A Proper Understanding of the Lordship of Jesus Christ
Psalm 33:8; 4:4
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
DATE: 27 Jan, 2008 AM
PLACE: Bible Baptist Church, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland
I. Introduction (Psalm 33:8; 4:4)
A. The Lordship of Jesus Christ… What does this mean?
B. We have heard Philippians 2:9-11, but how should we worship Him “AS LORD”?
C. I know Jesus as my Saviour, as God, as the answerer to my prayers
D. But how do I treat Him on a moment by moment basis?
E. Do I treat Him with awe? Trembling? Do I really consider His power and authority when I listen to his word the Bible?
F. Or do I just go through the motions?
G. Worship, without “Lordship,” is an empty exercise only of self!
II. Message
A. Modern Worship (2Timothy 3:1-5; 4:3)
1. What happened to Worship?
2. Is it only an emotional exercise now? Proven by the fact that when emotions are low, attendance is low. When the “atmosphere” is good, people are “good!” This age is cursed with emotional religion, and not personal relationship!
3. Our view, our attitude towards Jesus as LORD has a lot to do with why people don’t worship much today
4. The fact is… Our modern world knows little of the LORD Jesus Christ
a. They do not accept His authority over their lives and lifestyles. Jesus for the most part only sits in heaven, and only waits until someone goes THERE before He is actually active in their life!
b. Instead, Jesus is only tolerated – sought only when needed, and obeyed only when convenient
5. Modern Bibles have removed the Lordship title from Jesus in dozens of places (Matt. 28:6; Mark 9:24; Mark 11:10; Luke 7:31; Luke 9:57; Luke 13:25; Luke 17:6; Luke 22:31; Luke 23:42; Acts 7:30; Acts 9:5; Acts 9:6; Acts 22:16; Rom. 6:11; Rom. 4:6; Rom. 16:24; I Cor. 10:28; I Cor. 15:47; 2 Cor. 4:10; Gal. 6:17; Eph. 3:14; Col. :2; I Thess. 1:1; I Tim. 1:1; I Tim. 5:21; 2 Tim. 4:1; Titus 1:4; Heb. 10:30; 2 John 3)
a. Romans 16:24 – “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen” GONE!
b. Galatians 6:17 – “From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.”
c. Act 9:6 – “And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.”
6. This modern religious kind of thinking has affected our world AGAINST GOD! They have lost respect for God simply because Christians have no respect for God!
7. This world is simply REFLECTING Christianity’s view of God!!!!!
8. You see, Satan has employed every seductive and deceptive force at his command to cause GOD'S PEOPLE to bypass, or omit altogether, the lordship of Jesus. The reasons for this change are not difficult to understand.
a. First, most people want to preach a popular gospel to simply attract the world to God. They want people to desire to be saved without fleeing to Christ for it! They talk about the joy of belonging to Christ, while deliberately omitting the dark background of man's sinfulness. It isn't necessary to give up the pleasures of the world and sin – just believe in Jesus!
b. Second, many Christians fail to warn their audiences to count the cost of following Jesus (Luke 14 : 25-33).
c. Thirdly, most “churches” are worried about losing people, instead of winning our generation with a call to RIGHTEOUSNESS through repentance towards God, and Faith towards our Lord, our LORD, Jesus Christ!!!
9. Modern worship will NOT work! (use cross graphics)
10. I want to answer the following questions today:
a. What does the Lordship of Jesus mean?
b. How am I to worship Jesus as Lord?
B. The Pre-eminence of Jesus (Col 1:16-18)
1. What Lordship means
a. Jesus is the one who has all power, AND all authority over your life
b. He has authority to forgive a sinner, or to send them to hell – face it… He is the boss! He is God!
c. Jesus has a name that is to be honoured, revered, and protected from mockery
d. So, when we approach Him, we are to do it in fear and trembling – not running away in fear, but fearful of approaching him the wrong way (Psalm 2:11)
2. What Pre-eminence means: Jesus is first, AND the last. He is highest, above all others, without equal, and the ONLY best in your life. He is before anything else: before breakfast, before school, before bills, before pleasure, before worry! And He rules! Not your friends, mother, Dad, or your employer! Not your girlfriend or your buddies! Jesus is Lord!
3. These aren’t just “thoughts” but a REALITY! A missing reality today!
a. EXAMPLE: I climbed up a platform, and began to walk across a large park on a catwalk, about 50 feet in the air. It was cool until I looked down! All the while, I knew I was walking high up, but then it became reality, and I found it VERY difficult to continue walking!
b. When an eternal reality sinks in, the way we live changes!
4. Jesus is King of all kings and LORD of all lords! Those are more than just words!
a. He is the Lord Jehovah God, come down in the flesh (John 1:14)
b. Elizabeth called Him Lord (Luke 1:43)
c. He is Lord from birth – arch angels called Jesus Lord (Luke 2:11)
d. John the Baptist called Him Lord (Luke 3:4)
e. King David called Him Lord (Luke 20:42-44)
f. Even Thomas came around and called Jesus his Lord and his God (John 20:28)
C. A Parable (Luke 20:9-19)
1. The Lord’s Vineyard (Luke 20:9)
a. This world – specifically it applied to the Jewish nation that GOD Himself had planted as a nation in the Promised Land
b. Principle is – this world is HIS, not ours! We forget that this is not our planet!
2. The Men in Charge (Luke 20:9)
a. God put people in charge
1) Adam and Eve were the first care-takers
2) Politicians came along
3) Religious Leaders took charge – the Pharisees, scribes, priests
4) Parents are put in charge of God’s vineyard – their own family
b. These are people that God expects to work for Him – not for themselves only
3. The Rejection of Authority ( (Luke 20:10-12)
a. God sent prophets to draw men back to God
b. Time after time, they were rejected
c. Matthew 23:33-38
d. It is in us today – from adults, all the way down to 2 year olds!
4. The Last Resort – Send His Son (Luke 20:13)
a. This is the key part of the whole parable
b. God did not give up on us – even though He could’ve
c. He sent His very best! He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus
d. He expected mankind to honour and reverence His Son
e. To worship Him, as Lord
f. To lift Him high, and make Him pre-eminent over all
5. The Lowest Contempt (Luke 20:14,15a)
a. Should have reverenced God’s Son
b. Yet they killed Him – took God’s only Son, and murdered Him
c. Listen to their only thought: “that we might have this vineyard”
d. All they thought about were possessions, and keeping God out of their lives!
6. The Lord’s Revenge (Luke 20:15b,16)
a. Do you think God doesn’t care – that God doesn’t think anything about how people treat His Son?
b. Notice the strong words: “He shall come and destroy these husbandmen!”
7. The Vital Lesson (Luke 20:17-19)
a. Be very afraid of how you have treated God’s Son – think of this past week: flippant with His name, cruel towards His people; neglecting of His word; resistant towards His Holy Spirit
b. He truly was rejected 2,000 years ago, but He will one day soon, rule and reign over all this world.
c. Our only hope is to humble ourselves – fall on that Rock! Willingly KNEEL, before we are crushed by His authority!
d. I did 27 years ago!
D. How to Worship Jesus as Lord
1. Not foolishly, or flippantly (Luke 6:46 “Why call ye me Lord, lord, and do not the things which I say?”)
2. No Negotiating (Luke 9:57-62)
3. Only absolute surrender (Psalm 89:7)
a. Like the blind did (Luke 18:35-41)
b. Like lepers did (Luke 5:12)
c. Like Peter did (Matthew 14:30)
d. Like the dying thief did (Luke 23:42,43)
4. Worship Especially on His day (Luke 6:5; Rev 1:10)
5. Worship Jesus as Lord, before it is too late (Luke 13:25). Loads of people will cry out “Lord, Lord” but it will be too late when all their life they have like Pharaoh said in Exod 5:2 “And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.”
III. Conclusion
A. Don’t forget what Pharaoh finally learned…. That Jehovah reigns! Pharaoh was crushed under the mighty hand of God, when he could have just fallen, and been broken, and made a better man!
B. How is YOUR attitude towards the very Name of Jesus?
1. Does it still love and appreciation in your heart for His mercy and His grace?
2. Do you fear disappointing Him?
3. Does he have control of your will, and your wants?
4. What if He did? I guarantee you, that your life will only then be better!
C. Our prayer time will never improve until “Lord” is back in our vocabulary, and the reason why we trust completely in Him!
D. Romans 10:9,10,13