Pastor Brian's Article for 04/13/2008

LORD. Do we really understand how important the word is? Do we really understand the concept? It is the most important word that we find in the New Testament. We cannot say the word “Lord” without implying our own surrender and obedience. Jesus calls his disciples on the carpet about their use of the word “Lord” in reference to Him. He said, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). The same principle applies to us. If we call Jesus “Lord,” then we are bound to obey Him. If we call Him “Lord” and do not obey, then we are not responding to him as Lord. If Jesus is Lord, then the word “no” and “Lord” cannot go together. When we disobey, we claim the word for ourselves. The struggle that all followers of Christ face is that of having a lord or being one.

The desire to bring people to Christ sometimes leads us to present propositions to them. They must confess. They must repent. We have to remember that salvation is not about propositional truth but about a person. What is it that we must confess? We have to confess our sin, that is the negative aspect, but the positive aspect is confessing Jesus as Lord. We don’t believe that our acceptance of a set of propositions saves us, but our surrender to Jesus as Lord.
 

Our American way of thinking says that submission to anyone is enslavement, but our conduct shows this way of thinking to be false. Obeying traffic laws means that we get to keep our driver’s license and retain the freedom that driving provides. Obeying civic law means that we get to come and go as we please in our society. If we disobey civic law, it is called a crime and we lose our freedom. Surrender to authority and obedience to law does not enslave us but sets us free. Psalm 119:57 says, “You are my portion, O LORD; I have promised to obey your words.” The blessings of God come from delighting in His authority. To know God is to obey Him and to celebrate our obedience.

We talk about receiving Jesus as “Savior and Lord.” A debate raged among theologians in the 1990’s about receiving Jesus as Savior and receiving Jesus as Lord as if it were two different events. As a teenager I can remember hearing sermons that called on people to make Jesus Lord of their lives. The pastor was talking to people who were Christians. We have made this false separation between Jesus being Savior and being Lord. The very nature of salvation requires surrender to Christ. “Becoming a Christian without submitting ourselves to Christ is impossible.”

Jesus is Lord and we find joy through our obedience to Him.

That Jesus May Be Revealed,
Brian

Taken from A Hunger for The Holy, Calvin Miller, chapter 6.
 

Order of Service:

* Opening Choruses – “Greater Is He That Is in Me” 437
“In the Name of the Lord” 174
“Above All”

* Welcome and Greeting Brian Holt

* Chorus – “Thank You, Lord”

Scripture and Prayer Deacon

Sharing Time Brian Holt

Hymn – “O Worship the King” 16

* Chorus – “Open the Eyes of My Heart”

Offering
Proverbs 30:8-9 – A lifestyle characterized by good management is a balanced lifestyle. As Christians, we manage what God provides for us and seek to balance the amount of things accumulated and consumed with the amount we give to God and to others.

Special Music Ann Stubbeman

Message in Word – 2 Kings 6:8-23 Brian Holt

* Our Response – “Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus” 320

Announcements and Sunday School Report

* Benediction