Knowing Jesus as Lord — K.P. Yohannan

Knowing Jesus as Lord and Obeying His Words

The subject that I want to share with you is about knowing Jesus as Lord and the implications of that. Usually when I travel, especially in North America, I speak on missions, because that's what I'm all about.

But today I have come here not with any missions book or missionaries, children, you know, you are part of our life. And I'm here just to share some thoughts from God's word and pray with you. So we have nothing else other than, you know, look at some practical things about following the Lord.

So Luke chapter 6, verse 46, Jesus says, Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say? I will show you what He is like, who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. Notice verse 47, that thing we just read, He who comes to me, okay, that's quite important, 48.

He's like a man building a house who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck the house but could not shake it because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation.

The moment the torrent struck the house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete. It's a very sobering thing if you process this, if you process this, that is, you can say the right thing and know all the answers in the Bible and have a wonderful life on earth, wholesome with health and wealth and conservative values and all these things, yet miss out from knowing the Lord Jesus Himself in our lives.

There are plenty of positive thinkers and books about attitude and responses and how you deal with external stimuli, how you can deal with all these things so your life is very good and wonderful. And there are plenty of books out there written based on biblical principles.

If you read Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, George Worover from England was telling me not too long ago, the most secular Christian book ever written. I mean, you read that, How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie, another book, and there are, I mean, there are so many names, you know, but I'm trying to tell you just one thing, that is, objectively, you can accumulate all kinds of knowledge and even imitate and obey the stuff that is written in the Bible, like in the book of Proverbs.

You know, there's a verse that says, you know, even if a guy is a dumb fool, if he keeps quiet, everybody thinks he's smart. I added a few words, don't worry about that. But you know, Mahatma Gandhi did that.

The founder, the father of the nation of India, brought out the almighty English England from India, not with guns and knives, no, he used actual teachings of Christ. But he never became a devout follower of Christ, it was something outside of his very life.

So it is with Christianity also, that a lot of people think Christ, Bible, Christianity is something for us. And therefore, what happened, we pursue all this stuff. Did you know, I mean, this is interesting.

I did this one time, I went to the largest Christian bookstore in Dallas, Texas. But this bookstore is humongous. And I remember taking time just to go through shelf, after shelf, after shelf, after shelf, and one whole area is only about Christian romantic novels.

You know, I think we get out of the stupid stuff, now we get the, you know, Christian, you know. But what I'm saying, but if you look at all this, I mean, you do this, okay, just for fun's sake. You'd be surprised, during this past 50 years especially, the greatest majority of Christian books released by the best authors even in this country, Christianity, has to do with cultural interpretation of faith, rather than radical, authentic, all-out following Christ or the New Testament.

We accommodate, we assimilate, and we explain and make it easier for us to live with the culture that took us so far away from the radical commitment to one person, the Lord Jesus Christ. And knowing the Lord, my brothers and sisters, is not just accumulating information about Jesus nor about Christian life.

The New Covenant and Partaking in Christ's Nature

The old covenant, you remember when Jesus met his disciples, he took the cup in his hand and said these words, this is my blood in the new covenant. It is not just a simple statement. It's a way of life.

It's a new beginning. It's a whole new world. Why? The old covenant is all about, do this, don't do this, do this, you'll be blessed if you do, if you don't, you'll be cursed, and this whole thing like that.

It was people obeying, doing things out of fear, intimidation, or expectations, or the desire to be blessed or prospered, or whatever. But in the new covenant, we are not called to obey Jesus. We are not called to obey the Bible.

Look at your face. You just now said, that's heresy. I agree. But continue to listen. In the new covenant, we are called to be partakers of his nature. Jesus said, I am the light of the world. What do you mean?

His life was the light of men. Did you get the difference? It's not objective, holding out the light and say, these are my teachings. If you obey this thing, you will find life, and happiness, and prosperity, forgiveness of sin in the heaven.

He said, my life, I am the light. That is, when you and I become partakers of his nature, his life infused into our earthen vessels, our life. It's no more in dichotomy or compartments. You know, Monday through Friday, I will figure out how to live my life based on what I heard from our pastor, or the books I read, or seminars, how to be a nice husband, because I went to this seminar.

Listen, just forget it. What we are called is continually, day by day, being transformed into the image on the inside. So it's no more obeying the rules and regulations, saying Jesus said I had to obey it.

No, basically because he only will do what the Father tells him to. His very nature is simply doing what the Father wants. So the more I become like him, there is no struggle. Oh, man, I have to give this money.

I have to go to church. Oh, no, again. This prayer meeting, all night prayer. Oh, man, what? It's like, you know, a young man falling in love with a girl, which is common here. And so he can't stop thinking about her, and she the same way.

Now, he must go to work. But he's going to call this morning and say, I'm sorry, I can't come to work. I'm sick. Well, you really want to know the truth? Yeah, you better tell it. I'm sick of love. I mean, his whole future is high in the balance.

He better go to work. But he's so preoccupied, he just can't think about going to work. He just wants to be with her. She just wants to be with him. What happened? They made some rules and regulations.

You know what? If you're going to take off from the work next few days, this many hours, I'm going to be. No, this is this part of our nature, because Christ no more is outside. He's not just Lord who tried to save us from sin and hell and take us to heaven.

No, basically, I'm his and I love him more than father, mother, son, daughter, even my own life. And I'm doing what he wants to. It's not a tyranny. It is not a burden. His commandments are not burdensome.

It is joy. You think I call my wife every day, no matter England or China, wherever I go, because if I don't call her, she's going to be mad at me. It's not like that. But please don't get discouraged.

Please don't. You see, it's a process. It is a if you think you are not where you should be, your emotions are not so lost in the wonder of him. Please don't let the enemy beat you up. We all are on a journey.

I'm no more the person I was five years ago, 10 years ago. I don't do the things I used to do. I don't think things I used to think because I come a long way. It didn't happen overnight. The Lord is so gracious and kind and merciful.

The Narrow Road and Private Obedience

He worked with us. But here's the thing. Listen, narrow is the road and few be found in it. Do not look at the multitude and even your family members who claim to be Christians and read in the Bible and think you are OK because they are doing certain things.

Don't give concession for your life because your invitation is private. Come away, my love, from this messy world. Come be mine. And then you make choices for you to get up two in the morning to spend time with him.

You make choices not to spend your money in a certain way. Others can. You make choices to do the stupid thing in the world. What is wrong with you? You don't chew gum anymore. You always chew gum like a cow.

And then you say you can make excuses and say, you know what? I just don't do. But if they really want to know. The Lord came to you and said, you know what? I wish you'd save those pennies and print gospel tracts.

You didn't do it because the world is going to hell. You didn't do it because somebody said, oh, the poor kids are dying. Give me some money. You did it because the Lord talked to you privately that nobody could understand.

And I tell you something interesting. This is my journey also, along with this whole thing. If you never heard the Lord, L-O-R-D, the master, the owner. If you never heard him ask you for anything hard, you have to be troubled a little bit.

Maybe you never heard him enough. Because the more you want to become like him, the more the cross becomes visible and tangible and painful. But through the pain of accepting suffering in the flesh, we become more like him.

Following Christ Through Sacrifice and Suffering

Not with understanding of theology, but rather making choices that our flesh hates. Entering into the life of Christ is a choice we make, which involves price we have to pay. I mean, what does that mean?

Thousand things. Some of the early Christians in the country of Rome, and of course you heard about this thing, I'm repeating what you know. When people meet each other, they simply have their greetings.

Like in India, Namaste. Here, Americans, how are you? But they, their greetings was, Caesare Curios. That is, Caesar is Lord. But with the capital letters. The slaves would say to their master, Curios, Lord.

But it was small letters. But the time they used those words with the capital letters, it only meant for one individual. That is, the one person, Caesar. So, the person who hears the response back and say, Curios, Caesare.

That is, yes, the Lord is Caesar. But what happened to Christians? When they are addressed with that, they simply would turn around and say, no, Jesus Christ is Lord. You know, when they said that, they knew they're risking their very life.

It is what happened. Beaten, abused, misunderstood, ostracized, kicked out. They lost their lives. But here's the thing. There's no greater love than this. One lay down his life for his friend. I remember when I was getting married in Germany, quite a few years ago.

I don't want to tell you how old I am. I'm an old man. I look 30, yeah? I remember the verses that the pastor had us repeat from Book of Ruth. Because I was born and raised in India, and she was born and raised in Germany.

And it's interesting. The words were, where you go, I go. Your people, my people. Your God, my God. Where you die, I die. And I remember making this decision. If in our life journey, there come a time I have to actually give my life to save my wife, I would do it.

It was not a joke. It was not, oh, this young, wonderful, 22-year-old girl, I'm going to hug her, and have sex with her, and have a bunch of kids. That all was there. But it was my life that I would give for her.

And Jesus asked, no less for me than that. I was at Bob Coaster's in Florida last week, speaking for him. And he said, you know, KP, Islamism is the fastest-growing religion in America. Did you know that?

He said, such stringent demands they have. You see the women walking around? And they pray, no matter railway station, airport, shopping center, wherever. They just kneel and pray. Their fasting is, I mean, can you just imagine going through weeks and weeks of fasting without all day not even drinking a sip of water?

The demands are so stringent. And he said, it's the most weird thing. They're growing so fast. And he said this to me, KP, the truth of the matter is, people are looking for something worth living for and dying for.

And they make it so hard, and people are joining them. Did Christ ask from you any less than that? How come America, the Christianity has become all about us? If you feel like doing, doing it. If you feel like going to church, fine.

If you feel like giving to God, fine. If you feel like praying, fine. You see, this is where I just want to say to you as an individual, it is not your wife, your husband, your son, your daughter. It's your life.

But here's something I'll tell you. The Lord Jesus Christ is calling for no less commitment than the commitment he made to the Father. And he said, I came. This world is not my home. My kingdom is not of this world.

I'm a stranger. And I walked through this for a brief time, and I'm heading for the cross. And if you choose to do that, I will tell you, you will inherit the life of Christ, which he said, rivers for living water flows out of your life.

And you become not the holder of the lamb, but rather you become the light. I remember this young man's story. Born and raised in America, brilliant, able young man. And he left the American dream, walked away from everything to go as a missionary overseas.

And somebody asked the question, what on earth are you doing? I mean, what did he do all that for? His response, listen to this. When he was a small boy, one day he asked his mother, mom, how come daddy is not eating with us anymore?

Is he mad at us? Is it the wrong mommy? Is daddy is not happy with you or what? And the mother would call the son and say, son, you really want to know what happened, daddy? She said, you remember we saw on television about Bangladesh, the typhoon and 100 ,000 people died overnight and tens of thousands of children homeless and they're lost and suffering.

Yes, mom. I remember that. Well, son, that day daddy became a broken man. His heart is so heavy and he decided to fast and pray for many days. And as a matter of fact, son, he's not coming to bed. Most of the time in the night he's in the living room weeping.

Oh, OK, mom, I understand. A little boy who didn't understand sacrifice, cross, redemption, none of those things. But years will go by when he will remember that was a thing that changed his life forever.

Not the preaching, not all the big stories, but the life that became the light for that little boy to find a way to follow the master that his father loved and followed. Parents are trying your best, trying to get your kids follow God.

Parents Teaching Children Through Sacrificial Example

OK, go ahead and give them more candies. Think about buying a brand new car when they finish the high school. You are just making a mistake. Give them what you want. I'm not against that. But remember, it is good for them to find out that nights you were on your knees.

They misunderstand why you were weeping. Then to find out you're weeping for them. Listen, my brothers and sisters, that is Christ. That is the life of Christ. So Jesus said, anyone who come to me, he didn't say anyone who hear my words.

He said, come to me, be mine. And then what happened? You are building your life, your decisions, your deliberations and where you go, how you spend your money and time you spend, the friendship you maintain, the music you listen and everything.

And by the way, this world is not going to help you to follow Christ. Your relatives may not help you. Your dear friends will not help you. It is all a stupid, superficial, plastic, self-centered Christianity at large that says, take care of yourself.

But God says, come and die and then find life. You know, I told you about my angle. Hey, look good now. But I mean, I was in horrible pain. And I must conclude with this story. And I was, you know, in the ministry and preaching and this and that.

And if you don't know this, we work in 10 countries and I have 16 ,000 people and leaders that look to me and ordered more than 230 books, lead one of the largest missions in our generation. And I teach the Bible through and by goodness, you know, I know too much.

Learning Christ Through Personal Pain

But, you know, all alone in the room in New Zealand with my ankle sprained, horrible pain. And I said to myself, this is not fair. I had months behind me, sleepless journeys and travel. I began to feel sorry for myself.

And I said, oh, man, this is not good. Then I would catch a flight with a broken, painful situation to Australia. And my leader in Australia, he was like a kid who got a toy in his hand to get me in his hand.

And he just had this schedule, they call it schedule, made me go all over the country nonstop. I was carrying this painful, poor leg with me. And one day I had a pity party. I said, this is not fair. And I was mad at my secretary.

I was mad at my leaders. I was mad at the Australian director. And I was saying, I'm going to get back. And I just thought about canceling the whole trip. And I called my secretary and said, is there a flight you can get me?

I want to get out of this country. I mean, I'm hurting too much. I couldn't sleep. It just really, I mean, I'm talking about genuine, authentic pain. Please believe me. If you don't, I'll break your leg and show you.

But you know what happened? The Lord just, I imagine, stood in the corner of the room. I'm all alone, just going through this terrible, messy situation. Finally, he just talked to me. He said, something is really strange.

Look at you. I said, what do you mean look at me? Nobody cares about me. I had taken it myself. Then the Holy Spirit said, why don't you read Philippians 3? I said, what? I preached on it 100 sermons.

Oh, just read it again. And there, once again, I saw Paul saying that I may enter into his suffering and understand his pain. And the Lord said, son, I just allowed this to happen. I just wanted to know how lonely I was when I was on earth.

How much I suffered. How much pain I endured. And I have no sympathy for you, my son. And my grace is sufficient. If you just walk with me. And people are fasting around the world all the sudden for their poor leader, you know, for healing and all that.

But the Lord didn't come and heal me just like that. But you know what? As a senior and leader I am, knowing all this Bible, my journey continues to understand the Lord a little better. And you know what happened?

Just tell you this, this is amazing. All of a sudden, my inside lit up. I was able to smile. I called my secretary and said, oh, I'm so sorry for what I told you. I'm so happy. She said, whatever happened?

She said, I lost my head. I said, I just met the Lord. He said, I want you to understand me. Brothers and sisters, relate everything happens in your life to knowing the Lord. The good, the bad and everything.

And it's all going to work out. Romans 28, that you may become more like him. He's no more a Lord out there. He's mine now and forever. And I'm his. And you walk through life. And finally, you look in his eyes and he says, oh man, I can't wait to see you.

And he says, you did well. Be with me forever. This is the call the Lord gave us. May he help all of us. To love him dearly and follow him. Let's pray. Lord, thank you for giving us this opportunity just to be in your house.

We are here because we love you. We are here to worship because we love you. And Lord, I just pray that you will take these feeble words of mine. And bring forth fruit that will remain. Thank you for everything, Lord.

In Jesus name. Amen.