Word of Salvation – Vol. 37 No. 09 – March 1992

 

Concluding Our Prayer

 

Sermon by Rev. M. P. Geluk on Lord’s Day 52b

Reading: Revelation 5:6-14

 

Beloved congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ,

The concluding words to the Lord’s Prayer are really a doxology.  But doxologies do not necessarily have to come at the end.  The word doxology simply means – words of praise.  And words of praise to God can come at the beginning of a prayer or a worship services, or in the middle, or at the end.  The whole prayer can be a doxology.  But here in the Lord’s Prayer it comes at the end.

If you looked up the Lord’s Prayer in Luke’s gospel (11:2ff) then you will notice that the words ‘for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever Amen’ are not even there.  In Matthew’s gospel these concluding words are put in a footnote by the New International Version and the New American Standard Bible has put them in brackets.

Why is this?  Did the Lord Jesus not say ‘for yours is the kingdom and power and the glory forever?  Well, most of you know that the Bibles we use are translated from very old manuscripts and the most reliable of these do not have the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer.  The oldest  document which has this conclusion to the Lord’s prayer is a manuscript rom the sixth century.  The words as we know them – ‘for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory’ come from that time.  Although an abbreviation of that, ‘for yours is the power and glory, forever’ is found in a document from the second century.

So what, then, should we do?  Change the Lord’s Prayer as we know it, by omitting these concluding words or leave it as it is?

Well, on the whole the Christian church has been quite happy to include the doxology and for the following good reasons:

Firstly, the words are in complete harmony with the teaching of God’s Word, even if Christ may not have actually spoken them.

Secondly, the doxology is a very fitting conclusion to the Lord’s Prayer because they are a beautiful expression of faith in God’s kingship and power; and

Thirdly, this doxology has been a part of the Lord’s Prayer for centuries and because the words are fully scriptural, there is no point in deciding to leave them out.

As to the first reason – the doxology is in perfect harmony with what God’s Word says elsewhere – let’s see by way of example how true that is by listening to the inspired prayer of King David, shortly before he died.

In his lifetime David has seen a great deal of God’s mercy and covenant faithfulness.  He is aware of his own shortcoming and sins.  And now as David leaves the earthly scene he commits the new king, his son Solomon, and all the people of Israel to God’s safekeeping.  That David believes God is able to watch over and protect His people comes out very strongly as you now hear his words which are so similar to the doxology in the Lord’s Prayer:

‘Praise be to you, O Lord, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.  Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendour, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.  Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.  Wealth and honour come from you; you are the ruler of all things.  In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.  Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.’ (1Chronicles 29:10-13).

This doxology, ‘for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever’ then you realise immediately how similar they are.  And there are many other scripture references where it is confessed that to God belongs the kingship, power and glory forever.  (Neh.9:5; the conclusions of Pss.145, 150; John 8:50; 17:4; 1Cor.10:31; 2Tim.4:18).  And certainly in the book Revelation there is this recurring theme that all power, rule, glory and honour belong to God and to the Lamb who sits upon the throne (Rev.1:6; 4:11; 5:12, 13; 19:1ff.) Therefore to conclude the Lord’s Prayer in the way we normally do, is perfectly scriptural.

As to the second reason why we want to retain the doxology in the Lord’s Prayer, we said that it is a very fitting conclusion because the words ‘for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.’ express a trust in God’s ability to give to us all that is good.  But before we look at this trust or faith in God’s power, there is something else that makes the doxology such a fitting conclusion to the Lord’s Prayer.

It is this: The Lord’s prayer begins with the thought that God the Father is in heaven and that His name be made holy by us.  But then this perfect prayer turns its attention to things on earth.  Down here on this earth we can be quite rebellious and therefore Jesus taught us to pray for submission to His kingly rule and for the coming of God’s perfect kingdom.  Still on this earth, Jesus taught us to pray for our bodily needs.  Yes, how much blood is shed in the world because of people fighting over the earth’s resources.  Indeed, with our human natures and we living on this earth, we cause much misery through sin and therefore we may pray for forgiveness and a forgiving attitude.  And with all the temptations around us we need to be delivered from these.  Yes, deliverance from Satan who never lets up in trying to have us break loose from God.

Now we have said before that the Lord taught this prayer, not merely to have us repeat it word for word, but to also know what to pray for and how to pray with our own words and in our own circumstances.  And so in our prayer we are to think of the Father in heaven but then also of all of life situations here on earth.  The Lord’s Prayer uncovers all of life’s needs, it enters deep into our physical and spiritual existence.  It makes us aware of the devil and the fact that with God there is the power to be delivered.  Yes, the Lord’s Prayer last request is: deliver us from evil.

Yet that ought not to be the end of our prayer.  Whether it was Jesus Himself or the early Christians who added the doxology we may never know for the one hundred percent, but that doesn’t matter.  The fact is that the prayer of the Christian must not end with a word about evil and Satan but with God’s triumphant power over evil and Satan.  Not an ending with hell but with heaven!  Not with anxiety and a mere longing for deliverance but with faith and in glory.

Therefore, the child of God returns to the Father before he says ‘amen’.  He began with the Father and heaven, and then having prayed about all kinds of earthly situations, he wants to end his prayer where he started – with God.  The last word in our prayers must not be about evil and Satan but about God and confessing Him to be the King of Kings and having all dominion, power and glory.  Only with a renewed confession about God’s kingship lingering on in our hearts and on our lips can we get up from prayer and return to whatever God has given us to do in the world.  We can’t possibly return to our task with our last prayer thought on the evil one, but we can with our faith firmly fixed on our God and King.  So, what better words to carry with us in our hearts than these?  ‘For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory.’

The doxology to the Lord’s Prayer, therefore, is a very fitting conclusion because we are ending our prayer not with our struggle against and deliverance from evil and Satan but with heaven and God.

But we also said earlier on that this doxology is so suitable because it expresses a trust in God’s ability to do for us what is good.  How true this is!  When we say, ‘For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever!’ then we are saying to God that the glory and honour of His holy Name and the provision of all our physical and spiritual needs, will be taken care of for God is the king and He has the power and the glory.  Not only sometimes but forever!

We must trust in God’s ability.  We ought to put our faith in Him who says of Himself that He is the powerful, glorious King of kings.  The doxology not only makes us think more of God than of evil, but it also turns us away from ourselves and to God’s kingdom.

Have you ever noticed that we are never content and happy when we are preoccupied only with ourselves?  It’s quite possible to carry that preoccupation with self over into our prayer.  We ask and ask and it’s all about ourselves, our needs, our fears, our problems.  We can’t get loose from our self-consciousness.  We have become a prisoner to our own feelings and emotions.

But look at this doxology!  It’s all about God!  Our thoughts are directed to God’s kingdom and His power and His glory.

And isn’t that how all our prayers ought to be?  Yes, Jesus in the Lord’s Prayer teaches us to bring all our needs to God but there are different ways of doing that.  The wrong way is to be so immersed in all your worries, anxieties and problems that whilst you are talking to God you are not thinking of Him but all your thoughts are on yourself.  The right way is to be focussing your mind on God as you talk to Him about your needs.  It is to be conscious of His kingly power and wonderful glory.  True prayer is a losing of oneself, not in yourself, but in God.  And isn’t that the purpose of our believing and trusting?

Yes, do I really believe in God’s power?  Do I really believe that God is king and is the only power of real significance?  Or do I believe more in the power of money?  In the power of human authorities.  In the power of sin?  In the power of the evil one?  In the power of a tyrannical husband, or wife or parents?  Or do I believe and trust that all ultimate power belongs to God?

God alone is king!  The supreme sovereign!  Apart from God’s will all earthly and human powers cannot even move.  Does not the Christian believe what Jesus said: not a bird will fall to the ground without the will of my Father in heaven!  And even the very hairs of our head are all numbered?  (Matt.10:29,30).

Whatever takes place on earth, it is because of God’s will.  He causes or permits all things to pass.  Why then should we be afraid?  Therefore, praying to the Father in heaven is a coming to Him who is the King and Ruler over all.  So we pray for God’s Name to be made holy because we believe it is God’s right that His kingly being is honoured and glorified.  We pray for the coming of God’s kingdom because we believe that God has the power to establish it in full.  We pray for the doing of God’s will on earth because we believe that earthly life will benefit immensely if it takes its example from the way God rules in heaven.  We pray for daily bread because we believe in our sovereign king’s ability to provide.  We pray for forgiveness and a forgiving attitude because we believe that only in that way God’s name is glorified.  And we pray in times of temptation because we believe God alone is able to deliver us.  For the kingdom and the power and the glory are God’s, now and forever.

Can we now with that same faith and conviction say amen?  It’s amazing what that little word has come to mean and what it seems to be able to do for some.  We can sleep through a prayer and a sermon but the ‘amen’ wakes us up.  We can, while the Word is proclaimed, wander away in our thoughts but the ‘amen’ pulls us up quick smart.  We apologize for not listening but we always hear the ‘amen’.  And if speakers and preachers are boring their audience then we say, under our breath, that it’s time for the ‘amen’.  It’s no wonder then that many think that ‘amen’ means ‘the end’.  But it does not mean that at all, of course.  It means ‘so shall it be’ or ‘this is sure to be’.

If we pray in the manner as Jesus taught us and conclude our prayer with a believing, ‘For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever’ then we can also say ‘amen’ to all what we have prayed.  The preacher should not say ‘amen’ if he did not proclaim the Word of God but a twisted version of it.  The congregation should not say ‘amen’ if the preaching and praying are not biblical.  Knowing that the ‘amen’ comes at the end of our worship should make us extra careful that we worship the Lord in a manner that truly glorifies Him.  We cannot say or sing the ‘amen’ if the worship service was man-centred instead of Christ-centred.  People can pray very convincingly and preachers can preach persuasively but they should not say ‘so let it be’ if they think that their conviction and persuasion will be the determining factor.  Our ‘amens’ will only glorify God when the things that were said before it were truly in accordance with God’s will.

So let our ‘amen’ be said full of confidence and trust.  Remember, Jesus taught us to pray for God’s holiness to shine in us – hallowed be your name.  To pray for a true submission to His rule – your kingdom come.  To pray for willing and faithful obedience to His will – your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  To pray for our physical needs and trusting that He will provide – give us this day our daily bread.  To pray for forgiveness and for strength to forgive others – forgive us our sins as we also forgive those who sin against us.  And to pray for deliverance in our struggle against temptation – lead us not into temptation.

Now that kind of praying means that we are asking God to establish His grace in our lives.  And such praying may always end with a confident ‘amen’.  To have God’s grace come over us and in us is to become like Christ; it is to depend more on our heavenly Father; it is to grow in patient humility.  To have the grace of God in us is much more important than to have all our earthly needs provided.  Grace is worth far more to us than freedom from hunger, pain and sickness.  Yes, Jesus taught us to praise, to ask, and to expect, but He also has taught us to surrender, to submit, to trust and believe that God’s will be done, and God’s will alone is good.  When we pray in humble dependence on God’s will then we may always say ‘amen, so shall it be’.

‘To you, great king, our prayers ascend:
 Your power and glory know no end!
 You are our Helper, always near,
 For Jesus’ sake our pleas you hear,
 You opened wide salvation’s door,
 Yours be all praise for evermore!

 Dear Father, do not hide Your face
 for we rely upon Your grace
 Our hearts lie open to Your eyes
 but boldly we cast off all guise
 and say, since You will hear our plea:
 ‘Amen, Amen!  So shall it be!’

AMEN