WHY IS LORDSHIP NECESSARY? # 1

Lordship.

continue series

“Why is Lordship Necessary Today?”

In little church in Eastern Europe, several years ago, about a dozen communist soldiers burst in with sub-machine guns. They quickly demanded that if anyone did not really believe that religion, to get out as quickly as possible. Now there was a short silence, and then all of a sudden, about one-half of those 100 people exited as quickly as they could. The congregation as they began to wonder what their fate would be, only to be pleasantly surprised when the communist soldiers took off their masks and said, “We are believers also. We want to worship with you. We just wanted to get rid of the hypocrites.”

Two groups

what’s the difference?

One word:

LORDSHIP

Those who exited

Not solved Lordship issue.

God was not

Not center of lives.

If we haven’t

We’ll always take

the easiest way.

Not barrel - submachine gun.

Today,

let’s resolved this

spiritual instability

spiritual indecision

spiritual ambivalence

spiritual fence sitting.

Last Sermon

What is Lordship

5 things:

1. Submission to God’s will 2. Placing God first in your life 3. Accepting responsibility and accountability for the gifts He has given us 4. Doing the will of God 5. It is personal obedience to Him, regardless of the cost

For Christians

Lordship issue

is everything.

Unreserved Commitment

Complete consecration

Effective Witness

Those who don’t

weak faith

in-and-out of church

poor witness

constant struggle with sins

frequently give up

leave church completely

This is Bedrock

foundation of

positive Christian Journey

MB. p. 101

“If you will seek the Lord and be converted every day; if you will of your own spiritual choice be free and joyous in God; if with gladsome consent of heart to His gracious call you come wearing

-- the yoke of Christ, -- the yoke of obedience and service, -- all your murmurings will be stilled, all your difficulties will be removed, all the perplexing problems that now confront you will be solved.”

To me,

settling the Lordship issue,

here are the results!

This morning,

Why is Lordship Necessary?

2 reasons why.

Next weekend

finish sermon.

1. IT SETTLES THE POSITION ISSUE

Who is #1

God?

Myself?

Remember,

“If He is not Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all.”

This issue

from the beginning.

Turn to Genesis 3.

Genesis 3:4 ESV

But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.

Genesis 3:1 ESV

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”

Satan insinuates doubt

(can you really trust God

to be Lord of life?)

Genesis 3:2–3 ESV

And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”

Satan answers:

Genesis 3:4–5 ESV

But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

No longer insinuation:

outright accusation

God is withholding

something good from you!

Not Good God

Not trustworthy Lord

Don’t make him Lord!

Who will be #1?

God or me?

Eve believed

she ate fruit

She would be God!

She would be #1!

Question of Lordship

why necessary...

settle this question

from the Garden...

Who is #1?

Who calls shots?

Who is Lord?

Turn to Philippians 2:5-8

Philippians 2:5–8 (ESV)

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

--

who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

--

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Throughout life,

Christ submitted

to the Father’s will.

Just as Christ did,

you and I can

submit to Christ.

(with His Mind)

(through His Power)

He is # 1.

You see,

what Lordship does,

it settles selfishness issue.

It settles humanism issue.

Humanism centers everything

around our self.

Everything is for me.

Many of us,

even in Christianity

awful lot of humanism

veneered ourselves in Christianity,

Treat God like a “Genie.”

Rub it

and stroke

expecting blessings come out.

If not

Whining and complaining

losing faith.

THAT IS NOT LORDSHIP!

Or select portions

of the Bible

Just the portions

we want to hear.

Not letting God speak.

MB p. 46

“But Israel had not perceived the spiritual nature of the law. And too often their professed obedience was but an observance of forms and ceremonies, rather than a surrender of the heart to the sovereignty of love.

--

As Jesus in His character and work represented to men the holy, benevolent, and paternal attributes of God, and presented the worthlessness of mere ceremonial obedience, the Jewish leaders did not receive or understand His words.

--

They thought that He dwelt too lightly upon the requirements of the law; and when He set before them the very truths that were the soul of their divinely appointed service, they, looking only at the external, accused Him of seeking to overthrow it.”

That is not Lordship!

That is not submission

Church in Jesus’ day.

today,

Jesus calls His Church,

this Church

to avoid that

accept the Lordship

(surrender)

Church today

cant sing our hymns

When the Saints Go Marching In

When the Saints go Sneaking In

I Surrender All

I Surrender Some

There shall be Showers of Blessing

There Shall Sprinkles of Blessing

Fill My Cup Lord

Fill My Spoon

Oh How I Love Jesus

Oh How I Like Him

He’s Everything to Me

He’s Quite a Bit to Me

Take My Life and Let it Be

Take My Life then Let Me Be

It is No Secret What God can Do

It is My Secret What God can Do

Onward Christian Soldiers

Onward Christian Reserves

Where He Leads Me I will Follow

Where He Leads Me I will Consider Following

Just as I am

Just as I Pretend to Be

Just as I Decide What is Best for Me to Be

Which Song

will you sing?

Settle Issue

Make Jesus Lord!

Sermon Today

Why is Lordship Necessary?

1. IT SETTLES THE POSITION ISSUE

Who is #1?

Second thing the

Lordship Issue will do.

2. IT WILL SETTLE THE PERMISSION ISSUE

“Who has a right to my life?”

Luke 14:16–20 (ESV)

But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

--

But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’

--

And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’

--

And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’

Reminds me of our banquet

I’m hearing lots of poor excuses

Explain Banquet

Free

4 Observations

from this scripture:

1. Not everyone is ready for Lordship.

That is a fact.

Of the 3 examples

none were ready for Lordship.

Each gave lip serviced

they originally

accepted the invitation.

(They had RSVP’ed)

Symbolism?

Man with Banquet - God

Banquet - Marriage Supper of Lamb

Invitees -

Us

Christians

Claim to be

looking forward to

Jesus soon coming.

But when God

ready to come

we have other interests

that absorb life.

(don’t want to leave!)

They claimed

to be Christians

but were not...

Point #2

2. Lordship is more than words.

Discipleship

Lordship

Not based on

what we say.

Based on

what we do

our actions.

Revelation 22:12 NKJV

“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.

Judged by actions

Judged by faith???

Anyone can claim

to have faith.

Actions prove faith.

That brings us to

the 3rd observation.

3. Jesus sees our heart.

You might fool me.

I might fool you.

Might fool person in SS class.

Might even fool spouse!

We won’t fool God!

Jesus said

Matthew 7:13–14 NKJV

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Many of use

are on broad path.

Majority of Christians

claim Christ

will not be saved!

Why!?!

Matthew 7:21 NKJV

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

He knows heart

more than we do.

Pray that Lord

reveals wickedness of

our own heart

to us.

Pray as David:

Psalm 139:23–24 NKJV

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

Once revealed:

observation #4:

4. Lordship forces us to change.

It forces us to choose.

In other words,

Lordship will never

leave us the same.

The saying:

“Come as you are”

very true.

We do come

filled with sin.

Not running

like Adam and Eve.

But we don’t

stay like we are!!!

Today

Lordship is necessary:

Position Issue:

Who is #1?

Who calls the shots?

Matthew 6:24 ESV

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Can’t have world

and Jesus!

Matthew 6:31–33 (ESV)

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’

--

For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

You see,

the leadership law is that

GOD IS EITHER LORD OF ALL, OR HE IS NOT LORD AT ALL.

Lyndon Baines Johnson, loved to tell the story about the teacher who during the depression in Texas, in the rural hill country, so desperately needed a job, of the opening in the one-room school house that they had, with only that one position open. That teacher stood before the school board and they asked the question, “Do you believe the world is round or flat?” And the teacher wanted the job so bad, the teacher responded, “Well, I can teach it both ways ...”

Often we think

we can live both ways.

Come to church

on Sabbath

Read Bibles

take notes

sing the songs

go through the motions.

Then Sun-Fri,

just different.

Focused on world.

We think

have it both ways.

And Jesus says,

“No you can’t.”

You’ve got to settle

who is going to be

in control of your life.

That’s the passage in Rom 12.

Romans 12:1–2 (ESV)

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

--

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

God calls for

living sacrifice.

Completely given

to Lordship of Jesus.

This is the only

reasonable service

spiritual worship

true Christianity.

Through this complete surrender

we can discern

perfect will of God.

This brings

lasting peace.

HE IS EITHER LORD OF ALL, OR HE IS NOT LORD AT ALL.

“Consecration check”