In this sermon titled 'For Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory, Forever. Amen', Pastor Steve Hopkins discusses the importance of the last line of verse 13 in the Lord's Prayer. He explores the removal of this line in modern translations and emphasizes the significance of doxologies in Scripture. Hopkins encourages believers to let theology lead to doxology, praising and adoring God both now and in eternity.

Welcome back to Brenna Bible Church. This week, Pastor Hopkins will continue his series on the Lord's Prayer. Good morning, according to that clock. Let's turn in our Bibles once again to the Gospel of Matthew, the sixth chapter, where we will once again read together verses 9 through 13. The title of this morning's message is that last line of verse 13.

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Let's stand and read together beginning with verse 9. After this manner, therefore pray ye, our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever amen let's pray father we are humbled when we read these words or we are humbled that you have given to your people through Christ Jesus such a wonderful model for prayer, and a prayer that unites your people all over the world with one mind and heart in supplication before you.

God we ask that you would once again do a mighty work in our hearts, in our lives, oh God, using your word, oh God, the sword of the Spirit upon our hearts. And Lord, I pray that you would cause us, O God, to rise as it were almost out of ourselves to heaven in praise and in worship and in adoration, O Lord, as we consider this last sentence of the Lord's prayer. For we ask it in Jesus' name, amen. Let's be seated. This last sentence of the Lord's Prayer, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, amen, has been removed from many of the modern translations of the Bible.

You may be holding a Bible in your hands this morning that has removed these words altogether. For centuries upon centuries, beyond a millennium, Christians have read and have sung and have preached and have meditated on these beautiful and compelling words of scripture in praise to the God of heaven, understanding them to be the climax of the Lord's Prayer. But somewhere down the line, in the last 75 years, we became more wise than the men of the previous 1200 years. And many modern Bible translators and theologians have been persuaded that since these words are not found in some of the earliest manuscripts, they should be removed from the Bible altogether. And thus, all of the new translations in the last 50 to 75 years omit the last line of the Lord's Prayer.

So, we see many, as I said, modern theologians, modern translators, taking, stripping a line from the Scriptures. R.C. Sproul is not among them. In Dr. Sproul's sermon entitled, Thine is the Kingdom, he likes to retain the Elizabethan language because of its respect and its honor that the word thine gives, But in his Sproul's sermon entitled, Thine is the Kingdom, he said, quote, as I prepared this week for this morning's sermon, I experienced no small amount of consternation.

Dr. Sproul's consternation didn't revolve around these theologians and commentators who were of the opinion that the last line of the Lord's Prayer should be removed altogether from the Bible, but his consternation revolved around biblical scholars who held to the position that the text was in fact a part of scripture, but who paid little attention to it. Sproul goes on in this sermon, quote, this week I examined no less than ten commentaries on this concluding sentence to the Lord's Prayer, and I was astonished to discover that not a single one of them included more than two sentences about the conclusion to the Lord's Prayer, and I was stunned by that. He said, quote, even among scholars who were persuaded that this was part of the original prayer, little or no attention was given to it, but rather they treated it as something that was rather a postscript or a throwaway line that was not all that important, particularly in light of the major petitions that preceded. Sproul went on to say, as he was considering these things, quote, and again, that bothered me, he said, lamenting the lack of attention given to this last line of the Lord's Prayer.

Quote, because from my perspective, Dr. Sproul said, I thought and still think that this is one of the most important portions of the Lord's Prayer, if not the most important portion of the Lord's prayer." For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever is what is known as a doxology. And a doxology by definition is a hymn in praise of the Almighty giving glory to God. That's from Webster, 1828. A hymn in praise of the Almighty, giving glory to God.

Matthew Henry in his commentary on this doxology wrote back in the 1700s that this last line of the Lord's Prayer is, quote, a form of praise and thanksgiving. And in all our addresses to God, It is fitting that praise should have a considerable share for praise Becoming the Saints and it is just and it is right that we praise God and that we give him glory not because he needs it. He is praised by a world of angels, but because he deserves it. And it is our duty to give him glory in compliance with his design in revealing himself to us." When we think of doxology, we tend to think of the hymn in our hymn books by that name, the Doxology, which was written in 1709. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Praise Him, all creatures here below. Praise Him above you heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. But doxologies, like the doxology that concludes the Lord's Prayer, are found throughout the Bible. They're found in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament.

1 Chronicles chapter 29 and verse 11 in the Old Testament, for instance, sounds much like the Doxology found at the end of the Lord's Prayer it reads thine. Oh Lord is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty For all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine Dine is the kingdom. Oh Lord and thou art exalted as head above all verse 11 of first Chronicles chapter 29 Brothers and sisters, how great is our God. Amen? How great is our God.

And how worthy of all praise and honor and glory. All of our prayers should begin with and end with praise and adoration. The model prayer that Jesus taught His disciples to pray begins with adoration and ends with adoration. Our Father who art in heaven, as I said in our first message on the Lord's Prayer, that's not talking about location. It is not location but adoration our father high above all hallowed be thy name and then it ends thine is the kingdom thine is the power and thine is the glory forever.

Amen. In Psalm chapter 90, a prayer of Moses. It's listed in the Psalms as, quote, a prayer of Moses, the man of God. We read in Psalm 90, before the mountains. Oh, take this in, brothers and sisters.

Drink this in. Savor these words. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God Amen tremble before him all the earth first chronicle 16 and verse 30 says tremble before him all the earth for this God is our God forever and ever, amen? Psalm 28, 14. Psalm 72, verses 18 and 19 is another doxology in scripture.

Psalm 72 beginning with verse 18, blessed be the Lord God. Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone doeth wondrous things. Amen? Who alone does wondrous things. And blessed be His glorious name forever.

And let the whole earth be filled with his glory amen and amen Those words at the end of these doxologies amen and amen are words of agreement We also see them at the end of the Lord's Prayer, the doxology of the Lord's Prayer. Amen. So be it. We're in agreement. Oh Lord, let it be.

Amen. Amen. We're in full agreement with what has proceeded. See how the prayers of the saints of old, inspired by the Holy Spirit both to speak and to write, burst forth in doxology. All of these prayers burst forth in doxology They burst forth in hymns of praise and worship and adoration to our God Oh That men would praise the Lord for his goodness Psalm 107 31 and For his wonderful works to the children of men.

Oh that men would praise him in the New Testament Many doxologies are lifted up and praise to the glory of our Lord, not just the doxology we find at the end of the Lord's Prayer. In 1 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 17, for instance, the apostle Paul writes, And we sang it earlier, now unto the King eternal, now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. Amen we're all in total agreement oh immortal invisible God only wise in light and accessible hid from our eyes most ancient most glorious the ancient of days our praise we raise Brothers and sisters, our God is the King eternal. This God is our God forever and ever without beginning and without end.

Having neither beginning nor end of life, says the writer of Hebrews in chapter 7 of verse 3, and he is worthy of our praise both now and forever. For this God is our God forever and ever, and he will be our guide even unto death. In 1 Timothy chapter six, verses 15 and 16, Paul once again bursts forth with this doxology. He bursts forth in praise and adoration of our God. Beginning with verse 15, he says, which in his times he shall show who is the blessed and only potentate, that is the one and only Almighty, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, who alone hath immortality, no beginning and no end, dwelling in the light which no man can see, which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen nor can see, to whom be honor and power everlasting.

Amen." There it is again. Doxology. Doxology in scripture. Oh God, let the people praise thee. Let the people praise thee.

Psalm 67, let the people praise thee. Let all the people praise thee. Psalm 67 verse 5, I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised, says Psalm 18 3. When we call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised, when We call upon His name in prayer as we do when we pray through the petitions of the Lord's prayer. Let our prayers begin with and let our prayers end with praise and adoration.

Let us rise to doxology just as our Lord taught his disciples when he taught them how to pray. In Revelation chapter 5 verses 12 through 13, the Apostle John records this doxology. And glory and blessing and every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them heard I saying blessing and honor and Glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and under the lamb forever endeavor Brothers and sisters, that's us one day You realize that That's us one day This God is our God forever and ever. Again in Revelation chapter 7 and verse 12 John writes saying amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving. Oh, we should never leave out thanksgiving, the giving of thanks to God in our prayers and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be unto our God forever and ever.

Amen. If you study the doxologies of Scripture, One thing that you will come to see is that every one of them is a response. Every one of the doxologies in scripture is a response, a response to deep theological revelation about God and who He is. Every one of them is a response to deep theological revelation about God. Doxologies in God's Word are heights of climactic praise offered to God upon contemplating the deep things of God.

So the writers who come to doxology and to praise and adoration that are lifted almost as it were out of themselves up to heaven itself in praise and adoration of the Almighty are responding to the deep theological truth, the deep things of God, about God, that have been revealed to them by the Holy Spirit in which they have spoken and written. And they burst forth in praise to God. In Romans chapter 11, beginning with verse 33, this will be the third time we've heard this this morning, oh the depth. It begins with oh the depth. Just think on those words, oh the depth.

Saying we can't fathom it, We can't get there. Oh the depth as he contemplates the mysteries revealed to him by Christ in which he's been revealing to the people of God from the beginning of the epistle to the Romans. Oh, the depths, he says, of the riches, both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God. He's been expounding who God is, what man is, who God is in His holiness, what man is in his sinfulness, laying all the world guilty before God, and then bringing in Christ in the gospel and who Christ is and what He came to do and what He accomplished for His people. And then he says, oh, the depths of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.

How unsearchable are his judgments. He's rising to doxology and his ways are past finding out for who hath known the mind of the Lord? Who's known the mind of the Lord? Who's ever heard such things? Who has been his counselor?

But none. It's rhetorical. None. No one has ever known the mind of the Lord, no one has ever counseled him or who has first given to him and it shall be repaid unto him again or recompense to him again. And then contemplating these things he breaks forth and prays to God.

He comes to doxology. God. He comes to doxology. He is lifted up to doxology, to praise and thanksgiving and adoration, giving glory to the Almighty. And he says, for of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory forever amen amen Now I want to ask every one of you a question this morning.

Has it ever happened to you? Has this ever been your experience? When the truth of Scripture when the deep things of God Take hold of your mind Does the knowledge of God Revealed to you in Scripture that's been implanted in your mind? Does it go on to grip your heart and burst forth in praises of adoration to the Godhead. Has this ever been your experience?

This will be our employment for all eternity. When you consider the deep things of God, the mysteries revealed in Scripture concerning God and who He is and Jesus Christ and what He has done for you, are you ever lifted up, as it were, almost to heaven itself in jubilant praise. O the depths of the riches of God, O the depths of the wisdom of God, O the depths of the knowledge of God, for of Him and through Him and to Him are all things to whom be glory forever. Amen. Oh that theology might lift us to doxology.

These people that say, oh, we don't need theology, we don't need theology, that's the study of God. That's the understanding of the deep things of God. We need it. We need it. And it needs to be implanted in our minds and then grip our hearts and then burst forth in praise to the Almighty.

Oh, that theology might lift us to doxology. The knowledge of God in all he has done should go from the mind to heart to praise. Heartfelt praise should spring forth from within us. And when we pray the Lord's Prayer it should be no different. When we pray that prayer that Jesus taught his disciples and consider the depths of truth and revelation made known to us, how much more should we be ushered, as it were, by the current of the streams of the knowledge of God made known to us in that prayer of prayers to adoration and to praise and to doxology.

Think on it for a moment. He is our Father. He is our Father who art in heaven. And we, His children, through the adoption won for us by Jesus, think on it, think on it, through the adoption won for us by His Son and the justification procured for us by Christ Jesus in both His life and His death and in His resurrection from the dead. He is our Father, high above all, our Father, high above all, Whose name is holy and is to be hallowed in all places Hallowed be thy name Who's worthy whose name is worthy to be hallowed by all his creation.

This God is our God, the Almighty, whose kingdom has no end. Thy kingdom come. His is the kingdom. And whose will on earth, as it is in heaven, is not only our prayer and our desire but also our great delight. Oh that your will would be done on earth as it is in heaven, we pray.

Oh God. And God whose power made all things, all things made by the word of His power, everything came into being by the word of His power and is sustained by that same word. Once have I heard this twice, says the psalmist, power belongeth unto God. His is the power. Think about it.

His is the power who gives us our daily bread, who gives us all the things that are needful for our bodies in order to continue on the earth in His loving service. This God is our God, our Father who art in heaven, our Father who forgives all our debts for the sake of His Son and the death of His Son because His Son died for our sins making full satisfaction for our great debt of sin. Oh, our Father, this God is our God forever, who forgives all our debts and who fills our hearts with forgiveness and mercy towards others also, even all those made in His glorious image. This God is our God forever, our Father, who leads us not into temptation, but delivers us from the evil one. This God is our God forever.

He leads us in the paths of righteousness for His namesake. Praise be to His holy name. This God is our God. When with our minds we consider these deep things God has made known to us and seek to fathom, to grasp some portion of the height of it, and to fathom some portion of the depth of it all, of the infinite riches and the infinite knowledge and the infinite wisdom of God made known to us in this prayer, we rise to doxology. We rise to praise and adoration.

That's where the prayer is headed. When you're praying through that model prayer that Jesus taught his disciples to pray, you're headed for doxology, for praise, for adoration. You're headed for a place where you can't help but to burst forth in praises to God. Thine is the kingdom, O God. It's all yours.

You own it all. Thine is the power that created all things and sustains all things to the end for which You created them. And Thine is the glory. It's all for Your glory, O God, who art all glorious, all glorious, all glorious and that forever. One of my favorite hymns as we close, my favorite hymns of old, was written by Isaac Watts in 1707.

Some of you will remember these words. It says, Come we that love the Lord, and let our joys be known. Anyone know the hymn? Join in a song of sweet accord, Join in a song of sweet accord, join in a song of sweet accord, and thus surround the throne and thus surround the throne." It's been taken, of course, in the last, I don't know, maybe 150 years or so, and they added, we're marching to Zion, beautiful, beautiful Zion. We're marching upward to Zion, the beautiful city of God.

It's probably not a week that goes by that I don't sing this hymn with Ira Sankey on the internet and the Citadel in the Salvation Army Citadel in I think London recorded many years ago. Then he goes on to say, let those refuse to sing, let those refuse to praise him who never knew our God. But children of the heavenly king, but children of the heavenly king must speak their joys abroad, must speak their joys abroad. We can't help ourselves. And then my favorite line from the hymn, the hill of Zion yields a thousand sacred sweets.

Savor the words. It brings me to tears every time I get to this place. I'm listening to this hymn, the Hill of Zion yields a thousand, a Zion yields a thousand, a thousand sacred sweets before we reach the heavenly fields, before we reach the heavenly fields, before we reach the heavenly fields and walk the golden streets. Brothers and sisters, we will be offering praise and worship and adoration to God in heaven for all eternity, but let it begin now on earth. Amen?

Let it begin now on earth. The hill of Zion, just just think about it, the hill of Zion yields a thousand sacred sweets before, that's now, before we reach the heavenly fields. Praise and thanksgiving to God for all he has done for us in Christ will be the chief employment of every one of us the moment we enter the presence of Jesus Christ in heaven, and begin to enjoy His unveiled glory forever, but savor the sweetness of it now. Begin to savor the sweetness of it now. If you're a believer this morning, doxology will flow, will flow in eternity from your soon-to-be glorified lips in heaven forever and ever and ever, but let it begin on earth.

Let it begin on earth. Let it begin on earth. Matthew Henry again writes in commentary on this back in the 1700s, quote, Praise is the work and happiness of heaven. And All that would go to heaven hereafter must begin their heaven now. Must begin their heaven now.

Oh, that we would all begin to enjoy somewhat of the sweetness and the joys of heaven here on earth, as theology burst forth in doxology, and praises to our God are lifted up to heaven as we pray, and seek to render to our God the glory due his name for his is the kingdom and his is the power and his is the glory both now and forever amen father we praise you God for your word for giving us such wonderful words of praise and adoration that we can Repeat in our times of prayer, in our times of praise, in our times of thanksgiving to you, oh Lord, how precious, oh God, is your word to us. Oh fill us, oh God, with your word and with the the gloriousness of the doxologies of Scripture and with your spirit Lord That we might begin here on earth. Oh Lord to praise you to adore you oh God Even as we will praise and adore you in heaven for all eternity for we ask it in Jesus name. Amen.