Grace to you and peace in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today we are going to finish up our journey through the Lord’s Prayer. We’ve gone through the introduction where we learned the plurality of this prayer as we say, “Our Father.” We pray that with all those around us, as well as with Jesus. Then we explored the seven petitions, the seven requests, Jesus teaches us to ask the Father. Then we say those words:

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

So I wonder: Who knows where those words are recorded in the Bible? In the Bible, if you read where Jesus is teaching this prayer, Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4, you will see those words are not spoken by Jesus. This is Jesus’ prayer, so if He didn’t include this conclusion why do we?¹

That’s actually a good question. It is also a question some are taught to ask, who visit your door. They ask it to trip you up. They’re taught to ask that question to show you we have stuff added to the Bible. They suggest we have changed the Lord’s Prayer. Is that true?

Among us orthodox faithful Lutherans who teach, “Scripture Alone” that becomes a much more important question because we teach God’s Word is God’s Word and we don’t mess with it.

In fact people often quote Revelation 22 on this point. It reads:

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.²

That sounds pretty intimidating, so why have we added these extra words to the Lord’s Prayer? Well first of all ‘we’ didn’t. This is what the Apostles taught. This is how the Apostles taught their confirmation students to pray the Lord’s Prayer. It is also how the Lord’s Prayer was used in worship services while the Apostles were still alive and teaching. How do I know that?

Well we know that because although the Bible is the source and norm of all doctrine and teaching, it is not the only place we get information. I decided to do a little show-and-tell today so I brought out a small piece of my library.

These books contain hundreds of Christian documents written in the first few hundred years of the Christian Church. They include letters, Bible studies, sermons, commentaries and all sorts of things that we use to see what the Church did back then. That gives us some insight into what we should or could be doing now. It helps us continue to do what the Church has always done.

In these books you can read things written by people like Ignatius and Polycarp. These men were Baptized as infants, and confirmed³ by John the disciple of Jesus. We have many documents that old. Some of the stuff written in these books was written while the Apostles were still alive.

A document called, “The Teachings⁴” was the very first catechism used for Confirmation and it was used for hundreds of years. It is the first and oldest catechism in the Christian Church, written in the 100’s. It teaches the Lord’s Prayer just the way we say it. We have documents by Justine Martyr⁵ which explains in detail the entire worship service they used at that time.^6,7 They said the Lord’s Prayer just like we do. But if it’s not in the Bible⁸ why do we say it? Many scholars suggest it is a paraphrase of David’s song of praise in 1 Chronicles 29

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.⁹

These words were used at the end of many prayers in ancient Jewish worship at that time.

We say that sentence at the end of the Lord’s Prayer because that is how the Holy Christian Church has prayed the Lord’s Prayer from the very beginning. That is how the disciples of Jesus taught people to pray it. That is how it was prayed in their worship services. That is how it was taught to their children. That is how it has always been done since the time when Jesus ascended back into Heaven. That is how it should be prayed by the true Christian Church until He returns.

So the real question is: What does this teach us? Why did the Apostles teach the Lord’s Prayer this way? Because it is fitting, after we have acknowledged: who God is, who we are, and how we are to speak to God, that we confirm we are asking these things from the One who created, owns and rules all things.

Martin Luther said:

T his means that I should be certain that these petitions are pleasing to our Father in heaven, and are heard by Him; for He Himself has commanded us to pray in this way and has promised to hear us.¹⁰

It teaches us:

all that we have is Thine alone,
a trust O Lord from Thee.¹¹

It teaches us, “All authority in Heaven and Earth has been given to Jesus.¹²” It teaches us through all that life might throw at us: God is over all things, in control of all things, and works all things for good for those who love Him.¹³ We are secure in His grasp. Nothing can remove us from His care and protection.¹⁴

Though Satan has been thrown down,¹⁵ and though this world and life is called his kingdom,¹⁶ his reign is limited, his power is restricted, and the day will come: the Last Day, when his kingdom will fall. Then we who cherish the faith God has given to us will forever be freed from this kingdom and live eternally in God’s kingdom, that is now and will be forever. That is what these words teach.

“For Thine is the kingdom” It is interesting to note that in all of Scripture God does not refers to anyone as king except Himself. When Israel asked for a king, God gave them prince Saul, and then prince David. Satan, who has been cast down to this place is called the prince of this world.¹⁷ God does not refer to anyone as king except Himself. He is the Author of all that is. He made it. He rules it. There is no one but Him who is to be worshiped and obeyed.

“For Thine is the power” God reigns over all, rules over all, has dominion over all. Even Satan must beg for permission to act in his own domain. He who called the world into existence with His Word, now sustains and keeps all that He has made for our benefit and salvation. No one is greater than God, and in the battle for our souls, The Lord God of Sabaoth¹⁸ {SA-bay-oth}, the Lord God of Armies, will conquer, has conquered, our enemies. Satan’s head, as promised¹⁹ has been crushed, and will be crushed forever on the Last Day.

“For Thine is the glory” He who saved us, in spite of our spitting on Him, is worthy to be praised. Not only did He form us meticulously in our mother’s womb,²⁰ but He give us all that we need physically and spiritually to get safely home to that place where we will once again walk with God in the cool of the day,²¹ and we will not be afraid any more.²²

“Forever and ever. Amen.” Great nations have risen and fallen throughout human history. From: Babel, Sodom, Gamorah, Egypt, Babylon, Syria, Assyria, Greece, Rome, England, and other great empires have risen. All of these are now gone, or have become small fragments of what they once were. Today America still stands as a shining beacon of hope and light throughout the world. For how long? No one can say. Kingdoms are built up and they are torn down. The Bible teaches, “Meaningless meaningless and a chasing after the wind are the powers of this world.²³” Not so with God. His kingdom was before there was time. It is now. It will be after time has ended.

This conclusion to the Lord’s Prayer is there to give: hope to the hopeless, strength to the weak, freedom to the oppressed. The true faith has been persecuted on this earth from Cain until now. There is however, an end to it. That end is call the Last Day. That day when all kingdoms, powers and principalities will fall save the kingdom of God. From that day we will be in that place where we will live in peace unending, with all our enemies defeated, under God’s care eternally.

This conclusion gave comfort to those being hunted down by the Temple authority. It gave assurance to those being slaughtered by the Roman Empire. It gives peace to all who hold to the one true faith, and in doing so know God Himself is present. We in awe, respect and holy fear, bow before Him in humble reverence, only to be lifted up by Him who calls us His children and teaches us to call Him, “our Father.”

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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