Faith In Our Lord
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 12/1/2013 AM |
Text: | I Corinthians 6:20; Lord's Day 13 |
Psalters: | 250, 80, 252, 199 |
- The fact understood.
- When we call Jesus our Lord, we say that He is the only Lord over all - not in a class of lords.
- First, Jesus is Lord by virtue of creation (Colossians 1; John 1:2,3).
- As Creator He has the right to set the standard for what is right, to demand compliance, and to reward and punish.
- His Lordship did not end when man rebelled, but it did adversely affect our relationship to it.
- Second, Jesus is Lord because He bought us to be His precious property of love (I Cor. 3:23; 6:19b,20)
- Jesus is Lord because He bought us from the guilt and power of sin.
- He removes the enmity against His rightful Lordship and sheds abroad in us His love (Romans 5:5).
- How can we acknowledge Him as our Lord?
- Having redeemed us, He establishes His throne in our hearts, and He gives us the Spirit so we can confess Him to be Lord
- Christ’s Lordship is made real to us by the work of His Spirit in our hearts, giving us a new, spiritual life.
- Thus we begin to love Him as Lord-Redeemer, to long for Him, to trust Him, and to surrender ourselves to Him.
- He is Lord as our Possessor and Proprietor.
- We are His; He has absolute right of disposal over us; we are His possession.
- He will keep us, love us, defend us, and lead us to final victory.
- Implies that we surrender ourselves to Him, trust in no other lordship, and realize we need not fear any other.
- We see ourselves as His property: body and soul, heart, mind, will, family, possessions, job, etc.
- And this means that He rules over us by grace and the constraining power of His love, not by force and compulsion.
- To confess His Lordship in this world means we receive the hatred of the world.
- Having redeemed us, He establishes His throne in our hearts, and He gives us the Spirit so we can confess Him to be Lord
- The rich implications of our acknowledging Jesus' Lordship.
- First, all who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
- Second, His Lordship gives great comfort.
- Third, we call on Him when we are in trouble (Romans 10:13).
- Fourth, this fact brings a great obligation.