• PASSION: And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."

    Matthew 22 v 37
    [ESV]
  • PURITY: If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.

    2 Timothy 2 v 21
    [NLT]
  • POWER: The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

    2 Corinthians 10 v 4
    [NIV]
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Jesus As Lord

by: Matt Hails on: Sunday, 5th February 2012
Scripture: 1 John 4:15; 2:3-6; 5:3-4
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Application questions

  1. What does the phrase “Jesus is Lord” make you think? Does it have positive or negative connotations for you?

  2. Read Colossians 1:18; Matthew 28:18; 1 Peter 3:21-22; Revelation 17:14; 19:16; Philippians 2:9-11. What do these verses tell you about Jesus authority and position?

  3. Have you ever been in a position where it was difficult, awkward or inconvenient to say that you are a Christian, that you follow Jesus? What happened and how did you feel?

  4. Read 1 John 4:15; Matthew 10:32-33; 1 John 2:23. What do these verses say about us publicly acknowledging that we follow Jesus?

  5. 1 John 2:3-6; 5:3. How important is it to obey Jesus' teaching? Can you accept Jesus as Saviour but not as Lord? What sort of things have you struggled with in terms of obedience to Jesus' teaching?

  6. 1 John 5:3-4; Matthew 11:28-30. What do you think these verses mean? How is it an “easy yoke” or “light burden” to follow Jesus?

Jesus is Lord

 

Jesus is Lord of:

  • The church. Colossians 1:18.

  • Everything. Matthew 28:18.

  • Jesus' Lordship will be fully revealed at his coming. Revelation 19:16; 17:14.

There is no doubt in the Bible – Jesus is Lord. But ... is he your Lord? Philippians 2:9-11. One day everyone will acknowledge his authority, his kingship, his Lordship, but by then it will be too late.

Allegiance

1 John 1:1-3. Note the repetition of “we proclaim” (in NIV, at least). Christianity is based on reliable, 1st-hand evidence of historical events, backed up by personal experience throughout history. To be a Christian is personal, yet more than personal. It's not a private matter – it must affect your whole life. It's a personal commitment to Jesus, lived out as a community of believers, and in society as a whole. We are not all called to be evangelists, yet we are all called to live out faith so others can see.

Becoming a Christian involves publicly acknowledging your allegiance to Jesus. Romans 10:9. Public loyalty to Jesus may be difficult on occasion, but nothing like it is for those in some parts of the world (death penalty in some countries). Yet don't underestimate its significance – we need to take every opportunity.

And look at the reward – it's all in our favour: 1 John 4:15; Matthew 10:32-33.

Don't be vague – it's the name of Jesus that is both powerful and controversial. Many people can say they believe in God, but few will publicly say they serve Jesus. 1 John 2:23.

Have you declared your allegiance to Jesus?

Obedience

1 John 2:3-6; 5:3.

Putting your trust in Jesus means accepting him as Saviour (to save) and Lord (to obey). It involves faith (trust that he'll save) and repentance (turning to God and away from sin). You must chose to change your life in obedience to Jesus.

Have you chosen to obey Jesus?

1 John 5:3-4; Matthew 11:28-30. It might be a difficult decision + costly to change our behaviour in line with what pleases God, but it will not be a continual heavy burden in our hearts. Knowing Jesus leads to loving Jesus, which leads to obeying his teaching: know, love, obey – get the order right!

It may be struggle at times to do what is right, but the Holy Spirit shows us what is right, and responding gives a clear conscience and peace with God.

Contrast with the trap some Pharisees fell into (Matthew 23:4) – requiring strict adherence to their own regulations, yet losing sight of God's heart of love and mercy. There's no need for you to memorise hundreds of rules, worrying that you've inadvertently broken one; conversely you can't simply obey a set of rules and yet look for loopholes to enable you to technically obey while getting your own way. Let's be careful we don't get legalistic, especially in terms of what we say to others.

Summary of God's commands: 1 John 3:23; Matthew 22:36-40. Simple, just not easy! Obedience to Jesus is actually a higher standard than obeying a set of rules. We can't say: done church, done prayer, I'm ok. God wants your heart – all of it. “If he's not Lord of all, he's not Lord at all”.

1 John 3:21-22. Obedience that comes from faith and love is not a continual heavy burden in the long term.



Application questions

  1. What does the phrase “Jesus is Lord” make you think? Does it have positive or negative connotations for you?

  2. Read Colossians 1:18; Matthew 28:18; 1 Peter 3:21b-22; Revelation 17:14; 19:16; Philippians 2:9-11. What do these verses tell you about Jesus authority and position?

  3. Have you ever been in a position where it was difficult, awkward or inconvenient to say that you are a Christian, that you follow Jesus? What happened and how did you feel?

  4. Read 1 John 4:15; Matthew 10:32-33; 1 John 2:23. What do these verses say about us publicly acknowledging that we follow Jesus?

  5. 1 John 2:3-6; 5:3. How important is it to obey Jesus' teaching? Can you accept Jesus as Saviour but not as Lord? What sort of things have you struggled with in terms of obedience to Jesus' teaching?

  6. 1 John 5:3-4; Matthew 11:28-30. What do you think these verses mean? How is it an “easy yoke” or “light burden” to follow Jesus?

Jesus is Lord

Jesus is Lord of:

  • The church. Colossians 1:18.

  • Everything. Matthew 28:18.

  • Jesus' Lordship will be fully revealed at his coming. Revelation 19:16; 17:14.

There is no doubt in the Bible – Jesus is Lord. But ... is he your Lord? Philippians 2:9-11. One day everyone will acknowledge his authority, his kingship, his Lordship, but by then it will be too late.

Allegiance

1 John 1:1-3. Note the repetition of “we proclaim” (in NIV, at least). Christianity is based on reliable, 1st-hand evidence of historical events, backed up by personal experience throughout history. To be a Christian is personal, yet more than personal. It's not a private matter – it must affect your whole life. It's a personal commitment to Jesus, lived out as a community of believers, and in society as a whole. We are not all called to be evangelists, yet we are all called to live out faith so others can see.

Becoming a Christian involves publicly acknowledging your allegiance to Jesus. Romans 10:9. Public loyalty to Jesus may be difficult on occasion, but nothing like it is for those in some parts of the world (death penalty in some countries). Yet don't underestimate its significance – we need to take every opportunity.

And look at the reward – it's all in our favour: 1 John 4:15; Matthew 10:32-33.

Don't be vague – it's the name of Jesus that is both powerful and controversial. Many people can say they believe in God, but few will publicly say they serve Jesus. 1 John 2:23.

Have you declared your allegiance to Jesus?

Obedience

1 John 2:3-6; 5:3.

Putting your trust in Jesus means accepting him as Saviour (to save) and Lord (to obey). It involves faith (trust that he'll save) and repentance (turning to God and away from sin). You must chose to change your life in obedience to Jesus.

Have you chosen to obey Jesus?

1 John 5:3-4; Matthew 11:28-30. It might be a difficult decision + costly to change our behaviour in line with what pleases God, but it will not be a continual heavy burden in our hearts. Knowing Jesus leads to loving Jesus, which leads to obeying his teaching: know, love, obey – get the order right!

It may be struggle at times to do what is right, but the Holy Spirit shows us what is right, and responding gives a clear conscience and peace with God.

Contrast with the trap some Pharisees fell into (Matthew 23:4) – requiring strict adherence to their own regulations, yet losing sight of God's heart of love and mercy. There's no need for you to memorise hundreds of rules, worrying that you've inadvertently broken one; conversely you can't simply obey a set of rules and yet look for loopholes to enable you to technically obey while getting your own way. Let's be careful we don't get legalistic, especially in terms of what we say to others.

Summary of God's commands: 1 John 3:23; Matthew 22:36-40. Simple, just not easy! Obedience to Jesus is actually a higher standard than obeying a set of rules. We can't say: done church, done prayer, I'm ok. God wants your heart – all of it. “If he's not Lord of all, he's not Lord at all”.

1 John 3:21-22. Obedience that comes from faith and love is not a continual heavy burden in the long term.



  

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