Christian Living
“But why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and do not the things that I say?” (Luke 6:46)
When Jesus asked this question, He was not expecting an answer. He was trying to make us think and consider our actions. If you do not do what He says, He cannot be your Lord. The word lord is defined as: one having power and authority over others; A ruler by hereditary, right or preeminence in whom service and obedience are due; One of whom a fee or estate is held in feudal tenure. Jesus fits this definition. He is the dominant influence (preeminence) and the person that has the power; the feudal superior. Jesus is Lord. The Father God has made Him so. (Philippians 2:9 KJV, Ephesians 1:20-23) But Jesus said, “Why do you call Me, Lord?”
Jesus can be your Savior but not your Lord. All someone has to do to be your savior is to save you from something. If I am drowning – in the ocean or pool or whatever – and you rescue me – save me from drowning – you are my savior in that situation. Webster defines savior as: One that saves from danger or destruction; One that brings salvation.
Someone can be your savior but not necessarily your lord. In the fifteenth and sixteenth chapters of Exodus you find Moses, who has just saved Israel from slavery to Egypt, enduring the murmuring of the people he has just saved. In Numbers 12, even his own brother and sister complain against him. He was their savior but definitely not their lord.
Personal lordship is not automatic. A decision must be made. Who you choose as lord over you is a personal choice. When someone or something is your lord, it is a personal choice. No one can make Jesus your lord, or satan your lord or even this chair your lord. That is your choice!
You make this choice consciously or not, deliberately or by default. Whatever or whomever you submit yourself to is your personal lord.
To submit is: to come under the authority of, to obey; to take heed to. With this decision comes action. Whomever you have as your lord; whomever or whatever you submit to becomes your lord and you become like it. Psalm 115 speaks to the issue that idols have the form of man but cannot function as a man. Verse eight says, “They that make them are like unto them; [so is] every one that trusteth in them.” (Psalm 115:8 KJV) Andrew Murray, in his book, The Holiest of All, makes this observation: “When man makes an image it is but a dead thing. When God gives an image it is a living reality sharing in the life and attributes of the original.” (pg. 348)
In First Corinthians 8:5-6 Paul says there are many gods and many lords. There are many things and people you can obey. Hence, the question, Why call Me ‘Lord, Lord’ and don’t do the things that I say? Apostle Paul goes on to say in verse six that for us, for those who call themselves Believers, there is only “one God, the Father, of whom [are] all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom [are] all things, and we by him.” We should not be confused, there is only one God and one lord for Believers; that is the Father God and Jesus the Christ. That’s it. There isn’t anybody else—not if you are a Christian.
You have to make a choice if you intend to progress in your Christian life. You won’t advance in your walk with God if you keep jumping the fence; living one time after the world’s system and another time after the Word of God. In 1 Kings 18:21, Elijah demanded the people make a decision as to whom they would serve. Again, James 1:6-8 says in effect, that one who wavers is like the sea tossed with the wind who will not receive anything from the Lord for he is double-minded unstable in his conduct. "Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils." (1 Corinthians 10:21)
So far, we have been talking about Jesus being your savior, saying He is your lord and living as though He is not. Now, I would like to address how to make Jesus your lord as well as your savior. "Not everyone that says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. (22) Many will say to Me in that day ‘Lord, Lord’ have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name and done many wonders in Your name? (23) And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me you who practice lawlessness’". (Matthew 7:21-23)
Jesus tells them that he never knew the one who practices lawlessness. This is the one who makes lawlessness a routine behavior. Like a doctor practices medicine or a student musician practices his instrument, they do it all the time, on a consistent basis, as a way of life. He says that many will say they did all sorts of good deeds in his name. “Many will say...” that’s a sad statement. If He had said a couple of people will say ...or some people will say...but He said that many will say that they did this and that. Notice Jesus did not say they did anything in his name; they said it.
What He did say was the one who does the will of His Father will enter into the kingdom of heaven. Jesus is saying that only those who voluntarily and willingly come under his Father’s authority and obey Him, (do the things that He says) those are the ones that He knows and they know Him and will enter into the kingdom. "If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15 NKJV) Paul wrote: “for not the hearers of the law [are] just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;” (Romans 2:13 NKJV). Only the one who makes a conscious decision to yield his will to the will of God the Father, has the right to call Jesus ‘Lord.’
John 14:9 "Jesus said to him, 'Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father. So how can you say, "Show us the Father?"'”
Put your name in Philip's place. We are just like he was. Some of us have been saved for 90 years and still do not know Jesus. People say they don’t know which decision is right. Some say Jesus never speaks to them. Some say only the prophets can hear from God. Still others say something told me.... How can He be your Lord and you don’t even know His voice? Yet He says His sheep hear His voice. (John 10:27) In John 14:21-23 Jesus says those who love Him keep His words (How are you going to keep His words when you don’t even hear Him speaking?) and he will manifest Himself and He and His Father will make their home with him.
Keeping the commandments of Jesus is how we show submission to his Lordship over us, and Jesus said that if we keep His commandments it also shows Him our love for Him. And that obedience carries with it some awesome benefits. If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land; (Isaiah 1:19 NKJV) "Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God:“ (Deuteronomy 28:1-2 NKJV)
Disobedience also has its compensation. For rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness [is as] iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from [being] king." (1 Samuel 15:23 NKJV) Disobedience to the known will and word of God is rebellion. In this passage God, through Samuel, is speaking to King Saul but it can also be applied to believers, who have been made kings through Jesus. (Revelation 1:6 NKJV; Revelation 5:10 NKJV) It is not that you are going to lose your kingship; you just will not enjoy the benefits of it. "But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:" (Deuteronomy 28:15 NKJV) If you obey and observe to do God’s commands the blessing will overtake you but if you do not obey and observe to do His commands, the curse will overtake you. It seems to me God has given the choice to us.
"But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" (John 10:26-27 NKJV). The Amplified version says it this way: But you do not believe, and trust and rely on Me, because you do not belong to my fold [you are no sheep of Mine]." One of the first things that happen when you get to know someone is the recognition of his or her voice. This occurs when you talk with that person frequently. Then when you are out and you hear someone talking you say, “That sounds just like so and so.” And depending on the relationship you either walk toward or away from the sound of the voice. Some of us have been talking to Jesus but have not heard anything that He has said or we’ve been doing so much talking, He could not get a word in edgewise. "I am the good shepherd; and I know My [sheep], and am known by My own. (John 10:14 NKJV)
Now when you call Him “Lord” you are saying: I voluntarily come under Your authority. I yield my will to Your will so that Your desire is now my desire. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (Colossians 3:1-2 KJV) The phrase “set your affection” here is from the Greek word phroneo (fron / EH / o) meaning: [1] To exercise the mind, that is, entertain or have sentiment or opinion [2] To be mentally disposed (more or less in a certain direction) [3] Intensively interest oneself in (with concern or obedience) (Strong’s Greek Lexicon G5426). The World Book Dictionary gives the definition as: a warm feeling, tender attachment.
Once again we are required to set our affection or be mentally disposed in a certain direction. This indicates that we have a choice. We choose where we set our focus and if we intend for Jesus to be the lord of our lives, the mental disposition will be directed toward Jesus, seeking those things that are above. The things that are above are the things of the Kingdom of God. Jesus says we should seek first the Kingdom. (Matthew 6:33 NKJV) When we seek the things of the Kingdom first we are obeying Jesus’ commands and therefore, making Him the Lord of our lives.
2 Corinthians 6:12 tells us, “You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your [own] affections.” (NKJV) Restricted here is to be in a narrow place or to be limited. Paul is telling us that our affections can put us in a narrow place, limit us as to how we operate or if we operate in the things of God. To what you give your attention, is where your affection will be. That is how the flow of the blessing is restricted.
When prayers seem that they are not being answered, or things that you need do not come when you think they should, check where your affections are. Are they directed toward the answer to the prayer or are they directed toward God Who answers the prayer? Remember, what you trust in, give your attention to, and come under the authority of, you become like. (Psalm 115:8)
"For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living." (Romans 14:9 NKJV)
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