Jesus is Lord!

The most neglected teaching; the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Nobody teaches or preaches the doctrine of Lordship. There is an open denial of this essential truth it occupies a prominent place upon the pages of the Bible, and is crucial to a person’s own salvation.

Jude 4

“Deny” refuse to admit the truth of existence; refuse to give acknowledgement; verbally renounce knowledge and relationship.

“Master” despotēs, (des-pot'-ace) sovereign, ruler, from the O.T. title for God Yahweh as the highest most powerful King. Denoted absolute ownership and uncontrolled power.

“Lord” kyrios, (koo'-ree-os) he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord. the possessor and disposer of a thing, the owner; one who has control of the person, the master.

These false teachers creeping into the church deny any control of Jesus over the life of a person, deny authority, and control.

Moralistic Therapeutic Deism—the New American Religion

"A god exists who created and ordered the world and watches over human life on earth."

"God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions."

"The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about one’s self."

"God does not need to be particularly involved in one's life except when God is needed to resolve a problem."

"Good people go to heaven when they die."

What is the Lordship of Jesus? It is the complete control, power, and authority that Jesus has over the life of the believer. Jesus is the supreme disposer of a Christian’s life.

Dispose (French word for ‘dispose’) means, to be at somebody’s disposal. Jesus can do with our lives as he pleases in accordance with his will and plan.

If Jesus is Lord, it means that He is over everything.

If He is the Lord of one’s life, then every part of their life should be changed when they encounter Jesus.

Five questions that reveal the heart.

Do you have a changed attitude towards sin?

Do you love being with other Christians?

Are you concerned with God’s glory?

Are you able to give a reason for your hope when asked?

Are you not ashamed of Christ?

Have you bowed to the Lordship of Jesus? Will you bow to the Lordship of Jesus now? At some point you will bow to Christ’s Lordship, unfortunately it will too late. Is Christ supreme and sovereign over your life? Who sits on the throne of your heart? Who is calling the shots and running your life? What have you not released to Jesus for full ownership, power, and authority? Is Jesus Lord of your life?

The Bible is clear when it comes to God’s people; a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession. God has destined each of His own to exist in kingdom authority. What used to control us, exercise power over us, and ultimately dictate what direction our lives were to go in, we as God’s people have been freed from their tyrannical rule over our lives, cf. 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6; 5:10.

Sadly, we still find ourselves wrestling with control when it comes to circumstances, situations, problems, people, our emotions. Our Christian life is defined with in and out of commitments that are based on good and godly intentions. The problem we want to maintain a certain level of control and power of what goes on in our lives. The Bible is clear that being in Christ places our struggles, fears, anxieties, worries, our enemies under our feet, they become our footstool, being in Christ, we exercise kingdom authority, Ephesians 1:22; Hebrews 2:8; Colossians 1:18.

We’ll never have authority over the things God has put us over until we submit to the authority God has placed us under: Jesus. Authority is not given to rebels, those who deny and compartmentalize their lives, only relinquishing certain areas, while holding back other areas into the complete control of Jesus. We will never know the authority of Jesus in our lives, when we chose to not give to him ultimate power, control, and authority.

When you take your eyes off of Jesus life begins to really fall apart and come unraveled, Romans 14:7-12. We cannot take our eyes off Jesus and start looking around trying to figure it all out; Jesus is Lord! We will all stand before Jesus and be judged for the scope of authority, power and control we have released to Jesus in our lives.

Jesus is God, and demands and deserves complete control of our lives, Philippians 2:5-6.

Jesus died for our lives to be saved, and deserves and demands complete rule and reign over every area of our lives, Philippians 2:7-8.

Jesus has been raised to a supreme-exalted position at the right hand of God, where He reigns, intercedes, controls, exercises sovereign authority, is the head of the church, Philippians 2:9.

Jesus has been given a name of authority; Lord, Philippians 2:10-11.

Every believer who claims the name of Jesus, must abdicate the throne and surrender all to Jesus! Acts 2:36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

The Supreme person, who is the supreme servant, made a supreme selfless step into our world, gave himself as the supreme sacrifice, was exalted to a supreme status; Lord, which demands the supreme submission, Philippians 2:10-11 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Do you believe Jesus is Lord? Have you surrendered all to his control? Have you laid it all down at his feet, put everything that defines you into his hands?

We have no right to call ourselves Christian if we have failed to bow to the Lordship of Jesus. It is not walking an aisle, reciting certain facts, following a pre-designed plan which leads to salvation. The Bible does not talk about ‘receiving Jesus’ but it does say much about ‘believing in the Lord Jesus Christ.’ Romans 10:13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved

Salvation is about confessing Jesus as Lord, believing Christ to be Lord, trusting Jesus as Savior and Lord. It is bowing the knee, giving it all up to Jesus supreme, sovereign control over your life. You cannot have what He gives unless you accept who He is, and He is Lord.

Are there areas you still control? Do you hold a certain percentage of ownership over your life? Is there parts of your life you just don’t feel comfortable letting go? If you answer ‘yes’ you cannot call yourself a Christian, you have never really been biblically saved.

Lordship is Ownership! 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. “The gospel call to faith presupposes that sinners must repent of their sin and yield to Christ’s authority.” – John MacArthur.

1. A sinner who refuses to repent is not saved, for he cannot cling to his sin and the Savior at the same time.

2. A sinner who rejects Christ’s authority in his life does not have saving faith, for true faith encompasses a surrender to God.

Does Jesus own it all in your life?

There is a high cost associated with salvation. Jesus paid the price for the debt of sin owed against the sinner, but the Christian is to count to the cost of following Jesus.

Luke 14:27 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

Luke 9:57-62 What it cost to follow Jesus?

1. Know what you’re signing up for, it may cost you loosing things or people in your life, Luke 9:57-58.

2. Nothing can get in the way of you following Jesus, Luke 9:59-60.

3. Following Jesus demands a single – minded commitment to Jesus, Luke 9:61-62.

Lordship is the most glorious truth about salvation. Jesus manages my life way better than I can. He has to be Lord in order for me to turn out the way God wants me to turn out. You would bow the knee right there in your seat if you could see your life from God’s vantage point, see his plan and purpose, see the person he desires you to be.

What does Lordship mean to our lives?

1. Complete submission: He must be Lord of all if He is to be Lord at all.

2. Complete obedience: Luke 6:46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?

What does confessing Jesus Lord over my life?

1. Confessing conquerors Satan: Revelation 12:11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. ‘Testimony’ “Jesus is Lord!” Satan hates this, he wants you in control, he wants control.

2. Confessing strengthens my faith: It is a glorious reminder that I cannot manage my life, and I must trust the Lord!

3. Confessing separates me: It separates me from the things that give me the most trouble. Jesus is Lord! Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

“Authority” power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases; supreme authority, control.

· Jesus is Lord in seasons of joy in my life.

· Jesus is Lord in seasons of sadness in my life.

· Jesus is Lord when I’m struggling, suffering, when I feel stuck and life is going nowhere.

· Jesus is Lord when I’m down, and when I’m up.

· Jesus is Lord in the tears and laughter, in the good days and the bad days.

· Jesus is Lord in the valley and the mountain top, in the storm and smooth sailing.

· Jesus is Lord when I’m empty and when I’m full.

· Jesus is Lord when I’m in need and when I have everything.

· Jesus is Lord over heaven, he is Lord over hell.

· Jesus is Lord when it comes to believers and unbelievers.

4. Confessing is a strong testimony to a Christless world: People who are failing miserably at managing their own lives, see what Lordship management looks like, it is not a perfect, problem free life, but one where Christ makes decisions, governs thoughts and reactions, exercises supreme power over the enemies of the child of God.

5. Confessing Jesus Lord in my life, regulates my behavior: If Jesus is Lord, sin is not a question, I live to honor the Lord in my life, sin is not an issue, Lordship demands holiness, righteous living, Jesus controls my passions, lusts, desires, my flesh, impulses, my temptations.

Conclusion/Exaltation: Jesus is Lord! If you are still on the throne of you heart, then Jesus is still on the cross; dead! Have a coronation service today and say, “Jesus Christ is Lord of my life.” Confess Him and crown Him king.

One day the redeemed of all the ages will be gathered around His throne. Angels, principalities, and powers will bow before Him. You will join the redeemed and look up at the One with the nail prints in His hands and say, “He is Lord.