Sermon: "Jesus Is Lord"
How are you going to celebrate Easter this year? Yes, Easter comes somewhat early this year. We will celebrate it three weeks from today, which will be April 8th.
Do you know how the date for Easter is selected each year? It is hard to determine. The early church had the same problem, and the root of the problem is this: How exactly do you date the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus? We know that he was crucified on a Friday and rose again on a Sunday, but since Sundays do not always fall on the same date, another system of calculating a date had to be devised.
By the middle of the second century, there were basically two ways that Christians were dating their celebrations of Easter. Some celebrated the death and resurrection of our Lord according to the “fourteenth day of Nisan” – the day of the Jewish Passover. Since this date was not always on the same day of the week, the celebration did not always fall on a Sunday. The rest of the church, however, celebrated the resurrection of our Lord according to a different formula which always placed Easter on a Sunday.
Needless to say, this created controversy. It wasn’t until the Council of Nicea in A.D. 325 that the churches of the world finally got together and agreed on this rule: Easter Day shall always fall on the Sunday after the first full moon that occurs on or after the spring equinox. That should have settled it, right?
Well, not exactly. You see, there was the little problem of determining which calendar to use. For instance, the Eastern Orthodox Churches celebrate Easter according to the spring equinox on the older Julian Calendar. Protestant and Roman Catholic Churches celebrate Easter according to the newer Gregorian Calendar (in effect since 1582). What all of this means is that the Eastern Orthodox celebration of Easter usually follows anywhere from a week to several weeks after the Protestant and Catholic celebration.
For instance, in 2006 we celebrated Easter on April 16th and the Eastern Orthodox Churches celebrated Easter on April 23rd. This is one of those rare years where both groups will celebrate Easter on the same day … April 8th.
That brings us back to my opening question … How are you going to celebrate Easter this year? Some of you might be thinking thoughts like …
- The entire family will get together for a nice meal.
- We will have, or take, the children to an Easter Egg Hunt.
- We will fill a basket with goodies for the children
- I will buy my mother a flower.
- I will order a corsage for my wife.
There is probably nothing wrong with any of those things, but none of them really do much to focus our attention on the teachings, death and resurrection of Jesus. I would like you to consider doing the following things:
1. Attending worship service the Sunday before Easter, that’s Palm Sunday, which is just two weeks from today, and participating in the Communion Service … but I want you to come with your mind focused on Jesus.
2. Attend the Wednesday Night Love Feast/Communion and Feet Washing Service on the Wednesday before Easter … but I want you to come with your mind focused on servanthood.
Some of you may be repulsed at the idea of having someone wash your feet or you washing someone else’s feet, but it is a great reminder that Jesus was a servant and that we also should be servants to others.
3. Take a few moments on Good Friday, whether it is a holiday or work day for you, and focus on the suffering and death of Jesus.
4. Come to the Easter Sunrise Service at 6:30 a.m. here at the church … but I want you to come with your mind focused on the empty tomb. Jesus overcame death.
5. Come to one of the services on Easter morning … but I want you to come with your mind focused on a risen Lord and Savior and the hope for eternal life that he brings to us.
Do you see what I want this Easter to be? I want it to be a time when we focus on Jesus. The messages for the next three weeks are designed to help us do just that. It is a series of messages called, “Who Do You Say I Am?”
Of course, that comes from the question Jesus asked his disciples.
MATTHEW 16:13-15 – 13When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
There are various correct answers to that question. One of them is … JESUS IS LORD.
Coming to terms with Jesus’ identity is a decision every person must make. If its not made here on earth it will be made on Judgment Day. Here is what the Bible says about this …
PHILIPPIANS 2:9-11 – 9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Who is Jesus? Listen to what he said about his identity.
MARK 14:61-62 -- 61But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?’ 62“I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Here Jesus claims to be the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God.
Jesus said in …
JOHN 10:30 – “I and the Father are one.”
Here Jesus claims to be God.
Jesus said in …
JOHN 13:13 – You call me “Teacher” and “Lord,” and rightly so, for that is what I am.
Here Jesus claims to be Lord.
This morning we are going to look at two topics concerning the truth that … JESUS IS LORD.
First we are going to look at the truth that …
- Jesus was God and Man
Next we will examine …
- Living with Jesus as your Lord
You will be better prepared to celebrate Easter and live the rest of your life when you can say … Jesus is Lord … Jesus is my Lord.
So let’s begin by looking at the truth that …
I. JESUS WAS GOD AND MAN
First, we will see that …
A. JESUS WAS A MAN
Here is what Paul wrote about the humanity of Jesus.
PHILIPPIANS 2:7-8 -- 7But made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!
John wrote in his gospel …
JOHN 1:1-3, 14 – 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning.
3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Finally, in I John we read …
I JOHN 4:2 – This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God.
There is no doubt Jesus was a man. He ate, he slept and he had feelings. But Jesus was no ordinary man.
B. JESUS WAS GOD IN A HUMAN BODY
Listen to what the Bible has to say about Jesus being God in a human body.
PHILIPPIANS 2:6 – Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.
Jesus was God but made himself nothing.
JOHN 1:1– In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Jesus is God.
I JOHN 4:2-3 – 2This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
You are not a true Believer if you do not acknowledge that Jesus is God.
If anyone should question that Jesus is God, his resurrection from the dead should end all doubts. As clearly as the horizon divides the earth from the sky, so the resurrection of Jesus separates him from the rest of humanity.
He had to be a man to reach us, but he had to be God to redeem us.
In his humanity, Jesus was a victim. He was humiliated, mocked, spat upon, and nailed to a cross. He suffered to pay the penalty for our sins.
In his deity he promises and provides forgiveness and eternal life.
Do you see why we say Jesus is Lord? The word Lord means …
LORD – supreme in authority or to have dominion over.
It is important to keep this definition in mind as we move to looking at …
II. LIVING WITH JESUS AS YOUR LORD
This morning we are going to look at four things involved in living with Jesus as your supreme authority, as the one who has dominion over you. As we look at these things you be your own judge as to whether or not Jesus is your Lord.
To live with Jesus as your Lord …
A. YOU MUST DENY SELF
Jesus said …
MATTHEW 16:24 – Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
I am not going to say anything about this point or this scripture. Instead we are going to peek in on a young couple who have been trying to understand what the Bible teaches about denying self and how to apply it to their daily lives.
MATT
Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
LISA
What does it mean to deny self? Doesn’t God want us to be ourselves?
MATT
The self Jesus is talking about is that part of us that is motivated by self interest. It lives deep inside each of us. Sometimes we call it independence.
Independence does not want anyone interfering with the course it sets for itself.
Independence is its own god.
Independence must be denied if Jesus is going to be your Lord.
LISA
That sounds like it would be hard to do.
MATT
It is hard because “self” is constantly trying to control each of our lives. It tells us we have a right to be our own lord … to do what we want to do.
LISA
If “self” is so strong how do you every deny it?
MATT
I try not to give “self” a vote in my decision-making. I know it’s going to constantly be trying to get it’s voice heard, but I choose not to allow self to be on the Board of Directors of my life.
LISA
Who is on the Board of Directors of your life?
MATT
A good question. I guess I could answer like this -- God’s Word … and God’s Indwelling Spirit are the chairpersons. Other members include Mr. Servanthood, Mr. Love Others and Mr. What Would Jesus Do.
LISA
You have a very practical way of describing what it means to deny self, but it still sounds hard to me.
MATT
It is not only hard, it is impossible to do as long as you allow self to be a voting member on your board. God’s purpose is to have you become more and more like Jesus and that won’t happen until you deny self. Once you understand what God’s purpose is it makes it much easier to not allow self to be your Lord.
To live with Jesus as your Lord you must deny self and …
B. YOU MUST WALK THE NARROW WAY
Here is what Jesus said about this.
MATTHEW 7:13-14 – 13Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Most of humanity, when it comes to their spiritual lives, are speeding down a broad six lane highway convinced it will take them to a heavenly destiny because it is paved with good deeds and good intentions. It looks to them like the broad road they are traveling will get them to heaven, but Jesus made it very clear that it leads to destruction.
Traveling the narrow road means that you accept the truth that salvation comes from what God has done for us through Jesus. We depend on the righteousness of Jesus instead of on our own righteous deeds.
Each of us must walk through that narrow gate and walk the narrow path. You can’t stand outside and admire the narrow gate, you must give up your own goodness and trust only in Jesus.
Does that mean Christianity is intolerant of the way other religions say you can get to heaven? Yes, it does. We aren’t intolerant because we are prideful, but because God said there is only one way … the narrow way … which is receiving Jesus as your Lord.
So to live with Jesus as your Lord – 1) you must deny self … 2) you must walk the narrow way and …
C. YOU MUST RESPECT JESUS
By respect we mean show reverence or godly fear. The Bible says …
PSALM 33:8 – Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him.
Jesus has given us the privilege to approach him as our friend, counselor and teacher. We also know that someday we will be co-heirs with him. But we must never forget that he is Lord of the Universe. Just because he is our friend does not mean we can treat him poorly. He is our friend, but he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is not our peer, he is our Lord and we must always respect him as such.
Finally, to live with Jesus as your Lord …
D. YOU MUST WORSHIP HIM
The Psalmist knew what it meant to worship.
PSALM 29:2 – Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.
We worship when we focus our thoughts on Jesus. I like the way John MacArthur described worshipping Jesus in one of his writings.
- We worship when we look into the faces of our children and recognize God’s great blessings to us.
- We worship when we consider the good gifts around us and thank God for them.
- We worship when we look at a sunset or sunrise and focus on God’s wondrous creativity.
- We worship when we thank him for giving us a beautiful earth on which to live.
- We worship when we recognize the lordship of Jesus every day … in the sanctuary of a family room or bedroom at home or at work or school.
- We worship when we focus on him.
CONCLUSION
If Jesus said to you, “Who do you say I am?” could you answer, “You are my Lord.”
JESUS is, indeed, Lord because he was God and Man.
If you claim Jesus as your Lord you need to … live with Jesus as your Lord. That means …
- You deny self
- You walk the narrow path
- You respect (show reverence) Jesus
and
- You worship Jesus.