Kindgom and Covenant

I am preaching a week on Sunday (I, know, seems a long way off, but uni starts on Monday!). For January, my supervisor is preaching the 'theme' for the year, around Kingdom and Covenant. So, I am following this pattern. (As a 'get it off my chest aside', this differs from what I was told when arrangements were made for me preaching that day. I was told we'd be back to following the book they are using. Glad I hadn't began work based on that information. Sigh. All part of the learning)

Why? Because I'm a guest there and because I know it'll be difficult for me. But I like a challenge - that's one of the reasons I asked for Caledonia Kirk as a placement.

What immediately occurred to me the Lord's prayer (especially the version in Matthew's gospel) could be a possibility for dealing with the kingdom. I'm currently reading "The Lord and His Prayer" by Tom Wright (which I have had for a few weeks, with every intention to read during my uni break and only started after I'd found out the theme for my preaching). According to Wright, if the terms of the Lord's Prayer are fully understood, then God's kingdom and covenant are fully revealed.

I have done some additional reading around the Lord's prayer and it's coming to light in a whole new way for me. If that's the case for me, there's bound to be people at Caledonia who'd appreciate it too. I just hope I can, once again, remain true to myself without being disrespectful of the theology at Caledonia.

(Again, another aside rant. Why is it respect isn't always reciprocated? I am trying to understand other theologies - which is part of the reason I chose Caledonia. I know with that greater understanding, I can be more respectful and better able to engage with those with a more conservative theology than my own. But I don't necessarily feel my viewpoint is respected.)