We are basing this series on Ephesians 4:3-6, where Paul mentions seven “cords” that bind us together.
We’ve considered how we are part of the body of Christ; and how we share common communion with the Holy Spirit and having a common confidence in the hope we have in Christ. Today, we will consider the fourth “cord” that “binds us together.” We, as believers have a common commitment to the Lordship of Christ. (READ TEXT)
Paul says there are two ways we submit to the Lordship of Jesus.
1. Jesus is Lord of our eternal destiny – v. 6a
Unless you have submitted to Jesus Christ as Lord of your eternal destiny, you are not saved. When we are born again, it is because we’ve accepted Christ as the ONLY way to the Father. We can’t be saved unless we receive Christ Jesus as Lord!
“When our Lord appeared in human form in history the angel announced His coming in the words, ‘For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord’ (Luke 2:11). He cannot be divided. The Savior and Lord are one.” - Ernest Reisinger
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” - Acts 2:21 (NIV)
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” - Acts 16:31 (NIV)
“We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” - Romans 5:1 (NIV)
“The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 6:23 (NIV)
"If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” - Romans 10:9 (NIV)
Peter referred to the decision to acknowledge Christ as my only Savior as “obeying the Gospel” (1 Peter 4:17) because in trusting in Christ alone to save me, I submit to Him as Lord of my eternal destiny.
“Our relation to Christ is based on His death and resurrection and this means His Lordship. Indeed the Lordship of Christ over the lives of His people was the very purpose for which He died and rose again. We have to acknowledge Christ as our Lord. Sin is rebellion, and it is only as we surrender to Him as Lord that we receive our pardon from Him as our Savior.” - William Thomas
Is Jesus Lord of your eternal destiny? Are you trusting Him alone for your eternal salvation? One thing believers have in common is we have been born again by trusting in Jesus as Lord of our eternal destiny.
2. Jesus is to be Lord of our daily life – vs. 6-7
A truck driver was hauling a load of 500 penguins to the zoo, when his truck broke down. He eventually waved down another truck and offered the driver $500 to take the penguins to the zoo. The next day the first truck driver got his truck fixed and drove into town and couldn’t believe his eyes! The second truck driver was crossing the road with the 500 penguins waddling single file behind him. He jumped out of his truck, ran over to the guy and said, “What’s going on? I gave you $500 to take these penguins to the zoo!” The man replied, “I did take them to the zoo. But I had enough money left over that I thought today I’d take them to the movies.” Needless to say, the second driver was confused as to what he was supposed to do.
Some Christians are a bit confused as well, when it comes to what they are to do now that they have been saved. Paul says that acknowledging Jesus as Lord is not only the key to determining my eternal destiny; but to determining the direction of my daily life.
“The Greek word, ‘kurios,’ can mean the teacher who has authority over disciples, the master who has command over servants, or the lord who has power over all. With Jesus, all three meanings apply.” - Joel Beeke (Seminary Professor)
Each of these meanings of “Lord” are mentioned by Paul as he speaks about how we should acknowledge Christ as Lord of our daily lives.
A. Christ is my Teacher, who has authority over me as His disciple therefore I am called to follow, being “rooted and built up in Him.”
Paul says that I must adopt the attitude, if my life is going to have a firm foundation and be structured in a way that is solid and worthwhile, Christ is the key to it all.
I need to really do believe John 15:5 to be completely true: “Apart from me you can do nothing.” - John 15:5 (NIV)
Therefore, I acknowledging His Lordship by seeking to follow Him, learn from Him, grow in Him, and become like Him.
“Then (Jesus) said to the crowd, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.’” - Luke 9:23 (NLT)
We’re to separate from the crowd by letting Jesus be Lord of our daily lives, “rooted and built up in Him,” following Him as His disciple.
B. Christ is my Master, who has command over me as His servant - therefore I am called to obey, being “strengthened in the faith.”
If Jesus is Lord of my daily life, I will follow Him as His disciple; and He will strengthen to obey Him in every area, every day of my life.
The church today has too many “CEOs” - Christmas & Easter Only Christians; and too many “Sunday only Christians.”
All the Rest by Emily Nelson
“I sure do love you, Jesus” - But only Sunday morning;
For the rest of the week, I’ve got sin to be exploring.
“I sure do love you, Jesus,” - But really, I do not;
For when the world does call me, I’ll forsake all You have taught.
“I sure do like you, Jesus”- Now maybe that’s more true;
For only in convenience, Do I ever follow You.
“There is not an inch of any sphere of life of which Jesus Christ the Lord does not say, ‘Mine.’” - Abraham Kuyper (Dutch Theologian)
Submitting to Christ as Lord of my daily life means that I will be constantly discovering how I might more fully and completely obey Him in every area of life, progressively surrendering every sphere of life to Him, every single day I live.
C. Christ is my God, who has power over all - therefore I am called to trust, “overflowing with thanksgiving.”
Submitting to Christ as Lord means that I trust that He knows what is best for me; and can be trusted with my life. My life is surrendered to Him. Which means that I will trust and thank Him in all circumstances, not just the good times.
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT)
“That which should distinguish the suffering of believers from unbelievers is the confidence that our suffering is under the control of an all-powerful and all-loving God; our suffering has meaning and purpose in God’s eternal plan, and He brings or allows to come into our lives only that which is for His glory and our good.” - Jerry Bridges
Conclusion: How is it that the Lordship of Christ a “cord” that can bind us together? First we are saved by acknowledging Christ as Lord of our eternal destiny. That common acknowledgement should bind us together. But it will also bind us together as we acknowledge Him as Lord of our daily lives. Now, fully submitting to the Lordship of Christ in every area of my daily life is a process, that we’re all growing in.
Some of you may remember comedian Yakov Smirnoff. He said when he first came to the United States from Russia; he wasn’t prepared for the variety of instant products in American grocery stores. He says, “On my first shopping trip, I saw powdered milk - you just add water, and you get milk. Then I saw powdered orange juice - you just add water, and you get orange juice. And then I saw baby powder, and I thought to my self, what a country!”
There’s no such thing as “instant” Christ-likeness. We are all involved in a process. As I like to say, “We haven’t achieved perfection, but we are seeking to head in the right direction.” And guess what? When we are all determined to head in the direction of seeking to let Christ be Lord, not only of our eternal destiny, but of our daily lives, we will have unity, because we will be headed in the same direction!
Blake Coffee, president of Christian Unity Ministries makes this very simple. He says that in our work with one another in the church, whatever the decisions or topic of discussion, there is always one question we should each seek the answer to, “What does God want?” Seeking the answer to this one question will always result in unity. Why? Because it is an acknowledgement of the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
And when we acknowledge Jesus as Lord, not just of our eternal destiny, but of our daily lives, we will all be moving in the same direction, the direction God wants us to go.
