Although the words of the gospel message can be believed and understood, there is still something necessary at the heart of the message that can subtly become lost or changed. Without Jesus as Lord, the gospel message falls apart and ultimately fails. The entirety of counsel and encouragement from the New Testament writers is predicated on this single truth contained inside the gospel, namely: Jesus is Lord.
Observations & Conclusions:
- There is no correct version of the gospel that doesn’t also include the implication of Christ’s personal Lordship.
- In other words, you must proclaim, “Jesus is Lord”.
- Accountability – “Why do you”
The gospel transforms lives, as the Lordship of Jesus implies accountability - Confession – “call me”
The gospel transforms lives, as the Lordship of Jesus changes allegiances - Identity – “Lord, Lord”
The gospel transforms lives, as the Lordship of Jesus defines and purifies grace - Behavior – “and do not do”
The gospel transforms lives, as the Lordship of Jesus changes our behavior - Submission – “what I”
The gospel transforms lives, as the Lordship of Jesus brings submission to God’s will - Obedience – “say”
The gospel transforms lives, as the Lordship of Jesus creates obedience - Judgment – vs 48-49
The gospel transforms lives, as the Lordship of Jesus protects you from wrath
Application:
If the gospel doesn’t transform your life, then it’s not the gospel.
How does Jesus define “Lordship”?
- Come to me
- Hears my words
- Puts them into practice
1 Corinthians 12:3
“Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.”
2 Corinthians 4:5
“For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.”
Romans 14:8
“If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”
Romans 10:9
“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Mark 8:34
“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
Jude 4
“For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”
Matthew 7:21-24
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”
Acts 16:31
“They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”
Acts 3:19
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,”
James 2:19
“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.”
1 Peter 3:15
“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect”
Ephesians 4:4-6
“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
1 Corinthians 12:5
“There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.”
Romans 6:19-23
“I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Acts 2:20-21
“The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”
1 Corinthians 1:7-8
“Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Luke 6:48-49
“They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
Philippians 4:9
“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
Hebrews 5:11-14
“We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”