Purpose: To extol the lordship of God over our lives.
Aim: I want the listener to see themselves as God's slave.
INTRODUCTION: Today we are going to learn that the name "Adonai" is different from most of the other names for God because it describes a relationship with God and not just characteristic of God.
It is one thing to understand that God is "The Mighty One" or "The Eternally Self-existent One," but today we will see that Adonai ("The Supreme Lord") pictures what our relationship with "The Mighty and Eternally Self-existent One" should be like.
Every person here struggles with authority. That struggle began at a very early age for each one of us. If you have a child or have ever spent much time around children you have seen this truth in action. One of the first words a child learns is the word "mine." If one child is playing with one toy, then bring a second child into the room. The second child will attempt to snatch the toy away from the first child who will clutch the toy tightly and say, "Mine." He will say "mine" about a toy that he did not pay for and he does not necessarily deserve. He wants authority over that toy.
We are all born with the mistaken idea that we are owners. We talk about "my car" or "my house" or "my job" or even "my free time."
The name "Adonai" changes all of that.
I. What is Adonai Like?
First we need to understand clearly what the Hebrew name "Adonai" means. Adonai is a plural name for God like Elohim. It comes from Adon (singular) and means master or lord. Adon usually refers to men and only a few times does it refer to God in the Bible.
When the plural Adonai is used it never refers to a person. It always refers to God. In the Greek translation (Septuagint) of the OT Adonai and Jehovah or Yahweh are translated with the same Greek noun "kurios" used in the NT which means "sovereign power, supreme authority, absolute ownership."
In the NT, Jesus is called Savior 20 times and over 700 times He is called Lord (kurios)! When the two titles are mentioned together, Lord always comes before Savior.
Adonai literally means "my Lords" and is usually translated "my Lord" or just "Lord" capital "L" followed by small letters. Jehovah or Yahweh is always rendered in all caps [LORD or GOD] in the NAS, ESV, and KJV.
R C Sproul points out that the Suffix ai intensifies the meaning of the word Adon, so that Adonai means "the supreme Lord, the Lord of all." This word stresses the sovereignty of God as the ruler of all.
A. Adonai is a generous provider
Abraham is the first one to use the name "Adonai" and that was when he asked God to give him a son even in his old age. Genesis 15:1--6 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great." Abram said, "O Lord GOD, [Adonai Yahweh] what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir." Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir." And He took him outside and said, "Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness. (NAS)
Adonai has the power to do the impossible and to do it abundantly.
Isaiah 40:10--11 Behold, the Lord GOD will come with might, with His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him and His recompense before Him. Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes. (NAS)
B. Adonai is supreme over all
Psalm 135:5 For I know that the LORD is great and that our Lord is above all gods. (NAS)
Joshua 3:11 "Behold... the Lord of all the earth.... (NAS)
Psalm 97:5 The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. (NAS)
Psalm 8:1 O LORD, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens! (NAS)
C. Adonai is fair to all
Adonai rules creation with fairness. Deuteronomy 10:17 "For the LORD your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. (NAS)
D. Adonai rejects hypocrisy
Isaiah 29:13--14 Then the Lord said, "Because this people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote, therefore behold, I will once again deal marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous; and the wisdom of their wise men will perish, and the discernment of their discerning men will be concealed." (NAS)
II. What is a Relationship with Adonai like?
A. We are defenseless and Adonai is a shelter
Psalm 141:8--10 For my eyes are toward You, O GOD, the Lord; [Yahweh the Adonai] In You I take refuge; do not leave me defenseless. Keep me from the jaws of the trap which they have set for me, and from the snares of those who do iniquity. Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by safely. (NAS)
We see this same idea in the NT. 2 Timothy 4:17 But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion's mouth. (NAS)
B. We are slaves and Adonai is the master
Elohim speaks of God's might and power where Adonai speaks of His right to rule over us.
In the Jewish culture, a slave had more privileges than the hired help. A slave could participate in the Temple sacrifices and was considered a member of the household. The hired help was excluded from these privileges. Notice: Exodus 12:43--45 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "This is the ordinance of the Passover: no foreigner is to eat of it; but every man's slave purchased with money, after you have circumcised him, then he may eat of it. A sojourner or a hired servant shall not eat of it." (NAS)
King David knew that God was His master. 2 Samuel 7:18--20 Then David the king went in and sat before the LORD, and he said, "Who am I, O Lord GOD, [Adonai Yahweh] and what is my house, that You have brought me this far? And yet this was insignificant in Your eyes, O Lord GOD, [Adonai Yahweh] for You have spoken also of the house of Your servant concerning the distant future. And this is the custom of man, O Lord GOD. [Adonai Yahweh] Again what more can David say to You? For You know Your servant, O Lord GOD! [Adonai Yahweh] (NAS)
David makes it clear in Psalm 110 that as Adonai Jesus will be supreme over all of His enemies. Psalm 110:1 The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet." (NAS)
God the Father has given all authority to Jesus. The Father Ephesians 1:20--21 ... raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. (NAS)
Jesus declared Himself to be Adonai. John 13:13--16 "You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. (NAS)
Paul makes it clear in the NT that Christians are slaves of Christ. In fact, Paul's favorite description of himself is a "slave of Christ."
Romans 6:16--18 Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. (NAS)
Romans 14:7--8 For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. (NAS)
III. How Does a Relationship with Adonai Change us?
The Bible promises forgiveness to those who submit to Christ as Adonai. Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; (NAS)
Acknowledging Christ as your master and submitting to Him as His slave changes everything.
A. We are released from worry
If you tend to worry about material things, then write down everything you have and go down the list and tell God you are surrendering each individual item to Him.
If our God is really the Lord and Master then He owns everything and we really don't have anything to worry about. Robert Browning said, "Tis looking down that makes me dizzy." We need to practice looking up into face of our powerful and loving Savior.
When we worry we doubt whether God is either good enough or great enough to take care of us.
"It is a joy to be a steward for the sovereign God of the universe, who has revealed Himself to be holy and righteous. We can rest in the assurance that He is trustworthy and able to provide for our every need." Kenneth S Hemphill
Psalm 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, The God who is our salvation. Selah. (NAS)
Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (NAS)
If God owns us and everything around us then we don't own anything. If your car breaks down it's really God's car not yours. It is God's responsibility to fix it or replace it if you really need it.
That is why Jesus said, Matthew 6:30--33 "But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' "For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. " But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (NAS)
B. We are free to live confidently
What we do for Christ will ALWAYS be worth it. 1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. (NAS)
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (NAS)
If we are slaves of the Almighty God of the universe then we know that discouraging circumstances are only temporary. We know how everything is going to turn out in the end. Jesus will be exalted on His throne, all of His enemies will be crushed, and His followers will enjoy His eternal, joyful presence.
The governments of the world may reject Christ and even persecute those who love Christ, but we know that everything is still in the firm grasp of Adonai. Psalm 2:1--4 Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, "Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!" He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. (NAS)
We also know the abundant blessings that God has for His own. James 5:11 We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. (NAS)
CONCLUSION: Is Jesus your Adonai, your Lord? Is He the One to whom you give your highest allegiance? Is He the One who directs your life?
If He is, then you will submit to Him like Isaiah did: Isaiah 6:1, 8 ... I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I. Send me!" (NAS)
Lip service to the Lordship of Christ is not enough. Matthew 7:21--23 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.' (NAS)
What are you holding onto and are unwilling to surrender to your Master? Your job? Your spouse? Your children? Your "pet" sin? Ask God to show you what His Lordship means to you personally. He will surely show you.
Psalm 16:2 I said to the LORD, [Yahweh] "You are my Lord; [Adonai] I have no good besides You."
