When the Pharisees once asked "When the Kingdom of G.o.d should come, He answered them and said, The Kingdom of G.o.d cometh not with observation; neither shall they say, Lo here! or, Lo there! for behold the Kingdom of G.o.d is among[32] you" (S. Luke xvii. 20, 21).
His Kingdom was already being set up amongst them, though they knew it not; and ever since those days it has been spreading amongst men. But He knew how strongly the great enemy of G.o.d and man would oppose the extension of His Kingdom; and how powerful the perversity of man would be to hinder it; and when His disciples asked to be taught to pray, these were the words He bade them pray, "Thy Kingdom come" (S. Matt.
vi. 10).
It follows, therefore, that it is a matter of great importance that we understand clearly the meaning of these words. We cannot suppose for a moment that our Lord meant that the Kingdom of G.o.d is not _come_ at all in this present time. Because many pa.s.sages, which have been already quoted, have a.s.sured us that His Kingdom was founded long ago amongst men. Moreover, He expressly directed His disciples to a.s.sure those to whom they preached, whether they hearkened or not--"The Kingdom of G.o.d is come nigh unto you" (S. Luke x. 9, 11).
What then is the meaning of the prayer, "Thy Kingdom come"?
The Kingdom of G.o.d is come already, and men are everywhere "pressing into it" (S. Luke xvi. 16). But His rule over the hearts of men is imperfect, and will be so as long as it can be said "We see not yet all things put under Him" (Heb. ii. 8). Therefore He has taught His faithful people of every age to lift up this prayer--"Thy Kingdom come"--that it may be brought to pa.s.s that He may rule in all hearts supreme; that the lands which are still heathen may be brought into His Kingdom; and that those who now profess to bear His Name may be "Saints" indeed. And inasmuch as He "loved the Church and gave Himself for it," not that it might consist of so-called Christians--who in heart are worshippers of Mammon, and not subjects of the Crucified--but "that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water and the word, that it should be holy and without blemish,"
this prayer--"Thy Kingdom come"--must continue to ascend until He can "present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing" (Eph. v. 25-27). And then at last the cry will be raised, "The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ, and He shall reign for ever and ever" (Rev.
xi. 15).
We are taught in Holy Scripture that faith can move mountains of difficulty (S. Matt. xvii. 20), and that the prayer of faith has a power to which G.o.d has set no bounds (S. Matt. xxi. 22). And the surest way to pray in faith is to be ourselves striving for the fulfilment of our prayers.
Now the King Himself declared the source from which the weakness of His Kingdom would arise. When He prayed for His little band of disciples, He added, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me" (S.
John xvii. 20, 21). Consequently if we would gain an answer to our prayer, "Thy Kingdom come," we want to lead Christian men to think that the saying is true, "A Kingdom divided against itself cannot stand" (S. Mark iii. 24); and that it is impossible for "The Kingdom of Heaven" to be strong to win souls for Christ, whilst its subjects are forming factions and so-called denominations, and are opposing one another. "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! For there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore" (Ps. cx.x.xiii. 1, 3).
To re-unite the divided branches of Christ"s Holy Church, or even to heal the divisions amongst G.o.d"s people in our own land, is a work which is beyond the power of man to accomplish. But if Christians would but be persuaded to see the advantages of unity, and to desire to live up to their high calling as G.o.d"s children--as the one family of G.o.d--the first step would have been taken which would lead, in G.o.d"s own time, to the end in view.
For if the subjects of "The Kingdom of Heaven" only realised their position, how great would be the answer to this universal prayer, "Thy Kingdom come!" How would Christ"s Kingdom be then advancing in the world! For His Church would be moving, as one mighty army, against His foes, and Christ in His members would be indeed going forth, "conquering and to conquer" (Rev. vi. 2).
May He pardon all that is defective in these pages, and bless them to the promotion of His glory. May He grant that those who read them may be strengthened in their own faith, and be themselves prepared for the great day, when "The Kingdom of Heaven," as we know it, will have become the Kingdom of Glory; "when there shall be one flock and one Shepherd" (S. John x. 16); and the daily repeated prayer will have been fulfilled,
THY KINGDOM COME.
FOOTNOTES:
[31] When it is said that Christ died for the Church, it is necessary to remember that in His intention the Church included the whole world (see S. Matt. xxviii. 19). The wilfulness of man in refusing to believe cannot alter that intention though it spoils the completion of it. "G.o.d so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son"--thus the wideness of His loving intention was set forth--"that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish" (S. John iii. 16)--thus the necessity of man"s belief, in order that the intention might be carried out, was announced beforehand.
[32] See marginal note in a reference Bible.
THE END.