The following student report was submitted by Ambassador League Agent Kyle W. during the 2008-2009 League.
Mission: Research - Lordship of Christ
Adonai and Jehovah are names for God. When translated they mean Lord, and or master. These two names for God are used over six thousand times just in the Old Testament. Because God is our master, we are to be is servants. The Lordship of Christ was granted to him by God the father, therefore both God, and Christ are to be revered as Master and Lord. God is ruler over all and is the sovereign Lord. The Lordship of Christ is reflected by these two names for God. Servant hood is the ultimate way to show God that we love him and honor Him as our master, the only self existent Lord.
Jehovah means completely self existent Lord. This means that God is sovereign and relies on nothing else. We are to praise Him and love Him because he is our creator and the only true and self existent God. In Exodus 3:15 Moses referred to God as "I Am". This shows just how powerful, unchanging and self existent God is. Hebrews 13:8 also states that God is an unchanging God: "God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow". God wanted His people to know that He was Lord, so when He appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, He referred to Himself as Lord Almighty. Moses describes Jehovah in incredible ways in Exodus 34:5-7, such as: Compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love and faithfulness. These are the qualities of a loving God.
Adonai is another name used for God. It means Lord, or master. As our master Adonai expects certain things of those who call Him master. We are commanded to pick up our cross and follow Him if we truly love Him as master, in Luke 14:25-27. Since Jehovah is our master, than obviously, we are to be His servants. This assumption is backed by scripture in Luke 6:46 and Mathew 7:21 when Jehovah instructs us that it is not enough as Servants to merely say that He is Lord, but that we must do the Will of God the Father. When we are faithful to God in our mind and actions He rewards us because He loves us. Many benefits of being a servant to God are listed in scripture, such as; we are protected and rewarded (Gen. 15:1), shown Mercy (Psalm 123:2), upholds, feeds and satisfies us (Psalm 145:14-16). Some of our responsibilities as servants include: being mocked for the sake of Jehovah (Psalm 89:50-51), understand His statutes (psalm 119:25), and to obey and follow His word (Judges 6:14-16).
Adonai and Jehovah are names used to show the Lordship of Christ. So what exactly are Adonai and Jehovah Lords over? Scripture tells us that they are master and Lord over: Israel (Deut. 9:26), Nations and earth (Psalm 2:4), all living creatures (Psalm 8:1& 6-8), the wicked, and Adonai will judge justly (Psalm 37:12-13), the mountains (Psalm 97:5) and He is the Lord of Lords (Psalm 136:3). If Jehovah and Adonai are Lords over all of these things, then their lordship is supreme. They are sovereign over the earth and have the right to be called, I Am, Lord of Lords, King of Kings, Jehovah and Adonai. As Servants of Adonai, it is not enough to just call Him Lord, but we must follow Him with everything we have.
Because we are servants of Adonai we are to throw off temptations and sins that get in our way, and we are to instead run with perseverance, the race marked out for us by God (Hebrews 12:1-2). We are also to pray to our father in heaven for all things because He is our master (Colossians 1:9-12). And finally we are to submit to our master by offering up our bodies as spiritual sacrifices to the Lord (12:1-2). This is how we acknowledge the Lordship of Christ over our Lives.
