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1-2-1 Jesus, The Lord

Read Acts 2:36-38
A. What does it mean that “Jesus is Lord”?
Definition: Master, Owner, Controller; Emperor
Practical Application: Obey
a. Matthew 7: 21-23
   “...not everyone who says...Lord, Lord... but only he who does the will of my Father
b. Matthew 7:24-27
   The wise = listened and obeyed
   The foolish = listened and did not obey
c. James 1:22-25
   The Word helps us see ourselves as He does.
   Listening without obeying leads to being deceived (like Mt 7:21-23 above).
   Do what the Word says and you will be blessed.
d. James 2:14-17
   Faith produces obedience (Faith: to believe something to be true to the extent that you
   give yourself over to it).
Jesus is truly our Lord if we obey him!
Obedience is a key to powerful spiritual living.
Q: What obstacles do you face that make it difficult for you to obey?
Q: Has there ever been a specific time in your life that you made Jesus your Lord?
Q: How did this change your life? (attitudes, decisions, goals, thinking, actions, priorities)
Q: Would Jesus say you are following him? Why or why not?

B. What does it mean to “Repent”? Act 2:38
What it is.
Three Definitions (each a different way of saying the same thing)
a. A change of mind (produced by faith) that produces a change of life.
b. A 180 degree turn: to turn from sin and to righteous living. To turn from self-rule to God
   rule (throne illustration).
c. “Replacement” rather than “abstinence” (Luke 11:24-28).
Abstinence alone produces an empty, vulnerable life.
What it is not. 2 Corinthians 7:9-12
• It is not feeling sorry.
• Godly sorrow brings repentance/change—it is not in itself repentance.
Practical Application:
What to repent “from” and “to”.
a. Col 3:1-14 (also Gal 5:13-26, Eph 4:17-5:12)
From Sins (This list is not all inclusive. Gal 5:21says “... and the like”)
• Sexual immorality
• Impurity
• Lust
• Evil desires
• Greed-idolatry
• Anger
• Rage
• Cruelty
• Slander
• Filthy language
• Lying
To Righteousness
• Compassion
• Kindness
• Humility
• Gentleness
• Patience
• Forgiveness
• Love
b. Matthew 22:34-40
   Love God and Love “Neighbor” (1John 5:3)
c. Mark 1:14-18
   “Fishers of men”/evangelism
d. Matthew 28:18-20
   Evangelism and discipleship
e. Luke 15:11-22
   An example of repentance
Q: What helps you to Repent? What makes it difficult?
Q: Whether Jesus is currently your Lord or not, what do you need to repent “from” and “to”?
C. What will Lordship Require? Acts 2:37
It Requires HEART
a. 2 Corinthians 7:10
   Conviction/godly sorrow.
b. Romans 2:4
   Appreciation (This will be covered in detail in the next lesson.)
c. Luke 9:23-26
   Self denial “...if anyone would come after me he must deny himself....”
d. Luke 5:4-11
   “...master, ...because you say so, I will....”
e. Luke 14:25 -33
    Luke 7:36-50
   An example of Conviction, Appreciation and Self-denial
Q: How would you define self-denial?
Q: Why do you think self-denial is so necessary?
       A. SUMMARY
When a person makes Jesus his/her Lord in the way that the Bible teaches, the result is
he/she lives their life for Him. This is shown by obedience, repentance and self-denial.
       B. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• What obstacles do you face that make it difficult to obey?
• Has there ever been a specific time in your life that you made Jesus your Lord/Master?
• If so how did this change your life? (attitudes, decisions, goals, thinking, actions,
       priorities)
• Would Jesus say you are following Him? Why or why not?
• What helps you repent? What makes it difficult?
• What do you need to repent from and to?
• What does it mean to deny yourself?
• Why do you think self-denial is necessary in your life?
       C. CHALLENGES
• Restudy the verses used in this study. Be sure to include the context.
• Read: Mt 26, 27, 28. This is an example of Jesus showing lordship toward God. Also,
   these chapters are important for preparing you for the next study.
• If you have not made Jesus your Lord the way the scriptures teach, be sure to discuss this
   with one of the other members in your group.
• Whether Saved or Lost, make a list of what you need to repent from and to. With each,
   identify what would make this hard to follow through on.
• Start your list now and work on it until our next study. Ask others how they have
   overcome similar struggles as yours (or for that matter, struggles that you don’t have).
ADDITIONAL STUDY
Luke 11:24-27
                 "When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest
                 and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' [25] When it
                 arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. [26] Then it goes and
                 takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there.
                 And the final condition of that man is worse than the first."
[27] As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, "Blessed is the
mother who gave you birth and nursed you."
1 John 2:3-6
We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. [4] The man who says, "I
know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. [5] But if
anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we
are in him: [6] Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
Romans 6:16
Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are
slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to
obedience, which leads to righteousness?
Acts 26:20
First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles
also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their
deeds.
Matthew 3:8
Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.
Ephesians 4:17-5:12
Matthew 5-7
Colossians 1-4
Galatians 5:13-26
Begin reading Acts