Cornerstone Christian Center
Cornerstone Christian Center
Jesus Is Lord | Philippians
"Jesus is Lord" - three simple words that carry life-changing power when truly embraced. But what does this declaration really mean for our daily lives?
In our journey through Philippians, we discover how this proclamation transforms both our personal character and our impact on the world around us. From the streets of Bangkok's red light district to our local community outreach through Mercy House, we witness how declaring Christ's lordship brings tangible freedom to the spiritually oppressed and practically serves "the least of these" with dignity and hope.
The apostle Paul's letter to the Philippians stands out among his writings as uniquely positive - thanking them for their consistency in faith and sacrificial living. We're challenged to follow their example by adopting the mind of Christ, who though divine, humbled himself to the point of death on a cross. This radical humility stands in stark contrast to our culture's celebration of self-promotion and achievement.
Perhaps most challenging is Paul's call to "do all things without grumbling or disputing" so we might shine as lights in a dark world. When life squeezes us through difficult circumstances, what comes out? Complaints or the love of Christ? God is still working on each of us, chiseling away what doesn't reflect His character.
Whether you've walked with Jesus for decades or are considering following Him for the first time, this message invites you to make Jesus the true Lord of every aspect of your life - your relationships, your work, your attitudes, and your future. Because when we hold fast to Him through every circumstance, we experience the freedom, purpose and joy that comes only through His lordship.
Ready to experience what happens when Jesus is truly Lord of your life? Join our community as we learn to live out this powerful declaration together.
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Jesus is Lord. Say it with me Jesus is Lord. So that's a powerful statement and it's one that we live out every day. You know, a few weeks ago I was in Bangkok, thailand, and we were with a group of pastors and there with some of our missionary friends, and we were walking through the red light district and I'll tell you, there's a heaviness, a spiritual oppression that's to a place like this, because it's a place where there's been so much it's been stolen from people as they've been forced into sex slavery, and so much that's been done there by people who are innocent and been forced into a life where they trade their physical sexuality for a dollar and then they do it again and do it again and we see this innocent that's stripped from young children, from boys and girls and others that's been stolen from them as they're forced in this lifestyle. And as we walked the streets you could feel that burden, you'd feel the heaviness that was there and we just began to pray and proclaim that Jesus is Lord and proclaim freedom for these that are in this lifestyle and come against the spiritual realm that's behind those activities, behind that mindset, and what we've seen is that those prayers are being answered.
Speaker 1:There's a place that was just behind this, right behind me as I was standing taking this photo, and it was a place that had been there for decades. It was dark and dismal. It was a place where it was full of the worst kinds of things, where young boys and girls were being being trafficked and and instead the person that was running it said that we'll never, we'll never go out of business, it'll never be taken down. But the church began to pray and they would walk and they would pray and they would interact with people in those places and let the people know that are even in that lifestyle, you are valuable and God loves you and you have a purpose in your plan for your life, and so they would interact with them. They would talk with the madams that are running these brothels in these different places and tell them how God loves them and show them that, with the lasso truck, which we heard about in January, and some of these things that interact, and what we found out was that God started to answer these prayers in this dark, terrible place. It was actually torn to the ground and they put up a high-rise apartment for students in the place of. That. It's amazing.
Speaker 1:And so God is answering prayers and, as you can see, even these hanging lanterns over the street, what would be an otherwise very beautiful place has such a dark purpose and though it's clean in the early morning, when we were walking it, at night it would be full of people and trying to entice and do all of this thing, and so we began to walk and just pray and ask for the Lord, for breakthrough, and it's amazing to partner with people who are good soil, that are serving those in the least of these, and we know what that means. That's why we give to kingdom builders, because we believe in those that are doing this type of work. And and so we went and we had a chance opportunity to be there and to to walk those streets with them and to partner with them and to see what it is that they're doing. And and see Pastor Bridget as she began to explain each one of these, and she was talking about each place and talking about the relationships they've built over years of serving with them and how many people have come out of that lifestyle because of the value they found, and they've helped them get a new skill set that establishes a new life for themselves and they've given them a new future because they find the freedom that's found in Jesus Christ, and it's a powerful thing. And as we looked at some of the signs, we would see man, it's just man, level on level, on level, each one of those being a brothel, each one of them trying to entice a different traveler, a Japanese golf traveler, a Korean businessman or a Western traveler and each one of them trying to entice them to bring them in.
Speaker 1:And what she's found is that, even in loving the people that would come for those services, loving the Johns that would come in or the women that would come in for these services, what they found was breakthrough in their lives as well, where people would come and they would be there and the most despicable type of things that they would participate in, but they would just show them the loving kindness of God with consistency, and that they found breakthrough where those people are no longer coming anymore and they've stopped that life and stopped those things and perpetuating the darkness that's there. We're finding freedom. That's in Jesus Christ. Friends, that's the value that God has for you and for your life. He has a plan and a purpose for you. It doesn't matter your past, it doesn't matter what your current circumstances. He wants to see you live in spiritual freedom. He wants to see you have a better future than your past. He wants to see you live in the peace of God. That is for you and for yours, that your family would know the blessing of God and would know the hand of God upon it. That's what we have in our heart as well, is that we would be those that serve the Lord.
Speaker 1:I mean, for 30 years Mercy House has been serving our community. Aren't you thankful for Mercy House? Amazing. So many people in the room make Mercy House possible. Came out of the heart of Mika Arradondo and Pastor Rich and Cindy as they partnered together to make the Mercy House exist as it is, and so many others that have come along for the years of making it possible. And you give in clothing and you give in food and so many others that have come along for the years of making it possible. And you give in clothing and you give in food and in support and your tax donation to help Mercy House go.
Speaker 1:And we were there yesterday. People were getting a chance to get clothes they needed for this season and getting a help in that way, people were getting food that they needed for their family. And we want to say thanks to Dave and Monica and the team that served week in, week out, man, helping people find the nutrients, the sustenance they need. And it's a tangible way for us to show the love of God and, in a way, for us to sacrifice, in a way that connects with them. And I want to say thanks to Joelle and I want to say thanks to Scott and the team that actually go out and not just be that way but are proactive in praying for our unhoused community, the homeless community, bringing them food and bringing them different kinds of bags that are made specifically for them, some of them with feminine products and others and man. We were able to engage with them, give them a water, give them food and these different pieces and pray with them that they would experience God's presence and talk with them about trying to give them the right tools so that they can exit that life. And it's powerful.
Speaker 1:I mean we were there praying for people living behind dumpsters in our very community and friends. This is the thing is that they're trying to make ends meet, they're trying to survive, trying to press through, and what we want to see is not just them survive but them to thrive in a life in God where they have all those needs being met. And more than that, it was powerful getting a chance to hear some of these stories and getting a chance to talk with them and pray with them and say, hey, what's your story? And we sat for minutes and talked with different ones and Linda and I got a chance to talk with this individual and they were sharing their story with us and about everything they're going through. It was powerful time because we're sharing together and talking about what that is, because you value someone as a person, not just as somebody who you pass by, but having worth and value that comes from God. Friends, this is what happens whenever you start to make the Lord, when you make Jesus Lord of your life, because he's not just Savior saving you out of difficulty, but he's one that is motivating your actions to love beyond yourself, to love others, so that whenever you proclaim Jesus is Lord, you're proclaiming freedom, you're proclaiming his Lordship of your life. You're proclaiming freedom. You're proclaiming his Lordship of your life, you're proclaiming a future that's better than your past, because you're proclaiming his glory that he would be glorified, amen. So we say collectively Jesus is Lord. Say it with me Jesus is Lord.
Speaker 1:We've been talking about this new theme, philippians. We started last week and it's a powerful one. It's a positive book. Out of the letters that are written, the epistles from Paul to the church. In his missionary journeys, paul started all these different churches, and many of them very difficult circumstances. Right, it's in the Roman empire. They're believing all sorts of other gods and practicing those deities, and so it's very counter-cultural to live for Jesus and to place their faith and hope in Christ. And so he starts to challenge the actions of the church, as they were stepping away from living for God and they're actually living against that perspective. So many of the writings that we read are pretty challenging. It feels like a slap in the face how many people know what I'm talking about? And then others, like when you get to the Philippians, it feels like an embrace because he's saying thank you so much for your consistency, thank you for your life after God, thank you for being ones that sacrifice to send the gospel message onwards, and thank you for supporting me, even as I'm in prison in Romans, writing to you, thank you for supporting and living a life of sacrifice. And see friends. That's what we want to be said about us is that we are those who are consistent in our faith and are living the love of God. To other people. You say amen.
Speaker 1:You know, we also see ourselves very much here at Cornerstone as people who are not perfect. All of us are in need of a Savior, so we see ourselves on a journey with Christ, following Jesus where he's leading us to go. So we use this imagery of Christ walking with his disciples because we realize that none of us have arrived. All of us are still following Jesus where he's leading us to go, and that means that we are in process and then, until we see him face to face, that we're not finished, that he's still working on us, and so our ambition is to be more like Jesus and that's why, collectively, we love God and make disciples and reach the world. And I wanna challenge you in this that you would take this and make it intentional in your life that you would join in a life group. It's beyond our gatherings of our faith community here. It's throughout the week, throughout the city, and it meets in lots of different places and lots of different ways, but it's intentional and for you to take that step closer to God in this season, that you would connect, you would grow, you would serve the Lord and you would stretch that he wants to do in and through your life amen.
Speaker 1:Now, if you have your Bible, your tablet, your phone, we're gonna look to Philippians 2, where we're picking up today in the scripture Philippians 2, we we're picking up today in the scripture Philippians 2, we're going to start in verse 9 as a starting point, and then the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God, the Father. Lord, we thank you for your word. We pray over it today. We pray Holy Spirit, you'd make it alive and rain on, breathe upon it. Lord, you transform us in our character. Lord, to be more like you. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. Looking to this idea that Jesus, lord, to be more like you. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Speaker 1:Looking to this idea that Jesus is Lord, we use it as a declarative statement to him Jesus is Lord. Say it with me Jesus is Lord. And we do so because it's a powerful statement. It's one of power. There's a reason why people who don't even believe in faith will use Jesus's name as a curse word? Because it has power. Why people who don't even believe in faith will use Jesus's name as a curse word? Because it has power to it, whether or not you believe in his deity. You know they don't say like, you know, oh, buddha, something you know that doesn't really happen, it's not a thing. You know, because the weight is not there. Because, for us that are believers in Christ, we know the answer that is Jesus and that he is the answer that we're looking for. And so, for him, that weight, that name of Jesus, is a proclative statement to the darkness. It's a proclative statement of faith for us in our faith in Christ. Saying, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. My belief, my trust, my hold is to him, and so Jesus is Lord, is a greater statement than just Jesus is my sometimes savior whenever he gets me out of trouble. X, y, z, jesus is Lord.
Speaker 1:And so we pick up here in Philippians 2, the beginning of this chapter, where it's continuing this idea that we talked about last week of what it means to live the love of this chapter, where it's continuing this idea that we talked about last week of what it means to live the love of Christ to other people, what it means to be sacrificial in our life after God. It says so, if there's any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the spirit, in affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being in the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind, and you say amen. See the challenge that's here. There's a lot in just that one statement from Paul. And he's writing to the church at Philippi saying listen, continue to be the witness that I've called you to be. Be the love of Christ that you are supposed to live.
Speaker 1:See, there's a difference whenever you encounter someone who is living the love of Christ, because about them it is said they are someone who the love of Christ comes from them. And see what is said about you when you're not around. Is it said that the love of Christ comes out of you, or is it said that something else comes out of you? And I can't say I'm not the one that's judging you, and so the point is like each one of us has to take that into account. Is like what is being said about us? How are we living the love of Christ to other people, are we being intentional about living the love of Christ? And so if we are being those people, then that's being a consistent witness of the love of God to other people. And that's not always easy, is it? Because this world, it hits us with a lot of different things left and right. And so to live the love of Christ means we have to challenge ourselves, challenge our attitudes, challenge our perspectives, and we have to trust him. That's why it also says talks about that.
Speaker 1:Let the joy of the Lord and the joy of the Lord is he saying, the joy would come from that. The testimony of you being consistent, that's what we find. He's in prison. He still says I have the joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is my strength, and we see that as being something that's there. Thank you, sir. We see that as something that's being there in the consistency of the joy of the Lord and how that's his strength.
Speaker 1:Think about the most difficult circumstances that you have gone through recently, and in the midst of your sorrow, in the midst of your heartbreak, in the midst of your time, when it's just you alone with the Lord, in all that pain, in all that sorrow, god is still true, god is still good, god is still consistent. God has not left you alone. And because he has not left you alone, though we're not happy about what we experience, the joy of the Lord can be our strength. We can walk in the joy of the Lord and the strength of the joy of the Lord because it comes from with inside us, by the spirit of God being our advocate. And so that's what that means is that we live in that step with him, having the mind of Christ. And so it continues here we could see where it picks up in this scripture.
Speaker 1:It says in verse. It says in John 17, 20, about the unity that we're supposed to have as the body of Christ. I do not ask for these, only Jesus praying to the father, but also for those who will believe me through their word, that they all may be one, just as you, father, are in me and I in you, that they would also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. See, that's what he calls us to be is unified in him, and his heart to be unified in a mindset with God to say Lord, I belong to you and I wanna walk in step with you, but not just that, but that we collectively, as the body of Christ, would live in a unity with each other. And we're doing that not of our own power. We know that because we would drive each other crazy except for the love of God and the grace of God and the forgiveness of God that we've all experienced and because we've been forgiven much. We forgive much Because we've experienced grace that we did not warrant, that we did not deserve. We give grace Because, just like Pastor Angus said, we are not perfect and we're gonna make mistakes. And we give grace to get back up and keep on going and say Jesus, forgive me, help me. I want to continue in this journey after you and friends. That's what it means and that's what we want to be. Is all of these things to live the love of Jesus Christ to others, with the joy of the Lord as our strength, being united as the people of God.
Speaker 1:It continues in verse three and says do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility, count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also the interests of others. Humility is difficult. Humility is difficult, and it's difficult because so often our culture actually encourages the opposite. The thing that we like the most is a person that says they're the best, the person that climbs up over the top of others and conquers. That's the thing we celebrate in our American culture, and it's a thing that flies in the face of what it means to be a Christ follower, because humility is what he calls us to do, because he says that pride comes before a fall, which means that if we're humble in heart, then he'll lift us up, he will elevate us, and we've seen this time and time again. He says don't go to the head of the table. Go to the place and be called up to the place of being seen and being honored. And so what he's telling us is to be humble in heart, to be those who instead are steadfast in what we're doing.
Speaker 1:Throughout the Old Testament, you'll see where kings would push back against what God was telling them, and it said that he would actually hold his hand against them because they were not being humble, even in many times bringing judgment against them because they weren't. And in some cases it would be the opposite and they would be contrite in heart. They would be humble and they would understand that God is great and they have power and they have authority and they're a king and they can tell people to go and to come and to end life, and they have all this power. They're nothing compared to him, and so, as they would honor him, then he would provide for them and make a way for them and friends. The same for us, in our little corner of the world, in our little power, whatever level that's in, and people that you have authority over or you have power over or you have influence with that, we the same, would also be humble in heart that he would be able to trust us so he could elevate us up to the next level of what he wants to do. See, because he can trust you with little, so he'll make you.
Speaker 1:What does it say? It says that he'll put you over cities in an authority because he can trust you. And that's exactly what we want to be is those who are trusted by him. See, we can try to impress others. That doesn't do much, that's very short-lived. But if we live for Christ, for eternal purposes, it's a different thing altogether, because you're living with an authority that comes from Christ. That's what real leadership comes from. Is that a person that will actually go and lead the way and do the thing and therefore they can be trusted.
Speaker 1:See, have you ever seen a person in positional authority? Have you ever seen a person become like a first manager at like a fast food chain? They don't know what they're doing, but they have authority, and so the people that are like following them are like dude, this guy really it's like oh, I have a name badge and you're like cool, cool, very cool, and so they think that their positional authority people will do what they say. They might do what you say only because you have the position. And you see this and friends of mine share with me that in the military it's like, you know, they have these people that have gone through all the ranks and maybe they're a master sergeant or something. They have all this experience, all this leadership ability, and a new butter bar will come out, you know, out of officer training school and they have authority, but it's positional, it's not built from the base up and so while we got to do what you say, everybody's really looking at, master sergeant, like what are we doing, master Sergeant? And so let us be those who are humble in heart that walk the way up, because God will lift you up and people will look to you because you can be trusted to lead the way, amen.
Speaker 1:It continues in verse 5, and it says it like this have this mind among yourselves which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, through, though he was the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking the form of a servant being born in the likeness of men. On this hinges our faith is that Jesus himself, god there from the beginning, in the beginning, was the word. He was there from the beginning of creation, and in creating us, his creation, he saw that there was this break between the father and we could not go across the chasm of sin and brokenness that we had caused. So he and his great love for us, his great grace for us, he emptied himself of all glory and came down in the form of the very creation he created so that he could be the perfect sacrifice for us. And so the son of God becomes the son of man and walks in a pure way to become the sacrifice for all people, for all time, so generations of people can be reconciled, brought back into relationship with the holy God, friends, we give praise. Be to God, that the Lord be glorified.
Speaker 1:It continues here and it says it like this and being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. See, he did become that holy sacrifice for us and because of it, our faith is reconciled back with him, because we say, jesus, I believe you are who you say you are and, lord, that you would be the Lord of my life and forgive me of my sin, and we accept the sacrifice that he made for us, and so we get to walk in that relationship with the living God. And so that's what it means for him to come and to do this work for us and on our behalf, that he is the only way. And I'll tell you, friends, I have all sorts of friends across the world and God's given us opportunity to live abroad for 10 years and to have friends from all sorts of cultures and backgrounds and belief systems, and I love them and they're good people and they're good families and they do good things. But I'll tell you this that we believe different and we disagree on this point, and I will tell you this that there is only one way to God, and it's through Jesus Christ. It's only through his sacrifice for us.
Speaker 1:We can't earn it, we can't do enough good things, you can't work your way in, you can't become a deity, you can't follow the five pillars into holiness. Guess why? Because you are not holy. And since you're not holy I know I'm not we need someone who was, and that's Jesus Christ, and him alone. And so it doesn't matter. You can't do enough good things, you can't say enough mantras, you can't do enough good works, can't buy your way in, you can't serve your way in, you cannot do it. It's only through Jesus alone.
Speaker 1:He is the holy sacrifice for all people from all places, because before the throne of God, all tribes and all tongues will now bow and say Jesus is Lord. Friends, that's what it means for every person from every place that they would embrace Jesus Christ. It continues here in verse nine it says it like this for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work in his good pleasure, Friends. That is what we see is that we see God is at work and doing things for us. In verse 9, before that, it says therefore, god was highly exalted him and bestowed him the name that is above every name, so the name of Jesus. Every knee shall bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father. See, friends, jesus is Lord. Say it with me Jesus is Lord.
Speaker 1:And so we go to that next piece in verse 13, for it's God is at work with you. God is at work with you. God is at work, and I love this because God is at work, because he is not finished with you, which means that he loves you and he wants you to be better. And that means that he's intentional with us, calling us to change the things that are not lovely about us. And all of us know that there are things that are not lovely about us, and all of us know that there are things that are not lovely about us. We can be very honest about it, right? And if we don't know and we're married we can ask our spouse hey, what is it? No, don't do that, don't do that. Stay married. Praise the Lord. Yes, your best friend, you want to be friends too. Don't do that, don't do that.
Speaker 1:But God is at work. He wants to work in and through us. He wants to keep on that process and that's why, when we come to him, he says that I return back to the Father. I'm going to send the Holy Spirit to help you in this process. So we ask, holy Spirit, hey, help me, guide me, more of you, less of me. Guide me, direct me, give me the words to speak, the wisdom to walk through open doors that you open, shut the doors that should be shut. And, lord, give me the steps to take and the words to speak when I get there and as we do these things and it starts to mold us.
Speaker 1:That's why, every day, give us our daily bread. You know the symbol that we saw before whenever they were provided for in the wilderness, the children of Israel were given manna. It only lasted for the day, because if they tried to store it up it would go bad, except for the day they're preparing for, the Sabbath. And so it meant that they, every day, had to go to the Lord for their source and that's the same for us spiritually is that we would come to the Lord every day for our source, because he's working in and through us and using the word of God to challenge us and our character and our perspectives and our attitudes. You guys didn't like that attitudes one, okay, all right. All right, I'm gonna move over here and start again even our attitudes that he would use it to change us, to form us, to help us.
Speaker 1:Verse 14 it says it like this, continuing forward, it says do all things without grumbling or disputing that you may be blameless and innocent children, children of God, without blemish, in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. You know, we think about, we talked about last week this idea of him working on us to use us as a tool in his hand and how a master carpenter or a potter, and talks about those imagery, talks about him refining us like gold or precious metals, taking out the dross and working on us. And if we use this idea of a master carpenter chiseling on us, I can tell you in my own life that God has the chisel out sometimes and I don't like it, because the beginning of this scripture says do all these things without grumbling and without having an attitude and without complaining. And I, man, I'm like a professional. I'm professional at grumbling and I try not to be. I've got a lot better because the Lord's helped me.
Speaker 1:But, man, when I first came out, I was super sarcastic Anybody sarcastic and it was like a gift of the spirit. I was like super sarcastic, it was like additional one that's not in the scripture and I'm just like man, sharp word, sharp word. It's like you're not building anybody up, no, but it feels good. He's like, yeah, you're going to knock that off. And he's like chisel.
Speaker 1:I'm like man after I was what I was like in four countries in 15 days and I got back and spoke last weekend and we were busy this week and I just got under the weather for like a day and a half and I was like my wife. When she's under the weather, she's like the grace of God. She's like, oh, I do not feel well. And there's like birds and stuff. It's like, oh, right Me. I'm like like Joe Pesci in Home Alone, very grumbly. She's like easy. I'm like, yeah, easy, easy, easy, easy. Calm down.
Speaker 1:And it is when we get squeezed on, when we get pressured, it's like what really comes out of us. What really comes out of us, man, I'm working so that becomes a love of God. That comes out. I'm like, oh, god bless you, I'm going to die, but I'm going to go to see the Lord, it's okay, instead of just like ah, ah, ah, you know, god, help us, man, that we would do all things. The scripture says do all things as unto the Lord, and it's not like I'm chastising you, I'm chastising you, I'm chastising us, and hey, that we would be in alignment with him and what he wants to do.
Speaker 1:Now, I was up early this morning, like five o'clock hour, four o'clock hour. I have a yappy dog and the yappy dog decided to bark at all the things. Anybody have a yappy dog and our dog, our dog's name is Cleopatra, because we came from Egypt to here, so we named her Cleopatra, we call her Cleo, and so Cleo was barking at nothing, because there's nothing scary in our house, but she's barking nonetheless. And you could tell I have neighbors that are here in the room that come to church with us. They can hear me. They live two houses down.
Speaker 1:I'm like Cleo, cleo, quiet, cleo, she's barking. And then she I'm always like hey, shut it. She's like bark, always the extra bark. You guys know what I'm talking about Always the extra bark man. And I'm ah, ah, how often do we do that spiritually to God, where he's like, hey, you need to stop with that attitude. I'm going to stop with that attitude. Bark, bark, bark, yelling at people in traffic. I mean, ooh, okay, I'm a bad, I'm gonna move over here In case the lightning hits me and you, you know what I'm talking about. Maybe you're like this guy behind me where you're just like I can't believe it and you're yelling at the news. The Lord help us. The Lord help us.
Speaker 1:Because what's the end of that verse? Say Let your light shine. Shine the light where you are. It means the love of God from in you to out of you, to the people around you, the consistency of God's presence, which means that you have to be in the presence of God for the presence of God to emanate from you. And so if we walk in the presence of God and the character of God, then the grumbling gets less, the barking gets less, the complaining gets less. So you're not aligned with a complainer. Instead you're aligned with someone who said about you when you're not there, the love of God comes from them. And it doesn't mean we have to all be like you know wonderful and this, and that it's like we know we're in process, the chisel's still out, but what we know is that that process we're getting closer and closer to the character of God.
Speaker 1:The end of the scripture we'll use today is there in verse 18, 16, apologies. It says holding fast to the word of life so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain and labor in vain. I love this. It says to hold fast. It means to hold on tight with your grip to all that you can, to who Christ is in your life. That way we're not going this way under our own ideas, thinking we're running this way but it's in vain. We're running this other path, that's this other thing that we think is good, but it's not really gaining any entry with God, but instead we hold fast to Jesus and we see that in being obedient to him he will work in and through us and that our character will reflect who he is. So, friends, if you're going to hold on to anything, hold fast to Jesus, because even though you go through the valley of the shadow of death, he doesn't leave you there and that he walks with you through it and that we will go to the other side, to green pastures, into an eternity that's with him, where we find all that we've been looking for and then some, because he is a good God who gives good gifts to his children.
Speaker 1:Friends, your proclative prayer of what you believe is that Jesus is Lord. Your prayer against the darkness is that Jesus is Lord. The prayer over your children is that Jesus is Lord. Over your grandchildren is that Jesus is Lord. The prayer over your children is that Jesus is Lord Over your grandchildren. Is that Jesus is Lord In your workplace, over the things that you're doing, over the projects you're stressing about. Jesus is Lord. Over the neighbor doesn't like you and the one that loves you, jesus is Lord. And over your own mind and heart and life, jesus is Lord. Say it with me Jesus is Lord. Friends, that's what we're talking about, because we want to be more like Jesus.
Speaker 1:Today, we have this opportunity to respond to his love and to respond to who he is, and so we have that question have you embraced Jesus? Each one of us, as a Christ follower, said yes to him, but each one of us has to answer for ourselves. Are you going to embrace the work that Christ has done for you? See, the symbol of the cross is one of freedom and forgiveness for us. It's one where Jesus took the weight of the world, the sin of the world, upon himself. Though he was innocent, he became that holy sacrifice for us, taking the weight of our sin upon him and paying for it with his life. And in his death he did not stay dead, but overcame death, hell and the grave, and because of it we have an active relationship with the living God. And so, by faith, we accept his work for us and ask him to forgive us, not just to be our savior, but to be our Lord, so that he would be the one that we live in alignment with the apostle Paul. When he's writing to the church at Rome, he says this because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified. With the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Speaker 1:Friends, today is your day. Today is your day to say yes to Jesus. It's your opportunity to say yes to him and to invite him into your heart and life. Maybe you're here. You've never made that decision for Jesus before. Today is your opportunity to say yes, to invite him into your heart and life to be the Savior and Lord of your life. Maybe you have made that decision in the past, but you walked away from living for God. Let me challenge you that you would recommit your life back to God today and you would say yes to him and say Lord, forgive me, I want to recommit my life to you. I want to live with you as the Lord of my life.
Speaker 1:I'm going to ask everyone in the room if you just stand to your feet right where you're at, bow your heads. If you're online, you just respond to what God wants to do. Take a moment, wherever you are, for what God wants to do in your life, as people have their heads bowed here in the room. If that's you and you would say, pastor, that's me. I wanna be remembered in this prayer. If you just wanna raise your hand right where you're at and say, lord, that's me. I wanna be remembered in this prayer. If you just wanna raise your hand right where you're at and say, lord, that's me. I wanna make that prayer today. Invite Christ into my heart and life. We see the hands that are there, hands that are here, hands that are there, other people raising their hand, making a commitment to God. Praise the Lord. Other friends online praise God. Praise God Friends. I'm gonna ask everyone to pray this prayer out loud after me Lord, thank you for loving me. Thank you for sending Jesus. I believe Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I believe he rose again. Forgive me of my sins. I surrender my life to you In Christ's name. I pray Amen, amen. Friends, we rejoice that you make a decision to follow Jesus today. What a powerful decision.
Speaker 1:Many of you in this service, others in the last service praise God. We encourage you in this. If you made that decision today, connect with us in the back of the prayer banners or in the cafe. We want to put materials into your hands so you can be successful in living for Christ. If you're online, wherever you're at, message us. We want to do the same. Connect with you so that you can be in a community of faith to live this life after God. Friends, I'm excited because God is doing a good thing here. We've had new people coming and getting involved, committing their life to Christ. It's a powerful thing, and so we're excited about what that means.
Speaker 1:Let me encourage you in this that you would take this challenge from the word of God serious and that you would use this prayer every day this week, that simple Jesus is Lord statement, and just use that over your life and over your circumstances, and that you would draw near to the Lord for his source, for his sustenance.
Speaker 1:And that, even as we come to this altar, we would do so with an intentionality for more of the spirit and a blessing upon the things that we do. Lord, we thank you for your word and we pray, lord, thanking you, lord, for making it alive to us and challenging us. Lord, thank you for calling us to repentance and Lord, calling us, lord, to make you Lord of our lives. Lord, as we come to this altar, we do so with intentionality, lord, to draw near to you for more of you, holy Spirit to speak to us and in our lives. And Lord, for guidance and wisdom and for peace that passes all understanding. Lord for provision and open doors. Lord, we ask you for all these things, lord. We seek your face, lord, in all that you have for us. We come to this altar now, lord, all these things in our hearts. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Speaker 2:And in two weeks we are having our family spring day and so you are invited. We pray that you bring some other people colleagues, neighbors, friends have them come and join us. It's free, it's going to be amazing. We're going to have a petting zoo and we're going to have food and all the fun stuff, but we also need help. So, if any of you are available, we have sign-up sheets outside. We also have you go on the app and you can sign up. It's going to be a great day and I'm praying for fantastic weather in two Sundays from today.
Speaker 1:Amen, before we go, our praise blessing over us. The Lord bless you and keep you. Lord, make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. Lord, make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. We'll lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Lord, I pray a blessing upon your church, your people. Lord, you empower us by your spirit to live your love out to those around us. I pray all this in the powerful name that is Jesus Christ. Amen, amen. Know this we love you very much here at Cornerstone. God bless you and have a great week.