The Experience of Living Under A Lord--Part 1
Keep this in mind, it is the lordship aspect of a kingdom that makes living in a kingdom better than a republic or any other form of national administration or rulership. Lordship in a kingdom protects the citizenship from competition with their fellow citizens for national resources. It destroys such elements as jealousy, fear, deceit and hoarding. In a true kingdom, the lord owns all resources and distributes the same as he determines. Whenever he gives resources to a citizen, it is never for ownership but for stewardship. Submission to a king as lord positions the citizen to receive from the king.
Constitutional Scripture: Matthew 20:8-10 So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.' 9) And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10) But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius.
Please note: From a kingdom standpoint, then, the most important confession any of us could ever make is to declare, "Jesus Christ is Lord". Ambassador Paul stated this explicitly in his letter to the believers in Rome when he wrote:
Constitutional Scripture: Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Focus Point: By "saved", Paul means redeemed, bought back, salvaged, restored from the estrangement of our rebellion against God the King into a right relationship with Him. The key affirmation in that process, is our acknowledgement that Jesus is Lord of everything, including our lives and our destiny.
Now, if we say, "Jesus is Lord", what does that mean in practical terms? What does it mean by living under a "lord"? The only experience most westerners have with a lord of any kind is with a landlord.
Focus Point: Dealing with a landlord provides a small taste of what it would be like to live all of your life under a lord. If you say, "Jesus is Lord", you are acknowledging His authority over you as well as your responsibility to obey Him.
Please note: There is no such thing as lordship without obedience.
Focus Point: If He is Lord, you cannot say "Lord...but" or "Lord...except" or "Lord....wait". If He is Lord, the only thing you can say is, "Lord...yes"!
Focus Point: Jesus Himself reiterated this truth throughout His public ministry.
Constitutional Scriptures:
Luke 9:25b ...If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
Matthew 10:37-38 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38) And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
Matthew 8:21-22 Then another of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." 22) But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
Continue to Part 2
Constitutional Scripture: Matthew 20:8-10 So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.' 9) And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10) But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius.
Please note: From a kingdom standpoint, then, the most important confession any of us could ever make is to declare, "Jesus Christ is Lord". Ambassador Paul stated this explicitly in his letter to the believers in Rome when he wrote:
Constitutional Scripture: Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Focus Point: By "saved", Paul means redeemed, bought back, salvaged, restored from the estrangement of our rebellion against God the King into a right relationship with Him. The key affirmation in that process, is our acknowledgement that Jesus is Lord of everything, including our lives and our destiny.
Now, if we say, "Jesus is Lord", what does that mean in practical terms? What does it mean by living under a "lord"? The only experience most westerners have with a lord of any kind is with a landlord.
Focus Point: Dealing with a landlord provides a small taste of what it would be like to live all of your life under a lord. If you say, "Jesus is Lord", you are acknowledging His authority over you as well as your responsibility to obey Him.
Please note: There is no such thing as lordship without obedience.
Focus Point: If He is Lord, you cannot say "Lord...but" or "Lord...except" or "Lord....wait". If He is Lord, the only thing you can say is, "Lord...yes"!
Focus Point: Jesus Himself reiterated this truth throughout His public ministry.
Constitutional Scriptures:
Luke 9:25b ...If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
Matthew 10:37-38 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38) And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
Matthew 8:21-22 Then another of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." 22) But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
Continue to Part 2
