
3) Christian counter-culture changes this focus.
III. Guelich.
A. Not found in Luke so is likely a Matthian redaction.
1) "in heaven as on earth" betrays Matthew's concept of heaven
as the dynamic sphere of God's rule.
B. Kingdom and "will" are often intertwined in Matthew.
1) To enter kingdom, we must do the will of the Father. 7:21
IV. (article on sovereignty of God by C.S.Lewis, Disc #79, p.82.
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