HoHum:
“Who’s the Boss?” was a TV show that ran in the 80’s. A widower and former pro baseball player, Tony Micelli takes a job as a housekeeper from a high powered divorced executive, Angela Bower, and her son. Tony and his daughter, Samantha, move into the Bower home, where Tony’s laid back personality contrasts with Angela’s type A behavior. This leads to the shows title, “Who’s the Boss?” Tony or Angela. Who’s the boss in our lives? Who is lord?
WBTU:
An important message of the Bible is that “Jesus Christ is Lord.” The fact that He is Lord demands that we submit ourselves to Him. All of history is moving towards the moment when all of God’s creation will declare that Jesus Christ is Lord.
The bible often uses the word Lord. What does that mean? The word “Lord” is kurios in the Greek. It is the equivalent of the Hebrew word Adonai, which means Lord and carries with it the idea of a master servant relationship in which the servant wants to please his master. Not familiar today, probably closest is the scenes of Downton Abbey, TV show on PBS.
Christians have a Lord and He is Jesus Christ. Difference is, no matter our background or social standing, our riches or our poverty; as Christians, Jesus is our Lord.
Thesis: As Christians, we must submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Why?
For instances:
I. Because He is the Boss
These points come from Romans 14:7-12 so let’s turn there. I’ll be using the Christian Standard Bible by Holman Bible Publishers- the version that is the Bible bowl text this year for my sons Zach and Zane- follow along the best we can, normally I use NIV but humor me
Let me read the whole section first- “For none of us lives for himself, and no one dies for himself. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Christ died and returned to life for this: that he might be Lord over both the dead and the living. But you, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God. So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.”
As Christians, Jesus Christ is the boss. In verses 7, 8 we are confronted with the fact that Christ is the Lord (The Boss) whether we live or whether we die. “For none of us lives for himself, and no one dies for himself.” The point is that we are to submit to the Lord in everything.
The idea of Lordship is the fact that Jesus, on the basis of who He is and what He has done, has power and authority over every area of our lives.
1. First, He is the Lord of life- vs. 8- If we live, we live for the Lord
One of the greatest problems in Christianity today is irresponsible living. As long as I’m saved (believe, repent, confess and baptized) I can live anyway I want to. I am forgiven of my sins and therefore I a free person. Peter Forsythe said, “The first duty of every soul is to find not it freedom but its Master.” Only by having Jesus Christ as our Boss can we find real freedom!
Let me address this with some other words of Paul in Romans 6: “What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it? (When did we die?) Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? (We died to ourselves when we were baptized) Vs. 7- Since a person who has died is freed from sin (We are free from sin but this does not mean we can live anyway we like; why?) Vs. 17- But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were handed over, vs. 18- and having been set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness. (What does it mean to be enslaved to righteousness?) Vs. 22- You have been set free from sin and have become enslaved to God (Jesus Christ is God so we are slaves to Christ)
Galatians 2:20- I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. A. W. Tozer says that people who are crucified with Christ have three distinct marks.
1) They are facing only one direction
2) They can never turn back
3) They no longer have plans of their own.
2. Second, He is the Lord of death vs. 8- If we die, we die for the Lord.
Death is not the end, but only a change of life, going to a different life, different existence. When a Christian dies he passes from this life into the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:8 says, “In fact, we are confident, and we would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” Philippians 1:21- For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. How can that be gain? For the Christian we will be present with the Lord.
After death, the Lordship of Christ is universally acknowledged. Philippians 2:10-11 says, “at the name of Jesus every knee will bow- in heaven and on earth and under the earth- and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” The phrase “under the earth” is referring to the place of the dead- Sheol in OT and Hades in the NT- Romans 14:11 alludes to this passage in Philippians 2:10-11
How do we die for the Lord? Beyond a martyrs death-one who is killed for the cause of Jesus Christ- what does this mean? The Puritans had some thoughts on this- some Biblical and others not so Biblical- let me give 3 comforting thoughts adapted from a Puritan writer, Richard Baxter, as we consider death:
1) Blessed to think of being with God the Father and with Jesus Christ. However, to bring it down to our level, what a blessing to think that we will be with all those who have died in fatih before us. Ones like Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, Peter, Paul, John Huss, my grandfather and a whole host of others. What a comforting thought!
2) Those who have lived for a time as Christians- “Wouldn’t take nothing for my journey now!” As years go by we can say with the Apostle Paul- Philippians 1:23- “I long to depart and be with Christ- which is far better”; in a way we are like Lot in Sodom- 2 Peter 2:7-8: “Distressed by the depraved behavior of the immoral- his righteous soul was tormented by the lawless deeds he saw and heard”- I’m tired of living in this sin tained world
3) 2 Corinthians 5:4- “We groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are”- No more sickness, no pain, no more parting over there, and forever I will be with the one who died for me, what a day glorious day that will be
The main point is that whether we are alive or dead we are under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
II. Because He has earned it
Romans 14:9- Christ died and returned to life for this: that he might be Lord over both the dead and the living.
Colossians 1:16 says that Jesus Christ created everything, “all things have been created through him and for him.” We were created to give glory to God. However, we have all failed. Romans 3:23- For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. What are we going to do? We can do nothing, but God provides a way through his son Jesus Christ. Romans 3:26 says, “God presented him to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so that he would be righteous and declare righteous the one who has faith in Jesus.
Romans 4:24-25 says, “Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”
We are unable to earn anything from God. Either we did it right or we did it wrong, and all of us have failed. Save for one. Hebrews 5:8-9: “Although he was the Son, he learned obedience from what he suffered. After he was perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.”
We are only saved through Jesus Christ, there is no other way. 1 Corinthians 6:20: You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.
We were bought with the precious blood of Christ. He earned it and purchased us with his blood.
“He is Lord, He is Lord, He is risen from the dead and he is Lord, every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!”
III. Because of the freedom His Lordship brings
The context of these verses in Romans 14 is trying to bring together 2 factions in the church- one group said it was okay to eat meat even if that meat might be sacrificed to idols, another group said that it was sin to eat any meat because it might have been sacrificed to an idol. There was division between the 2 groups. Paul is saying that there is no thus sayeth the Lord on this issue so there is freedom in Christ on this disputed matter. Paul focuses the minds of the Roman Christians on the Lordship of the risen Christ, for to despise or judge other Christians is to lose sight of who Christ is. This is why he says in vs. 10- “But you, who do you judge your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister?”
The word Lord appears 10 times in the first 12 verses of Romans 14, underlining the Lordship of Jesus Christ as the main consideration in any evaluation of the Christian life. Christians belong to Jesus, adapt every aspect of their existence to Christ, and desire a thumbs up from their Lord. In this respect, we all need to honor the Lord and his desires for every servant of his. Our conduct and lifestyle is lived by faith and should be offered to God in thankfulness.
Have people who look at what I do as a hospice chaplain and they have two reactions: 1) You must be an angel, some kind of super saint 2) I could never do that, must be so depressing
I am thankful for how the Lord has directed and guided me and where I am right now. I feel like I am doing what the Lord would have me to do.
An elder who told me that his ministry was to make sure I was doing my ministry. I would often say to him, yes, that is part of your ministry but that should not be your main ministry. What are you doing to expand Christ’s kingdom? What has the Lord called you to do?
Romans 14:4- “Who are you to judge another’s household servant? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And he will stand, because the Lord is able to make him stand.” We will stand if we are striving to please our Boss. Are we striving to please our Boss? We are free from the judgment of others but we are not free from the judgment of God.
Notice vs. 12- So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. In this verse Paul confronts us with the startling truth that every Christian will one day stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account or explanation for why we did what we did in this life. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
The world translated as “judgment seat” is the word bema, which was a raised platform in each Greek village where the local judge sat and gave his rulings. In ancient Olympic games there was a bema seat were all the runners, wrestlers, and successful athletes assembled. This stand was an elevated seat on which the umpire sat. The winners received a crown of laurel leaves as a symbol of their accomplishments. Others received no reward; they had lost the victor’s crown. But, while there was no reward, there was no punishment either. What is described here is not a judgment for sin, for our sins have been dealt with at the cross. Romans 8:1 says, Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. This is were Christians will be evaluated and rewards will be either gained or lost. I want to have Christ say to me on the great day, Well done good and faithful servant. How about you?
Another thought is as long as I get into heaven, even if it is by the skin of my teeth, that will be enough. Must ask, are you in Christ Jesus? Believe, repent, confess and be baptized.
An atheist farmer often riduculed people who believed in God. He wrote the following letter to the editor of a local newspaper: “I plowed on Sunday, planted on Sunday, cultivated on Sunday, and hauled my crops on Sunday; and I never went to any church on Sunday. Yet, I harvested more bushels per acre than anyone else, even those who are God fearing and never missed a church service.” The editor printed the man’s letter and then added this remark: “God doesn’t settle his accounts in October.” That editor is so right.
