CHURCH LIFE CLASS
THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS
PREFACE: It is unfortunate, but one of the biggest reasons for most of the problems in the testimony
in individual believer’s lives, and the Church, is a lack of walking under the Lordship of
Jesus. This is an often neglected truth, yet it is an important part of our foundation in
serving Christ. To have Church Life that expresses a New Testament lifestyle, the foundation of the Lordship of Jesus must be firmly established in our lives.
I. BIBLICAL SALVATION INVOLVES COMING UNDER THE LORDSHIP OF
JESUS
Romans 10:9-10 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; 10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. (NASB)
A. To receive Jesus as savior, we must receive Him as Lord.
Acts 2:36 Lord and Christ (Savior), was the Biblical message.
B. What is a Lord? Acts 10:36
Definition - supreme in authority; controller; one in charge; one who rules over everything.
Jesus as Lord is related to coming into the Kingdom. The closest idea to “Kingdom” we have in our
culture is the idea of “government.” Kingdom means rule. If we are to come into the
Kingdom/Government of God we must come under the rule of Jesus.
Models of Salvation.
American Model - Are you saved? In other words, have you made a decision for Christ?
Biblical Model - Are you under Christ Government/Kingdom/Lordship? Does Christ rule your life?
Coming under the Lordship of Jesus Christ means the end of life on your own terms. It is
surrendering the rule of your life to Jesus.
Lk 6:46 And why do you call Me, Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?
Mt 7:13-23 …depart from Me you who practice lawlessness (absence of government)…
C. Living under Christ’s Lordship means we yield our lives daily to His rule.
Luke 9:23-24 23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 “For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. (NASB)
The essence of the nature of sin is selfishness. Taking up our cross means death to self. In Biblical
times if you saw someone carrying a cross they were going to one place for one purpose, the place
of death to die. In taking up our cross we are dying to ourselves in order to live unto Him.
Mk 8:34-35, Mt 16:24-25
II. WE OFTEN SEE A SUBSTITUTE SALVATION MESSAGE THAT IGNORES CHRIST’S LORDSHIP
A. There often is presented a watered-down message that allows one to take Jesus as Savior with no mention of His Lordship.
We often find the term “personal savior” used in this type of message. Nowhere in the Bible is this
term found. This type of message often portrays Jesus as a personal valet, jeannie-in-the-bottle,
or celestial Santa Claus, who is only concerned with catering to our own selfish desires.
B. The Biblical emphasis is on Lordship.
The term “Savior” is used 37 times in the Bible, the term “Lord” is used about 7000 times. The
emphasis is clearly on Lord.
It is only as Jesus becomes Lord, does He become Savior. A prime example is in marriage. Our
spouse must clearly become our husband/wife before they can function in the roles associated with
it. Any other arrangement is a perversion (living together, fornication etc.) of what was intended.
C. There must be a consideration of Christ’s Lordship upon becoming a Christian.
It is not just to be a quick, light-hearted decision. There needs to be consideration.
Lk 14:26-35 “count the cost”
It is the end of life on our own terms. It costs us our lives.
D. God empowers us to come under Christ’s Lordship and follow Him.
Even thought following Jesus as Lord is a decision that we make, it is impossible for us to do so in
our own human power. God gives us His grace and ability to follow Christ.
Mt 19:24-25 It is only possible with God.
Eph 2:8 It is by God’s grace.
2 Pet 1: 3 It is by God’s divine power.
Phil 2:13 God is working in us the will to work for His good pleasure.