Sharon Reformed Presbyterian Church · Sermon study sheet

God Centered Prayer - Matthew 6:13

Bryan Schneider · August 24, 2019

Matthew 6:13

sharonrpc.org/sermons/god-centered-prayer

Summary

The conclusion of the Lord's Prayer calls believers to God-centered prayer that joins heaven's praise by affirming God's kingdom, power, and glory.
The sermon acknowledges the textual variation surrounding Matthew 6:13's doxology and explains that it follows the fuller form printed in the congregation's Bible.
‘Yours is the kingdom’ affirms Christ's present reign, displayed decisively in his death, resurrection, ascension, and the worldwide advance of the gospel.
God's kingdom is not a platform for personal empires; prayer humbles believers by redirecting attention from their own projects to Christ's rule.
‘Yours is the power’ confesses that God controls what human beings cannot and invites anxious hearts to surrender imaginary control to their capable Father.
‘Yours is the glory’ recognizes God's holiness and supreme worth, enlarging prayer beyond small requests without excluding the needs a loving Father welcomes.
‘Amen’ is a resolved affirmation that the petitions Jesus teaches accord with God's revealed will and may be prayed with confidence.

What textual variation does the sermon acknowledge at the end of Matthew 6:13?
How does Christ's resurrection and ascension demonstrate that God's kingdom is already present?
Why is the global spread of the gospel evidence of Christ's continuing reign?
How does ‘yours is the kingdom’ challenge the desire to build personal religious empires?
What kinds of anxiety reveal an attempt to retain control that belongs to God?
What does God's glory mean, and how should it enlarge the scale and purpose of prayer?
Why may disciples say ‘Amen’ with confidence after praying according to Jesus' model?
How can daily prayer hold ordinary personal needs together with a worldwide concern for God's glory?

Doxology: A concluding expression of praise that ascribes the kingdom, power, and glory to God.
Kingdom of God: God's saving reign, present in Christ and advancing as the gospel gathers people from every nation.
Omnipotence: God's unlimited power and perfect ability to accomplish his holy purposes.
Glory: The weightiness, holiness, and supreme worth of God manifested in who he is and what he does.
Textual variation: A difference among ancient manuscript copies; the sermon notes such a variation concerning Matthew 6:13's concluding doxology.
Amen: A concluding affirmation meaning, in the sermon's explanation, ‘so may it be.’