if Jesus is your Lord, then you're His slave

Kyle with a difficult but important concept in his sermon on Sunday (as a follow-up on his fan vs. follower sermon from two weeks ago)...

Kyle rightly pointed out that we're reluctant to make this point to "seekers" since it is a "hard teaching". But it is the reality of the term "Lord"-- the Greek term "kurios", meaning owner/master of a slave. Likewise, the NIV and other translations water down the Greek term "doulos" from slave to servant.

But if/when you call Jesus your Lord, then you are implicitly referring to yourself as His slave. If you're not willing to obey His commands, then you're not His slave-- and He's not your Lord. And if He's not your Lord, you need to ask yourself whether He's your savior.

Kyle also referenced Deuteronomy 15:16-17's reference to a "bond-slave"-- one who would voluntarily remain as a slave to someone after his time of slavery (e.g., to repay a debt) was over. Kyle made a great point here: imagine the sort of master who a slave would re-up with-- and imagine the esteem others would give to a master like that!

Three other points from Dt 15:
-this could not be undone-- you would then be a slave for life
-a slave has no rights
-a slave is required to "show radical/complete obedience and submission"

All of this probably sounds foreign to non-Christians, and sadly, a lot of Christians. But in a Biblical worldview, the alternative is equally harsh. If one is not a slave to Jesus, then one is a slave to sin. (There are other references to being a slave to the World, the devil, money, and idols.) Either way it's bondage; the question is Who/what will be your Master.