The Glory of God
Matthew 6:13 “…for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
We finish our study of the Lord’s Prayer with the doxology, teaching us some of God’s attributes.
Here is our overview summary of the Lord’s Prayer:
Heading: God as Father and King
• Petition #1: “Hallowed”: God’s honor
• Petition #2: “Kingdom”: God’s rule
• Petition #3: “Will”: God’s direction
• Petition #4: “Bread”: Providing grace
• Petition #5: “Forgive”: Pardoning grace
• Petition #6: “Lead us”: Preventing grace
• Petition #7: “Deliver us”: Preserving grace
Closing: the Glory of God.
DAY 1
The Lord’s Prayer began, Matt. 6:9 “Our Father in heaven.”
1. What two attributes of God from this verse does Jesus tell us to keep in mind when we pray?
2. What is the significance of each of these?
3. Jesus tells us to end our prayer the same way, remembering some of the attributes of God. Which ones does he mention?
Matthew 6:13 “…for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
4. You likely wrote down three: God is King, God is Sovereign and God’s Glory. Jesus hints at another one in the last phrase, “forever and ever.” At what attribute of God is He hinting?
5. What usually motivates us to prayer is some need. It may be personal, a family need, financial, etc. While we are certainly invited to bring our needs before the throne of grace, what does the heading and closing of this prayer suggest to you? What focus is Jesus encouraging to take when we pray?
6. Living for ourselves and our own self-serving interests “makes sense” to us, it “feels right,” and we are driven to get our needs met, but eventually this well runs dry. We can’t get enough “water’ to quench the human thirst inside. We need a bigger focus and reason to live. This is what the final line of the Lord’s Prayer drives home.
7. Re-read the heading and closing of this prayer. Verbalize these words to God. Ask God to make you more God-centered today in all your responses to people and your responsibilities.
DAY 2
Matt. 6:13 “…for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
1. The world is called the “kingdom of darkness.” Satan’s influence and man’s sinfulness has created a mess, where men build their lives around themselves and their own interests. Read the results in any newspaper.
But God has “invaded” the kingdom of darkness through His word, prophets, His church and most notably His Son. He is building a new kingdom, the “kingdom of light” right in the middle of the kingdom of darkness!
Colossians 1:12 …giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion (kingdom) of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
2. If you have Jesus Christ as your King, you have been delivered out of the kingdom of darkness. What are some examples of your former life in the “kingdom of darkness?”
3. What are some ways you see God building into you the “kingdom of light?” Under each of the verses below, jot down how you have seen God building into you:
Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
Mark 9:47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell…
Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 13:43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.
Acts 14:22 …strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
2 Timothy 4:18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.
4. God is working the kingdom of God in you. He is working every day to allow Jesus to more and more be King of your life. One day, at our death, that work will be completed, and we will enjoy His Kingship through all eternity! Thank Him for His faithful work in you, today.
DAY 3
Matt. 6:13 “…for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
1. There are countless verses in the bible that describe God’s eternal and sovereign power.
Below are some verses that describe how His power can be at work in you. Under each verse write down what His power is for, and write down one example you see of His power at work in you:
Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
Philippians 3:21… who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
2 Timothy 1:12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. (my faith and testimony)
Hebrews 2:18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Jude 1:24 To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy– 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
Colossians 1:11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy,
1 Chronicles 29:11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. 12 Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.
2. For what do you need God’s power?
3. Pray for His power in your life right now.
DAY 4
Matt. 6:13 “…for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
1. In the following verses, write down why God is worthy of glory:
Revelation 4:11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
Psalms 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Revelation 5:12 “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
John 1:14 And the Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Psalms 115:1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.
2. In the following verse, record how we participate in bringing glory to God:
Galatians 1:23 … they only heard it said, “He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God because of me.
Galatians 6:14 But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
1 Corinthians 6:20 you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
1 Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Jer. 9:23 Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might nor the rich man glory in his riches; 24 but let him who glories glory in that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practice steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight, says the LORD.
John 17:4 I glorified thee on earth, having accomplished the work which thou gavest me to do;
3. What strikes you about God’s glory? What strikes you about how you can bring glory to Him?
DAY 5
Matt. 6:13 “…for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
1. The Greek phrase is “Εις τους αιωνας,” which literally means, “to the for evers.” For all of eternity. The original word αιων is a compound word made up of two small Greek words: (1) αει which means, “always,” and ων which means, “being, or existence,” hence, “always in existence.”
2. God is eternal, everlasting in His character, His kingdom, His power and His glory!
3. Abraham worked through a very sticky situation with a foreign ruler, where an army was menacingly close to his small family. When the issue was resolved with good will (and Abraham had escaped with his life), he did the following…
Genesis 21:33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called upon the name of the LORD, the Eternal God.
a. Why do you think he planted a tree?
b. Why did Abraham call on the name of the Lord?
c. Why did Abraham call God, “the eternal God?”
3. The parable of the sheep and the goats depicts what will happen at final judgment. Everyone will be divided into the sheep or the goats.
Matthew 25:46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
a. What lay ahead for the sheep (the righteous)?
b. What lay ahead for the goats (“they”–the goats)?
4. The following passage picks up all four elements of the doxology: kingdom, power, glory, and eternity.
2 Thessalonians 1:5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be made worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering — 6 since indeed God deems it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant rest with us to you who are afflicted, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, 8 inflicting vengeance upon those who do not know God and upon those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They shall suffer the punishment of eternal destruction and exclusion from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at in all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. 11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his call, and may fulfill every good resolve and work of faith by his power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
5. Record one idea that strikes you for each of the following words:
Kingdom-
Power-
Glory-
Eternity-
5. What strikes you the most from the entire doxology? What do you want to remember? Is there some way you need to adjust your life?