Join Adrian Rogers in a transformative discussion about kingdom authority and what it means to truly live under the lordship of Jesus Christ. Learn about the difference between commitment and surrender, and how this understanding reshapes the concept of faith in the modern world. Through powerful anecdotes and scriptural insights, discover the profound impact of acknowledging Jesus as Lord on your personal and spiritual journey.
00:00:00 Introduction to Adrian Rogers and the Message
00:00:17 Kingdom Authority and Submitting to Jesus as Lord
00:04:14 Commitment versus Surrender in American Christianity
Known for his unique ability to simplify profound truth so that it can be applied to everyday life, Adrian Rogers was one of the most effective preachers, respected Bible teachers, and Christian leaders of our time. Thanks for joining us for this message. Here’s Adrian Rogers.
SPEAKER 02 :
Every child of God, when he was born again, was born to win. And God wants you to live with authority, kingdom authority. The world… THE FLESH, THE DEVIL, ARE NOT TO HAVE DOMINION OVER A CHILD OF GOD. GOD HAS MADE US KINGS AND PRIESTS AND THE BIBLE SAYS, THANKS BE UNTO GOD WHO CAUSETH US ALWAYS TO TRIUMPH IN CHRIST JESUS. BUT THERE CAN BE NO DOMINION. THERE CAN BE NO REIGNING IN THIS LIFE UNTIL WE SUBMIT TO THE AUTHORITY THAT GOD HAS PLACED OVER US. AND THAT AUTHORITY IS SUMMED UP IN THESE WORDS, JESUS IS LORD. AMEN? JESUS IS LORD. KINGDOM AUTHORITY IS NEVER GIVEN TO REBELS. And if you rebel against the king, you’ll never know the king’s authority in your life. Let’s read here in Romans chapter 14, and I begin in verse 7. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. That is, we’re not independent. We’re not autonomous. We don’t live and die alone, by ourselves, to ourselves. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord. And whether we die, we die unto the Lord. Whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ both died and rose and revived, that he might be Lord, both of the dead and living. But why dost thou judge thy brother? Or why dost thou set it not thy brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, as I live, saith the Lord, Every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Now, what had happened is this. In the church at Rome, Christians had begun to judge one another. They were criticizing one another about things where there were valid and different opinions. ABOUT DAYS, ABOUT DIETS, ABOUT PARTICULAR BEHAVIOR. AND WHAT THE APOSTLE PAUL SAID IN THIS CHAPTER THAT IS TALKING ABOUT THOSE THINGS THAT ARE DOUBTFUL, HE SAID THIS. HE SAID, WOULD YOU PEOPLE GET YOUR EYES OFF OF ONE ANOTHER? STOP JUDGING, STOP CRITICIZING ONE ANOTHER. IT IS NOT YOUR OPINION OF THEM THAT COUNTS. NOR THEIR OPINION OF YOU THAT COUNTS, REMEMBER THIS, YOU BELONG TO JESUS. HE IS LORD. ONE OF THE WORST THINGS COULD EVER HAPPEN TO ANY CHURCH IS FOR US TO GET OUR EYES OFF OF JESUS AND ONTO ONE ANOTHER. AMEN? JESUS IS LORD. WHETHER WE LIVE OR WHETHER WE DIE, WE BELONG TO JESUS CHRIST BECAUSE HE DIED AND ROSE AGAIN AND THEREFORE HE IS LORD. NOW WHAT DOES THE WORD LORD MEAN? IT MEANS THE ONE WHO HAS ABSOLUTE POWER, ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY, THE ONE WHO IS THE OWNER, THE MASTER, AND THAT IS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. MANY SO-CALLED CHRISTIANS DON’T UNDERSTAND THIS. WHEN I WAS PREACHING IN ROMANIA, I WAS RIDING ALONG WITH JOSEPH SON. JOSEPH SON WAS A MAN WHO WAS TORTURED, BEATEN FOR HIS FAITH UNDER THAT CRUEL DICTATOR, CHACHESCU. THEY THREATENED TO KILL JOSEPH. BUT JOSEPH, MORE I SUPPOSE THAN PERHAPS ANY OTHER MAN, HAS BEEN A LEADER IN THE GREAT REVIVAL NOW THAT TOOK PLACE IN ROMANIA. I WAS PREACHING SOME CRUSADES IN ROMANIA AND JOSEPH AND I WERE RIDING IN HIS LITTLE AUTOMOBILE AND I SAID, would you tell me please about your concept of American Christianity? He said, Adrian, I’d rather not do that. I said, no, Joseph, please tell me. He said, well, Adrian, in America, the key word is commitment. I said, well, that’s good, isn’t it, Joseph? He said, no, not particularly. I don’t think it’s good. He said, as a matter of fact, He said, if you were to use the word commitment, and I’m translating for you in Romanian, he said, I do not have a word in the Romanian language to even translate the word commitment. He said the word commitment did not come into use in the United States until about the 60s. He said it was in the dictionary, but not in full use. But he said over and over again in the churches in America today, you hear about the word commitment, commitment, commitment. But he said, I began to think about that. And he said, when a new word comes in, it generally pushes an old word out. So I began to think, what word is commitment taking the place of? And he said, as I read the Bible, I found out that that word, that commitment has replaced as the word surrender. Surrender. I said, well, Joseph, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COMMITMENT AND SURRENDER? HE SAID WHEN YOU MAKE A COMMITMENT, YOU’RE IN CONTROL. BUT WHEN YOU SURRENDER, YOU’RE NO LONGER IN CONTROL. HE SAID, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN COMMIT TO WIN SOULS BECAUSE YOU DECIDE TO DO IT. YOU CAN COMMIT TO STUDY YOUR BIBLE. YOU CAN COMMIT TO TITHE. You can say, I have decided to do this or that. But he said, suppose a man puts a gun on you and says, stick him up. He said, you lift your hands this way and you don’t commit to anything. You surrender. Now he said, we Americans like to be in control. WE LIKE TO MAKE COMMITMENTS, BUT THE TRUE WORD IS SURRENDER. HE IS LORD. NOW I’M NOT PLAYING GAMES WITH WORDS, AND IF I USE THE WORD COMMITMENT, DON’T JUMP ON ME. IF YOU USE THE WORD, I’LL NOT JUMP ON YOU. BUT IF WE’RE COMMITTED TO ANYTHING, WE NEED TO BE COMMITTED TO THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST. HE IS LORD. HE IS ABSOLUTE LORD. I WAS READING ABOUT A FRENCH NAVAL BATTLE WHEN LORD NELSON, THE COMMANDER OF THE BRITISH NAVY, WAS FIGHTING THE FRENCH AND THEY HAD DEFEATED THE FRENCH. AND A FRENCH ADMIRAL CAME ON BOARD LORD NELSON’S SHIP TO SURRENDER. HE WALKED UP THERE IN ALL OF HIS REGALIA. HE HAD HIS SWORD SWINGING BY HIS SIDE. AND HE CAME WITH A SMILE ON HIS FACE AND PUT OUT HIS HAND TO LORD NELSON. Lord Nelson impassively said, your sword first, sir. YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE EMBRACE THE LORD JESUS, WE HAVE TO LAY OUR SWORD DOWN. WE HAVE TO ADVOCATE THE THRONE. WE HAVE TO SURRENDER TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. HE IS LORD. THIS IS WHAT THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE SAYS IN VERSE 9, FOR TO THIS END CHRIST BOTH DIED AND ROSE AND REVIVED, THAT HE MIGHT BE LORD BOTH OF THE DEAD AND OF THE LIVING. NOW LET ME SAY THIS, THE FOUNDATIONAL TRUTH IN THE NEW TESTAMENT is that Jesus Christ is Lord. To understand that is the fundamental key to knowing and exercising kingdom authority. Jesus Christ is called Lord no less than 747 times in the New Testament. Well, you say, Pastor Rogers, if that’s true, I think I’ll make him Lord. You’re too late for that. HE’S ALREADY LORD. ACTS CHAPTER 2 AND VERSE 36, THEREFORE LET ALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL KNOW ASSUREDLY THAT GOD HATH MADE THAT SAME JESUS, WHOM YE HAVE CRUCIFIED, BOTH LORD AND CHRIST. YOU CANNOT MAKE HIM LORD. THE ONLY DECISION YOU HAVE TODAY IS, NUMBER ONE, WILL YOU RECOGNIZE THAT LORDSHIP? AND NUMBER TWO, WILL YOU BOW TO IT? IS THAT NOT RIGHT? HE IS ALREADY LORD. MAY I ASK YOU TWO QUESTIONS? QUESTION NUMBER ONE, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD? QUESTION NUMBER TWO, HAVE YOU SURRENDERED TO THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST? IS HE LORD OF ALL THAT YOU HAVE AND ALL THAT YOU DO? IS HE LORD OF YOUR THOUGHTS? IS HE LORD OF YOUR TONGUE? IS HE LORD OF YOUR TEMPER? IS HE LORD OF YOUR TIME? IS HE LORD OF YOUR TESTIMONY? IS HE LORD? NOW HAVING ASKED THAT QUESTION I WANT US TO THINK ABOUT THREE THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THE REDEEMING CLAIM OF HIS LORDSHIP. HOW DOES HE CLAIM TO BE LORD? BECAUSE HE DIED FOR US. LOOK IN VERSE 9, FOR TO THIS END CHRIST BOTH DIED AND ROSE AND REVIVED, THAT HE MIGHT BE LORD BOTH OF THE DEAD AND THE LIVING. JESUS DIED TO CLAIM US AS LORD. NOW WHEN HE DIED FOR US, HE WAS REDEEMING US. HE WAS BUYING US. WHY IS HE LORD? VERSE 9 SAYS, BECAUSE HE DIED FOR US. BLOODY CALVARY SAYS THAT HE IS LORD. HE HAS PURCHASED YOU. YOU’RE NOT YOUR OWN. HE HAS REDEEMED YOU WITH THE SILVER OF HIS TEARS AND THE GOLD OF HIS BLOOD. LET THIS THOUGHT GET INTO YOUR HEART. JESUS CHRIST HAS PURCHASED YOU. HE HAS REDEEMED YOU WITH HIS BLOOD. THEREFORE, THE BIBLE SAYS IN FIRST CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 6 AND VERSE 19, WHAT? KNOW YE NOT THAT YOUR BODY IS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY GHOST, WHICH IS IN YOU, WHICH YE HAVE OF GOD? AND YE ARE NOT YOUR OWN.” YOU SAY, WELL, I BELONG TO ME. NO, YOU DON’T. NOT IF YOU’RE A CHRISTIAN. IF YOU’RE A CHRISTIAN, JESUS DIED TO CLAIM YOU AS LORD. BY WHAT RIGHT CAN HE SAY THAT HE IS LORD OF YOUR LIFE? HE HAS PURCHASED YOU WITH THE SILVER OF HIS TEARS AND THE GOLD OF HIS BLOOD, AND HE NOW LIVES IN YOU TO POSSESS YOU AS LORD. THAT’S WHAT FIRST CORINTHIANS CHAPTER SIX VERSE 19 IS TALKING ABOUT. WHEN I FIRST GOT SAVED, I LEARNED ABOUT JESUS IN THE BIBLE, AND THAT WAS WONDERFUL TO ME. AND THEN AS I BEGAN TO LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, I WOULD SEE WHAT JESUS WOULD DO IN THE LIVES OF OTHER PEOPLE. AND I SAW JESUS IN HISTORY AND JESUS IN ACTION, AND THAT WAS WONDERFUL TO ME. AND THEN AS I STUDIED MORE AND MORE, I BEGAN TO LEARN ABOUT JESUS IN HEAVEN RULING AND REIGNING FROM HIS THRONE, AND THAT WAS WONDERFUL. BUT I’LL TELL YOU THE GREAT TRUTH THAT I AM NOW LEARNING IS THAT JESUS IS IN THE BIBLE, YES, AND JESUS IN HISTORY, YES, AND JESUS IN HEAVEN, YES. BUT HERE’S THE GREAT TRUTH, CHRIST IN ME, THE HOPE OF GLORY. HE NOW LIVES IN ME. HE HAS POSSESSED ME. I AM HIS PURCHASED POSSESSION AND THEREFORE I AM UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT. LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, FOLKS. We have a lot of pseudo-Christians, people who’ve come down church aisles and have never been born again, people who’ve gone through the baptistry and have never been saved, but if you are saved, you are under new management. Under new management. You are not your own. And when you gave your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ, that was the last legitimate, independent decision you ever made. WHEN YOU GAVE YOUR HEART TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, THAT WAS THE LAST INDEPENDENT, LEGITIMATE DECISION YOU EVER MADE. YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN. YOU BELONG TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. NOW, YOU SAY, PASTOR, THAT’S FOREBODING. NO, IT IS NOT FOREBODING. IT IS GLORIOUS. WHY? because He knows more how to manage your life than you know how to manage it. Why do you think Jesus wants to be Lord? So He can be boss? He’s already boss. So He can have power? He already has power. He could do anything He wants with you. HE ALREADY HAS THAT. HE WANTS TO BE YOUR LORD BECAUSE HE ALONE CAN MAKE OUT OF YOU WHAT HE WANTS YOU TO BE AND WHAT YOU NEED TO BE AND WHAT YOU WOULD WANT TO BE IF YOU COULD ONLY SEE IT FROM HIS VIEWPOINT. GET IT DOWN THAT HE IS, HE IS LORD OF ALL. NOW, SINCE HE’S GOT SUCH A GREAT INVESTMENT IN YOU, AND VERSE NINE SAYS, HE HAS DIED FOR YOU. AS I SAY, WITH THE SILVER OF HIS TEARS AND THE GOLD OF HIS BLOOD, HE BOUGHT YOU AND YOU’RE NOT YOUR OWN. Think about it. Have you ever made a big investment in something? If you made a big investment in something, did you not go about to protect it? If you made a big investment for something, did you not go about to maintain it and to put it to optimum use? YOU SEE, HIS INVESTMENT IN YOU IS A BLESSING BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT HE IS GOING TO WATCH OVER YOU. EPHESIANS 1, VERSES 13 AND 14. IT BLESSED ME AS I STUDIED IT. IT SPEAKS OF THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN SAVED AND IT SAYS THIS, IN WHOM YE ALSO TRUSTED, SPEAKING OF JESUS THE LORD, IN WHOM YE ALSO TRUSTED, AFTER THAT YE HEARD THE WORD OF TRUTH, THE GOSPEL OF YOUR SALVATION, IN WHOM ALSO AFTER THAT YE BELIEVED, YE WERE SEALED WITH THAT HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE, WHICH IS THE EARNEST OF OUR INHERITANCE UNTIL THE REDEMPTION OF THE PURCHASED POSSESSION.” NOW WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? Well, you and I are a purchased possession. And after we were saved, God put a mark on us. That mark is the Holy Spirit. After that we have believed, we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit. Now what was a seal? We’re not talking about an animal in the zoo. And we’re not talking about something that goes around your mason jar when you put up green beans. It’s a legal document. And the Bible says when we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, he puts that legal document upon us. Kings in that time would have a ring, a signet ring. They would make a document and then put melted wax on it and put the seal on it. WHEN YOU WENT INTO A COURT AND SOME TRANSACTION TOOK PLACE, A SALE WAS MADE, A TRANSFERENCE OF PROPERTY, A LEGAL SEAL WOULD BE PUT UPON IT. NOW THIS VERSE IN EPHESIANS 1 SAYS THIS, THAT WE ARE THE PURCHASED POSSESSION. AND BECAUSE WE’RE THE PURCHASED POSSESSION, GOD HAS PUT HIS SEAL UPON US. THAT SEAL MEANT, NUMBER ONE, THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LEGAL TRANSACTION. Number two, it meant a transference of property. Number three, it meant security. In the book of Esther, chapter eight and verse eight, the Bible says, the king’s seal can no man break. You see, the king’s seal is on us. WE ARE HIS. WE HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED OVER TO HIM. SATAN HAS BEEN DEFEATED AND WE HAVE BEEN SEALED WITH THAT HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE. IS THAT A BLESSING TO YOU? IT OUGHT TO BE. GO THINK ABOUT IT, FRIEND. BUT NOW YOU HAVE NO RIGHT, LISTEN, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT WHATSOEVER TO CALL YOURSELF A CHRISTIAN IF JESUS CHRIST IS NOT LORD IN YOUR LIFE. NO RIGHT. YOU SEE, YOU’RE SAVED BY BELIEVING THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD AND YIELDING TO THAT LORDSHIP. ROMANS 10, VERSES 9 AND 10, THAT IF THOU SHALT CONFESS WITH THY MOUTH THE LORD JESUS, AND SHALT BELIEVE IN THINE HEART THAT GOD HATH RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, THOU SHALT BE SAVED. FOR WITH THE HEART MAN BELIEVETH UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND WITH THE MOUTH CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO SALVATION. NOW, THIS IS MORE THAN JUST SAYING THAT JESUS IS LORD. YOU CAN SAY THOSE WORDS. BUT WHEN PAUL WROTE THIS BOOK OF ROMANS TO THE EARLY CHRISTIANS, TO SAY JESUS CHRIST IS LORD COULD COST YOU YOUR LIFE. WHY? BECAUSE CAESAR WAS MORE THAN EMPEROR. HE WAS THE GOD. THE PEOPLE OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE HAD TO SAY, CAESAR’S LORD. NOW THEY COULD SAY ZEUS IS LORD. THEY COULD SAY THAT APHRODITE IS LORD. BUT THEY ALSO HAD TO SAY THAT CAESAR’S LORD. THEY HAD TO PUT CAESAR IN WITH THE OTHER GODS. CHRISTIANS WOULD NOT DO THAT. THEY WOULD TAKE THESE CHRISTIANS AND THEY WOULD SAY TO THEM, DO YOU WANT TO GET ALONG IN THE EMPIRE? THEN YOU MUST SAY WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE WILL SAY. SAY, CAESAR CURIOS. They would say, no, I can’t say that. Christos kurios. They would draw the sword and say, say it. Kaiser Christos. I cannot say that. Jesus Christ is Lord. And these Christians were thrown into dungeons. They were burned at the stake. Their blood read in the mouths of lions because they said that Jesus Christ is Lord. They could have been saved by simply offering a pinch of salt to Caesar and saying, yes, Jesus is Lord, but so also is Caesar. IT’S NOT CHRIST AND, IT IS CHRIST ONLY. NOT CHRIST AND THIS OR THAT. JESUS CHRIST IS LORD. THAT IS THE FUNDAMENTAL CONFESSION OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH. YOU KNOW, WE HEAR SO MUCH TODAY ABOUT RECEIVING CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR. DID YOU KNOW THAT’S NOT NEW TESTAMENT TALK? THE BIBLE DOESN’T TALK ABOUT RECEIVING CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR. HE IS SAVIOR. BUT YOU RECEIVE CHRIST. HE’S ALSO LORD. THE BIBLE SAYS, BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED. YOU SAY, WELL, WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? WELL, WHEN JOYCE AND I GOT MARRIED, SUPPOSE THAT PREACHER SAID TO ME, DO YOU TAKE JOYCE TO BE YOUR LAWFULLY WEDDED WIFE? SUPPOSE I SAID, WELL, I TAKE HER AS HOUSEKEEPER. NOW, FOLKS, I HAVE AN IDEA THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN MARRIED. I TAKE JOYCE. I MEAN, ALL THAT COMES WITH HER. You see, I said to her and to that preacher, I do. And I spent a number of years learning what I did. Now listen, I do. I gave all of me to all of her. Now, I didn’t understand all that marriage was about. I’m still learning what it’s all about. When I gave my heart to Jesus, I didn’t understand what it was all about. BUT I’LL TELL YOU ONE THING, I DID NOT COME WITH MY FINGERS CROSSED BEHIND MY BACK. I GAVE ALL I KNEW OF ME TO ALL I KNEW OF JESUS. AND I SAID, I DO TO HIM. I TOOK JESUS, AND SO MUST YOU. HE IS LORD. AND I’M TELLING YOU FROM MY HEART, LISTEN TO ME, DON’T HAVE THE IDEA THAT SALVATION IS LIKE A CAFETERIA LINE WHERE YOU SAY, I’LL TAKE A LITTLE SAVIORHOOD TODAY, BUT NO LORDSHIP, THANK YOU. JESUS CHRIST IS LORD THAT IF THOU SHALT CONFESS WITH THY MOUTH THE LORD JESUS AND SHALT BELIEVE IN THINE HEART THAT GOD HATH RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD THOU SHALT BE SAVED AND YOU CANNOT HAVE WHAT HE GIVES UNLESS YOU ACCEPT WHO HE IS AND HE IS LORD ONE OF THE GREATEST PREACHERS WHO EVER LIVED WAS CHARLES HADDON SPURGEON LET ME QUOTE WHAT HE SAID LISTEN TO IT THESE WORDS ARE WORTH HEARING If the convert declares that he knows the Lord’s will, but doesn’t mean to attend to it, IT IS YOUR DUTY TO ASSURE HIM THAT HE IS NOT SAVED. DON’T IMAGINE THAT THE GOSPEL IS MAGNIFIED OR GOD-GLORIFIED BY GOING TO WORLDLINGS AND TELLING THEM THAT THEY MAY BE SAVED AT THIS MOMENT SIMPLY BY ACCEPTING CHRIST AS THEIR SAVIOR WHILE THEY ARE WEDDED TO THEIR IDOLS WITH THEIR HEARTS AND THEIR HEARTS ARE STILL IN LOVE WITH SIN. IF I DO SO, I TELL THEM A LIE, I PERVERT THE GOSPEL, I INSULT CHRIST, I TURN THE GRACE OF GOD INTO LASSIVIOUSNESS.” IT IS NOT CHRIST AND, IT IS CHRIST OR. NOW, WHY? BECAUSE HE DIED FOR US. THERE IS THE REDEEMING CLAIM OF HIS LORDSHIP. NOW HERE’S THE SECOND THING I WANT YOU TO NOTICE. NOT ONLY THE REDEEMING CLAIM OF HIS LORDSHIP, BUT THE RESURRECTION CONQUEST OF HIS LORDSHIP. GO BACK TO OUR TEXT AGAIN AND LOOK AT IT IN VERSE NINE. TO THIS END CHRIST BOTH DIED, HE DIED TO CLAIM US AS LORD, AND ROSE. HE HAS RISEN TO CONTROL US AS LORD. THERE IS THE REDEEMING CLAIM AND THE RESURRECTION CONQUEST OF HIS LORDSHIP. HE IS SHOWN TO BE THE SON OF GOD WITH POWER BY THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD. YOU SEE, WHEN HE DIED, HE GAVE HIMSELF FOR US. BUT WHEN HE ROSE, HE GAVE HIMSELF TO US. AND NOW HE NOW LIVES IN US AS LORD. NOW WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU? WELL, NUMBER ONE, IT MEANS YOUR ENTIRE SUBMISSION. THERE CAN BE NO OTHER KING IN YOUR LIFE. NO MAN CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS. JESUS WILL NOT BE A MOONLIGHTING KING, A PART-TIME KING WITH A DUPLEX FOR A THRONE. IT MEANS THAT YOU ARE COMMITTED TO JESUS CHRIST ONLY. SOMEBODY HAS SAID IT WELL, HE MUST BE LORD OF ALL IF HE’S TO BE LORD AT ALL. SECOND THING IT MEANS, IT MEANS HIS ABSOLUTE OWNERSHIP OF ALL THAT YOU POSSESS. When a man owns the slave, he owns all the slave owns. And we’re slaves of Jesus Christ. And by the way, I have noticed what a man does with his possessions is a good mark as to whether or not Jesus Christ is Lord of his life. You say, well, he’s Lord of my life, I give him 10%. Then he’s not Lord of 90%. Friend, He is Lord of all. He doesn’t own 10%. He owns everything that you have. Now, when you bring your tithe to God’s house, when you give what God has laid on your heart, that’s only a tangible expression of the fact that He owns it all. Do you know what your giving is today when you give? You’re saying, Lord, this gift is a tangible, visible expression of my total surrender to You. THIS GIFT REPRESENTS MY BRAINS, IT REPRESENTS MY BLOOD, IT REPRESENTS MY ABILITY, IT REPRESENTS MY TIME, MY INTELLECT. THAT’S WHAT IT TOOK TO GET THIS. AND SO WHEN I AM GIVING THIS, WHEN I AM RETURNING THIS TO YOU, IT ONLY ILLUSTRATES THAT IT ALL BELONGS TO YOU AND THAT I AM YOUR STEWARD. JESUS ASKED A PERTINENT QUESTION IN LUKE CHAPTER 6 VERSE 46. HERE’S THE QUESTION, WHY CALL YE ME LORD, LORD, AND DO NOT THE THINGS THAT I SAY? THAT’S A CONTRADICTION IN TERMS. WE ARE TO YIELD TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST OUR READING, OUR RECREATION, OUR TIME, OUR FRIENDS, OUR VACATION. ALL THAT WE DO IS UNDER HIS CONTROL. YOU SAY, OH, PASTOR ROGERS, YOU’VE JUST RUINED LIFE FOR ME. NO, TELL HIM WHAT HE’LL DO TO ME IF I SAY THAT. HE’LL RUIN ME. LISTEN TO ME. Wants for you what you would want for yourself if you had enough sense to want it Suppose you had a son and that son comes to you and he’s just entering into teenage and he says mom and dad I Have been doing some thinking in my prayer time in my quiet time. I realized several things number one I realized that you have far more experience and more maturity than I have And also I know that you love me very much. And I know that you would lay down your lives for me. And I’ve been thinking about it, Mom and Dad. Because of your wisdom and your experience, and because of your love for me, I just want to say to you, as an obedient son, God helping me, I want to obey you as best I know how and bring honor to you. Well, suppose he said that. Now, would you and your wife go into a back room and say, did you hear what he said? Have we got him now? What can we do to make his life miserable? How can we make him suffer? Boy, will he be sorry that he said he’s going to yield everything to us. You think parents would do that? No, they’d go back and with a tear in their eye, they’d say, thank God, thank God. Mom, you know, we were thinking about getting him that bicycle. I think we better do it, don’t you? And you would delight to show your love to this child, but the father says, like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. Don’t you ever be afraid to trust your heart, your life to the one who loved you enough to die for you. He is Lord, He is absolute Lord. Now here’s the third and final thing I want you to see. Not only is there the redemptive claim of His Lordship, and not only is there the resurrection control of His Lordship, but there must be the regal confession of His Lordship. Paul goes on to say in this chapter that there’s coming a time when we’re all going to bow and confess to him. Look in verse 11. For it is written, as I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God. You are going to confess Christ as Lord, you know. If you don’t do it in this world, you’ll do it in another world. Put in your margin Philippians 2, verses 9 through 11. I love this. It speaks of Jesus who left earth, walked the dusty shores of Galilee, hung in agony upon a cross. And then it says in verse 9, Wherefore, wherefore, now listen to this, God also hath highly exalted him, AND GIVEN HIM A NAME WHICH IS ABOVE EVERY NAME, THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW. OF THINGS IN HEAVEN, THAT’S THE ANGELS, THINGS IN EARTH, THAT’S THE HUMANS, AND THINGS UNDER THE EARTH, THAT IS THE DEVIL AND DEMONS. AND THAT EVERY TONGUE SHOULD CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, to the glory of God the Father. It is a fact of future history that every created being will one day announce Him and confess Him as Lord. That doesn’t mean they’re going to be saved, but one day they will confess Him as Lord. The saints of all of the ages WILL BOW THE KNEE TO JESUS CHRIST. NOAH WILL SAY, JESUS IS LORD. MOSES WILL SAY, JESUS IS LORD. ABRAHAM WILL SAY, JESUS IS LORD. ISAAC WILL SAY, JESUS IS LORD. JACOB WILL SAY, JESUS IS LORD. ISAIAH, EZEKIEL, DANIEL WILL JOIN THE CHORUS AND SAY, JESUS IS LORD. ALL OF THE KINGS AND POTENTATES WHO HAVE EVER LIVED WILL BOW THE KNEE AND SAY, HE IS KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. ONE DAY SATAN HIMSELF WILL FINALLY BOW HIS HEAD AND SAY, JESUS CHRIST IS LORD. EVERY TONGUE SHALL CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD. BUT HERE’S THE WONDERFUL THING. WE DON’T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL WE DIE TO SAY JESUS IS LORD. IF THEY WERE GOING TO PERFORM AN OPERATION ON ME AND SAY, ADRIAN, WE’RE GOING TO CUT OUT YOUR TONGUE. IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY, YOU BETTER SAY IT NOW. YOU ONLY HAVE STRENGTH FOR THREE WORDS BEFORE WE CUT OUT YOUR TONGUE AND YOU WILL NEVER SAY ANOTHER WORD IN THIS LIFETIME. I’VE ALREADY THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT THOSE THREE WORDS WOULD BE. JESUS IS LORD. JESUS IS LORD. IF I COULD SOMEHOW BROADCAST TO ALL OF THE WORLD JUST THREE WORDS. THAT’S ALL I COULD SAY. I WOULDN’T HAVE TO HESITATE. I WOULDN’T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT. I WOULD WANT TO CONFESS THAT JESUS IS LORD. WHAT IS THIS CONFESSION? WHAT DOES IT DO? MAY I TELL YOU WHAT CONFESSING CHRIST LORD DOES? NOT ONLY DOES IT SEAL SALVATION, BUT WHAT DOES IT DO? LISTEN TO ME VERY CAREFULLY. THIS CONFESSION OF THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST WILL CONQUER SATAN. SATAN DOES NOT WANT YOU TO SAY IT AND MEAN IT, CHRIST IS LORD. THE DEVIL DOES NOT LIKE YOU TO SAY THAT OPENLY AND PUBLICLY TO CONFESS IT WITH YOUR MOUTH. I never shall forget the first time I met John Bramlett, or I’ve been around him for just a few moments. That was back in 1972. John had just been saved. You know, John was one of the premier athletes in our modern society, played professional football, was a stellar athlete at Memphis State, but known for wild and wicked and lascivious lifestyle and was a terror both on and off of the football field. And then Jesus found him, bought him, saved him, redeemed him, transformed him. but he was a brand new Christian. And I’d met him there at gate number four at Liberty Bowl Stadium. We were talking and I could just see the glow of Jesus on this man’s face that they call Bull Bramlett. And about that time, about five of his old friends came up. They had whiskey bottles, they had hooch, they had the devil in liquid form in a bottle. And they looked at him and they said, John, John Bramlett, hey, John. They held up that battle and said, come on, man. I never will forget that day. JOHN TURNED TO HIM, HE SAID, HEY, DID I TELL YOU WHAT JESUS CHRIST HAS DONE FOR ME? HE BEGAN THEN TO CONFESS JESUS CHRIST AS LORD. I MEAN, A CROWD OF PEOPLE. HE GOT THAT BIG VOICE. HE SAID, DID I TELL YOU WHAT JESUS CHRIST HAS DONE FOR ME? BOY, I SAW THE DEVIL TURN HEELS AND RUN. I SAW SATAN DEFEATED. WHY? BECAUSE OF A BOLD, CLEAR, OPEN TESTIMONY THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD. CONFESSION AND CONQUEST ARE LINKED TOGETHER. KEEP SAYING IT WHEN SATAN GETS ON YOU. I AM THE LORD. HE IS MINE. I BELONG TO JESUS CHRIST. SATAN, CHRIST IS LORD IN MY LIFE. IT CONQUERS SATAN. I’LL TELL YOU WHAT ELSE IT DOES. IT COMFORTS SAINTS. IT CONFIRMS SAINTS. WHEN YOU MAKE A PRACTICE OF CONFESSING THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST, IT’LL HELP YOUR FAITH TO GROW. CONFESSION STRENGTHENS FAITH, AND FAITH STRENGTHENS CONFESSION, AND YOU GET A RECIPROCAL THING GOING THERE. YOU SEE, THE MORE WE ASSERT A THING TO OTHERS, THE STRONGER HOLD IT GETS ON OURSELVES. NOT ONLY WILL IT HELP YOUR FAITH TO GROW AS A SAINT, BUT IT WILL HELP YOUR LOVE FOR THE LORD JESUS TO GROW. WHAT WE LOVE WE TALK ABOUT, AND WHAT WE TALK ABOUT WE TEND TO LOVE. IT WILL HELP, FRIEND, YOUR SEPARATION FROM THE WORLD. WHEN YOU GET INTO A HABIT OF OPENLY, BOLDLY, PUBLICLY CONFESSING JESUS CHRIST AS LORD, YOU’RE GOING TO FIND OUT THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD ARE GOING TO FALL AWAY FROM YOU MORE AND MORE. PEOPLE ARE WONDERING, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH MY OLD FRIENDS? YOU BEGIN TO CONFESS JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR. YOU WON’T HAVE TO GET RID OF THOSE OLD FRIENDS. THEY’LL GET RID OF YOU. LEARN TO CONFESS CHRIST AS LORD. IT WILL HELP YOUR FAITH TO GROW. IT WILL HELP YOUR LOVE TO GROW. IT WILL HELP YOUR SANCTIFIED, SEPARATED LIFE TO GROW WHEN YOU OPENLY, BOLDLY, PLAINLY, UNASHAMEDLY, UNAPOLOGETICALLY CONFESS CHRIST AS LORD. CONFESS HIM AS LORD IN TIMES OF JOY. IF JOY COMES, REMEMBER IT’S JESUS WHO IS THE SOURCE OF YOUR JOY, AND SAY, JESUS IS LORD. IF SADNESS COMES, REMEMBER THAT NOTHING COMES TO YOU BUT WHAT COMES THROUGH HIM FIRST. AND IN THE MIDST OF YOUR SORROW, REMEMBER THAT JOY COMETH IN THE MORNING AND THAT JESUS IS LORD. WHEN A LOVED ONE DIES AND YOU GO TO THE GRAVE SIDE, REMEMBER THAT HE’S LORD BOTH OF THE DEAD AND OF THE LIVING, AND SAY THAT JESUS IS LORD. AND WHEN SOMEBODY GIVES YOU AN HONOR, YOU HAVE SOME SUCCESS, AND YOU GET SOME AWARD, IN THE MIDDLE OF IT, TAKE THE CROWN FROM YOUR HEAD AND PUT IT ON HIS HEAD, AND SAY THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD. AND WHEN YOU’RE FACED WITH A DECISION, AND YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT WAY TO GO, THIS OR THAT, SAY, WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? WHAT WOULD HE HAVE ME TO DO? AND CONFESS IT AND SAY IT, JESUS IS LORD. HE ALONE IS WORTHY. I’LL TELL YOU WHAT ELSE IT’LL DO. NOT ONLY WILL IT CONQUER SATAN AND NOT ONLY WILL IT COMFORT SAINTS, IT’LL CONVICT SINNERS. WHEN YOU SAY THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD. DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH MANY OF US TODAY? MANY OF US TODAY SAY, WELL, I’M NOT GOING TO BE AN OPEN BOWL SOUL WINNER, BUT I’LL TELL YOU WHAT I DO WANT TO DO. I WANT TO SO LIVE THAT THEY’LL SEE MY LIFE, AND WHEN THEY SEE MY LIFE, THEY’LL WANT TO BE A CHRISTIAN. WELL, COME UP CLOSE. I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING, FRIEND. THEY’RE NOT SAVED BY YOUR LIFE. THEY’RE SAVED BY HIS DEATH. AND UNLESS YOU TELL THEM THE GOSPEL, THEY’RE NOT GOING TO GET SAVED. AS A MATTER OF FACT, IF THEY SEE YOUR LIFE AND DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU’RE LIVING THAT LIFE, YOU ARE ACCEPTING PRAISE UNDER FALSE PRETENSE AND YOU’RE GETTING THE GLORY RATHER THAN GIVING HIM THE GLORY. BUT WHEN YOU SAY TO YOUR FRIENDS, JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, AND JESUS IS THE ONE WHO’S TRANSFORMED ME, AND THE SECRET OF MY LIFE IS JESUS CHRIST IN ME, THEN, FRIEND, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO COME UNDER CONVICTION. I’LL TELL YOU WHAT ELSE IT’LL DO. NOT ONLY WILL IT CONVICT SINNERS, IT’LL CONTROL SERVICE. SO MANY OF US ARE FACED WITH DECISIONS. WHEN YOU SAY THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, A LOT OF YOUR DECISION MAKING IS DRASTICALLY NARROWED. DID YOU KNOW THAT? I MEAN, DRASTICALLY NARROWED. WHEN I GO TO A HOTEL ROOM, WHEN I’M BY MYSELF, on a trip. I don’t have to keep asking myself, am I going to watch an R-rated film or something? I don’t have to ask myself that. Why? BECAUSE JESUS IS LORD. YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT? IF THERE’S SOMETHING THERE THAT DOESN’T BELONG TO ME, I DON’T HAVE TO ASK MYSELF, AM I GOING TO TAKE IT OR NOT? IT’S NOT MINE. JESUS IS LORD. WHEN YOU MAKE THAT DECISION, SO MANY OTHER DECISIONS ARE MADE. THE BEST ADVICE THAT ANYBODY EVER GAVE TO ANYBODY WAS THE ADVICE THAT MARY GAVE TO THE SERVANTS THAT DAY AT THE WEDDING FEAST OF CANA, WHEN THEY’D RUN OUT OF WINE, AND MARY SAID TO THOSE SERVANTS CONCERNING JESUS, WHATEVER HE SAITH UNTO YOU, DO IT. Do it. Jesus is Lord. Now listen, folks. Do you want kingdom authority? Would you like for God to be pouring his life and his strength into you? I want to tell you that authority is not for rebels. You will never be over until you’re under authority. and you must come under the absolute lordship of jesus christ and don’t be ashamed of that don’t be afraid of that and if one of these days every knee will bow in every tongue confessing don’t you think it’s time right now that we confessed him don’t you think it is time right now that we had a coronation service wouldn’t you right now in your heart and in your life want to bow your knee bow your heart and say that jesus christ is lord in every man’s life there’s a throne If self is on the throne, Christ is on the cross. If self is on the cross, Christ is on the throne. Wouldn’t you like to have a coronation service today and say Jesus Christ is Lord of my life? And then friend, when you get sick and when it’s time to die and those chilly waters of death start to come around your feet, won’t it be wonderful to say Jesus Christ is Lord? AND THEN WHEN THE TRUMPET SOUNDS AND THE GRAVES ARE GIVING UP THEIR DEAD AND THE SKIES SPLIT ASUNDER AND THE LORD JESUS COMES IN ALL OF HIS GLORY, WON’T IT BE WONDERFUL TO RISE IN THE RESURRECTION AND SAY, JESUS CHRIST IS LORD? AND THEN WHEN THE REDEEMED OF ALL OF THE AGES ARE AROUND THAT THRONE AND ANGELS AND PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS ARE BOWING BEFORE HIM, WON’T IT BE WONDERFUL? WON’T IT BE WONDERFUL? TO JOIN ALL OF THOSE REDEEMED AND LOOK UP AT THE ONE WITH THE NAIL PRINTS IN HIS HANDS AND SAY, HE IS LORD, HE IS LORD. HE IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD AND HE IS LORD. ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESUS’ NAME. LET ANGELS PROSTRATE FALL. LET’S ALL BRING FORTH THE ROYAL DIADEM. LET’S CROWN HIM LORD OF ALL. DO YOU BELIEVE HE IS LORD? He is Lord. He died to claim us as Lord. He rose to control us as Lord. He lives to be crowned as Lord. He is Lord.
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