Jesus was the greatest preacher who ever lived. Do you know the main topic of his sermons? Jesus’ most important theme was to announce the good news of the kingdom of God. This captured the core of his teaching. He boldly announced that God had broken into human history and that through Jesus himself God’s rightful reign over creation, human history, and every human being had arrived. All of Jesus’ sermons, talks, and healings revolved around this good news of God’s kingdom coming.

When we pray the second petition of the Lord’s Prayer, “Your kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10), we long for God’s rule to be more fully realized in our world. We ask God to show everyone who he is through his Word and through his Holy Spirit. We ask that the church, his children throughout the world, may prosper and grow. We ask God to push away and protect against any power that works against his good will.

Jesus announced that the kingdom has come, but we’re still waiting for the kingdom to come fully. How do we know that will happen? We know because Jesus has risen from the dead, has ascended to rule in heaven, and will come again to bring his kingdom fully on the earth (Revelation 21-22).

In all our work and prayer today, the longing for God’s kingdom should be in our hearts and on our lips as we pray, “Your kingdom come.”