This sermon, "Whose Agenda Do We Pray?", delves into the profound meaning of two crucial petitions from the Lord's Prayer: "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10) and "Give us today our daily bread" (Matthew 6:11). It challenges our natural inclination to live by the "Have it your way" mentality, where we expect God to fulfill our desires, much like customizing a fast-food order. Instead, Jesus calls us to a radical surrender of our will to God's, trusting that His way is always best. The core message emphasizes that praying "Your kingdom come, your will be done" is a prayer of surrender. It's not about asking God to do what we want, but rather asking Him to transform us so that our lives align with His desires. The sermon highlights Jesus as the ultimate example of this surrender, who, facing immense suffering, prayed, "not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42). God's will, clearly revealed in Scripture, includes three primary desires for us: that we be saved (Matthew 18:12-14, 2 Peter 3:9), that we be holy and avoid sexual immorality (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4), and that we be thankful in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18). To pray for God's kingdom and will while consciously living in disobedience, for instance, through casual relationships or consuming pornography, creates a contradiction in our lives. As citizens of God's kingdom, our purpose is to advance His agenda, allowing Him to take control of our hearts, families, and fears, as Max Lucado suggests. Secondly, the sermon unpacks "Give us today our daily bread" as a call to daily dependence and gratitude, rather than a consumeristic drive to stockpile. Unlike our human tendency to accumulate possessions—from toilet paper to treasures on earth (Matthew 6:19-20)—Jesus teaches us to trust God for just what we need, one day at a time. This prayer counters greed, discontentment, and materialism with gratitude, contentment, simplicity, and generosity. When we prioritize seeking God's kingdom and His righteousness, He promises that all our needs will be provided (Matthew 6:31-33). The sermon encourages us to recognize God as the source of every good thing and to trust Him, who possesses all wisdom and loves us perfectly, far more than we trust imperfect human-made systems. Ultimately, prayer is an expression of our belief that God knows and does what is best, inviting us to live on earth with the same values and priorities we will have in heaven.
