Jesus as King - Life of Paul Part 42

You know it's it's interesting that with followers of Jesus Christ. When we are asked to do certain things were considering certain options like not keeping score in a marriage like golfer giving other people when they heard us like loving other people unconditionally and not based on their performance.

It's always good to ask ourselves the question why me, why should I live like this and the answer is very simple. As followers of Christ is because Jesus the King of our lives told us to. That's what we want to talk about today we want to talk about the kingship of Jesus Christ over our lives really use an example out of the life of the apostle Paul as a springboard into this discussion. So I wonder if you brought a Bible. If you would mind opening it with me to ask chapter 17. Give me ask chapter 17 were going to be continuing in our study the life of the great man. The apostle Paul. Now while you're turning.

Let me give you little bit of background, the apostle Paul is on his second missionary journey fees with this team. Silas, Timothy and Dr. Luke and let show you a map. They have gone from northwestern Turkey of today across the Aegean Sea to the town of Philippi and then after their ministry here.

They followed the nation way. As you can see in yellow. 100 miles to the town of Thessalonica here in Thessalonica for three Sabbath Paul spoke in the synagogue about Jesus the Messiah. As a result, a lot of Jewish people and a lot of Gentiles gave your life to Christ on that's where we pick up the story with Paul you're in Thessalonica so let's look together at verse five it says that the Jews were jealous you say jealous of what when they were jealous of all of these people were believing. Paul's message who were giving their lives to Jesus. And so as a result, they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace formed a mob and started a riot in the city and they rush to Jason's house. Jason is a believer, a Jewish believer who was putting Paul in and sign us up. They rush to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd, but verse six when the mom did not find Paul and Silas.

They dragged Jason and some other believers out of their house and down in front of the city officials let show your picture here in Thessalonica. This is the city square. That's been excavated. Here is the beam or the platform where they would've dragged Jason and the his buddies down and would've presented them there to the magistrates in this town of Thessalonica that these magistrates have a unique name. They're called in the Bible.

Poly tarps this word is in use of the local magistrates in any other city that Paul went to only in Thessalonica and this word is form the basis for centuries of critics calling the Bible inaccurate and wrong. Let me tell you why in all of the Greek literature that we have, we never find the word Pontotoc ever use.

In fact that's true even to this day there's not one mention of this word anywhere in Greek literature and so the critics of the Bible said you see there holding his team are obviously never increase the book of acts is a total fabrication. It is historically unreliable and if it's historically unreliable than ipso facto. It is spiritually unreliable.

Well, not so fast. Sherlock because in the last 50 years we have found 64 uses occurrences of this word poly tarps ASAP thought you said to this day it's not mention any Greek literature. It isn't the 64 we found were in inscriptions that have all been dog out of the ground as part of archaeological digs in Greece. In fact, half of these have come from Thessalonica itself and we know today without any shadow of a doubt that in Thessalonica there were five local magistrates who ran the town and they were known by the unique title of Pontotoc's is it will also have come back on the word never appears in any Greek literature were friends.

I don't know. I mean, for that's the question Jan asked Plato or Aristotle.

I don't know what I do know is that once again the Bible is made fools out of the people who said it was wrong indeed. Only someone who would been in Thessalonica in the first century like the Bible says Paul was only that person would've known that these local rulers were called by the unique name poly tarps. There would've been no other way to ever figure it out from all of Greek literature and you know we love to say the more they dig out of the ground the more the Bible proves to be right all the centuries, the Bible been right. And scholarship has been wrong.

Well, let's go on and see what happened. The Pontotoc surveyor Jason's there and did the crowd says these men talking about Paul and Silas would cause trouble all over the world literally who have turned the world upside down for Jesus Christ. Now they have come here. What a wonderful complement, I mean they didn't intend this to be a complement.

But what a wonderful complement that to say that Paul and his buddies had turned the world upside down for Jesus Christ will be great if we could do that in this town would be wonderful.

What complement if you were at work and somebody said when you go to church and you say I go to McLean Bible church and if they all of a sudden went to church all the people are turning this town upside down right for Jesus Christ would not be a wonderful complement will that's our goal.

That's what we want to do. We want to follow in the footsteps of the apostle Paul in rock the city for Jesus Christ going on. Verse seven Jason they go on to say welcome these guys into his house and they said this, they are all defined Caesar's decrees. How by saying that there is another king one called Jesus, I'm sure you know that at the time of the apostle Paul, the Roman Empire was considered a God if you valued your head, you acknowledged him as a God you worship him as a God. And so this accusation that Paul was preaching a different king, a different God than the Roman Emperor is a very serious accusation. The pilot talked to got to do something or else they'll be accused of complicity. They'll be accused of being accomplices and so verse eight when they heard this, the crowd in the city officials were thrown into turmoil and then today the pilot tarps made Jason and the other believers post a bond or and then they let him go and what was involved in this bond will they put up their houses. They put up their bank accounts and they made an agreement that the apostle Paul would stop reaching and causing turmoil in town and that he would leave Thessalonica salon.

I'm shocked that the apostle Paul would ever agree to get run out of town like this. Well the truth is, he didn't agree to one there. Make this deal.

Jason made this deal for them. But you know once Jason and made the deal that went all Paul could do. I mean, if Paul didn't comply. Jason's going to lose his house. All these older well-meaning believers are going to lose their homes and their bank account and so reluctantly, very reluctantly. The apostle Paul said well okay verse 10 and when night came, the brother sent Paul and Silas away to Berea, a nearby city were to look and see what happens there in the weeks to come, but that's as far as we want to go in the passage for today. We've got a question to ask a very important question as everybody knows what it is.

So you ready, here we go now 123 right is a lawn so always want to know about Pontotoc lawn.

I'm glad I came today. You know you do just by me, my day is complete, that I know all about Pontotoc.

What difference does this make to my life in the 21st century, well, let's try to make that connect together you know folks in our world there are always some people who just don't get it. You know what I'm talking about. Like other Jewish mother who was at the country club. One day, comparing sons with some of the other mothers in the country club soda for one of these other ladies. One of the first lady said she said she said when it comes the sun.

She said I got the best son in the world. She said you know what my son does my son every week sends me a bouquet of flowers with a little note attached telling me what a wonderful mother. I am well a second mother spoke up and said she said you know my son does my son every week like clockwork every Sunday called me on the telephone matter where he is to tell me how much he loves me and he appreciate the as his mother Jewish mother spoke up. She goes she goes what you know my son, my son, much better than that you think you know what my son does she sent my son goes three times a week to see his therapist at all he ever talks about their some people just don't get it now when it comes to the people in Thessalonica. However, those were people who got it. You say what you mean paper and think about exactly what the apostle Paul was preaching look it says in verse seven that there preaching. There is another king. Then Caesar a person named Jesus. They got Paul's message loud and clear that you know we talk so much about Jesus being our Messiah, and Jesus being our Savior that sometimes I'm afraid we gloss over the Bible's claim that he is also our King. Nathaniel said it. He said Rabbi you are the son of God, you are the king of Israel in Matthew 27 Pilate asked Jesus. Are you the king of the Jews and he said yes it is as you say, is that a lot of these, the king of the Jews. I didn't have anything to do with me.

I'm a Gentile, wait a minute. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 28 all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Folks if you are resident of either heaven or earth, and that pretty well covers all the option if you are resident of heaven or earth.

Whether you are a Jew or Gentile or something in between the make a bit of difference. Jesus said all authority in those two locations has been given to him. He's keen not just of the Jewish people frenzies king of the universe of every life in the universe, which is why the Bible calls in Revelation 19 the king of kings and Lord of lords, not a factor. Jesus is the king of every life in the universe means that we can divide every person in the universe of the one of three categories appear here today you are in one of these three categories.

You have to be as we go through them. I hope you'll take a moment and say I which of these categories of Mayan and if you're not in the one with God want you to be and I hope you'll consider making a change category number one of the people in our world who have made no surrender to the kingship of Jesus at all. These are people who say hey when you live the way we want to live were to do what we want to do.

There is no king going to tell us of the choices were to make and how were going to live our everyday lives, not friends.

If you're in this category. The Bible tells us is a very dangerous place to be sold to.

Why are the nations in an uproar and water the peoples devise a foolish plan. The Bible says and what is that foolish plan well the kings of the earth take their stand against the Lord and against his Messiah. And they say let us break their reign over us were not interested in having them being king over us, he who sits in heaven laughs at them. He scoffs at their foolishness, and here's what he says. He says I have installed my king in Israel. I have given him the nations as his possession.

Therefore, all kings be wise, be warned you people of the earth worship the Lord with reverence and kiss the son, the Lord Jesus, lest he be angry with you, and you perish in your way. You know the old saying that you're either on the trainer you're on the tracks you know the old saying, will friends if you made Jesus Christ king of nothing in your life that I'm here to announce to you your on attracts and the train is common and and and and God is very serious about the fact that you need to get off the tracks and get on the train.

If you've never made a commitment of your life to Jesus Christ. This is a dangerous position to be and I hope today you will give serious consideration to changing what is a second category of people and that is people who made a partial surrender to the kingship of Jesus Christ is a lot how in the world is a person do some like that. Well, very simply, they accept Jesus as their personal savior, but it stops right there.

In other words, these are people want Jesus to be king of over their eternal destiny but they don't want him to be king over their daily lifestyle over there daily actions over there daily choices you may have heard it put this way, these are people in whose lives. Jesus is a resident but he is not the president when that's another way of putting it, and how does God feel about people in the situation well. He tells us. Revelation chapter 3 I have this against you, Jesus is that you are neither cold nor hot. You're in the middle. I wish you were one of the other which are lukewarm, and because you are lukewarm I am ready to spit you out of my mouth.

So be earnest, and repent, be earnest, and change your mind be earnest and make a U-turn in the way you're living that these are very strong words from Jesus, but it shows us the level of intensity that God has about people being lukewarm in their walk with him. And if you're here today and you're in category number two. Our goal is to help you in God's goal is to get you into category number three because the lives of the people he blesses in the lives of the people he honors in the lives of the people that he uses has always been and will always be the people in category three. What is category number three. Those are the people who it made a total surrender to the kingship of Jesus Christ over their lives. These are the people that God is looking for any disable on what is this really mean practically you put some handles on this for me. I love to do it by reminding you what Paul said about this in Romans chapter 12.

He explains to us what this really means for our lives. Here's what he says. He says I urge you, brothers, to present your bodies to God as living sacrifices for this is pleasing to God. Notice three things. If you want about what Paul says here number one God is asking us to present something to him. The word literally means to yield something to surrender something to turn over control relinquish control of something. Second of all, he tells us what this something is. He says it's our body.

You know, I've been pastoring for 22 years and without a doubt when people come in my office in a blown if they disobeyed God they done something wrong that's gotten them in a mess without a doubt the most common statement. The most common thing I hear people say to me in my office is what you no one I might be in trouble and I might've got it wrong, but I just want you to know my heart was in the right place. God knows my heart and my heart was in the right place will that's wonderful. But you know what people out there in the world can't see what's in your heart, all they can do is see what you and I do with our body and its with our bodies that we are either going to honor Jesus Christ in the eyes of an onlooking world or its with our bodies that were going to disgrace Jesus Christ in the eyes of an onlooking world friend God is happy to have your heart, but he is not going to be satisfied till he gets her body to which is why he says in the Bible. First Corinthians chapter 6, verse 20. Therefore honor God with your body. First Thessalonians chapter 4 verse for each of us should learn how to control body in a way that is holy and honorable before God is a lot how much of our body does God want will that's the third thing I want you to notice about Romans 12. The Bible tells us that God wants enough of our bodies to make them living sacrifices. The imagery here is that of the Old Testament sacrificial system where worshiper would bring a lamb in the priest would kill the lamb and orderly burned its whole body on the altar as a sacrifice to God.

How much of this Old Testament animal did God ask for Freddie. After all of it. How much of our bodies is God asking for for us to become living sacrifices was asking for all of the folks God is not interested in a limited partnership with you. God wants a total takeover but you undo hostile takeovers.

Remember, you've got to relinquish control. You got to present yourself to him. He's not going to take over if you're wanting to, but this is what he wants. Now we refer to this as the Lordship of Jesus Christ over person's life what it means practically to live under the Lordship of Christ as it means that we make a deliberate decision to crown Jesus as the King over every area of our personal life in means that we make a decision that every area of our life. We are going to seek to bring into conformity to the way the Bible tells us were supposed to live that area of our life and it applies to our sex lives. Our dating habits are attitudes in the language that we use. It applies to our thought life are business ethics and the jokes that we tell it applies to what we watch on TV and what movies we order. When we travel and checked in the hotel. It applies to the way that we treat our spouse the way we treat our children the way we talk about all the people the way we spend our money and the way we drive on the Beltway how much right when the Bible tells us to do so (the Lordship of Christ says that we do it we don't always get it right.

We don't always get a perfect but if we are committed to the Lordship of Christ.

It means were trying our best to get it right and were not satisfied when we don't get it right. We come back and we try again to get it right.

I love the best definition of the Lordship of Christ I've ever heard.

It was given by the great Southern Baptist preacher Jimmy Draper and he said this, the Lordship of Christ means that we say to God, God, the answer is yes. Now what was the question you fill in the question and about what you fill in the answer still yes were doing it your way.

I got an email from a young man not long ago when he said you know what he said on dating this girl and he said it's really tough for me. He said, but if Jesus wants me to stay squeaky clean sexually till I get married as hard as it is and that's what I'm willing to do that what you just heard is a young man who's made a total commitment to the kingship of Jesus Christ over his life.

I had a lady in my office recently was telling me about her husband being unfaithful to work and she said you know what though he's come back.

He then asked me to forgive him and he told me he wants to put our marriage back together as to what you going to do. She said well I'm going to give him and I'm going to stay in the marriage and put it back together because that's what I know God wants me to do what you just heard is a lady who's made a commitment to the total Lordship of Jesus Christ in our life. I was talking to a friend of my son, a high school student and he said you know what you won't believe this, every single kid in high school cheats onto SLG and he said but you know, I know God is not happy with my doing that I'm determine I'm not going to cheat there even if I get lower grades. I don't care God to get me where I need to go. I'm not want to cheat what you just heard is a student who's made a total commitment to the Lordship of Jesus and his long. This is very practical.

This is everyday stuff. Friends of religion under the Lordship of Christ. There is nothing in our everyday lives that doesn't fall under the Lordship of Jesus Christ for Father's Day this past year my three boys went together and they bought me golf, Nike driver yeah real nice quote I thought it was a wonderful gesture. I was deeply touched within the state. They left one price tag down by the tub called wrapped around the club down by the head of the club and I happened to look down there and see the price of this club almost had a heart attack because I don't play well enough to have a whole set of clubs. The cost that much money. I'm serious, disable what in the world are you doing notice and price tags only do you listen friends you know the way women notice shoes. That's the way Jewish people noticed price tags. I mean, it is genetic. That's all I can tell you it just comes with the car and so I said I said fellow team keep this call. I mean, I never hit the ball well with this club be so worried I would to God. So I took it back to the golf shop and argued with the manager for about 1/2 an hour you want to get back and finally got an agreed to take it back and he said what you want to credit you. Today it's gotta go to the home office, I saw iPods about a month later the check arrives and I call my son Jamie. He put it on his credit card his visa and I called them up and I said hey the checks here.

I need to sign it over to you so you can pay for the visa bill.

He said that I'm almost certain is that I check my Visa account. They credited that back right on my Visa account signal can't be. I got the check writing your icicle double check if he did got back to me and he said yeah they credited back on my Visa counties.

I think what happened here is they gave us a double refund who will that's nice and I started thinking you know what is bad. As I play golf, I can use this check my golf balls on the final goal: I will live to be able to stop walking in the creeks looking for minimum plans looking for copying golf balls for line in the Lord. I was stuck to pray one day the Lord said to me, like you, you can keep those go you can keep a check, you can't do that to God. Nobody in their right mind would take this check back to those guys. Especially after the hassle they gave me taken the club back.

I tell you what God I make it deal you and me will split it all you have to McLean Bible church login.golf ball happened like a great deal to me when no. One morning I was praying in the north in a lawn you know what, there's only room for one king in this universe. It's me and is not you. When I'm telling you, you take that check back so reluctantly I went over the golf shop with the check. I found the manager and I could remember mean he goes all you know you're the guy with the Nike driver.

I said yeah that's me. I said well you know what I gotta tell you something you guys double credited me for the return and so you you credited to the visa and on and on. So I brought the check back to you said one. I said I brought the check back to you. He said why did you do that it would be perfectly honest with you I didn't want to be perfectly as with God you want to keep in catching you never find out about us. Obama pastor of the church. I'm a follower of Jesus. I know God is watching and in good conscience I can keep consumer took the check back. And he said them said while I don't really know how to say thank you and I said well you could give me some free golf balls any believe that think any budget free golf ball.

The point is, friends and even the Lordship of Christ applies the golf ball implies that everything and if you're a follower of Jesus Christ here today I'm here to tell you that if you want God to your life and you want God to bless your life and you want God to use your life and the only people he does that with our living sacrifices. That's what Abraham was, that's what Moses was. That's what Ruth was that's what Deborah was. That's what Paul was, and that's what you and I need to be. If we want to see God use our lives. If you're here and you're not in that category. I'm here to challenge you to get in that category this morning and and become the kind of person that God is excited to use them to bless me just say one thing in closing and that is I know for some of us here. This is a really hard thing we had domineering father as an abusive mother is in and controlling husband who took advantage of the submission we gave him to hurt us and brutalize us and dehumanize us and we swore we were never ever give it up that much control of our life to anybody again. I understand. But let me just say to you, God is not like that friends don't extrapolate those feelings onto God is not a human being.

He's not going to take your surrender and turn it into something it feeds his own ego.

God doesn't do that.

He's going to take your surrender and turn it into green pastures and still waters and restoring your soul. That's what he's going to do with that. He's going to use your surrender to bless honor enter and to benefit your life. So yeah, I understand that with people and I'm not saying sometimes it that that's not the right thing to feel.

I'm just saying don't don't put that on God, God is not like that you'll never take advantage of your surrender and abuse that trust God will never do that you can trust in you don't have to be afraid of him.

Well, if you're here today and you can walk out of here in Ceylon I'm in category three solid as can be.

That's wonderful, that's wonderful. But if you're not I want to challenge it while right here this morning to make a decision to get into category three.

So let's bow our heads together with close arrives and if you're here today and you're prepared to say you know what long. I'm not in category three, but I'm I'm willing to be that I want you to take a moment right where we sit and I want you to tell God that and make that decision right here today for Jesus.

Thanks for reminding us today that the Lordship of Christ applies to golf balls. It applies to tests in high school. It applies to unfaithfulness in marriage and forgiveness. It applies to dating relationships. It applies to everything there is not one part of our life that the Lordship of Jesus Christ doesn't touch my prayer father is it you would challenge us here, particularly those of us were followers of Christ we can't live in never never land that we can't live in lukewarm land that there's nothing there for us except lack of joy and lack of blessing God challenge us that if we are going to trust Christ.

It's gotta be 100% with every part of our being and so Lord may there be many people who walk out of here today. Having said I'm go to present myself to you as a living sacrifice beginning today more by the power of your spirit.

Help us help us to live that out consistently in our lives each and every day. Thanks for your forgiveness. When we miss it. Lord help us be serious about trying to get it right and we thank you and pray in Jesus name, amen