Jesus is the Lord

[0:00] 1 Corinthians 12 verse 3! Wherefore I give you to understand that no man, speaking by the Spirit of God, calleth Jesus accursed,! and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

[0:32] No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Today is the Lord's day. The Lord's day. The day that we gather to worship our Lord and our King, the Lord Jesus Christ.

[0:47] And think of who He is today. That's what I want us to dwell upon together. No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

[1:02] I know years back I was working with some folk and we were doing some open air preaching and we wanted to have a banner. And I went down to the sign writer and ordered one. And just before we got it printed, we were going to say Jesus is Lord.

[1:17] And just before we got it printed, an old fellow, an old time preacher said to me, make it say Jesus Christ is the Lord. The Lord. That's what it says here, isn't it?

[1:28] It's interesting, isn't it? It's not just Jesus is Lord. It's Jesus is the Lord. The Lord. And we want to honour Him as the Lord. The Lord.

[1:39] Lord means supreme in authority. Master. Ruler. Owner. Lord means one who has dominion. Over others as His subjects.

[1:52] One to whom service is due. An obedience. A master. A chief. A prince. A sovereign. The Lord.

[2:07] I was stirred to choose this topic when I read this quote. If Jesus is not your Lord, then Satan is by default.

[2:19] Think of that. If Jesus is not your Lord, then Satan is your Lord. There is one Lord, we read in the Word of God.

[2:30] One Lord. One true Lord. One only. Deserving of lordship. Of service. Of subjection. And Lord. It occurs 670 times in your New Testament.

[2:43] Mostly of the Lord Jesus Christ. And one day everyone, every single one of us, will acknowledge Him as Lord.

[2:54] As we read in Philippians 2 verse 11. It says Philippians 2 verse 11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

[3:08] One day every knee, every tongue, will acknowledge to His name, Jesus Christ is Lord. And to proclaim that Jesus Christ is the Lord is to proclaim that He has authority.

[3:23] That He asserts that authority over man, over nature, over kingdoms and constellations.

[3:34] That all yield to His majesty, to His mastery. Ultimately, all will. And when we confess that Jesus is Lord, it comes with the understanding that He not only exercised power 2,000 years ago, but that He exercises power today.

[3:54] Not just back in the distant past, when He existed before all things, and He governs all things today by the word of His power. And He will continue to master things beyond into eternity ahead.

[4:08] And to declare that Jesus is Lord, insist that He's not subject to anything else. He is sovereign. He is absolute. He is omnipotent.

[4:20] He doesn't have to bow to any other authority. Jesus Christ is the Lord. We read of His name, the Lord Jesus Christ.

[4:31] Lord Jesus Christ. It's used 72 times. As Lord, He was the supreme ruler that conquered everything that confronted Him, whether it was disease or death or nature.

[4:48] Lord Jesus. Jesus means Jehovah is salvation. He surrendered Himself for our sins on the cross. And He was resurrected, raised up in power.

[5:01] Jesus and Christ. Christ. In Christ, we see that He fulfilled every Old Testament prophecy of the Messiah's coming.

[5:12] Lord Jesus Christ. There's no sweeter name than that name. The sweetest name. None other name.

[5:27] Under heaven. Given among men. Whereby. We must be saved. There's no other name. No other religious figure through history, past or present or future.

[5:38] Than that name. That name alone. That can save a soul. We read in Romans 10, verse 8. Of that name. Of that one.

[5:51] Romans 10, from verse 8. He's one that we can come to know personally. Personally. This is not some Lord that's out of our dimension. He's very present.

[6:03] He's very much with us. He's very much real. And tangible. And evident. Romans 10, verses 8 through 13. It says. But what saith it?

[6:15] The word is neither even in thy mouth and in thy heart. That is the word of faith which we preach. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus.

[6:27] And shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead. Thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness. And with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

[6:40] For the scriptures sayeth. Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek. For the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

[6:57] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. That's a wonderful truth there, isn't that? For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

[7:11] We believe in our heart. We confess with our mouth. Jesus is Lord. Jesus is the Lord. Jesus is my Lord. Is he Lord?

[7:26] Or is he not? Is he Lord over your life? How is your spiritual life?

[7:37] We all need to take a check up really, don't we? Is he in charge or not? It's a question every one of us needs to grapple with.

[7:53] I read another little quote. Maintenance is always cheaper than repair. Now think of it with your car, whatever it might be.

[8:04] Maintenance is always cheaper than repair. How is your spiritual life? How is your relationship with the Lord? Is it being maintained? Is it in good repair?

[8:17] Or will you wait until you crash and burn and then you try to seek his face? Maintain that relationship with your Lord. Walk day by day with your Lord.

[8:29] Day by day by day. Maintain it. Maintenance is always cheaper than repair. Consider the awesome truth of the Lordship of Jesus.

[8:41] The Lordship of this one in whom there's sovereignty in his name. The King of kings and the Lord of lords. As is prayed earlier.

[8:53] If you are not obeying him, then he is not your Lord. That's confronting, isn't it? That statement.

[9:04] If you are not obeying him, then he is not your Lord. Our Lord says in Luke 6, 46, And why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

[9:23] Lord, Lord! But ye do not the things which I say. Lip service. We all can be guilty of that. John 13.

[9:33] We read further of our Lord's beckoning to his people. The context is of the closing chapter of his life as Calvary.

[9:44] It was just hours away. John 13. From verse 13. Our Lord was serving.

[9:55] Clothed with a towel. John 13, 13. He says to his people, his disciples, Ye call me Master and Lord, and ye say, Well, for so I am.

[10:11] If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet, for I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you.

[10:23] Ye call me Master and Lord, follow my example, he says. If I am your Lord and Master, wash one another's feet, love one another, be Christ to them.

[10:39] When he is Lord, it will affect our actions. We'll see it in action. That Lordship, that you profess, that you call him Lord, and Master, it won't be just words, it will be seen, evident, in actions, that he'll rule in your heart.

[10:58] Will we be that God-fearing people? I want to urge all here present, will we be a God-fearing people, who will live in that constant, and conscious presence of the Lord?

[11:10] That it's not just, we don't just come and visit the Lord, when we come in some building, and I know a brother exhorted lately, there's nothing sacred about this building in particular.

[11:22] It's just a place that we meet. It's that sacred temple that you are, as vessels, as residences, for the Spirit of God to dwell.

[11:33] Is it real? That he will be sanctified in you? That he will be evident in your life? Is he ruling in your heart?

[11:46] Do we have his constant and conscious presence through the week? Or does it just something, we just get warm and fuzzy on a weekend, on a Sunday, maybe between a certain amount of time, from low to go of the service, and then it's, we'll wait till next time.

[12:04] Or will we be that God-fearing people? I trust we can be. I trust we will prayerfully seek to be that God-fearing people, men and women, who fear God, 24-7 by 365, who will want to be a God-glorifying people in all that we do.

[12:24] For the question is, for all, is he Lord? Is he Lord? And is it the biblical Jesus that we submit to?

[12:35] For we read in 2 Corinthians 11, there's other Jesuses, and there's other Jesuses all at work today. There's other Jesuses people bow down and honour. Other Jesuses, other Gospels, other spirits.

[12:50] 2 Corinthians 11, 4, in part it says of some, that they come and preach another Jesus whom we have not preached. you receive another spirit which you have not received, or another Gospel which you have not accepted.

[13:04] Friends, we've got to be careful and cautious. There's other Jesuses about. you know, I came to church quite early this morning. It was quite early.

[13:17] But on the way to church, I passed another gathering place of people. The Kingdom Hall. And they must have been there from 7.30. There was a number of them there.

[13:29] There must have been 20 cars. And I saw on a, I think on a Saturday of late too. They had a packed car park. It wasn't just a, a Sunday morning crowd.

[13:44] But sadly, it's another Jesus. It's another Jesus. It's not the Jesus that we know. It's not the Jesus of the Bible. Friends, it must be the Lord Jesus.

[13:56] The one we revere and honour as Master, as Lord. The biblical message, the biblical saviour. Where it's repentance as the central message. Like it's been said, we don't change the message.

[14:10] The message changes us. That must be the truth that we submit to. Because when it boils down to it, we can't do much of our own doing.

[14:21] I know I was interested to read in Matthew 5, verse 36. Now some of you ladies try really hard on this one. I know I was talking with some ladies lately and they go and see their hairdresser, I don't know, is it every three or four weeks and they get their hair done.

[14:39] They get the dye put in. They get the colouring put in. But Matthew 5, 36, it says, neither shall they swear by their hair because they can't not make one hair white or black.

[14:51] I was looking on an old photo of myself and I had pretty black, kind of dark brown hair once. You wouldn't believe it, but we lack power over even these simple things of life, don't we?

[15:04] One day, the hair will get nice and brilliant white, now glowing, like you've come down from the mountain, like Brother Jim. You come with that hoary hair, that glowing hair.

[15:15] But Dad's hair would look like that if he didn't have such a severe haircut. But you have that, the white hair, it's going to happen. It's going to happen likely to most of us here, one day or the other.

[15:28] And we don't have much power even over these simple things, do we? We can't add one cubit to our stature. We're really ultimately at His mercy, aren't we?

[15:39] We're ultimately subject to His Lordship over even the practical things of our lives. And if He is Lord, then you will trust Him.

[15:50] If He is Lord, truly Lord, you will trust Him. Trust Him by the, day by day by day, even the practical things of life, when things seem pretty hard going. Trust Him, trust Him.

[16:02] If He is your Lord, then you will trust Him. Someone illustrated it like this, it's as if you're going down a narrow road and you're stuck behind a slow coach.

[16:13] You're stuck behind a slow driver and it's frustrating as you're there trying to get around and before you know it, there's another curve or another hill and you just can't get around this fellow.

[16:28] There's an oncoming car or there's some danger, you just can't see far enough ahead and you're stuck behind and creeping along for miles. But imagine if your best friend was in a helicopter hovering above.

[16:42] The best friend that you had trust in was hovering above you in that helicopter and he radioed to you and said, I can see the road ahead for miles. There's no crossroads, there's no oncoming traffic, it's perfectly safe for you to cross, move into the right lane and pass now.

[17:00] Would you have the confidence to do it? Would you drive by faith in your best friend above? Or would you continue driving and saying, sorry, I'll only pass when I can see for myself.

[17:16] In life it's like that with faith, isn't it? With the Lord, with God, our best friend, our guide. He sees things from above, from a heavenly perspective.

[17:28] When it seems like it's too scary or things are just beyond our capacity, we just can't grasp that God is telling us to do something that he knows the end from the beginning.

[17:43] He hovers over us, he watches over us and we can trust his guidance, we can trust his lordship completely. If he is your lord, then you will trust him, trust him, trust him.

[17:55] And we can utterly trust him, we can trust his lordship, we can trust his ownership, we can trust his rule over us. There's another little saying, if God is your co-pilot, swap seats.

[18:11] Now some live the Christian life and God's the co-pilot. They're the one behind the steering wheel. They're the one flying the plane or driving the vehicle down the road and God's kind of a buddy that kind of comes alongside and you know, he kind of might give us a few little hints as to where to go and what to do.

[18:29] But he's the co-pilot. But really, as a Christian, God is not your co-pilot. He is the pilot. He is the pilot. And it's to him we must trust and it's in his lordship that we must yield and let go and surrender.

[18:46] As Paul cried out, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? In Acts 9, verse 4. Lord, what will you have me to do? That's the prayer of the one surrendering to his lordship.

[19:03] That you'll give him your all. That you'll surrender to the Lord of the universe. And not only is he the Lord of the universe, but as a Christian, he is your Lord.

[19:14] He is your Lord and your Master. And as that one who is the Lord of the universe, one day we will see him. In Revelation 19, it says that he has on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

[19:32] You know that great hallelujah chorus? King of kings and Lord of lords. One day, the world will see that one dripped in blood a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

[19:55] The question is for you now, is he Lord of your life? Or is your ego Lord? Or some other thing, something other?

[20:08] Let him be your Master and Lord. And being a Christian, it means obeying his lordship in every area of your life. Think of this. Think of this.

[20:19] If you profess that Jesus Christ is the Lord of your life, think of this. Question this for yourself. Ask yourself, is he Lord over your marriage?

[20:31] Is he Lord over your relationships, your dress, your finance, your time, your attitudes, your possessions? Is he Lord?

[20:42] Is he Lord, truly Lord, over your friendships, your conversations, your thoughts, your priorities, your desires, your speech? Is he Lord?

[20:52] Is he Lord over your body temples? Is he Lord over your labour? Lord, over your worship? Lord, over your service? Jesus Christ is the Lord.

[21:04] I trust you'll find that. If you haven't yet, that one day you will find that. You'll find that Christ is the Lord of your life.

[21:14] but you'll surrender, your heart's will, and trust him. Because one day it says that all will succumb to his Lordship.

[21:26] But for some it will be too late. Some have yet to bow the knee. You know, in Matthew 21, verse 44, we read that for some they will be ground to powder.

[21:40] that's pretty in your face, isn't it? It says that it's better to fall now, fall in surrender to his Lordship now, and be broken than have him grind you to powder.

[21:57] Matthew 21, verse 44, I pray that that won't be anybody here present. That you will bow. You'd rather fall on your face and bow and be broken before him and be like a broken vessel that he can fill and renew that you'll trust him today.

[22:21] In the garden, the tomb, the ladies came and the tomb was empty and there was a fellow there, he just looked like the gardener.

[22:38] I don't know what he was wearing but he just looked pretty inconspicuous and Mary was there, she was really worried. Someone's taken my Lord and Jesus saith unto her, Mary.

[22:56] John 20, verse 16, Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself and saith unto him, Rabboni, which is to say, Master.

[23:12] She heard his voice and he said, Mary. Maybe he looks at you and he says, Roy, Mandy, Linda, Barry, Jean, Eileen, Jane, Jane, Jane, he says your voice, he says your name, he speaks your name and will you turn to him and say, Master, Master, he's the tender and loving Lord and Master of his people.

[23:52] He looks to you and he speaks your name, your name. Will you say, Master, will you recognize his voice? Will you hear it? Or will you turn away?

[24:05] Will you turn to him and truly say, my Lord and Master. It's a very personal thing, isn't it? He comes to you and he speaks your name.

[24:17] Will you recognize him, the risen Lord and save him? One plus three equals four.

[24:32] Someone put it like this, one cross plus three nails equals forgiven. One cross plus three nails equals forgiven.

[24:46] Do you know him? Has he forgiven you? Have you bowed to him as Lord and not just Lord as careless words that you flippantly mouth but truly Lord, truly Master.

[25:02] I trust you'll be challenged to think of that. Think of that today. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we praise you that in Christ you came to a cross outstretched, pierced, bearing the very curse of it but mostly of our sin and we have the privilege, the honour of being able to hear the gospel today.

[25:45] We've got the privilege of having the wonder of Calvary brought to our attention today.

[25:58] We've got the wonder of that resurrection, of that empty tomb but most of all that you are here and you beckon, you speak our name.

[26:10] Lord, help each one to respond, Master, Master. But each one here, whose every knee will ultimately bow, will bow even at this time their will, their heart, their life and surrender in your name.

[26:36] Lord Jesus we pray. Amen. Amen.ย Amen.!

[26:50] Thank you.