“For Thine Is the Kingdom and the Power
and the Glory Forever and Ever”
1 Timothy 1:17

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Pastor Kevin Vogts
Trinity Lutheran Church
Paola, Kansas
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost—August 4, 2019

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Over the past two months we have had a sermon series on the Lord’s Prayer.  This morning we conclude our study with the traditional doxology that closes this familiar prayer: “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.”

I like to have everyone pray the Lord’s Prayer at occasions such as funerals and nursing home services.  Because, although there may be people gathered from many different denominations, it’s wonderful that one thing we all have in common, and can say together from memory, is the Lord’s Prayer. 

The major variation between different denominations comes at the end.  You may have noticed that while we say “forever and ever,” some Christians finish the Lord’s Prayer with a single “forever.”  But, a bigger difference is that some Christians leave out the doxology altogether, and simply conclude with, “But deliver us from evil. Amen.”

Those differences go back to minor variations in the original manuscripts.  Though it is so familiar to us, the doxology is actually not included in some of the oldest Greek manuscripts.  Scholars suggest it may have been added to the Lord’s Prayer, very early on, by the first Christians, as part of their worship services.  Then some scribe making a handwritten copy of the Gospel of Matthew out of habit inadvertently inserted into the text this doxology that he was accustomed to reciting in worship.  That type of insertion is called a “scribal gloss.”

However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the doxology wasn’t part of the original Lord’s Prayer.  It IS included in some important Greek manuscripts, including an ancient order of Christian worship called the Didache, dating from 130 A.D.  One suggestion is that Matthew didn’t initially include the doxology when he wrote his Gospel, but then the other apostles remembered Jesus ending the prayer this way, and they passed down this tradition.

So, in case you ever wondered, that’s why some Christians DON’T include the final doxology when they pray the Lord’s Prayer.  It’s not a matter of right or wrong, the Latin Vulgate translation simply followed a different manuscript tradition, that doesn’t have the doxology.  But, for historical reasons, most Protestants use the doxology, because it WAS in both Luther’s German Bible and the King James Version, since those translations were based on manuscripts that included it.

The other little difference, that is found among Protestants, is due to another minor variation in the Greek manuscripts that DO have the doxology. Some end it simply “forever,” which is the version used by many other Protestants.  And some manuscripts have “forever AND ever,” like we’re familiar with.  The expanded wording “AND EVER” was adopted by English-speaking Lutherans because that’s how it is in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer.  When Lutherans made the transition to English, from their native languages such as German, Swedish, and Norwegian, they decided to follow the wording in the Book of Common Prayer.

Whether or not the doxology was part of the original Bible text, the DOCTRINES it teaches ARE found throughout the Bible.  In fact, this doxology in the New Testament is almost a direct quotation from David, praising God in 1st Chronicles in the Old Testament: “Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory . . . for . . .  Thine is the kingdom.”

Traditionally, there’s only one person who addresses the President by his first name, only the First Lady has that privilege.  And, in private the President’s children are allowed to call him Father, Daddy.  They are given that privilege because of their close family relationship.

That’s also why Jesus teaches US to begin the Lord’s Prayer: “OUR FATHER.”  And actually the word Jesus uses is “Abba,” the informal, Aramaic, familiar term.  Really, Jesus teaches us to pray “Our DADDY who art in heaven . . .”  Like the President’s children, you have that special privilege, because you are born again as a child of God.

But, in public, even the First Lady and the President’s children are expected to always address him as Mr. President, to acknowledge the high office that he holds.  And that’s also why we CLOSE the Lord’s Prayer with the doxology, to acknowledge that “Our Father,” “Our DADDY who art in heaven” is also the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Martin Luther puts it this way: “There is a small addition in the text which concludes the prayer . . . ‘For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory’ . . .  These titles and names are appropriate for God alone, because he has reserved these three things for himself: to rule, to judge, and to receive glory. . .  His kingdom, power, and glory shall prevail throughout the world . . .  Thus we acknowledge that he alone is supreme.”*

You may remember a scandal a few decades ago, when it was revealed that for a donation of $100,000 you could have dinner with the President at the White House, and even stay overnight in the Lincoln Bedroom.  Or, you could meet with a cabinet secretary for about half that amount.  The bargain back then was tea with the First Lady for only $1000.  The other party tried to make a big deal out of this, but then it was discovered they had done the exact same thing in previous administrations.  It’s called “buying access.”  You too can have the President’s ear, IF you can pay for it.

If that’s what it takes to gain access to a mere earthly ruler, how can you possibly hope that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is going to condescend to hear, let alone answer, your prayers?  What kind of price would you have to pay to gain access to him? A very high price indeed!

For, there are all sorts of barriers that prevent you from getting to the President: the Secret Service, a big fence, bulletproof glass.  But, there is a much greater, more formidable, more impenetrable barrier that separates you from God, the barrier of sin.

In Ephesians, Paul tells us the Good News: “You who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he . . .  has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of separation. . .  In him we have access to God with boldness and confidence.”  Your SAVIOR paid the HIGHEST price to gain you access to GOD—his own life, his blood shed on the cross.  As Jesus said of himself, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Your sins are all forgiven by God because his Son earned forgiveness for you by bearing your sins in his body on the cross.  That is why you now have access to God, that is why you can be confident God will hear and answer your prayers.  Hebrews says, “Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Such certainty and confidence is expressed in the last word of the Lord’s Prayer: Amen.  “Amen” is a Hebrew expression that means, “Yes! It shall be so!  I am certain of it!”  Martin Luther explains in the Small Catechism: “What is meant by the word ‘Amen’?  That I should be certain that these petitions are acceptable to our Father in heaven, and are heard by him; for he himself has commanded us so to pray, and has promised to hear us.”

That’s really what you are saying every time you add the word “Amen” at the end of a prayer: “Yes, Lord, I believe!  I believe you are listening to me right now, I believe you have the power to do what I ask, I believe you will answer my prayers.”

The word “For” at the BEGINNING of the doxology tells us ANOTHER reason we pray with confidence.  The modern language version of the Lord’s Prayer puts it this way: “For the KINGDOM, the POWER, and the GLORY are yours, now and forever.”  God is in control, he has the authority, he has the power, to do what you ask.  As the Psalms say, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;”  “You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.”

But, does that mean will God give you everything you ask, just exactly as you ask for it?  When our son Jacob was three years old what he wanted more than anything was to play with the knives in the knife drawer.  Parents know how you cannot always give your children everything they ask, just exactly as they ask for it, because you love them and they do not always know what is best.

In the same way, our Father in heaven DOES INDEED ANSWER every prayer, but he does not always give us everything we ask, exactly as we for it, because he loves us and we do not always know what is best.  Jesus explained, “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give GOOD gifts to those who ask him!”

Paul says in Philippians, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”  Prayer brings peace.  “Cast YOUR burdens upon the Lord.”

“For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.”