#2 – LOOK TO THE THRONE
I INTRODUCTION
A) I want to teach today on a key principle for life as a Christian and in the Kingdom of God – embracing the Lordship of Jesus in our lives
B) This principle is foundational – everything else is built upon this. When we get this right we have a solid foundation for everything else. If we don’t get this right… things may look good but we won’t stand the test of time.
II LORDSHIP 101
Romans 10:9 (NIV) – If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
A) Many of us subconsciously put savior in here – It doesn’t say confess Jesus as savior but as Lord
B) Lord = the Greek word Kurios which means “master, owner, supreme in authority”
C) Savior is found 36 times in the Bible. Lord is found 7,800 times.
D) Savior is good but it is focused on what Jesus does for us. Lordship is about giving our lives to Him.
E) Many people have received Jesus as their savior but not as their Lord – they have received the gift of salvation but have not given their lives to Him.
F) Good question: is Jesus your Lord or is he just your savior?
III HOW DO I KNOW WHETHER JESUS IN MY LORD OR NOT?
Luke 6:46 (NIV) – “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?
A) The answer is very simple: Lordship = Obedience
B) Every area of my life where I’m walking in obedience to Him is an area where He is Lord. Every area where I am not then He is not.
C) There is a clear danger we all must guard against – and that is calling Him Lord but not doing what He says
Matthew 21:28-31 (NIV) – 28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ 29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered.
D) “Your actions are speaking so loudly I can’t hear what you are saying”
E) Jesus needs to be our Lord. He is our Lord in every area where we obey.
IV WHY DOES THIS MATTER SO MUCH?
A) Everything that God asks of us has purpose. We are called to the Lordship of Jesus because:
1) Because He is God.
2) Because He loves us and He is good… all the time. (Matt 7:11)
3) Because He knows more than we do. (Job 38:1-7)
4) Because When we do things God’s way we get God’s results – when we don’t then we don’t (Isaiah 55:8-9)
5) Because true Lordship is the only foundation that will withstand storms. (Luke 6:46-49)
V SOME GOOD QUESTIONS TO ASK OURSELVES:
A) Have I received Jesus as my Lord or just as my savior?
B) Am I actively seeking out His word and will in my life and seeking to obey it?
C) Are there areas of my life where I am living in disobedience?
D) Are there areas of my life where there is delayed obedience? – which is really just disobedience.
brendan witton.com 