On Earth as it is in Heaven (Surrender) pt3
All Scripture reference taken from the New Living Translation
Here we are in part 3 of an 8-part series on the Lord’s Prayer...
If you missed last week, or the week before and want to get caught up you can find all our sermon videos on our website at vineyard05.com...
Last week we looked at the first verse of this prayer, and how we all the same heavenly Father...
The Lord’s Prayer is a prayer Jesus used as a model to teach us how to pray...
As we are all created for connection... Connection with our Creator and connection with others...
I myself have come to the conclusion that the Lord’s Prayer could very well be used as a way to settle our hearts and minds...
To calm us down from the daily stresses and anxieties of life so that we can enter into a conversation with God... So that we can connect with our heavenly Father...
Or enter into the presence of God’s Kingdom here on earth...
So, as we start this prayer out, we focus on our Father in heaven... Our Creator...
Matthew 6:9 - Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
NKJV - Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.
As we say this first line of the prayer, we can then rest on this for a minute or two, or three...
As we rest on this first verse we can also bring to mind some verses or passages that speak to us about what a good Father we have in heaven...
And then the next line of the prayer may be a bit more challenging for some of us.
Or, if you’re wrestling with the Father part of the opening prayer ask God to help ease the tension of what you’re wrestling with...
Because the next line is going to cause us... Or require us... to get out of our own way...
As this is the section of the prayer that calls for surrender on our part...
Matthew 6:10 – May Your Kingdom come soon. May Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
NKJV - Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Let’s just kind of lay the groundwork for what Jesus is teaching us to focus on here.
We are asking for God’s Kingdom to come soon, and for His will to be done here on earth as it is in heaven...
We want your Kingdom to come, O God!! But do we know what we are saying?
When Jesus began His public ministry, He had a very simple sentence He started with...
Matthew 4:17 - From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
For the Kingdom of Heaven is near... Anytime we sense or feel, or experience the presence of God, His Kingdom is making an entrance into our earthly realm!
Ok, so now the question begs to be asked... What is God’s Kingdom? What are we actually praying to happen here?
For starters, God’s Kingdom is not a political entity... And it is not an earthly national or government system...
John 18:36 – Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom ... My Kingdom is not of this world.”
The Kingdom of God is supernatural, but yet natural at the same time... It is eternal... It transcends time... It has no beginning or end... It is everlasting...
God’s Kingdom is not a concept that can be expressed by words alone...
You see, the Kingdom of God is not something we can sit around and talk about or debate... It is not head knowledge...
It is not something we can study and gain an understanding of without having a personal experience...
It is the work of God that we see happening in the world around us...
Hence, the words of Jesus when He said, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
Romans 14:17 - For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
The Kingdom of God is not about external appearances...
It is the experience of living a life of goodness due to having right standing with God through faith in Jesus...
The Kingdom of God then produces within us the desire to strive for harmony and peace with others... Especially those in the house of faith...
And along with this comes a deep sense of joy that can only be equated to the power of the Holy Spirit, as the presence of God’s Kingdom is not dependent on our external circumstances...
But initially experienced through the forgiveness of sins and freedom in Christ Jesus
And from our salvation flows good works... Good works is the result of salvation...
Romans 14:18 - If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.
As our good works is the evidence of the peace and harmony we have with others from Kingdom living...
Romans 14:19 - So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.
The Kingdom of God is transformational... It is life changing... It is the tangible work and evidence of God in the world that we live in...
It is the supernatural presence and power of God that cannot be denied when experienced...
Yet is often hard to explain when a change within us or around us takes place that is of God!
It is spiritual... It is supernatural... And it speaks to the inner core of our being...
Our hearts, our spirit man... And from there projects outward in the form of good works and harmony with others...
God’s Kingdom is relational... God’s Kingdom reconciles all things back to Him through Jesus...
As we connect with God in a life changing way... We begin connecting with others in a way we never thought we would...
The Kingdom of God is wherever Jesus is King and God’s will is done... In heaven, on earth, and within us...
John 3:3 - Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
Wherever Jesus is King, there is the Kingdom of God... If Jesus is King of your life, there is the Kingdom... If Jesus is King of your family, your job, your church... There is the Kingdom...
How do we make Jesus the King of our lives?
Matthew 22:37-39 - Jesus replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself.”
When this is the core of who we are... There is the Kingdom... As this is the inward and outward expression of the Kingdom of heaven here on earth!
When we “Serve God and Serve People” the Kingdom of God is experienced...
Loving God with all your heart... Loving others as yourself... Serving God and serving people...
Brings joy and peace... It breaks down barriers... It is spiritual and it is relational...
It is the power of God working through us and around us as we pray, “May Your Kingdom come soon.”
When Jesus said the words, “The Kingdom of heaven is near.” I believe it was an announcement that He Himself was about to do something in a way that would cause people to experience the presence and power of God firsthand...
How many of us go through each day with the anticipation of God’s Holy Spirit moving through us in a way that causes someone to experience the presence and power of God firsthand?
As this anticipation of seeing the supernatural presence and power of God breaks into our earthly realm is what I believe we are praying for when we pray, “May Your Kingdom come soon... “
And then, when we continue the second half of this verse, “May Your Kingdom come soon. May Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”
What do we mean when we say, “May Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
The second line of this verse is what I call a prayer of surrender...
We all want God’s Kingdom to come, and we all want God’s will to be done...
But when we say, “On earth as it is in heaven.” Whoa buddy... God’s will in heaven is perfect...
For God’s will to be done to perfection, means we are going to have to get out of the way and follow God’s lead as His will is being done... This may be challenging...
Even Jesus had a tough decision to face when following the perfect will of God...
Matthew 26:39 - He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine.”
Jesus knows the agony He’s about to face, but nevertheless, He also knows the importance of it all as the eternal salvation of mankind is hanging in the balance...
So, He surrenders to the perfect will of God... This is God’s will for Him in this moment...
To pray for God’s perfect will to be done in our lives means that we are willing to surrender to whatever it is that He has for us...
The moment we say, yes to Jesus, is the moment we are no longer living life for ourselves... We are now living life for the Kingdom of Heaven... King Jesus!
Psalm 46:10 - “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”
In the Hebrew, the words, “Be Still” mean to relax, let go, or stop... In the context of this Psalm, in the Hebrew, the words “Be Still” are implying an act of surrender...
That when we “submit to” and “trust in” the ways of God, we then experience His peace and power in that He is God Almighty who makes all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them (Romans 8:28) ...
In the literal sense... Psalm 46:10 does not mean that we sit quietly and listen for God... That we wait and do nothing...
It is quite the opposite... It means we are to let go and let God’s perfect will be done on earth as it is in heaven...
In essence, what God is saying here is, “Let go of control and know that I am in control!”
Psalm 37:7 - Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act...
This is how we let go of control and learn how to be content...
Waiting patiently for Him to act means that we carry on with our daily lives and look for where He is at, then follow His lead...
Here’s why this is an important part of the equation to understanding the perfect will of God...
God does not always give an explanation... How many times have we cried out to God for an answer, and it seemed like He was a million miles away?
Our natural instinct is to get mad, get frustrated... Maybe there is some confusion... Or it just doesn’t seem fair... And I think all those emotions are legitimate...
But in the process of understanding God’s perfect will... I think more often than not God is looking for our trust...
Do we trust what He is leading us through... Are we able to be content in our trusting Him?
Do we trust Him to lead us through the challenging times of life as we fully surrender to Him and wait patiently on the outcome?
Philippians 4:11b-13 - ... For I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
The Apostle Paul wrote this from prison in Rome... I think it would be fair to say that he wrote these words while in a time of need...
But, through His relationship with Jesus and the various circumstances he found himself in due to the adventures of his faith...
He learned to be content in all situations... For his reliance in life totally depended on that which Jesus supplied... His King, Jesus!
Contentment is not something that comes naturally... And Paul tells us that he has learned the secret of living in every situation through being content in Jesus...
And the secret of contentment is found in the strength we have in Jesus... Jesus is our secret to life when Jesus is our King!
And through Jesus we experience the perfect will of God here on earth as it is in heaven...
In Closing...
Church, life isn’t fair, and God isn’t always going to provide an explanation...
But do we trust Him when we pray, “May Your Kingdom come soon. May Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”
Do we mean it? Do we really mean it, and do we trust in God’s Kingdom and His perfect will on earth as it is in heaven?
Luke 9:23-24 - Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow Me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake, you will save it.”
This is the cost that comes with totally surrendering to a life with Jesus as our King...
We no longer live life for ourselves, but we live 100% for Jesus...
Content in all circumstances while we lay down what is important to us...
Or what is keeping us from being all we were created to be in Jesus...
And we surrender to the perfect will of God...
This can be both challenging and exciting at the same time...
But either way... Fully submitting to the will of God is what prepares us for eternity in heaven!
Psalm 37:18-19 - Day by day the Lord takes care of the innocent, and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever. They will not be disgraced in hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough.
And this is the benefit of praying, “May Your Kingdom come soon. May Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”
Deliverance Looks Like Something
Dr. Henry D. King, Jr.
There is a before. There is an after. Until then, we live in stages and are all faced with the in-betweens. The phases of transition. In the following Bible text, we find an excellent example of these various stages.
In the Book of Mark, Chapter 5, we find Jesus and his disciples traveling to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. They enter into the country of the Gadarenes where they meet a man or demoniac living among the tombs possessed by demons. There are several things we don’t know about this man, namely: his age, his name, or how he ended up in this condition. What we do know is that he had evil spirits that affected the quality of his life.
The text reads that he dwelt among the tombs. In other words, he resided among the dead. He was a wild man who could not be disciplined or subdued with chains and ropes. He had supernatural strength which did not originate with him. Ironically, nobody could bind him, but he was already demonically bound. The man was in great distress 24/7, “…always, night and day…crying out, and cutting himself with stones.” (verse 5). He exhibited self-destructive behaviors. He was also isolated from his community and society at large. Many of us can relate to being under great stress and isolated from our community and society.
But we notice that even in his depravity, “when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him” (verse 6). Although he was broken and confused, something in the man recognized that the Deliverer {Jesus} had shown up. The man recognized a power greater than his circumstances or condition. The leader of the demons had the audacity to ask Christ-the Anointed One, “not to torment them” (verse 7). This is rather self-serving, especially when the unclean spirits had been tormenting the man. This is the way of the Oppressor (the devil)! The demons like to dish it out, but don’t want a taste of their own medicine.
After Christ drives out a legion (multitude) of demons from the man by commanding them to enter and drown the herd of swine. Gentiles owned the pigs since Jews were forbidden to raise pigs or eat pork. The people came to see this Jesus after hearing the story of the deliverance of the man. Their curiosity peaked after seeing this noticeable difference in the man. The former demoniac was “sitting, clothed, and in his right mind” (verse 15) in front of Jesus. The people’s response should have been one of joy, but they were afraid” ( verse 15).
Our text is rich in symbolism. The first symbol was the man was sitting. This is a position of rest and peace as opposed to a restless and wandering spirit. Secondly, he was clothed, having taken on a new identity rather than being exposed and vulnerable to the world. Thirdly, he was in his right mind and having his faculties restored so that he could manage his own life. He had a new direction. Where the mind goes, the man follows. That is why we are encouraged to renew our minds according to Romans 12:1-2.
Sadly, the Gadarenes wanted Christ to leave the region after all he had done. Christ dealt with this man who terrorized the people when they could not. Having completely, not partially restored the man. They simply would not celebrate his deliverance. Not everyone will celebrate what God does for people.
“Finally, the man after having been delivered, wanted to be with His Deliverer” (verse 18). When God has done something for you as delivered or healed you; you want to stick close to Him. But Jesus told the man who was delivered, “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and had compassion on thee” (verse 19). God delivered the man to be an example and a source of deliverance to his family and friends. The man obeyed and “began to publish [speak] in Decapolis (the 10 Cities) how great things Jesus had done for him, and all men did marvel” (verse 20).
Deliverance looks like something. There will always be quantifiable evidence that changes have taken place. When God delivers, He always offers proof. When the man was lost, lonely, and tormented—without a way to get to Jesus—Christ came to him. The Lord knows how to meet us right where we are at.
Perhaps there may be someone reading this who has found themselves in a condition they don’t know how to get out of. Run to the Deliverer. Even in your brokenness. You don’t have to have all of the answers. He is willing and able to answer your call.
Trusting God’s Will
Willie Watson, February 27, 2025
The devil, Satan will take every opportunity to condemn you for never doing enough. When that happens, you begin to fall into the trap of guilt, condemnation and shame. Even though the sinful state of our world makes suffering a certainty, we can rest in the truth that all things are subjected to the authority of our Wise and Loving God.
Many of us encounter illusions in our daily lives; it is easy to become so enchanted by our culture that we unsuspectingly align our lives with its values, without questioning the source and substance.
“Brother Watson, How can we recognize these worldly illusions and identify the truth that God has for us?”
By studying the scripture, as God’s word provides wisdom and discernment;
As believers in Jesus Christ, rather than being aligned with the World expectation of it. The Holy Spirit desires to transform us by “the renewing of our minds! (Romans 12:2, KJV: And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.).
God renews our minds by opening our eyes to the “illusions” of this world we encounter with each day that contradict Who God is and say Who we are in Christ. Those who have chosen unbiblical ways of Life.
God often uses people who are unprepared or unqualified! (Judges 6:11-16, KJV: 11 And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. 13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. 14 And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?
15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house. 16 And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.).
1Samuel 16:6-13, KJV: 16And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
2 And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord. 3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee. 4 And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably? 5 And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. 6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him. 7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.
9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.
10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these. 11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. 12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil,and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
God’s example provides the path forward, When the world portrays us as defeated and deficient, God can use anyone. God’s unchanging Wisdom reveals that we are wonderfully made (Psalms 139:14, KJV: 14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.); we are conquerors (Romans 8:37, KJV: 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.) and lacking nothing (James 1:4, KJV: 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.).
When we spend time studying God’s unchangeable truth, God can use anyone! The Holy Spirit helps us to recognize worldly illusions, and we’ll come to reflect who we truly are in Jesus Christ.
No matter our past or our abilities, when we surrender ourselves totally to God’s will, God empowers us. For as we continue in our Faith, we can hold firm to our hope in trusting God’s will in Jesus Christ’s name.
Thank you very much for letting me share with you! Willie Watson
Sculpting Faith: A Conversation with Christian Sculptor Tim Schmalz
November 13, 2020 A Faith that Does Justice
Father Peter sat down with Christian Sculptor Tim Schmalz to talk about his work and how he practices faith through sculpting. They began the conversation with Schmalz’s belief that we need a more diverse way of preaching in our modern world and that modern art and sculpture are a way to bring scripture to life. Schmalz listens to the bible in his studio, commenting that his visual space is taken up by his work, but that the gospel penetrates his audio space and inspires his art.
They began the conversation with a discussion about homelessness, focusing on the Schmalz piece, Homeless Jesus, which depicts Jesus as a homeless man on a bench. Schmalz described a spontaneous spiritual moment in which he saw a homeless person shrouded with a blanket. It haunted him and he felt like it was Jesus, so he went back to his studio and sculpted what he saw, including the feet with the wounds from the cross. He described creating space on the bench next to the sculpture so that people can sit with it, signifying the need to walk with the oppressed.
The piece made people uncomfortable to see Jesus represented this way, but Schmalz recalls Matthew 25, “Whenever you’ve helped the least of my brothers and sisters, you’ve done that to me.” This is a message people are familiar with hearing, but the sculpture allows people to see it.
Second, Schmalz and Father Peter discussed racial justice with a focus on his piece, African Nativity. Schmalz described his annual tradition of spending Easter creating a sculpture of Jesus and his struggles to represent the face of Jesus because the hundreds of faces of Jesus that have been created are not welcoming to all communities. He was cautious about creating a sculpture that is representative and welcoming to the African American community without being too forced or over-the-top. He also focused on Joseph holding the baby rather than the traditional pose of Mary and Joseph looking at the manger so that the sculpture better demonstrated love and emotion.
Finally, the discussion turned to oppression and the Schmalz sculpture Angels Unawares, inspired by the biblical admonition “Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels (Heb 13:2).” At 20 feet long, it is the biggest sculpture Schmalz has created and was a project commissioned by the Vatican for the opening of its Department on Migrants and Refugees. It represents the story of oppression with the 140 figures representing different times in history, from the oppression of the Cherokee to a Polish person escaping Nazi Germany to a Syrian woman. The sculpture even includes Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, reminding us that they were refugees.
“I had to get their emotion authentic, not just their clothing,” said Schmalz. “It represents a way to reach out and encounter God in the stranger.”
The workshop ended with a tour of a piece Schmalz is currently sculpting, Let the Oppressed Go Free, which depicts human trafficking. The sculpture is 20 feet long and includes all forms of human trafficking: babies that are sold, organ trafficking, domestic workers, child laborers, child bride, slave labor, sex trafficking.
“Human trafficking is exploitation, not just people in chains. This gives a real idea of what human trafficking is,” said Schmalz of the piece.
The piece depicts Saint Bakhita opening a drain and letting free the oppressed. He envisions the piece installed on a city street to reflect the idea that human trafficking is underground and does not disrupt our lives. He wants it to disrupt daily commutes to force people to think about the issue.
“Sculpture and art are a way of living faith in action,” summarized Father Peter. “It is a way of moving beyond the church into society to help people that are suffering and to live the values of a faith-based society in the world.”