Jesus is Lord - Duplo
Duplo: Growing with Basics • Sermon • Submitted
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Transcript
Intro:
Intro:
Communion?
Spend the next two weeks, which includes our Easter service, on Jesus as first Lord, and second, Savior.
Lord Vader?
Lorde the singer?
Lord sounds kinda not good - Jesus acknowledged this. Humans have never made good “lords,” naturally. - End up being like Lord Vader.
Rooted in a reference, name, and title connected with God Himself - which no person can ever claim. But wait… wasn’t Jesus a person too?
Yes - mystery of the Trinity
.
Why is He Lord? - God (in the flesh). Now King of Kings - exalted the highest place.
authority (list misconceptions).
obedience
It’s right for Him to say, “if I am your Lord, then you should do what I say. It doesn’t make sense otherwise… Lord, Lord - depart from me I neve knew you. Can’t be Savior and not Lord. Warning… Get right.” matt 7:21
Intro:
Intro:
Good morning River Church Family and Friends. Happy Palm Sunday. Thanks for joining us!
Hey - I wanted to quickly say two things:
I apologize for asking you to post pictures of your enjoying your coffee at home in the livestream last week. I didn’t realize that wasn’t possible! My bad!
I want to continue to give us opportunities to be interactive. So, I’m gonna bring back something from my early church experience. When I was in San Diego, I went a church that started service with a call and response.
The Pastor would say, “Who’s the man?” And everyone would respond, “Je-sus!” It was kinda cool because for a while it became a thing when people would call that out in public, and often others would respond. You’d be like, “Oh - they go to the Rock Church.”
Obviously, we can’t do an actual call and response this morning, so I’m going to ask you to type it (which I know you can do) in the comments. So, whether you’re on Facebook or YouTube Live, when I ask, “Who’s the man?” I’d like you to type in the comments/chat, “Jesus!” (with an exclamation point!
And if you’re watching via the website, you can just say it out loud in your living. Jesus hears you!
Who’s the man?
This morning, we are continuing in our Duplo series. Growing in our faith as we learn about the Trinity. We’ve spent a few weeks on the Father, a few on the Spirit, and we’re going to finish on the second person of the Trinity: Je-sus!
Now, for us at The River Church - Jesus is the most important person in our lives. He is everything. So, two weeks isn’t going to be enough to satisfy our thirst for Jesus!
But Iet me remind you, if you want to know more about Jesus, there’s always Right Now Media! Simply type “Jesus” in the search. You will find a ton of solid resources.
And if you have not gotten your free subscription to RNM thru TRC, go to riverchurchct.com and follow the links on the front page. Again, it’s completely free. It’s our gift to you!
Over the next two weeks, we will look at Jesus as both Lord... and Savior:
What does that mean?
And why is that important to us?
So, let’s start with Jesus as Lord...
Body:
Body:
Jesus is Lord - What does that mean?
Jesus is Lord - What does that mean?
Is that the same as when people in Star Wars say Lord Vader? Or when Sarah calls Abraham “lord” in the book of Genesis? Or is it like the singer Lorde?
Well, yes and no:
I’d say the use of “lord” in Star Wars is like “master.” That kinda works...
Sarah is using the word as a term of respect. That works too...
And for the singer, it’s just her stage name - that doesn’t work...
While a couple of those uses are helpful, when it comes to Jesus, “Lord” means so much more. Let’s go back to the story of Moses to see why...
In , Moses has left Egypt and spent 40 years in the wilderness of Midian. He’s a shepherd now. And as he’s working, he encounters a supernatural burning bush. We quickly find out he’s personally encountering God!
God introduces Himself and then tells Moses He’s heard the cry of His people Israel. He is going to save them from Egypt. And He wants to use Moses. God says...
Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”
Moses is like, “Nah, I can’t do it.” God’s like, “Bro, you can. Because I’m with you.” Moses is like, “Aight bet!” (not really).
I apologize to everyone who has no idea what I just said! I don’t really understand either!
But then Moses says, “When I go back to Egypt, who shall I say sent me?” And God says...
God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.
In this conversation, God gives Moses two different names:
He says, “I am who I am.” That’s one name. But, it’s a little confusing to use in conversation. So, God gives a second name.
He says, “Say to the people: The LORD has sent you… this is my name forever.”
This second name, the one translated LORD (it’s in all caps in our English Bible) is the Hebrew word Yahweh. It’s what some call the personal name of God.
And the Jews highly honored this name. They didn’t believe they were worthy to say it. So, to keep from saying it, specifically when they read the Scriptures, they implemented a process of literary changes, which resulted in using the Hebrew word Adonai instead- which means “Lord.”
Now, by Jesus’ time, Greek was the main language. And there was now a Greek Version of the Old Testament (or the Jewish Bible). It’s called the Septuagint. And it was widely used in the first century. I gotta hurry up because some of you are like, “This is super boring!”
And Greek translators picked up on the Hebrew traditions and therefore replaced the word Yahweh with the Greek word kyrios (not curious - k-y-r-i-o-s), which means “lord.” And that’s why our English Bibles also use the word Lord instead of Yahweh.
And similar to our English use of the word “lord,” kyrios has many uses:
It has a connection to “master,” but is so much more it when it comes to Jesus.
It can refer to master.
It can refer to a person with authority.
Moses - burning bush. Encounters God (v.14).
It can be a polite title of respect.
I am what I am - weird name.
Personal name - Yahweh (v. 15).
Jews honored the name and didn’t want to say it, so they replaced it with Adonai (LORD - in all caps - the Hebrew language).
By Jesus time, Greek was the main language. There was even a Greek version of the Hebrew OT called the Septuagint.
Greek word of “lord” was kyrios. It meant master, person with authority, or even a polite was to acknowledge a superior.
But the Septuagint also used it to translate Yahweh - the personal name for God.
And in the NT, when people called Jesus “lord”:
Sometimes, it was to be polite and show respect.
In the NT, Jesus was called Lord.
Sometimes, it was used it as master.
And here’s something interesting, after the cross and resurrection, it is used almost exclusively as something MUCH MORE! It’s used with a divine reference!
So, which one is rightfully applied to Jesus? And what’s the deal with the change after the resurrection?
Well, let’s look at a conversation in for answers.
In this passage, Jesus is talking with Jewish religious leaders...
Jesus has been teaching in the temple and the religious leaders have been challenging Him. And it starts a heated discussion, especially after Jesus offers eternal life to those who put their faith in Him.
Sometimes it hinted at something more, even if the person using the title didn’t understand.
The religious leaders are like, “Are you crazy!?! Abraham (the father of our faith) died. The prophets die! Everyone dies! How can YOU offer eternal life? Who do you think you are? Are you greater than Abraham?”
And Jesus says...
And here’s something interesting, after Jesus’ resurrection, it was used towards Jesus in the divine way. Why?
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
Well, let’s look at .
And this is important! When Jesus replies, “I am.” He is using the same personal name Moses heard God say at the burning bush. So what Jesus is saying is, [Who am I?] --- “I am God. I am Yahweh. I am Adonai. I am Lord!”
And the religious leaders knew that! That’s why it goes onto say...
So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
They wanted to kill Him for saying He was God! That was blasphemy! But afterwards, the resurrection proved that Jesus IS truly Lord! And that’s why the rest of the NT refers to Him as Lord Jesus.
Jesus, the second Person of the Trinity, is LORD!
That means He is God, Master, and King.
Jews: Who do you think you are? (v. 53) Are you greater than Abraham, the father of our faith?
That’s what it means for Jesus to be Lord.
Jesus: Yes, but He says it in a strategic way.
But here’s the next question...
He says, “Before Abraham was, I am!” The same phrase God used of Hiimself in . Jesus was using the personal name of God for Himself.
He was saying, “ I am God! I am the LORD!”
That’s why they wanted to kill Him.
And the resurrection proved this! That’s the reminder of the NT rightly calls Jesus Lord!
What does is mean for Jesus to be Lord? It means He is God Himself! Jesus as our Lord means we see Him as God.
Jesus is Lord - What does that mean to me?
Jesus is Lord - What does that mean to me?
Well, it means a lot! But considering time, I’ll only share a few things...
First off, it starts with asking an honest question: Is Jesus truly OUR Lord?
As Christians, we need to determine if Jesus is truly the Lord of our life. Not just in words, but in actions.
When people look at my life, do they know Jesus is my Lord?
Now, check this out… I just mentioned that Jesus as Lord means that Jesus is God. But remember that Lord, also rightfully includes “master” in the definition. So, I want us to consider whether Jesus is truly Master of our life?
Because we can say, “Yes, Jesus is my Lord. I believe He’s God.” But what we actually mean is, “I believe Jesus is Lord. He’s God. I’m cool with that as long as He saves me from hell, but doesn’t try and control of my life.”
If that description fits, Jesus might not truly be our Lord...
We distinguish authority and relationship, but that’s not the way God created it. And since He is Lord, I think He has the right to do so. Think about the examples given in Colossians - there is authority between marriage, or families, and even within the Trinity. So, is Jesus Lord to me?
Let me also add 3 additional thoughts that can help us process where we truly stand with Jesus:
1) When Jesus is Lord, we give him authority over our life. Authority means, “the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience.”
When Jesus is Lord, it means He has authority over our life. Authority means, “the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience.”
Does Jesus have this power in our lives? Again, look at what you do and how you act, not just what you say, because actions follow belief. This sort of examination isn’t new. Jesus told people to do the same 2000 years ago...
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?
Luke 6:
He’s like, “If I’m Lord, where’s my authority over your life?” If Jesus is Lord, we will do what He says.
Maybe you’re asking, “How do I know what He’s saying 2000 years later?” Well, this book! We believe the Bible is God’s Word. It is alive and contains all the instructions we need to follow Jesus today. That’s why we make a big deal about it here at TRC!
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
When Jesus is my Lord, I will look to His word for guidance. And I will obey what I read.
2) When Jesus is Lord, we are accountable to Him.
Will you obey?
This means we understand the Lord will judge our actions. Maybe some of you cringed when I said “judge.” Maybe you’ve heard someone misinterpret and think Jesus commands no judgment to EVER take place.
I can’t go into it right now, but that’s not what that passage means. Jesus Himself judges! The apostle Paul said...
For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.”
For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.
Obey what? God’s word. Why we make a big deal about this book
Jesus Himself says in (the same passage that talks about “not judging”)...
One day God will judge the world through Jesus. Jesus also says in (the same passage that talks about “not judging”)...
One day God will judge the world through Jesus. Jesus says in (the same passage that talks about “not judging”)...
“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.
Jesus will hold people accountable for how they respond to God’s will. The words “Lord” coming out of our mouth means little if our life doesn’t match. We’re judged on how we respond to Jesus.. We’ll be accountable to that!
And church - let’s lead by example. The apostle Peter said...
For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
The Lord Jesus WILL hold us accountable!
Maybe that sounds harsh to you. It IS kinda harsh. It’s harsh because God ain’t playing around. I know many people think God is a glorified Santa Claus, but God is holy. And He wants His people to be holy!
Accountability
Jesus is coming back.
AND --- He has a mission that involves rescuing the world He loves! Something that involved sending His Son to die for us (what we’ll talk about next week)! But that’s how serious it is! It required Jesus dying on a cross. And that serious mission includes sending people, who are under His authority and accountable to Him, on mission into the world!
We can’t and won’t do that if we don’t listen to Jesus and feel like what we do doesn’t matter.
He will judge.
Third and final thing...
Appointed a day to judge
May will say Lord Lord
It’s right for Him to say, “if I am your Lord, then you should do what I say. It doesn’t make sense otherwise… Lord, Lord - depart from me I neve knew you. Can’t be Savior and not Lord. Warning… Get right.” matt 7:21
Judgment starts with the house.
Parables of Jesus - talents - faithful servant
What will He judge?
For everyone, “What did you do with my Son?”
Did you obey My Son?
3) When Jesus is Lord, we willingly submit to Him. But, submission to Jesus is different than what you’d expect...
Speaking on authority, Jesus says...
But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Leadership in the Kingdom of God is different! Here’s why:
The Lord of God’s Kingdom needs nothing from us. On earth, leaders require things from us. They need production, results, and profits.
God needs nothing. Rather, He is a generous king who loves us:
Rather than taking, He gives.
Rather than forcing you to work, He’s full of grace and helps you!
Rather than viewing you as just a subordinate, He compassionately cares.
But this is the type of Lord we have. It’s different.
Think about how different this is from our world’s leadership. To have the King come and say, “I love you. I believe in you! I care about what’s happening in your life! I’m going to help you. I have great plans for you!”
If it was an earthly king, we’d run home and tell our spouse, mom, or friends, “You won’t believe what the King said to me!!!”
And that’s exactly what the Lord Jesus says to us! Just read .
Actually, River Kids and River Youth. I got something fun for you. If you read and memorize this week. We will give you a gift card to Chick-Fil-A for a small ice dream cone or cookie.
We will post details on how to participate in this after service today on our Facebook page. If you don’t have a Facebook but want to participate, send us an email for details!
...And one more thing about this Kingdom leadership: It’s a leadership that is humble. That’s different! Jesus said the world’s leadership selfishly steps on you and “lords” authority over you. Nothings changed in 2000 years! Human leadership still operates this way.
But in the Kingdom of God, leaders are the servants. There’s still authority and accountability, but it’s wrapped in humility, sacrifice, and service.
That’s what King Jesus did! He humbled Himself, served others, and sacrificially gave up His life. That’s radical lordship. It’s like nothing in this world.
This Lord needs nothing from us. He is a kind and
Full of love
I got great plans for you. I love you. I believe in you so much.
The King said this to me!
He did! Go read Ephs 2:10. River Kids - If you memorize we’ll send you an ice cone. We will post details on our Facebook page after service.
It’s okay. Forgiven. Let’s keep going. I’ll help you.
humility - servant leadership. Yoke
and truth - best discipline.
So, while Jesus as Lord requires authority and accountability, it also allows us to rest in His love and humility. Therefore, we can willingly submit to Him.
Discipline is hard when we dont trust people.
But it’s good when we do!
My mom.
Response:
Response:
For my birthday, we got a new dog. A friend who raises Collies gave us a puppy as a gift. This dog is awesome.
It’s crazy how dogs understand authority. They can sense who’s in charge. Our new dog Kota instantly recognized me as the alpha - the first in charge. The boys will tell him to get off the couch, He kinda ignores them. But when I say, “Kota, get down.” He instantly obeys.
But he doesn’t cower in fear. He simply obeys. And then he comes to my feet and rests. He trusts me. He feels safe. He feels loved. He understands the relationship. To him, I am “lord or master.” He’s good with that.
Now, I’m not saying our relationship to Jesus is like dog and man. It’s not. But hopefully you get what I’m saying...
Jesus is Lord. We should respond to Him in obedience. He is our authority. We are accountable to Him. But... we also willingly submit because He loves us.
So, let me ask again: Who is Lord of your life? Is it Jesus?
Think about whose voice we respond to with obedience? And remember to answer thru the examination of life actions:
Do we listen to the Lord Jesus and respond? Or...
Do we listen to the news, culture, or friends and respond?
Whose voice are you listening to? Before you answer, think about your life actions. Do you listen to the news and then respond? Do you listen to yourself and respond? Or do you listen to the Lord Jesus Christ and respond?
Do we listen to yourself and respond?
Or, do we listen to the Lord Jesus Christ and respond?
My prayer is we would all place our trust/faith in Jesus as Lord. When we do, Jesus promises this...
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.
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
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.
If you need stability, safety, and hope in your life, put your faith in Jesus as Lord. He is God!
Who is Lord of your life?
We’re going to close this service with Communion. If you follow us on social media (Facebook, IG, Youtube), hopefully you got the heads up. If you haven’t followed us yet, please do. But I’m going to ask you to go ahead and pull out your communion supplies at home. And if you don’t have any available, that’s okay. We invite you to still join us as we remember what the Lord did for us!
Who is in control, directing? And is that person caring for you? Better yet, do they have the power to care? Remember, Jesus is LORD - He is God!
Communion.
Pray:
Lord Jesus, we remember you today. Thank you for your sacrifices on the Cross. We know that it’s your death and resurrection that made our salvation possible. You gave your life for us. We now want to give our lives to You. Help us to make You Lord of our lives. We ask these things in Your name. Amen.