March 15, 2020 Sermon – Heaven on Earth
Good morning! Today’s message is focused on
Matthew 6:10
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Last week turned into a week like none other most of us have known. Before I understood the concept of “flattening the curve”, I was quite incredulous with (what I will call) the hysteria of the situation. I spent a week with friends in Southern California, and it was a bit of a running joke. Whenever anyone coughed or sneezed, we all mumbled “Corona”. As I better understood the seriousness of the situation as it relates to avoiding the spike in cases to not overwhelm our health care system, my attitude changed and it is no longer a joking matter. We have all been impacted one way or another. Your children or grandchildren may be home from school for a while, you might be working remotely, vacation or work travel is likely cancelled, your nest eggs or retirement plans have been hit hard, you find yourself attending church via Facebook, and oddly enough you may have run out of toilet paper and the store shelves are empty. When Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount as written in Matthew 5-7, it was a time in history when there were four primary groups who were each extreme in their own way. One group was the Pharisees. They believed in divine laws and religious tradition. They were extreme rule followers and their focus was on adhering to the law in minute detail. They prayed out loud, as was expected of teachers of the law, but they were perceived as being prideful in their execution. A second group was the Sadducees. They lived for the day, did not believe in the supernatural, and modified scripture to fit their own reality. They were elitist and liberal. A third group was the Essenes. They were disgusted by the Pharisees and Sadducees and thought they had corrupted the city and the Temple. The Essenes moved out of Jerusalem, lived in the desert, and forfeited all of life’s comforts in order to live an ascetic lifestyle. Finally, we have the Zealots who were fanatical nationalists. They looked down on Jews who would not take up arms and kill in order to defeat Rome. Jesus used the Sermon on the Mount as a way to clear up confusion. He directed the people in how to live moral and ethical lives that would be to the glory of God. This was something not currently being modeled by the religions of the day. Because the Pharisees were known to pray in public with extreme pride and the Gentiles used empty phrases and many words in their prayers, Jesus modeled a way for them to pray using the Lord’s Prayer.
Our message today is about one section of the Lord’s Prayer and that is praying for heaven on earth. That might seem like a tough concept at this moment, but now is a perfect opportunity to live this out. This builds on the sermon series we have focused on in Lent of the Lord’s Prayer. I have heard it said that “to pray the Lord’s prayer is to cleanse the mind, purify the heart, and align one’s will with God’s will.” Our supplications, or requests of God, are often the focus of our prayers. As believers, God is the only one we can pray to for help. But in the Lord’s prayer, Jesus is not asking so much for our will to be done, but for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. While we are asking God for what we think we need or want, we should also be asking God to guide us in ensuring our expectations are in alignment with what God’s will on earth is. In whatever format you use when praying, think about asking God to work through you to bring his will to earth.
The Lord’s Prayer starts with Our Father – making it a community prayer. We pray individually, but we are also to pray corporately. We are to pray, love, and serve in community – here on earth. We are to pray for what God wants. Last week, Pastor Monica spoke about the Kingdom of God. She told us that “Praying for God’s will to be done on earth, by the power of God’s Spirit working among us and through us, requires our active participation and our full engagement.” Praying for heaven on earth is a natural response to praying for God’s Kingdom to come. Bringing heaven to earth requires our personal actions and efforts. Praying for heaven on earth and acting on this prayer will help us align our will with God’s.
Many scriptures provide principles and commands for how God wants us to live our lives. These principles and commands explain how we are to live out God’s will in our lives. Two examples of these are the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes. God’s commands outline how we are to exhibit proper human behavior. As mentioned earlier, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is a selection of teachings on moral and ethical behavior. Part of this sermon covers the Beatitudes in chapter 5 and in chapter 6 Jesus teaches us how to pray.
The first beatitude is “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” If God’s will in heaven is to be done on earth, our prayers and actions will be to help those who are poor in spirit and to live like those who are poor in spirit. While we may focus on the financially poor, the oppressed, and the afflicted, Jesus is speaking of all believers in God who show themselves to be humble and trust God for all of their needs. They have nothing in this life that in their minds could buy their way into heaven. Because they are not arrogant, self-sufficient, or self-righteous they are free for God to work through and within. The result of them humbling themselves and relying completely on the Lord allows them to live in the kingdom of heaven now. Notice that Jesus did not say that theirs WILL be the kingdom of heaven, but theirs IS the kingdom of heaven. The blessings are already theirs as Jesus goes on to say in his prayer “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” One way to have heaven on earth, is to do all that we can to help the poor and to humble ourselves before God and be open to his work within us and to the blessings of heaven on earth.
All the wealth and material things we have are provided to us by God. These material blessings are blessings from God. In order to live in God’s Kingdom and receive blessings, it is only right that we use the excess of God’s blessings to help others. It is important to search our hearts and to pray to best understand what is excess. Where we see suffering, hunger, and need elsewhere, we should use our excess blessings to bless others in order to have heaven on earth. If you are not hungry and have food on your shelf, your neighbor should not be hungry either. You can do this in simple ways right here at West Grove UMC or in our community by: providing necessary items for our food pantry, providing a meal to the families who stay with us in our weeks of hosting Family Promise, serving at a soup kitchen, or bringing a meal to someone in need.
When praying like Matthew 6:10, we should pray that the way things are in heaven is the way they should be here on earth. When we pray, we should be praying not with resignation, but with the hope of triumph. A relevant example of this is the idea that there will be no sickness in heaven. It is common to pray to God that his will be done in situations when people are critically or even not so critically ill. But if God wants no sickness, then praying for complete and miraculous healing would be a faithful approach. I know I have prayed for God’s will to be done many times for people who are sick. I am challenging myself and you to be bolder and to pray for God’s perfect and miraculous healing in all occasions. In that way, we will be praying for God’s will to be done here on earth as it is being done in heaven.
With all of us temporarily living in a world of new realities associated with the coronavirus, we have some great opportunities to have God show us how to show heaven on earth. Prayerfully find ways to help those who are faced with difficulties caused by the restrictions and threats being placed on them. Offer to get groceries or medicines for elderly people who are particularly at risk if they contract the virus. This will allow them to limit their exposure. Even as we are being required to practice social distancing, use other means to stay in touch with people. Use social media in positive and uplifting ways to let people know how things are going with you, you will likely receive the same in return. Call, Skype, or FaceTime people you would normally talk to when you see them on a regular basis. If not call, text or email. Send a card or letter to a shut in who will not be receiving their normal visitors. Again, call if you have a close relationship with them. Watch someone’s children if they are out of school and the parents need to go to work. International college students are finding themselves without a place to stay when universities close housing and they are restricted from getting home. Consider opening your home up for a student to stay with you. These are just a few ways in which we can show the light of God in a currently dim time.
The praise band was going to sing the song Heaven on Earth by Stars Go Dim at the end of the 8:30 service. Aside from it being a catchy and good song, it has a great section of lyrics that provide a good list of what we can pray for to demonstrate heaven on earth.
Help me move when I should move
Help me rest when I should rest
Help me give what I should give
All of me, nothing less
Help me speak with grace and truth
Help me fight for those who can’t
Help me love the way You love
Never holding nothing back (yeah like Heaven on earth)
I hope you will think about the way you pray and see if you can focus your prayers to result in a heavenly response for those around you to see and experience. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Romans 5:1-11
Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Matthew 6:10
Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Meditations For Your Week
Sunday, March 15 ~ Saturday, March 22, 2020
Sunday: “Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10. Jesus taught us to how to pray and how to love others. Challenge yourself this week to be a reflection of Jesus’ love and care for all.
Monday: “Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1. With our faith comes peace that goes beyond all understanding. What can you do today to share that peace with others?
Tuesday: “through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.” Romans 5:2. The word boast can sometimes have a negative connotation. In this passage, we are being encouraged to REJOICE in the grace that God has given us and to share that with others. How are your rejoicing today in God’s grace today?
Wednesday: “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6. Praise be to God! God’s timing is always perfect. Do you feel that some of your prayers are not being answered? Do not fear! Have faith that God will answer you in his perfect timing.
Thursday: “But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8. No greater sacrifice will ever be made on our behalf. Praise God by showing his love to others this day.
Friday: “Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God.” Romans 5:9. It is hard to consider raising children without the need to provide discipline to direct them to proper behavior. Reflect on how to redirect any behaviors you may have that do not reflect gratitude for being justified by grace and saved from God’s wrath.
Saturday: “But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” Romans 5:11. We rejoice once more this week for the saving grace of Jesus Christ. We are reconciled with the Lord forever. Is there someone in your life that you need to reconcile with? Consider reaching out today.