Rick Smith

Jesus is Lord!  Do you believe that?  If you don’t then your aren’t saved.  You are only saved by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus is Lord and we ought to pattern our thinking after His.  “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus…”  (Philippians 2:5).  If Jesus is Lord, then you and I ought to begin to think His thoughts after Him.  Jesus sets the example for the Christian to live and work.  I know what you are thinking.  You think, “I am not Jesus.  I can’t be what He is.”  And you are right, but Jesus is our example to follow and our Lord to obey.  Whatever Jesus did and said we should willing do.  “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” (Romans 6:16).  Our question is not, “What did Jesus do?”   But, if we want to think like Jesus, we ask, “What did Jesus do and say?”

So what did Jesus do?  Jesus, Who is eternally God and Lord, became a servant.  “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men…” (Philippians 2:7).   Jesus “… emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.“(Philippians 2:7 ESV).  Jesus left His glory behind to become like you and me.  Jesus did this in order that He could suffer and die for our sins to bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18).  Jesus became God’s Servant to serve us as the Lamb of God to cover our sins by His death on the cross.  Jesus also served us.  Jesus served us by giving His life as a ransom for our sins (Mark 10:45).  If that is the mind of Christ, then it should also be ours.  We should forget ourselves and serve others by bringing the Good News of Jesus to them in both word and deed.

This requires us to humble ourselves like Jesus our Lord did.  “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:8).  If Jesus is our Lord, then we must humble ourselves.  This goes completely against our sinful flesh.  We are self promoting and, therefore, selfish and self-centered.  This is the sin that I have to confess and repent constantly.  “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” (Philippians 2:3).  Jesus humbled Himself.  Jesus denied Himself His rights as God to save us.  We must follow His example by humbling our selves and serving others.  Jesus is Lord!

Because our Lord did these things, God the Father exalted Jesus’ Name above every name.  Philippians 2:9-11 is wonderful in exalting Jesus.  Jesus’ Name is exalted so much that John 1:12 says that “…as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name…”  My friend you can only be born again through Jesus.  You can’t “born” yourself – it is not a decision that you make.  You are born again when you trust in Jesus – even just in His Name.  I want to make this perfectly clear.  You cannot be saved, you cannot be born again, without confessing that Jesus is Lord.  That means that Jesus is the unique Son of God and that He is God incarnate – in the flesh.  “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…” (Acts 16:31; Romans 5:1; 10:9).

Please turn your eyes upon Jesus.  Forsake your sin surrender your all to Jesus as your Lord and Savior.  Let Jesus have His Own way with your life.  I pray that you will receive the grace of God through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

If you have any questions, we invite you to visit with us this Sunday. Worship at 10:50 A.M.  We are located at 711 West Washington Ave.  Check our sermon videos on Youtube @ricksmith2541.  Send comments and prayer requests to prayerlinecmbc@gmail.com.