Thank you for taking the time to read the message this week. As I am preparing this message, I am having a lot of health problems. Please keep praying that I will get to feeling better. I hope that you are all doing well and are in good health.
As regular readers are aware by now, we have started a new series of messages on the names and titles of God as found in the Old Testament. Of the names of God found in the Bible, the name Adonai is one that is very frequently used for God. One of the places that uses the word Adonai is Deuteronomy 10:17 that states, "For the Lord your God is the God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who does not show partiality, nor take a bribe." The term Adonai is most often translated as the word "Lord" in the English Bible.
Why is this title used, and what is its meaning? The name that is used for God in the Bible is Yahweh which is also written as Jehovah. The writers of the Old Testament did not want to say the name of God or spell it out in its entirety lest they not demonstrate the proper reverence for God or be guilty of taking the Lord's name in vain. The writer's of the Bible substituted Adonai or Lord many times in places where Yahweh would be placed. Adonai means Lord or Lord and master. It signifies the highest one. The one to whom total and complete allegiance is owed.
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is Lord. He is the ruler over all that is. There is no one nor anything in the universe that is equal to or greater than God. He is the one who is rightly owed our full and complete obedience.
The great sin that Adam and Eve committed in the Garden of Eden was to disobey the Lord of the Universe. In reality, they were just like Lucifer who said that he would be like God and do whatever he wanted to do. Just like the fallen angels, humans have participated in a rebellion against the Lord of the Universe.
However, and this always amazes me when I state it, God still loved and cared about His creation. In spite of humanity's rebellion, God sent His Son into the world to redeem the world and bring people back into a right relationship with Him. Jesus is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity who took upon Himself human flesh. As God, Jesus had the right to be called, and was called by those who followed Him, Lord.
Jesus is Lord is one of the first affirmations of faith that we find among early Christians. It is an affirmation that Jesus is God and the one to whom are true allegiance lies. In order to be a Christian, a person has to make Jesus the Lord of their life and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Following Jesus as Lord means doing the things that He has commanded. It means following His example. It means going His way and not our way. Following Jesus as Lord means that we turn our back on the things of this world and this world's system and we do things Jesus's way. We look to Him in all things.
In order to be in a right relationship with God, we must end our rebellion against God and confess Jesus as Lord. One day, all of creation will bow and declare that Jesus Christ is Lord. Amen.
Prayer Requests.
As I've mentioned, I would ask you to keep praying in regard to my health. Also, there is supposed to be a lot of rain where I live this weekend, so please pray that there won't be any flooding.
Keep praying for peace. Ukraine needs peace. Israel and Gaza need peace. The Middle East region needs peace. We also need to keep praying for peace in Sudan.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Western Sahara and Iraq. Pray that many will come to know Jesus.
Next week, I will post the verses on Monday, and we will continue with our current sermon series. May God bless you all.
No comments:
Post a Comment