Adonai - Lord Of All Series

Lord of Ass

Adonai – Gen. 15:1f

Video: Hot and Cold clip – Is your life making a difference. Does it produce a reaction?

Trans: I believe the answer to this question can be answered by determining who is on the throne. Truth is, no one has ever done anything great for God until they settled the issue of who is Lord. (A. Rogers quote on brokenness) Who is in charge?

Review: I’ve been studying God’s name to know who He is and how He relates w/ us. Truth is, I’ve been a X-tian for 27 yrs, and in some ways I’m meeting Him for the 1st time.

Trans: You might be thinking, “That was an interesting clip. What does it have to do w/ God and me? Everything! B/c His name begs the question – Who’s in charge?

Name: Adonai – is used over 300x in the O.T. and no less than 747x in the N.T. Greek word – kurios – translated Lord. Adonai is translated with the capital “L” only.

Note: Adonai means – God is the Lord of all. He is the master, ruler, and owner of everything. Nothing escapes Him or catches Him by surprise. He knows all, sees all, and controls all. (Consider Ps. 139) Thus, this clip asks a very relevant question – who are you serving? Who is really in control of your life?

I BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATION (Abraham and Adonai)

Note: In Gen. 12, Abe left his country to follow God. He obeys the Lord until Egypt where he resorts to a lie to protect his wife. He and Lot move are so blessed they have to separate. Then God calls Abe to rescue Lot from S/G. By ch. 15 things are good. Abe knows God in charge, yet he questions Him b/c he doesn’t have a son.

Verse: O Sovereign (Lord) LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus? Gen. 15:2

Note: He calls Him “Sovereign” w/ his lips but in his heart he is filled w/ doubt. So God takes him outside and shows him the heavens and tells him to count the stars.

Story: I remember in college, I was struggling to finish b/c of a lack of funds and personal frustration and my grandmother did a smart thing – she gave me a present. She gave me a frame w/ a note that said – this is for your diploma. It changed everything.

Note: God says, “Abe, I placed the stars in the heavens, do you think your childlessness is insurmountable to me? I’m BIG! I can handle it.”

Note: Abraham was suffering from “ME-ology.” When he didn’t understand something or when things started getting difficult, he balked at the Creator. So God was forced to take him through a process to teach Abraham that He is Adonai – the Lord of all.

Point: In truth, God often has to take us through a similar process to bring us to the understanding He is the Lord of all we own, all we are, and all we do.

Note: Adonai was teaching Abraham 2 truths – Adonai owns and controls everything and we must obey Adonai in everything

Note: Since God has possession of me I must be in submission to Him. Since He is Lord, I must live under His leadership. Since He is owner of everything, I am but a manager of the resources He has given me. I exist for Adonai; He doesn’t exist for me.

Verse: The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Ps. 24

Quote: The first duty of every soul is to find not its freedom but it’s Master. Forsythe

Trans: God took Abraham – our forefather in the faith through the process of showing him who is really the boss – and He will do the same w/ you and me too.

Trans: If you look throughout the O.T., anyone who ever did anything great for God had to learn how to submit to Adonai. They had to make Yahweh their master. Moses, Joseph, David, Gideon, Daniel, even Samson, had to come to terms that God owns it all – He is large and in charge – and that they had to trust and obey Him. You can’t call Him Lord if you’re unwilling to live a life of submission.

Trans: So what does it mean to have God as your Adonai and Jesus as your kurios?

II FOUNDATIONAL INSTRUCTION

A Lordship (Surrender) 15:1

Note: The litmus test in determining if you’re following Adonai is to ask: Have I surrendered everything to Him? Am I willing to trust and obey in all things?

Insert: Lordship is about submitting to God’s AUTHORITY. As creator, He has a right to express His will over mine, and we must submit to His authority. (Malcohm clip)