LORDSHIP – SALUTE OR DILUTE
JESUS IS LORD BASED ON WHAT HE ASKED
MATTHEW 28:18-20 (NIV) THEN JESUS CAME TO THEM AND SAID, "ALL AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME.
19 THEREFORE GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, 20 AND TEACHING THEM TO OBEY EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU. AND SURELY I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE VERY END OF THE AGE."
INTRODUCTION: AS WE CONTINUE IN OUR SERIES ON LORDSHIP, WE CANNOT AVOID THE PRESENCE OF LORDSHIP IN THE GREAT COMMISSION, SO, IF JESUS IS LORD, AND WE SEEK TO EMBRACE HIM AS LORD, WE ARE CONFRONTED WITH WHAT HE TELLS US – LORDSHIP THROUGH COMMUNICATION.
KEY POINT: JESUS CANNOT BE LORD IF THE GREAT COMMISSION IS AVOIDED.
1 PETER 3:15 (NIV) BUT IN YOUR HEARTS SET APART CHRIST AS LORD. ALWAYS BE PREPARED TO GIVE AN ANSWER TO EVERYONE WHO ASKS YOU TO GIVE THE REASON FOR THE HOPE THAT YOU HAVE. BUT DO THIS WITH GENTLENESS AND RESPECT,
TRANSITION: WHAT IT WOULD LIKE US TO SEE IS THAT THE GREAT COMMISSION IS MORE THAN WE THINK IT IS. AN IT IS ALL SUMMED UP IN THE “ALL”S
I. CHRIST IS LORD BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN GIVEN TO HIM
a. THIS IS A RADICAL CHANGE
i. CHRIST HAD A PRE-RESURRECTION MINISTRY
ii. CHRIST HAS A POST RESURRECTION MINISTRY
iii. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE AND THE DIFFERENCE IS AUTHORITY
b. PRE-RESURRECTION MINISTRY
i. CHRIST WAS FASHIONED AS A MAN AND HUMBLED HIMSELF – PHILIPPIANS 2:8 (NIV)
8 AND BEING FOUND IN APPEARANCE AS A MAN, HE HUMBLED HIMSELF AND BECAME OBEDIENT TO DEATH-- EVEN DEATH ON A CROSS!
ii. CHRIST DID NOTHING OF HIMSELF
1. JOHN 5:19 JESUS GAVE THEM THIS ANSWER: "I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, THE SON CAN DO NOTHING BY HIMSELF; HE CAN DO ONLY WHAT HE SEES HIS FATHER DOING, BECAUSE WHATEVER THE FATHER DOES THE SON ALSO DOES.
2. JOHN 8:28 SO JESUS SAID, "WHEN YOU HAVE LIFTED UP THE SON OF MAN, THEN YOU WILL KNOW THAT I AM [THE ONE I CLAIM TO BE] AND THAT I DO NOTHING ON MY OWN BUT SPEAK JUST WHAT THE FATHER HAS TAUGHT ME.
3. JOHN 12:49 FOR I DID NOT SPEAK OF MY OWN ACCORD, BUT THE FATHER WHO SENT ME COMMANDED ME WHAT TO SAY AND HOW TO SAY IT.
4. AND HE WAS STILL GOD -- JOHN 8:58 "I TELL YOU THE TRUTH," JESUS ANSWERED, "BEFORE ABRAHAM WAS BORN, I AM!"
iii. POST-RESURRECTION MINISTRY
1. MATTHEW 28:18 THEN JESUS CAME TO THEM AND SAID, "ALL AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME.
2. ACTS 2:32-33 GOD HAS RAISED THIS JESUS TO LIFE, AND WE ARE ALL WITNESSES OF THE FACT.
33 EXALTED TO THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, HE HAS RECEIVED FROM THE FATHER THE PROMISED HOLY SPIRIT AND HAS POURED OUT WHAT YOU NOW SEE AND HEAR.
3. ROMANS 8:34 WHO IS HE THAT CONDEMNS? CHRIST JESUS, WHO DIED--MORE THAN THAT, WHO WAS RAISED TO LIFE--IS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD AND IS ALSO INTERCEDING FOR US.
iv. RE-ESTABLISHED AUTHORITY
1. THE AUTHORITY OF CHRIST EXTENDS TO EACH AND EVERY AREA OF CREATION
2. THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST GIVES HIM THE RIGHT TO CONTROL AND COMMAND
3. WHEN WE ACCEPT JESUS AS LORD WE MUST ALSO ACCEPT HIS AUTHORITY OVER OUR LIVES AND ACTIONS
a. OBEDIENCE BRINGS BLESSING
b. LESS THAN OBEDIENCE BRINGS CORRECTION, BASED ON LOVE
II. THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST EXTENDS BEYOND THINGS – ALL NATIONS
a. THE WORD NATIONS REALLY MEANS PEOPLE
b. THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST EXTENDS TO PEOPLE AS WELL. WE ALLUDED TO THAT A MOMENT AGO
c. CHRIST IS LORD OF ALL PEOPLE
i. LORD BY BELIEF – WE HAVE TRUSTED CHRIST AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR
ii. LORD BY DECREE – EVERY KNEE WILL BOW AND EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS THAT JESUS IS LORD TO THE GLORY OF GOD.
iii. ONE IS THE PRELUDE TO ETERNITY IN HEAVEN
iv. ONE IS THE PRELUDE TO ETERNITY APART FROM GOD – HELL!
v. WHAT WE DO WITH THE OFFER OF SALVATION DETERMINES WHAT WE DO WITH LORDSHIP
vi. THE GREAT COMMISSION IS COMMUNICATING THE CHOICE TO ALL PEOPLE
III. THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST REQUIRES OBEDIENCE IN ALL THINGS – EVERYTHING
a. LORDSHIP THAT EXTENDS TO ALL THINGS MEANS IT IS APPLICABLE IN OUR PERSONAL GROWTH.
b. WE ARE COMMAND TO DISCIPLE OTHERS IN ALL THINGS
c. IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE MUST FIRST BE TAUGHT OR EMBRACE THE THINGS WE ARE ASKED TO TEACH
d. AREAS OF INSTRUCTION – NOT EXHAUSTIVE
i. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
ii. CHILD REARING
iii. RESPONSIBILITY BETWEEN THE RICH AND THE POOR
iv. EMPLOYMENT ISSUES
1. BOSS/EMPLOYEE ISSUES
2. FAIR WAGES
3. FEE MARKET
4. PROPERTY RIGHT
5. PRIVACY ISSUES
6. DANGERS OF DEBT
7. RESPONSIBILITIES OF INHERITANCE
e. THE BIBLE IS BOTH DOCTRINAL AND PRACTICAL
i. 2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17 ALL SCRIPTURE IS GOD-BREATHED AND IS USEFUL FOR TEACHING, REBUKING, CORRECTING AND TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, 17 SO THAT THE MAN OF GOD MAY BE THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK.
f. AN ESSENTIAL PART OF LORDSHIP IS NOT JUST HOW WE BELIEVE, BUT WHAT WE DO.
IV. THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST APPLIES TO EACH AND EVERY DAY – ALWAYS/ALL THE DAYS
a. THIS SIMPLE PHRASE INTENSIFIES THE SCOPE OF THE GREAT COMMISSION
b. GREAT COMMISSION LORDSHIP IS LONG HAUL LORDSHIP
c. WE DO NOT HAVE THE OPTION TO LAY ASIDE OUR RESPONSIBILITY IN GC LORDSHIP
d. NO RETIREMENT, AND NO LIGHT DUTY
e. WE ARE TO SERVE WITH FERVENCY AS THOUGH JESUS WERE RETURNING RIGHT NOW
f. WE ARE TO MAKE SURE, AS PAUL SAID – THE WE FINISH THE RACE, NOT STOP TOO SOON
AS WE CLOSE, LORDSHIP IS NOT JUST ABOUT WHO CHRIST IS IN OUR LIVES. IT IS ALSO ABOUT WHAT WE DO WITH WHO HE IS. ARE WE “ALL” IN OR NOT?
