TOPIC:“Reign Over Us Lord”
by Rev. Dr. Reg Dunlap
TEXT:Philippians 2:9-11
“And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (2:11)
This evil world may not like it, but the day will come at the Last Judgment when the entire intelligent universe will willingly and unwillingly acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The whole creation of human beings, heavenly beings, and the devil and his demons will one day publicly declare the absolute supremacy of Jesus Christ over the whole universe. They will affirm that Christ is all that He claimed to be - very God of very God.
But today I want to encourage you to recognize and respond to the Lordship of Christ over your life at this very moment. Paul S. Rees, in one of his sermons, was so right when he declared: “Finding the Master is one thing, but following the Master into all the high demand of full surrender is another thing.” I fully agree! There is the truth that Christ is Lord. That fact stands forever. But the fact remains that far too many Christians have not recognized that truth in their own lives. They try to live with divided loyalties - part for God and part for themselves.
Such divided allegiance is an unhappy situation for any Christian. It describes a Christian in conflict between doing God's will and doing their own will. God is asking us in this message to stop being half-surrendered and give ourselves over completely to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Let's begin with this: Though the time will come when Christ will be universally acclaimed, we have today what I call DIVIDED LIVING. Was it not Jesus who proclaimed to the religious leaders of His day: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand” (Matthew 12:25).
Now what is true of kingdoms and cities is also true of lives. They are destined to fall apart. . . .