Adonai

Patrick

The Names of God • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago • 1:10:40

Lordship Salvation Controversy

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True reverence is right understanding of our identity and place before God.

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Introduction

Have your kids ever used—or maybe you’re the culprit of incessantly annoying your parents with their own name? Mom, mom, mom, mommy, mother or dad, dad, dad, daddy, using modulation or inflection in a manipulative way; abusing your relationship or the love that someone has for you?

As a father, it’s sometimes easy to feel like I totally get why God told us not to take his name in vain, but those feelings also sometimes illustrate my pride, my vanity; because his thoughts are not my thoughts. God uses the nuclear family, as an illustration, calling himself the Father, the Son being our Bridegroom, the church his bride; who have taken on son and daughtership.

So, I want to take a moment to emphasize that my desire to be respected by my children is not at all equal to our humbling of ourselves before God. It is the illustration and it's useful, but its usefulness breaks down when it turns out I’m not God.

Transition

In our study of the names of God, we have seen Him revealed to us as Elohim—our creating God, Yahweh—“I AM Who I AM,” and El Shaddai—God Almighty. Today, we encounter him as Adonai, our Lord of Lords. This is the first time we encounter God, how ever you conceive of him, where your conception actually matters!

It really has a lot less to do with his identity than it does with our own in regards to God.

You see, He is our creator; he is who he is; and he is almighty, whether we acknowledge it or not. His title, Adonai, however, requires our response. Submission or defiance. He is who he is, and what will be, will be, according to our response. In the same way, within units, that chaplains are chaplains to all, but only a pastor to some; God is God to all, whether he is our lord or not is up to us.

Background

Allow me to provide a little background. It was the 3rd century BC, after the Israelites’ return from the Babylonian exile, they began rededicating themselves as the chosen people of God. They resumed cleanliness rituals, sacrificial offerings, celebrating feasts, and with that, came a level of reference for their God. Out of high regard and respect for their Adonai, their Lord, airing on the side of caution, they began interpreting Exodus 20, verse 7, that "you shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God” that [he would] “not hold anyone guiltless who misuses [it]” as prescription not to utter it.

Now, do you ever wonder why sometimes the word “LORD” appears in all caps and other times it doesn’t? That is where the personal name of the Lord appears, “Yahweh,” but due to both their fear and reverence, Jews stopped pronouncing it. It actually became unpronounceable after they took all the vowels away and left only its consonants. Early readers, Jews today for that matter, and in our translations, we come to that word, and though it says “Yahweh” in Hebrew, they would read, “Adonai.” When Adonai is translated in place of the Lord’s name, it is in all caps.

And, this was the same time the religious leaders began to teach the 613 laws that hedged the commandments. I’m not saying they were bad; I’m just saying that’s what happened. We have our own disciplines and ordinances that we interpret as prescribed, they point us towards right belief and keep us faithful, but we must be careful that our religious practice doesn’t replace the relationship we have with our God. That’s called legalism. We don’t do that right Christians?

Transition

In much the same way as some have, in the last year, shamed large gatherings, anti-maskers, or those with a generally low regard for COVID restrictions, Israelites—with good reason mind you, adopted the mindset of being easily triggered. Sound familiar?

Don’t say his name, it says not to say his name!

You want another exile?

That’s how you get another exile!

Proposition

Their reverence for God was high. The Bible does, after all, say that. If we are to interpret, as Chaplain Vazques said three weeks ago introducing Yahweh, God’s name as our very own breathing, all life is vain if not under his Lordship!

This understanding of Lordship is what it means to be disciples, having submitted to a teacher.

If we let our reverence become ignorance, it is no longer reverence; simply ignorance, and eventually irreverent ignorance—maybe even arrogance—Lip service.

Let me say the same thing using maybe a different word. If we let our worship become legalism, it's no longer worship. Well, it is, but not of God. It's simply legalism for the sake of the ‘ism’ the institution without a Lord at all.

It's getting the cart before the horse. True reverence is right understanding of our identity and place before God. Right understanding should drive our worship, not the other way around.

Illustration

In Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll captures the heart of the human struggle through Alice’s adventures. She comes to understand her own identity through her interactions with others, some she identifies with others she sympathizes for; the point being that our identity, our reputation, it only has meaning when compared to something or someone else. Our level of notoriety, prominence, something to separate us, to define us from obscurity.

Approaching the cat, Alice asked, “which way [should] I go from here? The Cheshire Cat responded very logivally, “that [it] depends…on where you want to get.” When Alice said that she didn’t care as long as she got somewhere The Cheshire Cat pointed out that, then, “it doesn't much matter which way you go… you’re sure to do that.”

Transition

The title ‘Lord of Lords’ has more to do with where we place him in our lives’ than where he exists in the hierarchy of celestial order, in the same way, it didn’t matter which way the Cheshire Cat told Alice to go; you cannot truly know yourself, your worth, your importance, your purpose, or potential unless you know where you stand with God. It didn’t matter which way she went either. She was going to accomplish her goal if it was simply to go somewhere.

Not making a choice here, chapel family, is also a choice.

Though Adonai as a title is first used by Abraham in Genesis, to understand what lordship means and how it applies and affects our relationship with God today, look with me at Matthew 7:21-27

Scripture

There he says, 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Explanation

Lip Service is never enough, it's not as if “Adonai—Lord” is the secret password to the afterlife club. Yes, maybe we did some cool things, really, God did it, you’ll recall he had a disciple and all that betrayed him… The point is, God will bless things that Glorify him. The foundation of the wise man was the Lordship of Christ. Let me be clear—God is Lord, regardless of placing him there—Lord over your life is wise.

Jesus gave Judas too, as the Bible affirms in Matthew 10:1, “authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.” He walked with Jesus for his entire earthy ministry, including working miracles. But Jesus wasn’t fooled, we read in John 6:64, that “[he] knew from the beginning, who they were that believed not, and who would betray him.” For us today, this should serve as a real azimuth check. Just because maybe, we had our hands in some good ministry from time to time doesn’t make us servants. Servants do the will of the master, the Lord.

Application

It's easy to see the flaws, especially when Jesus called them such, but the motives behind the 613 laws that hedged the commandments were good! Disciplines, as I said earlier point our hearts towards reverence for God, and in so doing, help us understand our worth, Jesus having come down, dying for us.

Let me say it again, reverence is right understanding of our identity and place in regards to God.

Transition

In the military we know where we stand and what our relationship is with others, I literally salute and call “Sir,” most everyone in here.

But when it comes to our standing before God, it's much more serious. When we take into account that not only did our Sin require the blood of Christ, but we literally bear his name, we’re responsible for stewardship.

Illustration

There is a story about Alexander the Great, one of the greatest military generals who ever lived, conquering almost the entire known world with his army was surveying the bounty of a particularly successful campaign when he witnessed his men escorting a prisoner. The man was dressed as a Macedonian, not a conquered people, but a countryman of the great king. He asked the guards what his charges were and they responded, “fleeing in the face of the enemy.” Cowardice had only one punishment, death, as the king looked on the young soldier, however, he decided to show mercy, taking the opportunity for a teachable moment. He asked him for his name. When he responded, the smile left the king's face and he grew immediately angered. After asking the boy to repeat his name, when the boy said softly, Alexander, Sir. He offered the ultimatum that the boy change his ways or change his name!

Challenge

We have been in the season of lent, 25 days now, a period of time that is meant for reflection, anticipation, preparation, and purification for the return of our Lord. For many of us, it seems as if last year's lent never ended. Now, it matters little if you’ve taken up this practice or not; in fact, legalism is defined as a dependence on moral law rather than on personal faith. Morals are important.

5 “For this very reason,” Peter tells us, “make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. [2 Peter 1]

Disciplines guard our faith. They organize our efforts, give it form and unite us in practice, but when religious practice rules our love for one another, it regards Christ’s sacrifice as indifferent.

Transition

Today, we have the opportunity to reflect on exactly what our walk looks like. It’s important that we don’t mistake gifts of the Spirit as fruit of the Spirit. Gifts are from God, they are talents, they are aptitudes, they are blessings and opportunities meant to serve the church, to expand and build God’s kingdom on earth. They are given to everyone and shouldn’t be mistaken for assurances of salvation, which the Bible tells us clearly is only faith in the son of man, our Adonai, Jesus Christ.

I ask you today, All American, who is he to you? Is he your Lord, with lordship over you and all that that entails, the taking up of your cross, including inconvenient disciplines? Or, simply Lord, a guy with real power we can acknowledge, but that maybe we’re hoping our good deeds weigh in our favor? Does your understanding of his authority impact how you self-identify? Keep in mind, you’re making a choice here conscious or not, whether you believe you're deciding or not.

My sin required the blood of Christ. It's not a particularly astute observation that I’m loved. Each of you are loved too, for the same reason. When we consider that, the Almighty, “I am who I am,” creating God loves me, came to earth and gave his life for me, will I make him my lord? Will I submit to him, loving all those others whom he did the same for, those created in his very image?

So, if not Jesus, what stands in his place as Lord over your life? Maybe church is the focal point of your family or your identity, is it getting in the way? Is there a practice, an ‘ism,’ a well-intended discipline keeping you from loving your neighbor?

Gifts of the Spirit, your talents, and your blessings were given to you with a purpose. Baring fruit is up to you, and it has to do with who you make your Lord, and how you demonstrate it.

[Praise band arrives on stage and leads congregation in chorus of Good Good Father]

Benediction

Lord of Lords, King of Kings, you alone are God, and you’re a good, good father. Would you remind us each, daily, of who we are in you; that we are loved. Would that truth be in the hearts of everyone here today or streaming at home, and would your Spirit put it on our hearts, daily, to honor you as Lord over our lives. Would we honor you with our giftings and would the fruit of our spirit multiply until your return. It is out of obedience we pray, through the power of your Spirit, and through the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.