The car started driving off, with the door still hanging open, and nobody was at the wheel. I stood in shock as I watched the car drive toward my grandmother’s porch, and it seemed to be picking up speed. She was in shock too, because my grandmother, who could barely walk, jumped out of her chair and ran around the corner out of the path of the vehicle. The car caught the edge of her porch, which caused the door to slam shut and the car to veer left. It ran over her forsythia bush, taking it out, and then went down the hill. It crossed the road, running over my uncle’s mailbox and crushing it flat as a pancake, drove across a field and over, nose- first, in the creek. The back end of the car sticking up in the air and the wheels were still spinning. It all happened so fast! I wondered how a car could drive like that without a driver and do so much damage. I wondered if the car was suicidal, because it never made another trip. Of course the lesson of that event wasn’t lost on me, I learned you should never let a car drive itself because it is sure to crash! A car needs a driver, left to itself it will end in a wreck.
When it comes to life, my life needs someone behind the wheel. Left to myself my life is like a car without a driver, my life will end up a wreck. So who or what will I let drive my life? Who are you letting behind the wheel in your life? In recent years we have heard of the purpose driven life, but a purpose has no life in itself, it can only take you so far. A person must drive your life, but who? Some let other people behind the wheel, they let someone else live their lives for them. but if you let another human being live your life for you, then you will end up with a life of regret and resentment because that other person will likely drive you places you don’t want to go. So it is popular in today’s culture to say we must live our own lives, be my own man, live my life the way I want to live it. But that is like a car without a driver, I will wreck my life. So what is the solution?
You have seen the bumper sticker “God is my co-pilot,” That is wrong, God should by your pilot. In other words, let God behind the wheel and drive your life. When you make Jesus Lord of your life you are turning over the keys, moving out from behind the steering wheel and getting into the passenger’s seat. You are letting Christ take control and drive your life. A Christ driven life is better than a purpose driven life because a purpose is cold and impersonal, but Jesus is personal, a real person behind the wheel. Letting Christ live your life is better than letting a sin stained human being live your life for you, because even with the best intentions, no friend or family member can see the way clearly. Letting Christ drive, is better than leaving it to yourself to make your way through, you will only end up on a dead end road.
When Christ is Lord, and you are letting him lead your life as Lord, he will get you where you need to go, he will get you their right on time, and the trip will be the most amazing, joy filled, wonderful journey you will ever take! If that is what you want, an abundant life, for now and eternity, then Jesus must be Lord of your life.
That means Jesus has all authority over you. Authority over your thoughts, your actions, your goals, your dreams, your material goods and finances, your relationships, your decisions, your time, your emotions, your mind, authority over your body, authority over your career, I could go on and on. When you make Jesus Lord you are giving him authority over every aspect of your life. That means when he speaks “Yes Lord,” is the only answer you can give. If you say “No Lord,” If you say, “Later Lord,” If you hold back anything from God then you are denying his Lordship over you, you are trying to wrestle the steering wheel away from him.
Is Jesus really the Lord over your life? What are you holding back from him?
Colossians 2:6 begins “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord.” Christian you have received him as Lord, so Paul says, this is what it means to have Jesus as Lord. And he then spells it out for us. Lets look at what he says.
Walk in Him
– vs 6b As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
If Jesus is your Lord, you must walk in Him
-Col 3:5-10 – how I used to walk! 5Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
7In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
-Galatians 5:16 – Now I walk in the Spirit This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
-you must obey him
-walking step by step in submission to Christ – Romans 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God
4He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
Rooted in Him
-rooted in him – past tense and means once and for all – Eph 3:17
-Lord means he is your protector, your provider, you master. You belong to Him.
-you must give him first place; Matthew 6:33 – Seek ye first…priority – the first part of your week, the first part of your day, the first part of income, the first priority in your decisions
-but we are guilty of giving the leftovers – and that is what Cain did and sin was crouching at his door
Built Up and Strengthened in Him
-you must have faith in him
-present tense being built up – a work in progress – Phil 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:; Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
-stablished means strengthened – you are growing stronger in your faith. – Eph 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;; 1 Peter 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
Abounding with Thanksgiving
-you must love him Matt 22:37 37Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
-overflow with thankfulness – 1 Thess 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
-you are complete in Him – vs 10 And ye are complete in him,
-the discontented, grumbling, complaining believer is not in submission to the Lordship of Christ. – taking the steering wheel back.
-When I complain I am asserting myself as Lord
-give thanks in all things: circumstances (good or bad), people (when was the last time you thanked God for your friends, your family, your church?), blessings of salvation, joy, peace, etc, give thanks to God for He is good!
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