Take your Bibles and turn to Isaiah chapter 46. Pastor Rick and I have been in conclusion again. If you were here in Sunday school, you'll hear some of it again. Isaiah chapter 46. I'll be reading at verse five. Isaiah 46, verse five. To whom, this is God speaking, to whom will you liken me and make me equal? By the way, this is in the setting of, the chapter begins talking about the gods of Babylon. And he says, to whom will you liken me and make me equal and compare me that we may be alike? Those who lavish gold from the purse and weigh out silver in the scales hire a goldsmith and he makes it into a god. Then they fall down in worship. They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it, they set it in its place and it stands there. It cannot move from its place. If one cries to it, it does not answer or save him from his trouble. Remember this and stand firm. Recall it to mind, you transgressors. Remember the former things of old, for I am God and there is no other. I am God and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, my counsel shall stand and I will accomplish all my purpose, calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken and I will bring it to pass. I have purposed and I will do it. That is our sovereign God. His sovereignty means that he always does what he wants, how he wants, to whom he wants, when he wants, in the way he wants. Ephesians 1.11 says, he works all things after the counsel of his own will. All things. Now many have an aversion to God having his way on earth and in our lives. We want to self-govern. We like to think that we are in total control of our lives. But the Bible says differently. Proverbs 16.9 says, man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. You see, as creator of all things, he can do with all things as he pleases. He can do what he wants with his own. And here in our text in verses 9 and 10, he says, I am God. There is no other. I am God. There is none like me. My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purposes. That's sovereignty. A.W. Tozer on your sheet. It says, to say that God is sovereign is to say that he is supreme over all things, that there is no one above him, that he is absolute Lord over creation. It is to say that his lordship over creation means that there is nothing out of his control, nothing that God hasn't foreseen and planned. Now note in that definition the two words, Lord and lordship. This is one of those names of sovereignty that God gives himself in scripture. We've seen that in the Old Testament it's the Hebrew word Adonai. In the Greek it is kurios. Both mean, are translated lord and mean master. It means owner. It signifies one having authority. The master having authority over slaves to do with them as he wants. That's sovereignty. Now we've been looking at, last time we started looking at the nature of lordship. It's described in many ways. We looked at the first two qualities. Number one, His sovereignty, his lordship is efficacious. It is God always accomplishes his purposes. Isn't that what he says here? Verse 10, at the last, my counsel shall stand and I will accomplish all my purpose. Verse 11, I have spoken and I will bring it to pass. I have purposed and I will do it. Add to that, Isaiah 43, 13, there is none who can deliver from my hand, I work, and who can turn it back? Psalm 135, verse six, whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven, on earth, in the seas, and all deeps. Revelation 3, 7, describes him as one who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. God never fails in what he sets out to do. His lordship is efficacious. Secondly, it is universal. Ephesians 1.11 again says that all things are done according to the counsel of his will. And so we saw last time his lordship over all the natural world, his lordship over the angelic world, his lordship over nations, and especially his lordship over humanity from conception to birth. He's in charge of everything in our lives. He's in charge and has planned out and is in control of our times, the years that we live. He's in control of our decisions. He's in control of our plans and every other aspect of human life is under God's sovereign control and authority. Now we come to the third quality of his Lordship. It cannot be questioned. It cannot be questioned. Daniel 4, 35. He does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand or say to him, what have you done? In other words, what he says goes. No questions asked. This reminds me of my dad. He was sovereign over my home. What he says goes. We only had one rule growing up. Only one. Obey. That's it. Obey. And we obeyed. Or else. Now, he was in no way a tyrant. He loved us. He demonstrated that love with kindness and affection and loving involvement in our lives. But as he would often say, I'm king of this castle. Mom's the queen. And that was true. He was king. But his sovereignty was only over the Zaspel Castle. It didn't extend to our neighbor's castle. But with God Almighty, who created all things, he has all authority, John 5.27, all authority is his to execute judgment. And so no one else, if he has all authority, no one else has any clout whatsoever to question his decisions. How stupid it would be for a private to walk into a five-star general's office and demand that he explain himself on this last order. At best, he'd be considered and dismissed as nothing. But more probably, he'd be cleaning the latrine for a month with a toothbrush. Yet puny man thinks it natural to question God's actions in this world, to cast aspersions against God, to accuse him of ignorance at best and worse, of wrongdoing. But who do we think we are to rebuke God? Can we hope to dissuade God concerning his sovereign will? No. The only proper response to God's will is humble acceptance of that will. Scripture often uses an illustration a picture to illustrate that, that of a potter and the clay. Jeremiah talks of it, Isaiah talks about it, Romans chapter 9 talks about it, where Paul says, who are you, oh man, to answer back to God? Well, what is molded, say to its molder, why have you made me like this? Has the potter no right over the clay to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? A couple years ago, For our 40th anniversary, Carl and I went down south. We went to Gettlinburg, Tennessee as well. The last time we were there, we visited all kinds of potteries. We looked at all kinds. like that kind of thing and one particular one the guy was at the wheel and it was really interesting how he took a big lump of clay plopped it down there and all of a sudden he there was this face this high perfect it was just amazing the skill of the potter to to make now they had many other things in the in the shop to sell there was you know there was pie plates and there was teapots and cups and saucers and ashtrays and all the rest But I bet you at no time in that potter's career did the ashtray ever say, I'd like to be a pipe light instead. No. It was an ashtray because the potter had determined it to be an ashtray. And just as the potter molds his clay into what he wants, so God does what he wants with what he has created, whether it's nations or whether it's individuals. He is their king. He is their sovereign. And though they say, as Psalm 2 tells us, let us cast his bonds from us, the potter sits up in heaven and laughs. In fact, as we learned this morning from Pastor Rick's lesson later on in Psalm 2, he can take an iron bar and smash the pottery if he wants. He's king. He's sovereign. He's Lord. He can do what he wants with his own. Even righteous Job had to learn that lesson. There was a time in the book of Job when Job demanded an interview with God, where God would vindicate his actions against him. Why am I suffering this way when I have been so faithful to you? He demanded an interview with God. And when God showed up, it was God who asked the questions. It was God who made the accusations. And Job had to meekly submit. Job 40 verses 1 through 5, the Lord said to Job, will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him. Then Job answered the Lord, I am unworthy. How can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. Job learned in the previous chapters to this. about God's sovereign lordship over all things, that God alone can make demands, while we are responsible only to humbly obey. We can't question divine lordship. Another quality of lordship is there can be no competing loyalties. Deuteronomy 6, Four and five, hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your might. Jesus says the same thing, quotes this verse when he's asked about what's the greatest commandment. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind. You see, lordship belongs to Adonai alone. Isn't that what our text says in Isaiah 46, 10? I am God and there is no other. Now the principle of sola scriptura comes from this. No other authority may compete with God's own words. No words can be added to God's words, no words can be put on the same level as God's word and God's authority. And this is one of the aspects that Jesus condemned the Pharisees about with their mixed loyalties in Matthew chapter 15. They used pharisaical laws, that body of laws that they had conjuncted as a hedge around God's law. If you don't break this, then you're probably not going to break this. saying this outer barrier of laws was equal to God's law. And yet they were also using some of those laws to countermand some of God's laws. And Jesus' response was, you hypocrites. Well did Isaiah prophesy of you when he said, this people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. The point was, our loyalty is to God, not to human traditions, not to human teachings. Only the word of the Lord God, Adonai Yahweh, has ultimate authority. And Jesus knew all about that. He knew all about living under divine authority. For he is the prime example of service to lordship. Isaiah says in Isaiah 42.1, behold my servant whom I uphold, my chosen in whom my soul delights. Jesus was a servant. Isaiah again says in chapter 53.11, by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous and he shall bear their iniquities. But notice how God calls him, what he calls him, he's a servant. literally a slave. And so also we find the same thing when we come to the New Testament speaking about Jesus, Philippians 2. Verses six through eight, though he was in the form of God, he did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking the form of a slave. Being born in the likeness of men and being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross. Now, again, Pastor Rick asked this this morning, who is Jesus? Who was Jesus? He was the son of God, right? He was deity himself. He was God. What did he deserve? All worship, all praise, all glory. Yet he did not demand that to be given him in his earthly life. He didn't grasp after it, as Paul says. He vigorously instead fought for the bottom, so much so that he took the form of a slave, humbled himself, and became obedient. He, sovereign lord of the universe, was obedient to men, to parents, to government. He humbled himself. He obeyed. And that was his life. Jesus said in John 4.34, my food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. That's what it is about, serving, obeying. He said of himself in John 8.29, I do always those things that please the Father. Luke 22, 27, I am among you as he that serves. And in John 13, he proves that servant spirit by taking on the job of a slave and washing the disciples' feet. After which he exhorts his followers to the same kind of service. In verses 13 through 15, you call me master and Lord. And you say, well, for so I am. If then your Lord and master have washed your feet, I have given you an example that you should do as I have done. Are you a believer in Christ? Then serve. Be a slave to Christ. Serve Him. Serve others. Don't demand your rights. Humble yourself. Be obedient and serve. Serving is expected of Christ's followers because Jesus was a servant also. But note the first phrase of that, of verse 13 of John 13. You call me master and Lord, and you say, well, for so I am. Here's one of those scriptural paradoxes. He is servant, he is slave, but he's also Lord. And that brings us to the Lordship of Christ. Adonai, as we've looked at in the Hebrew Old Testament, means master and owner. When they translated the Hebrew Old Testament into the Greek, the Septuagint, which was Jesus' Bible of the day, They use kurios wherever Adonai was mentioned. Kurios has the same meaning, that same master-slave meaning as Adonai has. And so where you have Old Testament references concerning Adonai spoken of about Jesus in the New Testament, it is kurios, same thing, master-slave, he is Lord. And Paul, again in Philippians 2, demonstrates that, speaks of it clearly. God has, in verses 9 through 11, God has highly exalted him. He who was made low, he who humbled himself became obedient to the cross. The next verse, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at 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 kurios, Adonai, Lord, Master, Owner, to the glory of God the Father. And note the all-inclusive nature of Christ's Lordship in those verses. On earth, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue Acts 10.36 and Romans 10.12 call him Lord of all. Everything falls under his authority and control. because he is Lord. Colossians 1.16 testifies to this fact. For by Jesus Christ, all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things were created through him and for him. What do we find there? But all political powers, all those who rule, all their rule is derived from Jesus Christ. He has all authority. Matthew 28, 18, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, he says. But is Christ's Lordship the same as the Father's Lordship? Is it the same as the Adonai of the Old Testament? Well, his sovereign Lordship is proven in creation, isn't it? Just like Adonai of the Old Testament, I mean, he commands fish to jump in a net when the disciples needed it. That's authority in creation. A hurricane stops in its tracks when he speaks. That's authority. He heals a leper by touching. He heals a lame man by speaking. Jesus even demonstrated his authority over death by raising several to life. All these miracles draw our attention to the qualities of divine lordship, control and authority. He is Lord over creation. He's also Lord over the angelic world. The father casts the rebellious angels out of heaven and Jesus comes to the earth and he does the same, he casts the demons out of individuals. In Luke four, he confronts a demon in the synagogue of Capernaum. The demon recognizes Jesus, he calls him the Holy One of God. But of course that was not said out of worship but said, spoken in derision. Yet that demon was scared out of his wits. He was frightened by Christ's sovereignty, saying, what are you doing here? Have you come to destroy us? He knew what Jesus was capable. He knew who he was. He knew he was Lord. And what happened next shows that sovereignty. In verses 35 and 36, Jesus rebuked him saying, be silent and come out of him. And when the demon had thrown him down, he came out of him having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, what is this word? For with authority and power, he commands the unclean spirits and they come out, they obey, that's lordship. Who can control demonic spirits that they immediately obey? Only their sovereign Lord, that's who. The forces of hell tremble before Christ's authority. We also see his authoritative word. Matthew 7, 29, when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority. and not as the scribes. And the scribes and other lawyers and teachers of Israel, when they taught, they always referred to rabbis that went before them, notable ones, and they used them as their authority to what they were saying to the people listening to them. But they had no authority of their own. Even the Old Testament prophets, whether you're talking about Moses or Elijah or Isaiah or Zechariah or any of them, Even these prophets did not speak of their own authority. Their message was always, thus says the Lord. But Jesus comes along and he speaks directly as giving the last and final word on every subject. In all his teaching, especially in the Sermon on the Mount, he would quote Moses. He would quote the Old Testament scriptures. or one of the prophets, and he'd respond by saying, but I say unto you, and then he'd give the interpretation. How could he say such a thing unless he were the same Lord who originally spoke them? In Luke 4, before he cast out that demon in the synagogue, it says he was, that as he was teaching, they were astonished at his teaching for his word possessed authority. That word authority is exousia in the Greek. It's a Greek word, a compound Greek word with a prefix and a verb. The prefix ek means from or out of. Ousia comes from a verb that means to be, being. And the philosophers use this word for the concept of essence or substance. Literally what the word authority means here is that Jesus' teaching came from substance. He wasn't just engaging in superficial teaching. There was a substance, there was a weightiness to his words that was something that was residing in him and it was from that that he spoke these words. He spoke with divine authority as a lawgiver. He spoke as a judge giving his authoritative ruling. And so how do you respond to the Lord Jesus? Are you like many of the Jews of that day who went away just amazed? Or do you really follow the Lord Jesus Christ? Matthew 7, 21, Jesus says, not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. In other words, the one who humbly becomes his slave. But what is God's will to our lives? What is it that we are to obey? It is to conscientiously abstain from the sins he forbids and to perform the duties that he requires. Our thoughts. Our desires, our words, our actions, the temper of our minds, the bent of our lives must be conformed to God's will. It's not enough just to hear Christ's teachings. It's not enough just to understand them, to remember them, to talk about them, to repeat them. We must hear and then do them. Get Jesus, Luke 11, 28, blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it. John 13, 17, if you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. And recognition of Christ's Lordship is a must if we want a relationship with him. Because he says in Luke 6, 46, why do you call me Lord, Lord and do not what I say? Isn't that what the New Testament scripture reveals about those who follow Jesus? If you love me, you will keep my commandments. Lordship demands it. Colossians 1.18 says he is the head of the body, the church. Now what is the relationship of the head to a body? It controls everything, doesn't it? It rules it. It commands it. And so if Jesus is our head and Lord, then according to 1 Corinthians 6, believers are commanded to glorify God in our body, which is His. In Ephesians 5, 17, we are to understand what the will of the Lord is. For what purpose? Just to know it? No, so that we will do it. Paul's a great example of this master-slave relationship continually throughout his epistles. As he begins, in his salutation as he begins, Paul, the servant, the slave, the bond slave of Jesus Christ. Paul, the bond slave of Jesus. Paul, the bond slave of Jesus Christ. He recognized that Christ is Lord and he's just a slave. And as a slave he is to obey everything that the master says. Peter says we are children of obedience, 1 Peter 1.14. And we obey because in 2 Peter 2.1 he says, Christ is the master who bought us. We belong to Christ. He owns us by right of creation and by right of redemption. So we must obey the master's commands. Why do we read the scriptures? To gain knowledge, yes, but to learn what we must do. And when you learn what you must do, you must do it. Obey, you're a slave, obey. Plus, didn't we obey to his sovereign lordship in order to be saved? Romans 10, nine, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God is raised from the dead, you will be saved. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, it was necessary for salvation. And haven't you found that lordship a pleasure? That his yoke is really easy? Isn't it as burdened as life? You see, we must not think of all master-slave relationships as harsh or cruel. Often the slave had a better relationship with the master in Israel than a hired hand. Often the relationship was like that of Abraham and Eliezer. Eliezer was a slave, but at one point, Abraham even thought of Eliezer as his heir. There was such affection toward one another. Plus, the slave had the master's protection, help, and direction. And some slaves had it so good that when they were offered their freedom, or if they were a debting slave, when their debt was paid off, they chose rather to remain a slave to the master because they had it so good. And those who surrender to the authority and lordship of Christ can expect the same kind of goodness. For divine lordship brings blessing. It brings provision and protection. When the Lord, Adonai, came to Abraham, I think Genesis 12, he says, God says, I am thy shield. The psalmist referred to him continually as my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. Paul wrote 2 Timothy 4.17, the Lord stood with me and strengthened me. And verse 18, the Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. He says in Philippians 4.19, he will supply all my needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus. And we know from 2 Corinthians 12, nine that when we go through times of suffering, whether it's physical, emotional, whatever, spiritual, his grace is sufficient for every circumstance. So there's blessing in being a slave of the Lord. And another blessing is hope. If God did not have sovereign authority, Our salvation would be unsure. Something could come along and snatch us out of his hand. What right have we as redeemed sinners to hope that there is an inheritance incorruptible reserved in heaven for us? How can we rest assured that nothing will separate us from the love of God? How can we know that whom God calls and justifies, he glorifies? How do we know that? Look what John Frame says in his big, thick book on the doctrine of God. He says, without authoritative words from the Lord God, there would be no story of redemption. Everything we know about salvation comes through such words. The law that we have broken to deserve hell is a divine word. The gospel that promises forgiveness to those who trust Jesus is also a divine word. And we prove our love by obeying Jesus' commands, again, divine words. So without authoritative divine words, it is quite meaningless to claim that Jesus is our Lord and Savior. As our Lord, he speaks words that we must obey. And as our Savior, he brings a reliable promise without which we cannot be saved. Without words from God of absolute authority, there can be no gospel and no Christianity. But because he is sovereign Lord, we can put our trust into that authoritative word and have a steadfast hope, a sound salvation, and a sure reward of a glorious existence with Christ our Savior. This hope is what made Paul confidently say in Romans 8, 33, who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. What is he saying there? It is the sovereign Lord who said so, so who's gonna overcome that word? It's authoritative. He controls it all. He's sovereign, he's Lord. If God says it, it is so, and nothing can annul it. But there's one more point here that we must consider concerning his lordship, and that is lordship demands and accounting. There's a day of reckoning for everybody. First, for God's servants. In the parable of the talents in Matthew 25, Jesus told about servants who were each given a particular sum of money, some more, some less, and they were to use it while the master went on a far journey. And when he came back, there would be an accounting. And when he did so, there was an accounting. And those who had used the ward and gained money and gained interest and whatnot made it better for the master, they enjoyed the pleasure, the joy of their Lord. And at the return of the Lord Jesus, he will summon all his servants before him at the at the judgment seat of Christ. Again, not to be condemned. No, for that judgment was already taking place at the cross by our Savior. He bore our sins. He bore our judgment. So it's not to be judged for sins, not to be condemned. but rather to give an account of our service. What good we have accomplished for the Lord. What good we have done, made use of the talents that he has given us to serve others. And those who have been faithful slaves of Jesus Christ will, as Peter tells us, receive praise, honor, and glory at his coming. Revelation 22, 12. is quoting Isaiah 62 with a reference to reward. And Jesus says, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me to repay each one for what he has done. Paul tells of this accounting in 1 Corinthians 3, when all our works will be tested to prove their worth. And if it stands the test, there'll be a rich reward. And if not, The reward is lost. You see, as Jesus says in Luke 12, 48, to whom much was given, of him much will be required. And from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more. God has given you all kinds of things. Talents, spiritual gifts, family, your reputation, your influence among others. How do you use that? All that will be coming to account before our Lord. How have you acted as his slave? The servant who's found faithful will one day hear those joyful words from the Lord Jesus himself. Well done. How good and faithful servant enter into the joy of the Lord. But for all others, there is also another reckoning. According to scripture, everyone who comes into this world is depraved by sin under the authority of Satan following the course of this world which is against God. You see, we are all born to worship and serve a master. And if we refuse God as master, then we remain under the authority of Satan, bound in sin. And for our sinful service, there will be a day of reckoning. Jeremiah calls this the day of Adonai, the day of the Lord. It is a day when the Lord will judge everyone according to their works. And those who are found wanting will suffer, as Isaiah says, destruction from the Almighty. Wrath and fierce anger. Lamentations 2.1, a day without mercy. Revelation 14, the winepress of the wrath of Almighty God. But in light of that day, in light of that day of the Lord, Zephaniah pleads in chapter two, saying, before the decree takes effect, before there comes upon you the day of the anger of the Lord, Seek the Lord, seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you may be hidden on the day of anger. You see, before that day of no mercy arrives, there's still mercy available if you bow in humble submission to the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ. Listen, we're all slaves. The question is, whose slave are you? Paul talks of this in Romans 6, verse 16. Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? Again, whose slave are you? Or who is your master? If you prefer sin, Then that master pays you with evil wages, as Paul says in the next couple of verses, verses 20 through 21. When you were slaves of sin, what fruit were you getting at that time? The end of those things was death. But in contrast to that, the next verse, verse 22, but now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end is eternal life. So in light of that, again I ask, whose slave are you? And if you say, I'm a slave of the Lord Jesus, all right, are you living an obedient life? Is that the bent of your life? Is that your desire? We are slaves. May we be obedient slaves. Let's pray. Our dear Heavenly Father, help us to follow in the steps of our Lord Jesus, who, though he was God, though he was deity, yet he humbled himself and became like one of us. Not like one of us, he became one of us. He became a slave. didn't grasp for his rights, but he fought for the bottom and was obedient. Help us to follow his example, to be obedient to our master, to our Lord, to our owner, the one who has bought us with his blood. May we surrender our rights, our wills, to the will of him who died for us, our Lord Jesus Christ. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.