Lordship is a salvationary issue. It is not something to be talked about lightly.17 Luke 19:27 "But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me." It is the whole essence of the New Testament.18 Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." People say, "Paul, why are you making such a big deal over a driver license? Where in the scripture does it say you can't obtain a driver license?" I tell you I opened up the Book and found it from the beginning to the end. It didn't use the word driver and it didn't use the word license. But it did say we are not to be brought under the lordship of men - under the lordship of Caesar.19 1 Samuel 12:19-21 And all the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins the evil of asking a king for ourselves." Then Samuel said to the people, "Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing." And it said it from the beginning to the end.20 Revelation 1:8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
The first scripture that comes to mind is at Matthew 21:20 and also is recorded at Luke 22:24. The Apostles were becoming aware of Jesus' Last Will and Testament. He was preparing a Kingdom that they were to inherit - the Kingdom of Heaven. And a strife arose among them. Do you know what they argued about? They were disputing about who was going to be highest in the Kingdom. What seats shall they take? And they were all scurrying to be in the foremost positions in the Kingdom of Heaven.21 Luke 22:24 Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. Jesus, observing their strife, rebuked them strongly. He said, "The nations out there lord it over one another, but it is not to be so with you. I want you to serve, not lord. For those of you who want to be the greatest, I want you to be the least." In other words, He was tearing down lordship.22 Luke 22:25-26 And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called 'benefactors.' But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves."
How does this apply to the Department of Motor Vehicles and a driver license? Does the Department of Motor Vehicles do anything but lord it over others? They dictate whether you can use the highways or not. And the criteria they use is not necessarily based on your driving skills. It may be political. You may have offended the court. You may not have appeared when they said to appear. You may have failed to obey one of the court's orders. Then they say you are suspended - it is illegal for you to drive. Are not the courts also a form of lordship? Who are these people to judge the Kingdom of Heaven? Who are they to judge a citizen of Heaven? Who are they to judge someone else's servant? And yet that is exactly what they are doing.23 Romans 14:4 Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
The Department of Motor Vehicles is an agency of the State to lord over the highways. They control the use of the highways, giving driving privileges to whom they choose and taking them from whom they choose. It reminds me of the passage in Matthew, Chapter 4, in which Jesus was confronted with Satan. Satan took Him up to a high place and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and said, "If you just bow down and worship me," or in other words, "If you will fall under my lordship, I will give you all the kingdoms of the world." And Jesus' response was simply this, "Get thee hence Satan! For there is only One whom we shall worship, and that is God."24 Matthew 4:8-10 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'"
If you will just go down and obtain a driver license, you can have all the highways of the world! "You can go anywhere you want if you will just come down and worship us." Paying your fees to the Department of Motor Vehicles is a form of worship. Obeying all of their statutes is a form of worship. They say, "We are your lord. We will tell you whether or not you can use the highways." Where is the place for God? Where is the place for the Church?
What if Jesus says, "Go upon the highways. Preach the Gospel. Baptize them in my name."25 Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. And the State says, "But first you must obtain a license from us." What if the teachings of Jesus are in opposition to the State? Are you going to allow the State to license you before preaching His Gospel? Are you going to allow that which you have been commanded to do from the Highest be subject to regulation by men? What if the State says, "You've offended us, your driver license is suspended. You can't drive anymore." Now there can be no more going out on the highways preaching the gospel - at least without violating men's commands. Have you not prevented yourself from doing the will of God by entangling yourself with men's regulations?
Jesus said, "If you love Me, then obey My commands."26 John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." He didn't say, "Go out and obey the commands of the world." He said, "Obey My commands!" Lordship. We are dealing with lordship. Open up the passages of scripture. Take a look at them. The topic of lordship shows up constantly. Almost every page deals with lordship.
How many masters can you serve? Why are we concerned about masters? Because Jesus says you can only serve one.27 Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." Because we're dealing with lordship. How many lords can you have? Can you obey two lords? Can you obey Jesus Christ and preach His Gospel and also obey the Department of Motor Vehicles, a State agency that lords over men? Christ wants us not to lord over others. You cannot have lordship in the Kingdom of Heaven, because you have only one Lord and that is God. Amongst ourselves we are brethren, we are brothers and sisters, we are not to lord it over one another.28 Matthew 23:8-12 "But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." If we are not to lord it over one another, then neither should we be lorded over. If I participate in the Department of Motor Vehicles and allow them to control my driving, have I not participated in lordship? Most Christians believe we are not to lord over one another. But we are also not to allow others to lord over us. The lording works both ways. To lord over others and to allow others to lord over us are part of the same structure that Jesus is breaking down. His remedy? Serve. Serve one another. Serving is another form of government - it is Christ's way to replace lording over one another.29 Galatians 5:13-14 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."