Your Kingdom Come

by Brian Kim, Parent and Family Support Coordinator

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:9-10

The past two Sundays, we as a church have been learning about God’s Forever Kingdom. It can become a complex topic, yet we also believe that our children can understand this idea in quite a profound way. For older children, consider watching the Bible Project video on Heaven and Earth together. However, one of the best ways to teach this thought is through the words of Jesus Himself, as He taught His disciples to pray in Matthew 6:9-13

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one.

This week, we ask that you read this prayer with your children a few times and then discuss using the reflection questions below. Consider reading from the Easy to Read Version, provided below, to help younger children grasp these concepts using simpler language:

Our Father in heaven,
    we pray that your name will always be kept holy.
We pray that your kingdom will come—
    that what you want will be done here on earth, the same as in heaven.
Give us the food we need for today.
Forgive our sins,
    just as we have forgiven those who did wrong to us.
Don’t let us be tempted,
    but save us from the Evil One.

Use all or some of these reflection questions to help your children process and learn about how they can be part of bringing God’s Kingdom here on earth. Some simple language that can be helpful is to remind children that God is love, so when we act in a loving way, we are helping bring God’s Kingdom to earth.

What does it look like or feel like when God’s Kingdom comes to earth? How do you know it is God’s Kingdom? Do you want to draw a picture of what this looks like?

Do you need to ask God to forgive you for anything? Do you need to forgive someone else right now?

What does it feel like to be tempted to do something sinful? What do you think you can do when that happens?

How can you bring God’s Kingdom to earth in your own way?

Close by reciting the Lord’s prayer one last time together.