Lordship Series

“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” ACTS 2:36

Lordship is one of the central messages of the Bible. Jesus is referred to as “Lord” 622 times in the whole New Testament while being referred to as “Savior” only 24 times in the New Testament.

The biblical emphasis is overwhelmingly on the concept of Lordship. Lord means master, the one who calls the shots, the one who makes the decisions.

WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO MAKE JESUS YOUR LORD?

1. Because the starting point of salvation is the acknowledgment of the Lordship of Christ. Confessing Jesus is Lord implies a submission to his Lordship in every area of life.

2. If Jesus is not Lord of all, he is not Lord at all. We do not have the option of receiving him as Savior only and not as Lord. Salvation is an all-or-nothing proposal, which means “no LORDSHIP, no SALVATION.

ILLUSTRATION: 

If your city is conquered by another king, the only chance for you to be spared is to acknowledge the invading king as your new master and submit to his lordship in every area of your life.

HOW TO MAKE JESUS CHRIST YOUR LORD?

A - ADMIT you are a sinner. (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, I John 1:9)

B - BELIEVE Jesus died and rose again to pay for your sins. (John 3:16, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

C - CONFESS Jesus is Lord of your life and follow Him. (Rom. 10:9-10)

Discussion:

1. Is it possible to pick Jesus as your savior only and not Lord?

2. Can you explain Romans 10:13? is this passage contradicting Lordship as the starting point of salvation? why?

3. How do you practically apply Christ’s Lordship in your life?

HOW TO KNOW IF JESUS IS ALREADY THE NEW MASTER OF YOUR LIFE?

1. When you start obeying Him.

   • Anyone who claims Christ as their Lord is expected to do what he says.

   • Intellectual faith and empty confession are not enough.

   • If we say Christ is our Lord, our lifestyle should back up our claim.
     
     

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” - LUKE 6:46

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” -MATTHEW 7:21

2. When you start serving Him - Matthew 6:24

3. When you start prioritizing Him - Matthew 6:33

Discussion:

1. Which of his commands are you having difficulty obeying?

2. In what way are you going to serve Him as the Lord?

3. Is He the Lord of your time? How will you make Him a priority?

Submitting to Christ as Lord is not about following a set of religious rules and traditions. Rather, Lordship is a matter of the heart. Lordship begins as an internal submission of the heart. If it is genuine, it will eventually manifest itself in outward obedience.

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.” 1 PETER 3:15

However, Disobedience has consequences: 

I. It Hurts you than it hurts God -

• • Adam & Eve - Genesis 3 - Spiritual Death, Banished from the Garden of Eden, Eve would experience painful childbirth.

  • King Saul - Because he disobeyed, he no longer had the Lord’s protection and Philistine arrows found him. Fearing what would happen when the enemy saw him wounded on the battlefield, Saul asked his armor-bearer to kill him. When the armor-bearer declined out of fear, Saul killed himself. - 1 Samuel 31

  • Ananias & Sapphira’s Deceit results in an instant death - Acts 5:1-2

II. Will Not Only Affect You But Others As Well.

• • Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people because all sinned—

  • Numbers 14:33 our children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness.

  • Jonah 1:5 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.

  • 1 Samuel 31 King Saul was demoted, many fell dead, all the Israelites were forced to flee, and Saul’s army along with his sons were killed.

  • When we decide to disobey Christ it will affect our family, our friends, and ultimately the people we are to share the Gospel with.

III. It separates us from God

• • God being totally Holy, sinless, pure, awesome, and sovereign cannot be associated with sin and disobedience which leads to death (Romans 6:23)

  • Isaiah 59:2 - But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you so that he will not hear.

IV. It hinders God’s Blessings

• • Deuteronomy 28:15 However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you:

  • Isaiah 1:19-20 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

  • Hebrews 3:18 ESV 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient?

WHAT MUST WE DO IF WE EVER DISOBEYED HIM?

1. Remember that God’s Love Is Infinitely Greater Than Our Disobedience.

   • (John 3:16, Romans 5:8, 1 John 3:1, Jeremiah 31:3, John 15:13)

2. Genuine Repentance: The good news is that God certainly admires when a sinner is honest with himself by willing to acknowledge his sinfulness by confessing his sins to Him. Nothing pleases and glorifies God more than when a sinner comes to Him with a broken and contrite heart concerning his sinfulness.

   • 1 John 1:9 ESV - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

   • Isaiah 1:18 ESV - “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

Discussion:

1. Recall a time when you were disobedient. What were the consequences? What did you learn?

2. Why do you think the consequences of Saul’s disobedience were so severe?

3. What is one step you can take to be obedient to what God is calling you to do today?

A lifestyle of Acknowledging

We begin our Christian life by acknowledging that Jesus is Lord. We must continue to walk under His Lordship for the rest of our lives.

A lifestyle of Submission

Lordship is not having a one-time experience with God but developing a lifetime walk with God. The more we know him, the more we submit to him.

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him.” COLOSSIANS 2:6

A lifestyle of Surrender

We are not our own. We were bought at a price. We belong to Jesus. We are His purchased possession. When a person yields to the lordship of Jesus Christ, he or she acknowledges His ownership and gives up his or her personal rights daily.

A lifestyle of Obedience

Yielding to the lordship of Jesus Christ also involves total and unreserved obedience. If He is the Lord of your life, you are going to do what He tells you to do.

Personal Application

1. Are there areas in your life that you have not yet submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ?

2. Are your relationships under His Lordship? how?

3. Are your finances under His Lordship? how?

4. Are your decisions under His Lordship? how?