(I Peter 3:15)

I.                    Who is the Lord of your life?

I Peter 3:15 give us the answer.  Christ rules in our hearts.  If he does we will always be eager to do what is good and always be ready to give out the message of hope.

II.                 Who is Lord in your house?

Notice I Peter 3; Ephesians 5; and Colossians 3.

·        It is not any one of us! 

-   “Kid’s rule” according to TV

-   “Women Rule” (radical feminism)

-   “Men Rule” (rough anarchists)

·        Christ Rules is what Scripture says

-   Then Godly husbands lead

-   Then Godly wives willingly follow

-   Then obedient children bring up the rear.

III.               Who is Lord in this church?

“As the church submits to Christ so ought wives to submit to their own husbands” (Ephesians 5:24).

“Submit to one another in the fear of God” (Ephesians 5:21).

Maybe it has been assumed that we all know this and understand the importance of this in the overall picture of the Living Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Maybe it was missed and the church went directly to the husbands / wives / children passages and tried to prematurely apply them.

We all must submit to Christ.

He is the Lord of this church.

When I see unsubmissive activity in the body . . .

-         I’m not immediately afraid any more.  What if this happens and what if that happens? ? ?

-         I’m not immediately moved to action anymore.  This must be corrected and put back in order right now.

-         My first move is make sure that “Christ is Lord” in my heart, my home, and in this church . . . and then all the rest will be added in His Time.

Then I will fight when I need to fight.  Unfortunately there will be times of spiritual blood shed or ministry fallout.   Everybody is not going to be happy with me (Peter and Paul or Paul and Barnabas).

Then I will get to enjoy the fellowship of the living church (I John 1).

IV.              Who is Lord in this nation?

I have seen a lot of change in my lifetime.  There was a day when we knew who was Lord in this nation.  That didn’t mean that everyone was a Christian, but we knew the One in whom we trusted.

V.                 Who is Lord in this world?

“All the nations may walk in the name of their gods; we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever” (Micah 4:5).

Guess where I was when this message was being completed?  I was in the parking ramp of the Mall of America, level 2 of the Hawaii wing. 

Not just a national symbol, but also a worldwide symbol of business and commerce (not to mention camp Snoopy).

In the last days, the people of the world will not be drawn to the Mall of America for judgment, justice, and peace.  All will be drawn to the Mountain of God.  There all will finally be settled.  All will be well.

“In your hearts, set apart Christ as Lord” (I Peter 3:15).

Who is Lord?