Jump Start # 1444

1 Peter 3:15 “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.”

This passage is used often to get brethren to see the value of answering their friends questions. Be ready. Make a defense. Answer those questions with the Bible. Those are statements we hear often from preachers. I think folks miss something in this passage.

First, they are not just asking questions. It’s not an exercise in Bible trivia or ‘Stump the Christian.’  These are not random questions shot from left field. These are specific concerns. They surround “the hope that is in you.” Did you see that phrase in the text? You are walking with a hope. It’s noticed. Folks are wanting to know about that hope. You are upbeat in a negative world. You are not pulling your hair out, running to a bridge to jump or despondent. Even at the cemetery, you mourn as one who has hope (1 Thes 4:13). You are calm in the midst of a storm. You seem confident. You are sure about your faith and your destiny. Your hope is in Christ. That’s what they see. It’s not asking where Cain got his wife from, but how is it that you love the Lord, and follow Him? They see hope in you and they want it in themselves.

Second, these questions are answered with “gentleness and reverence.” Did you notice that in the verse? Many times, the New Testament connects answering or correcting with “gentleness.” Don’t throw the book at the guy. Don’t be rude, offensive or mean. Some Christians act that way. They boast about using the “sword.” What they’ve really done is “misused the sword.” Gentle. Kind. Patient. Helpful. Encouraging. That’s the idea. It’s not name calling. It’s not getting in the mud. It’s not ugliness. Not at all. Gentle, as Jesus is. Reverence, carries the idea of honor, respect. It goes first to the word of God. Don’t misuse the Bible to prove your point. Use it carefully. But it then goes to a soul that you are talking to. He’s made in the image of God. Someone is wanting to know about the hope that they see in you. Be kind to them. Be helpful. Be gentle.

Third, and the focus of all of this article, is the beginning statement, “Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.” Christ as the Lord in your heart. Lord means ruler, the king. Make Jesus the king. Crown Him in your heart. Many today want to talk about the friend Jesus. I have a book entitled, “The Laughter of Jesus.” The good ole’ Jesus is how most want to spend their time. The text says, “Christ as Lord.” He’s the King. What He says goes. There is no arguing with Jesus. He is the Lord. He’s not one of us and we certainly are not lords. The place to crown Jesus as King is not in the statehouse, the courthouse, or even the church house, but the passage says, “In your hearts.” That’s personal. No one else can do that but you. That means moving things around in your heart so Jesus can sit as the King. That means tossing things out of your heart so that Jesus can be King. Some love Jesus. Some want to worship Jesus. But that’s not the same as making Him the Lord in your hearts.

When Jesus becomes the Lord in your heart, your first thought is to obey Him and honor Him. Gone are the thoughts, “Here’s what I want to do.” Or, worse, “I don’t feel like it.” It’s not about you anymore. Jesus is the Lord of your heart. The problem of folks not attending very regularly goes away when Jesus is Lord of their hearts. They will want to be where Jesus is. They will want to worship Jesus. When Jesus is the Lord of our hearts, our thoughts are more spiritual. We are aware more of others. We become more compassionate and generous. We follow the King and He rubs off on us. We become more like Him. There’s that hope forming in us.

Jesus as the Lord of your heart—less arguing at home. Less shouting and barking. Calmer days. More observation. More reflection. More application. The things of the world are less appealing when Jesus is the Lord of your heart. More thoughts about Heaven, your influence and the kingdom. More concern about how to help others. More love of the word.

When Jesus becomes the Lord of your heart, you’ll find that you have “re-wired” your insides. You become different. You are concerned less about self and more about others. You talk about self less and more about Him. This “re-wiring” changes your outlook. It molds you into being a kinder, more thoughtful person. Your life is defined by Him. Awards are less impressive to you, when Jesus is the Lord of your life. And just like that, you start living with hope. You walk by hope. You long for the other side. You can’t wait until you see His face. That hope becomes noticeable. That hope is what others see. That hope is what they are asking you about. That hope is what they want in themselves.

Where does it come from? Jesus. It comes from making Jesus the Lord of your heart.

Now, the greater thought is, “How do I make Jesus the Lord of my heart?” Just sitting in a church building doesn’t do it. If it did, then we could get some big guys and grab people and drag them to church. It’s more than that. It’s a choice. Some will never do this. They will come to services. They will love the Lord to a degree. But their heart will always belong to them. They will never turn the keys over to Jesus.

Making Jesus the Lord of your heart is a choice. It’s a journey. It takes steps. Some days are better than others. It involves a plan. It’s living with a purpose and on purpose. It takes diligence and determination. It’s forcing yourself to think more about Jesus and less about yourself. You let go of things that once bothered you. You think less of what others might be thinking of you. You let go of image and concentrate more on substance, the inner man. You surround yourself with spiritual giants. You develop strong spiritual habits. You resist self.

This making Jesus the Lord of your heart isn’t easy stuff. It can be done because God said so. Once it’s done, you must work to keep Him the Lord. Like the kid’s game, ‘king of the hill,’ there will be others, including your own pride, that will try to knock Jesus off the throne of your heart. Satan will want you to bow down to him. It’s up to you to keep Jesus enthroned in your heart.

There is a hope that is found in making Jesus your Lord.

My Jesus, how I love Thee…more than a hymn, it’s the way it is for the disciple.

Roger