I would like to share a story with you to help you better understand Jesus’ Lordship in our lives. Let’s say you are driving down the road, and you see Jesus hitchhiking. You’ve been taught your entire life about the dangers of picking up hitchhikers, but you’ve always wanted Jesus to be a part of your life. So, you pull over and invite him into your life. Your plan is to let him sit in the backseat, and you will chauffeur him to wherever he wants to go. But Jesus does not get into your car. And you wonder what you have done to cause Jesus not to want to be a part of your life.
A few years later, you see Jesus hitchhiking again. And you get excited because you like Jesus and you have always wanted him to be a part of your life. So, you think to yourself, “Maybe Jesus does not want to ride in the backseat? Maybe he wants to ride shotgun?” So, you pull over and open the passenger door for Jesus to ride shotgun. But again, Jesus does not get in the car. At this point, you begin to wonder what you have done to offend Jesus. For some reason, he does not want to be a part of your life.
A few years later, you again see Jesus hitchhiking on the side of the road. Things are not going so great in your life, and you desperately need Jesus’ help, so you pull over. This time Jesus walks over to the driver’s side door, and you have an “aha moment”. You realize that Jesus wants to drive your car. He does not want to ride in the backseat of your life. He does not want to be your co-pilot. He wants to drive the car of your life. So, you open the door and invite him into your life. He gets into your car, and he nudges you over to the passenger seat. You are still a part of your life, but Jesus is now driving the car. He is in control, and you are allowing Him to take you wherever He leads.
This is a good example of what it means to allow Jesus to be the Lord of your life. When we receive Jesus into our lives He is not only our Savior, but He is our Lord. He now has full control of our lives, and we are humbly submitting to Him. True disciples of Jesus deny themselves, take up their cross daily and follow Jesus wherever He leads. Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
True disciples of Jesus are no longer living their lives for themselves, but Jesus is living through them. At salvation, we make a one-time commitment to surrender our entire lives to Jesus. Then, each day, we deny ourselves and choose to follow God’s will and not our own. We let him drive the car of our lives. Have you fully submitted your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ?
Jonathan Howes has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance from Jacksonville State University and a Master in Divinity Degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the lead pastor for Graystone Church. Locations include the Ozora Campus: 1551 Ozora Road Loganville, GA 30052, the Walton Campus: 723 N Broad St Monroe, GA 30655 and the Oconee Campus: 1275 Lenru Road Bogart, GA 30622.
Phone: (770) 466-3159
Email: info@graystonechurch.com
Website: GraystoneChurch.com
Blog: http://toliveischrist.cc
Twitter: @JohnnyHowes
