Your Words Matter: LORD

Why are we talking about this?

There are sometimes disagreements/misunderstandings of what Scripture says/means. This message series, “Your Words Matter,” is for us to dig deeper into the original language and hopefully get a clearer understand of God’s Word.

LORD is a hard word for many people because of what it implies. Let’s look at how this word is used in scripture and how we should respond.

What does it say?

We’re starting with 4 passages in the Bible:

Romans 10:8–10 “But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 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. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”

Philippians 2:9–11 “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Matthew 7:21–23 ““Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

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

What does it mean?

Current definition of LORD:

someone or something having power, authority, or influence; a master or ruler.

Original language use:

Hebrew - ’ādōn (Adonai) - Lord, Master, God

Greek - Kyrios - Lord, Master, Owner, Ruler

6826 times in scripture (often translated as “LORD”) is the name “Yahweh”

The name God calls Himself to give to the Israelites through Moses.

Not just a name but a description of His nature, essence, being or character.

Typically written as YHWH because they believed the name of the LORD was too holy for man to speak it.

(Hours of info available)

Why does it matter?

Our greatest commandment and hope is in the LORD.

Deuteronomy 6:4–7 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

The LORD instructs us to keep our focus on Him and teach others of Him and His goodness.

The LORD is HOLY HOLY HOLY!!

Isaiah 6:1b–5 “...I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!””

The angels themselves cannot bear to look upon the LORD; they cower before His mighty/awesome presence.

We need to check ourselves in light of the majesty of the LORD.

(close your eyes) think about God tearing off the roof...

Jesus is the only person qualified as Savior because He is LORD.

Psalm 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

Psalm 119:153–156 “Look on my affliction and deliver me, for I do not forget your law. Plead my cause and redeem me; give me life according to your promise! Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes. Great is your mercy, O Lord; give me life according to your rules.”

Titus 2:11–14 “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

Analogy:

Call an Uber

Call on the driver

Trust the driver is coming

Wait for the driver

Sit where you are told

Respect the authority (experience, legal right, etc)

Rely on the driver to know the way

Trust the driver to get you home safely

How should I respond?

3 points

Count the costs.

Many of us like the title of LORD but not the confession. Calling on the name of the LORD means to submit to His authority as Master and Owner, not just as Savior; recognizing we are His servants just as much as we are His children.

Keep perspective on who the LORD is.

Just as we read in Isaiah 6, we need to remember that our LORD is HOLY HOLY HOLY!! and even the angels tremble before Him. Keep perspective.

Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

2 Samuel 23:2–4 ““The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me; his word is on my tongue. The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has said to me: When one rules justly over men, ruling in the fear of God, he dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth.”

Rest in His promise!

God actually wants you!

2 Peter 3:9–13 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”