JESUS CHRIST IS LORD OR LORDS AND KING OF KINGS.

 

1 TIM. 6: 13 – 16

 

13 ¶ I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;

 14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:

 15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;

 16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen.

 

Why do people refuse to obey Jesus Christ who gave his life for all and is above all, but every Sunday there are people who hear the Word preached and then go out and disobey Jesus by not obeying Him.  Why should we obey Jesus?

I.       THE KING IS WORTHY.

          A.      Matt. 28: 17 – 20  Christ has all authority.  Matthew records.

                   17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

By what authority do we disobey Christ who has all authority?

          B.      Eph. 1: 3  He provides all spiritual blessings.  Paul writes,

3 ¶ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Without obedience to Christ we have no spiritual blessings. 

 

C.      John 1: 1 – 3  God is the giver of all good things, but John writes that Christ is the creator and without him we would have nothing that we have.

1 ¶ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

 2 The same was in the beginning with God.

 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

We owe it to Christ to obey him because he has made all we have possible.

          D.      John 10: 17-18  Jesus laid down his life for us.

17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

Jesus gave his life that we might have life in Him.  If we do not obey him we commit spiritual suicide.  We take our own spiritual life through disobedience to Christ and we are lost.

II.      THE CONCEQUENCES ARE PERSONAL.

          A.      ISA. 59: 1 – 2  Our prayers are not heard.

1 ¶ Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

Would you pray knowing your prayers are not answered?  Are you praying to God daily?  If you are praying, you surly want God to hear and answer your prayers.  He will hear those that obey him 

 

          B.      Matt. 10: 32 – 33  Christ will deny us to the father.  How terrible.

32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

No one likes to be denied, but think how serious it is to be denied by Jesus Christ to God.  For Jesus to tell God he never knew us.

C.      Rev. 20: 11 – 15  Without obedience to Christ we have condemned ourselves to Hell.  Christ is going to deny us, so our name will not be found.

          11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

          12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

          13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

          14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

          15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Do we believe what the Bible says.  Whoever’s name is not found in the book of life will be cast into hell.  If we believe Christ adds us to his church and we believe Christ denies the unfaithful to the Father, then the unfaithful can not be in the church.  If we are not in Christ we are lost.  Do we see and believe that?  What are we going to do about it? 

 

III.     OUR INFLUENCE IS LACKING.

A.      2 COR. 6: 11 – 18  If we do not separate our selves from the world we are still apart of the world and not Christ.

                   11 O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.

                   12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.

 13 Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

You can not influence anyone for good if you are participating in their sin.

If a preacher is having an affair with his secretary, it is not likely that she will repent when he preaches on adultery.  She knows he is not taking about her.

Why would our friends want to obey Christ when we make them feel so comfortable in sin by our approval of their sinful actions, vulgar talk, suggestive actions and language.  If we do not tell them it is wrong they believe we think it is alright.  If they will not change we have to separate ourselves from them.

What kind of influence will you have on a drinking buddy that you continue to drink with socially of any other wise.  Oh I just drink to be sociable.  Well you are running with the wrong crowd.  You are being influenced and not being a good influence.

          B.      Gen. 18: 19  Could God say of us as he did Abraham?

19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

Do we lack the influence in our own family because they see us for who we really are and not who we pretend to be?  At home we take all the mask off.

1.       Even if we failed  as parents we can be the example to them now.  Maybe we were not Christians when we raised our children.  Now we can show them Christ in our life.  We have to open our mouth and admit we failed and want to repent and make it right with them.

2.       How many husbands and wives have mourned the loss of their spouse long before death?  They knew that because of their disobedience they would never be together in Heaven.  No mater how good they were to them they would not change and obey Jesus Christ.  If we have a faithful spouse we need to thank God daily.  We also need to tell them how much we love them every day.  So many today do not know what they had until they are gone.  No one is perfect.  We all have our faults.  Vickie reminds me I could have done a lot worse and I know she is right.

3.       There are going to be too many Christians on that judgment day that say did we not attend worship?  Did we not always give something?  Did we not pray when we needed you?  If the righteous scarcely be saved where will we be?

 

Jesus has done all he can do to save you.  He came, lived as a man, suffered as a man, died like a thief and murder.  He never sinned, never lied, never cheated, but he died for you and I.  What right does he have to expect us to obey Him?  Because he is Lord and King.  Because he is the one and only son of God. Because he suffered and died for our sins.  He has given us his simple plan of salvation that any and all could obey if they would.  He showed and proved it possible to live faithfully to God the Father and then said if you love me you will keep my commandments.  Do you love God? Then show it.  Do his will. 

Do you need to come today and confess Jesus Christ as the son of God and be baptized for the remission of sins?  Christ will add you to his church.

Do you as a Christian need to come back to Jesus.  Have you lost your first love?

Will you come.