Stewardship Is Lordship

Philippians 2:5-11; Romans 14:7-12

All of history is moving towards that moment when every creature will con-
fess Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. When Jesus Christ re-
turns, He will have a name wriFen on His vesture and thighKing of kings and
LORD OF LORDS (Rev. 19:16).

What does Lord mean? In common language, it simply means master or
boss. But Jesus is more than a master or a Boss. The Utle Lord means
one to whom something belongs and has authority over = OWNERSHIP and
AUTHORITY. Jesus is the Owner, therefore the One in charge.

Shortly a]er joining the Navy, the new recruit asked his ocer for a pass so
he could aFend a wedding. The ocer refused to issue the pass.

You dont understand, sir, said the recruit. Im in the wedding.

No, you dont understand, the ocer shot back. Youre in the Navy!

The Utle Lord also denotes deityLord in that sense in which God alone
can be Lord (John 20:28; 1 Cor. 12:3).

People say, Make Jesus Christ Lord, as if He were running for oce. God
has already made Jesus Lord (Acts 2:36). We must simply recognize His Lordship
and submit to it.

I.

The RIGHTS of Lordship (Rom. 14:9).

Christs rights to Lordship is established by His death and resurrecUon.

A. The right to PURCHASE us as Lord (To this end Christ both DIED).
1. Purchased with Gods own blood (Acts 20:28; 1 Cor. 6:19-20).
2. Jesus OWNS us (Rom. 14:8)! We are His.
He owns our eyes to view His world.
He owns our hands to serve His will.
He owns our feet to walk His way.
He owns our lips to speak His Word.
He owns our hearts to give Him worship.
He owns our life to be His witnesses.

B. The right to POSSESS us as Lord (To this end Christ both died, and rose,
and REVIVED, that he might be LORD). Jesus wants to live His life
through us (Gal. 2:20).
1. ILLUS In certain circumstances there is no more dangerous area
than a vacant lot or house. It is the trouble spot for seducers, robbers,
etc. Likewise, there is no more dangerous area in a persons life than
one that the Lord does not possess.
2. ILLUS A]er a denUst removes a cavity from a tooth, he must ll the
vacant hole with good material, otherwise decay will return.

II. The REALMS of Lordship (Rom. 14:8). In life and death, Jesus is Lord.

A. In all of our life we are RESPONSIBLE to the Lordship of Christ.

1. Stewardship of TIMEagenda (Eph. 5:16). Edison said, Time is the
most valuable thing anyone has.
You can only get saved in Ume
You can only earn money in Ume.
You can only invest for eternity in Ume.
a. Time is a means of measuring your life.
b. Redeem means to purchase or buy up. A purchase is made by ex-
changing something of value.
c. We redeem the Gme (our life) by exchanging it for the will of
God. How do you spend your life? Good ways to redeem the Ume:
Prayer
Church ministry
Bible Study
Discipling your family
Soul winning
d. It is not how much Ume you live, but what do you do with the
Ume you have. Only one life, twill soon be pastOnly whats
done for Christ will last! ILLUS- The Life Clock
Dr. Leslie Weatherhead, in his book, TIME FOR GOD has a mathemaU-
cally calculated schedule which compares a lifeUme of three score
years and ten with the hours of a single day from seven in the morn-
ing to eleven at night.
If your age is...
15, the Ume is 10:25 am
25, the Ume is 12:42 pm

35, the Ume is 3:00 pm

40, the Ume is 4:08 pm
45, the Ume is 5:16 pm
50, the Ume is 6:25 pm
55, the Ume is 7:34 pm
60, the Ume is 8:42 pm
65, the Ume is 9:51 pm
70, the Ume is 11:30 pm.

c. Is Jesus Lord of your schedule?

2. Stewardship of TALENT (abiliBes).
a. It is not how talented you are. It is what you use your talents for
that makes a dierence.
Building talents
Mechanical talents
Teaching talents
Care-giving talents
Musical talents
Custodial talents
ArUsUc talents
Child-care talents
Technical talents
Clerical talents
b. God gives us abiliUes, but He does not force us to use them for His
glory.
However, when abiliUes are not used, harmful consequences re-
sultIf farmers fail to farm; if factory workers fail to be produc-
Uve; if transportaUon stops, shortages will be felt everywhere. If
doctors fail to do their job, disease becomes rampant. If teachers
fail to teach, people are le] in ignorance and illiteracy increases.
The same is true in the church when people do not use their
talents for GodThe Gospel is hindered and souls go to hell!
c. Is Jesus Lord of your service?
3. Stewardship of TREASURES (assets).
a. As in all other aspects of stewardship, MONEY IS A SACRED TRUST
commiFed to us to use under the direcUon of the Lord.
b. ILLUS Eliezer (Gen.15:2; 24) was Abrahams steward who in-
vested nearly $10,000 to fulll his lords will: Get a bride for his
son Isaac.
c. Is Jesus Lord of your spending?

B. In death we are ACCOUNTABLE to the Lordship of Christ (Rom. 14:9-13).

III. The RULES of Divine Lordship

The Lordship of Christ is touches all relationships in life (Rom. 14:9-10).

The secret of our relaUonships with one another, especially when we have
our dierences, is "Jesus Christ is Lord." To despise or stand in judgment
on a fellow ChrisUan is a denial of the Lordship of Jesus. I need to say to
myself, Who am I, that I should assume the role of another ChrisUan's
lord or judge? I must be willing for Jesus Christ to be not only my Lord
and Judge, but also my fellow ChrisUans' Lord and Judge.

A.


B.

CONFESSION of Christ in all relaUonships of life (v. 11).

1. Starts in salvaUon (Rom. 10:9).
2. Sustained in service.
SUBMISSION to Christ in all relaUonships of life (Luke 6:46; cf. 9:59).

SUMMATION: How do you spell Lordship? O-B-E-D-I-E-N-C-E.

A pastor had nished preaching on the Lordship of Christ. A young woman ap-
proached him, I want Jesus to be Lord of my life, but I am afraid God will send me
overseas as a missionary and I dont want to go. The preacher asked the lady to
open her Bible to Acts 10:14. God had given Peter a vision of a sheet in which
were all manner of four-footed animals, beasts and creeping things. God said,
Rise Peter; kill and eat. But Peter refused saying, Not so, Lord

The pastor went on to explain, A slave never dictates to his master. There-
fore, to say, Not so, Lord, is a contradicUon of terms. You cannot say Lord, and
not so. in the same breath. Then he handed the woman a pen and said, Now I
want you to either cross out the two words, not so and leave the word Lord; or
else cross out the word Lord and leave not so. He handed her a pencil and qui-
etly walked away.

In a few minutes she approached him again showing him the words not so
crossed out, leaving the word Lord underlined!