Luke 11:2 And he said to them, When you pray, say, Our Father which are in heaven, Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done… 1. Consider the boldness of Christ in speaking these words. Here is a single thought of His, which is the sublimest ideal ever presented in human speech — something which, heretofore, was utterly unknown on earth, in its true scope and fulness. Christ here announces the fellowship of the human with the Divine nature, the sanctification of man's will and temper, and its union with God's purpose and plan. In the midst of all the rivalries of the race, Christ stands as the index of a spiritual kingdom, for the prevalence of which His disciples are to pray. He perfectly, they — timid and passionate — very imperfectly, represented the kingdom of God to be set up in the world. 2. Think what light is cast upon the gospel by this utterance of the Son of God. The Word of life was to regenerate the world. 3. The true standard by which we are to measure society. The test is, How far is the Divine idea realized? Is the kingdom of God set up? 4. Here, again, we find the criterion of judgment as to what constitutes individual renown in history. 5. We are reminded by these words of the great opportunity of life. We may co-operate with God in bringing, first our own souls into harmony with His will, and then leading other spirits under the sweet dominion of His royal law. (R. S. Storrs, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. |
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