Welcome to this edition of the Weekend Sermon. I hope and pray that all of you are having a wonderful start to the new year.
I have taken a couple of days off from work at the beginning of the year. I am feeling better, and I am hoping for a good 2016.
As we go to prayer this week, please pray for those suffering as a result of the flooding in the United States and Great Britain. Here in my country, many people have lost their homes as a result of the floods. Let us also continue to pray for peace in the world. Pray for peace in Libya, Syria and Iraq.
Let us also continue to pray for the spread of the message of Jesus around the world. This week, let us pray for the nations of Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Chad.
As I mentioned last week, I have several series of messages that I plan to deliver here on the blog in 2016. The first series of messages is going to be on the Apostle's Creed. However, before we start that series, I want to bring a message today on what was the first creed of the early church. It is a simple statement, but it has profound meaning.
The first creed of the early church was a three word statement, "Jesus is Lord." This three word statement of belief changed the world, and it still changes lives today.
First of all, what does that title Lord mean? One of the meanings of this title is ruler. To be the lord over something means that you rule over it. You have authority over it. If you are the lord over something, it also means that you are the master over something. You have the power over it. To accept someone's lordship means to accept their leadership over your life. They have your allegiance and obedience.
Jesus said that He was the Lord. In John 13:13, Jesus says, "You call me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am." The disciples also called Jesus Lord, and He never told them that He was not the Lord.
After the Apostles were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, Peter rose up to speak to the people that had gathered. In Acts 2:36 Peter proclaimed Jesus' Lordship by saying, "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this; God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah." The Apostle's proclaimed Jesus as Lord of all.
Now what does it mean when we say "Jesus is Lord." It means two things at least. On the personal level when we declare that Jesus is Lord, we are saying that our allegiance now belongs to Jesus Christ. We have pledged our faith and our obedience to Jesus.
Before we came to faith in Jesus, our loyalty was to another leader. We were all part of the kingdom of darkness. We followed the the prince of this world the father of lies.
However, when the Holy Spirit convicted us of sin, we realized who Jesus is and what He had come to do for us. We repented of our sins and turned to Jesus in repentance and faith. We believed in the power of His death and resurrection to transform our lives. We turned from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of His glorious life and light.
Coming to Jesus is not just accepting Him as Savior. When we come to Jesus, we must accept Him as the Lord of our lives as well. We must accept Him as our Sovereign. We must be willing to obey Him and follow in the way that He leads. We are no longer our own. We belong to Christ.
Now the question on a personal level is this, is the statement "Jesus is Lord" just an empty statement, or does it really mean something in your life? Jesus said that there would be many people at the last judgment who would say to Him "Lord, Lord". However, Jesus will say to them, "Depart from me, I never knew you."
The fact of Jesus as Lord of our lives is evidenced by our willingness to follow Jesus. As Jesus says in Luke 6:46, "Why do you call me Lord, Lord, but you don't do the things that I say?" Having Jesus as Lord means acknowledging Him and turning from all others. This was something that had profound meaning for those in the early church.
In the early days of the church, the Roman emperors thought that they were gods. They demanded that people say "Caesar is Lord." This is something that true Christians could not and would not say. Christians will only acknowledge that Jesus is Lord. Because of their refusal to acknowledge Caesar as opposed to Jesus as Lord, thousands of early Christians were killed for their confession of Jesus Christ.
On a personal level, when we say that "Jesus is Lord", we are saying that we pledge our allegiance to Jesus Christ above anything and everyone else. We will follow Jesus even if it means that we must go against our nation and our friends. It may cost us our very lives to acknowledge only Jesus as Lord.
Now, the statement "Jesus is Lord" also has a meaning on a cosmic level. Because Jesus accomplished all that the Father gave Him to do, Jesus has been exalted to the Father's right hand. Philippians 2:9 says that Jesus has been given the name that is above every name. This name is the name Lord. Jesus is Lord of all the universe right now whether people acknowledge Him as their Lord or not.
Revelation chapters 4 and 5 show the glory and honor and power that rightfully belongs to Jesus who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
One day, when Jesus comes again in power and great glory, something marvelous will happen. Philippians 2:10-11 describes it this way, "At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father."
At some time, every one will bow the knee to Jesus and proclaim Him as Lord. Jesus will rule and reign in righteousness forever and forever. That will truly be a wonderful day.
"Jesus is Lord." What a powerful statement. I hope that you have made Jesus Christ the Lord of your life. If not, please do so today. Maybe you are a Christian, but you have slipped away from what you know Jesus would really want you to do. Turn back to Him, and let Him lead you today.
On Monday, we will continue with our Bible memorization project. I will post a review on Wednesday, and we will begin our series in the Apostle's Creed in the next Weekend Sermon. May God bless you all. Amen.
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