Episode Seven: On the Lord’s Prayer, Pt. 2

Episode Seven: The Lord’s Prayer, Pt.2

Andrewes on Establishing God’s

Heavenly Honor, Kingdom, and Will on Earth

Nov.14, 2020

Special Guest: Bishop Chandler Jones

 

Sermons 10 - 12 of Lancelot Andrewes’

Nineteen Sermons upon Prayer in General,

and The Lord’s Prayer in Particular.

.

 

Copies can be found in Lancelot Andrewes Works,

Sermons, Volume Five, or on The Project Canterbury Website.

 

Summary:

      With the 4th, 5th, and 6th sermons of this 13-sermon collection on the Lord’s Prayer, Andrewes teaches on the often over-looked, or unconsidered, realties contained in the intentional wording of “Thy Kingdom Come” “Thy Will Be Done,” and “In Earth as it is In Heaven.”

 

Outline:

1. “Thy Kingdom Come”
   1. Seek first the kingdom of God/heaven (“Thy Kingdom”)
      1. By seeking the renewal of our minds by God’s Spirit of Wisdom and understanding (cf.Isa.11:2; Rom.12:2; Eph.1:27).
      2. By seeking the renewal of our hearts and learning to contemn, and live for more than, earthly pleasures, our own selves, and this mortal life.
   2. Aspects of God’s Kingdom
      1. It is a Universal Kingdom, with God reigning over all things, kings, rulers, and nations (cf.Ps.99)
      2. It is a Kingdom of Glory (referring to God’s outer power and protection)
         1. Against this, the Kingdom of Satan seeks to rule the world in God’s stead,
         2. The Kingdom of Sin pushes back against the glory of God’s Kingdom, and
         3. The Kingdom of Death pushes back against the power of God’s Kingdom.
      3. It is a Kingdom of Grace (referring to God’s inner working)
         1. This part aspect of the Kingdom grants the New Birth to those who desire it,
         2. Roots out the presence of Satan’s Kingdom of Sin and Death, and
         3. Produces the virtues of righteousness, peace, and joy.
   3. The Nature of Its Coming
      1. When it comes, it reveals our corrupted appetites for the things of this world,
      2. It lightens our blind eyes for us to be able to walk in God’s ways,
      3. It inflames/enlarges our hard hearts to love God’s ways (cf.Ps.119:32)
      4. It removes from our lives all that offends God, and
      5. Its fullest coming will be at the eschaton (Bliss for some and Hell for others):
         1. We enter the Kingdom of Grace now that we might enter the Kingdom of Glory;
         2. Those who do not become acclimated to God in His Kingdom of Grace will find the coming of His Kingdom of Glory dark and torturous.
2. “Thy Will Be Done” (not just known, but done)
   1. We are seeking the grace to “Do”
      1. We seek God’s grace to reign in us now that we might reign with Him in glory.
      2. It’s not about calling Jesus Lord, but serving Him as Lord. It’s not about wishing, or desiring, but doing.
   2. We are seeking that God’s Will would become our own will by submitting to His hidden/secret will and framing our actions to His revealed/open will:
      1. God’s Hidden/Secret Will
         God’s Revealed/Open Will
         • For His Pleasure
         • What He wills
         • Knowable only to Him
         • Irresistible
         • To be adored (election/reprobation)
         • Passive (kept with or without our intention or awareness)
         • In regards to the Secret Will we pray that nothing God’s commands will displease us and that nothing we do displeases Him:
           • Anything not plainly spelled out can be dissented to
           • It is possible in good will to desire something else than what God wills secretly (e., death of a loved one)
         • It is possible in ill will to desire to do something God has willed not
         • Disclosed to us
         • What we ought to will
         • Knowable and to be searched by all
         • Resistible (thus we pray to be able to do it)
         • To be studied
         • Active (must be made aware of and intentionally acted upon)
         • In regards to the Open Will we pray that when God does reveal His Will, we will have what it takes to see that it is done:
           • Be it death,
           • Be it trials and tribulations, or
           • Be it His commands,
           • We pray we might do it well
   3. We show our desire for God’s Kingdom by our obedience to His Will.
   4. Requirements for doing God’s Will
      1. We must lay aside, seek the conversion of, and discipline of our own wills for God’s Will
      2. We must acknowledge and honor God’s Will as being superior to our own in wisdom, knowledge, goodness, and sovereignty since ours, due to mortality, is blind, foolish, sinful, and in need of guidance.
      3. We must seek God’s grace and power not only to change our thoughts and desires but also our actions:
         1. God’s Passive Grace – that which awakens us to life from above.
         2. God’s Active Grace – that which accomplishes our new way of living.
3. “In Earth as It is in Heaven”
   1. As an Appendix to the First Three Petitions this shows us that it is not just about doing the action of hallowing God’s Name, spreading God’s Kingdom, and doing God’s Will, but equally about how, and in what manner, these actions are done.
   2. A Qualification: How God’s Will is Done Within Heaven and What That Means for the Way We Pray:
      1. Just as the three Heavens of Nature (weather), Heavenlies (sun, moon, and stars), and Throne Room (God, the Angels, and the Saints) obey the will and commands of God, so
      2. We pray that
         1. Heaven can use us to bless the earth like the weather
         2. The earthly Body of Christ (the Church) would match its Heaven Head (the ascended Christ)
         3. We might be like the angels ready to do God’s Will
         4. We follow the examples of the saints in heaven, becoming saints in the earth and bearing the heavenly image
         5. We will obey heaven’s Will even when it strikes against our natural inclinations:
            1. Like the Sun and Moon which stopped for Moses
            2. Like Christ who laid down His mortal life
            3. Like the Angels who willing leave heavenly bliss to help those on earth
            4. Like the martyrs who want vindication no but wait (Rev.6:10-11)
            5. Not like the demons who do it begrudgingly
      3. An Elevation of the Soul: Seeking the Things Above
         1. We seek progression in this life and perfection in the one to come
         2. We make it our present intention to walk in heavenly likeness.
      4. An Application:
         1. As we pray for the Will of God to be done, we must seek to perform it once it is revealed to us – both the Micro, Particular Will for us (personal sanctifications) and the Macro, General Will for all (patience under suffering)
         2. We must not postpone our spiritual lives thinking we will do it in the future.
         3. We must seek God’s will for our own countries where God has placed us.

 

Music & Sound Attributions:

Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions “Lost Shoe” (www.sessions.blue). Sounds used are as follows: “Beer Can Opening” recorded by Mike Koening found at (http://soundbible.com/216-Beer-Can-Opening.html) and “Pouring Drink” recorded by Mike Koenig found at (http://soundbible.com/2115-Pouring-Drink.html).