Jesus' Lordship & Our Transportation Choices:
Resources for Preaching and Teaching

The following resources provide biblical passages, ideas, and other information that could be used to develop a sermon or an adult education session. These resources are meant to stimulate your creativity and be adapted to your situation. We have provided more than you will probably be able to utilize. Remember to check out our "What Would Jesus Drive?" (WWJDrive) Worship Resources for prayers, hymn suggestions, a children's sermon, etc.

1. Introduction
2. Biblical Texts on Jesus as Lord
3. Biblical Texts That Help Explain What Christ's Lordship Means in Practice
4. Creeds
5. Heidelberg Catechism
6. Sermon/Teaching Outline
7. Fact Sheets
8. Web Links
9. Teaching Suggestions & Discussion Questions

Our transportation choices are the number one way we as individuals impact God's creation through pollution and environmental degradation. The "What Would Jesus Drive?" (WWJDrive) campaign asks anew how far Jesus' Lordship extends in our lives. Does His Lordship include our transportation choices? If so, how? What issues should we be concerned about? We hope to provide you answers to these questions.

The confession that "Jesus is Lord" is the oldest of Christian confessions. It is used so frequently in the New Testament to refer to Jesus that it has become part of his name (e.g. Mt. 14:30; Jn. 6:68; Mk. 16-19; Acts 2:36, 16:31). Indeed, Paul made over 250 references to Jesus as Lord.

Just like the disciples in the New Testament, we are called to follow Him and put into practice what he teaches us (Mk. 1:16-20; and Lk. 6:46-49). We are to have the "mind of Christ" including His attitude of humble, sacrificial servanthood (1 Cor. 2:16; Phil 2:5-8).

One of the simplest, most profound of Jesus' teachings is the Golden Rule: "Do to others as you would have them do to you" (Lk. 6:31; Mt. 7:12).

When asked to sum up how we are to live our lives, Jesus said: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" and "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mk. 12:30-31). These are called the Great Commandments.

The Golden Rule and the Great Commandments are commands to be proactive in doing what is good, and not simply refrain from doing what is bad. Righteousness is the presence of right relations between ourselves, God, and others. To fail to do the good in these relationships is a sin. When we choose to cause pollution that hurts people, we violate the Golden Rule and the Great Commandments. Our contribution to pollution runs counter to Jesus' Lordship in our lives.

Mt. 14:30 - "But when he (Peter) saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord, save me!'"

Mt. 28:18 - "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.'"

Col. 1:15-20 - "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross."

Mk. 1:16-20 - "As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 'Come, follow me,' Jesus said, 'and I will make you fishers of men.' At once they left their nets and followed him. When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him."

Mk. 16:19 - "After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God."

Lk. 5:10b-11 - "Then Jesus said to Simon, 'Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men.' So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him."

Lk. 24:2-3 - "They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus."

Acts 2:36-3 - "'Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.'" When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?'"

Acts 10:36 - "You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all."

Acts 16:31 - "They replied, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household.'"

Rom. 5:21 - "Just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Rom. 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Rom. 10:9 - "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

1 Cor. 6:11 - "But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

1 Cor. 12:3 - "No one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' except by the Holy Spirit.

2 Cor. 4:5 - "For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake."

2 Cor. 9-10 - "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Col. 2:6 - "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him."

The Great Commission - "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age'" Mt. 28:18-20.

The Golden Rule: "Do to others as you would have them do to you" (Lk. 6:31; Mt. 7:12).

The Great Commandments: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" and "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mk. 12:30-31. See also Mt. 22:37-40; Lk. 10:25-28; Rom. 13:9; Gal. 5:14; Jas. 2:8; Dt. 6:5; Lev. 19:18.).

Lk. 6:46-49 - "'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. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that 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 that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.'"

Phil. 2:5-11 - "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Apostles Creed - "I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord."

Nicene Creed - "We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God."

4. Q. What does God's law require of us?
A. Christ teaches us this in summary in Matthew 22--Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength (Dt. 6:5). This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments (Lev. 19:18).

86. Q. We have been delivered from our misery by God's grace alone through Christ and not because we have earned it: why then must we still do good?
A. To be sure, Christ has redeemed us by his blood. But we do good because Christ by his Spirit is also renewing us to be like himself, so that in all our living we may show that we are thankful to God for all he has done for us (Rom. 6:13; 12:1; I Pet. 2:5-10), and so that he may be praised through us. (Mt. 5:16; I Cor. 6:19, 20). And we do good so that we may be assured of our faith by its fruits (Mt. 7:17, 18; Gal. 5:22-24; II Pet. 1:10, 11), and so that by our godly living our neighbors may be won over to Christ (Mt. 5:14-16; Rom. 14:17-19; I Pet. 2:12; 3:1, 2).

90. Q. What is the coming-to-life of the new self?
A. It is wholehearted joy in God through Christ (Ps. 51:8, 12; Is. 57:15; Rom. 5:1; 14:17), and a delight to do every kind of good as God wants us to (Rom. 6:10, 11; Gal. 2:20).

[*These excerpts of the Heidelberg Catechism have been taken from the authorized version of the Christian Reformed Church. To find it on the web, go to http://www.crcna.org/crbe/crbe_conf_hc.htm.]

Sermon Title: "What Would Jesus Drive?" and Jesus' Lordship in Our Lives

Texts: Luke 6:46 (or other suitable texts from sections II and III).

Central Idea: Jesus' Lordship includes our transportation choices. Today's transportation choices can cause pollution and oil dependence, and these problems can significantly hurt others. Following Christ today includes helping to solve these problems.

1. Introduction

A. Review of WWJDrive Campaign

"By now many of you have probably heard the question, 'What Would Jesus Drive?' It has gotten a lot of play in the media lately, with over 4,000 press stories asking the question, including all of the major news networks, the three major newsweeklies, and many of the major papers. [Note to Pastor/Teacher: Mention local coverage, if any. Do a Google News search to find.] Many press reports inaccurately labeled the WWJDrive campaign an 'anti-SUV' campaign, which is not true. It's a campaign that has sought to encourage fuel conservation, the reduction of pollution, and the purchase of vehicles that truly meet people's needs."

B. Praise and Criticism

"The WWJDrive Campaign has come in for its share of praise and criticism." [Note to Pastor/Teacher: Choose from these examples.]

1. "I never thought I'd be contacting a religious organization (I'm quite spiritual but not religious) but I'm also devout environmentalist. Not only am I writing to you, I'm writing to say THANK YOU! I caught your campaign on our local news network (ABC-Los Angeles) last night and was ecstatic." -- L. Livingston
2. "I am so glad your took such an initiative. I manage a portal dedicated to the automobile businesses (www.terra.com.gt/autoclub) in Central America and I am including a brief article and a link to your site. Our beautiful lakes and forest are disappearing due to the excessive fuel consumption of the first world. As an evangelical Christian I only can say PRAISE GOD. He still has faithful witnesses all over the world.!!!" -- M. Cajas
3. "I wanted to write to tell you (Jim Ball) that you and the Holy Spirit did a superb job on Good Morning America last Thursday. Your brief, but very clear presentation of the gospel was amazing. I know your platform may be specific to the environment, but you did a wonderful job of representing Christians and I was praising God as you spoke. Very few believers ever get a chance to speak to millions. Thank you for your faithfulness." -- D. Boyett
4. "Just wanted to tell you my appreciation over your recent ad campaign. I'm not religious...and haven't been for years....but your program has appealed to me more than any other campaign done in recent years. It's enough to drive a cynic back to church." -- H. Dlugozima
5. "I was greatly encouraged to read your advertisement in Christianity Today this morning. I'm so glad to find there is a group of Christians trying to do something about the car pollution in this country. Keep up the good work!" -- S. Imrie
6. "This is the most creative campaign I've seen in a long time and one that I believe in completely. I don't think Jesus would own a car, actually, which is the point I guess. I think Jesus would do the most humble thing possible, which is walk or take the bus. Thank you, thank you, thank you for loving God's creation and doing something about it." -- C. Richmond
7. "While I might agree there is some validity to your position, my family of eleven will continue to drive our Suburban as that is the only way we can get the entire family around. As to your question as to What Would Jesus Drive?, I imagine he would most likely be riding a bicycle."-- Tim
8. "While I do not necessarily disagree with your attempt to improve environmental conditions, I do take exception to the theme of your campaign. It is, at least, egregiously presumptuous and possibly even blasphemous to use Jesus' name for such a blatantly political purpose. As a Christian marketer, I am fully appreciative of an attention getting slogan. However, your approach is completely without scriptural foundation and associates you with elements which are neither Christian nor beneficial. You have exposed yourself to a legitimate criticism. Let's just hope that you haven't had a deleterious effect on His Kingdom." -- G. Culbertson
9. "As a fellow Christian I just want to gently admonish you that the name of our Lord should not be used for issues such as this. It cheapens and waters down the message that our Lord came to give. Also, for a flip side argument, I have four children. They do not fit in a regular car because of the front seat airbag issues. I drive a minivan and a station wagon. I will keep my children safe. I believe that is what the Lord would want me to do. You make your decisions based on your own circumstances but don't try to imply that you know what Jesus would want for everyone." -- Anonymous
10. "As a Christian, I find this campaign very offensive. This isn't about what would Jesus 'drive,' but rather what He would 'buy.' It's highly unlikely that Jesus would save his money to buy a brand new SUV -- hybrid or not. Why, he would even give away His overhauled '68 Volkswagen bus if He saw a family in need. And, since the greed for oil is the mainstay of the continuing political tug of war and bloodshed in all mideast countries, I think Jesus would stay as far away from those money-barons as possible. No, Jesus wouldn't drive. Keep my Lord out of your cars." -- B. Morris
11. "I don't think Jesus would be telling me what I should be driving. I also think that you are not being very Christ like yourselves by your implication that if I drive an SUV I am not a good Christian. I thank God that he gave me a free will and the ability to make choices on my own, not made for me by a group of misguided individuals who think they can speak in his name. I am glad that I am not going to be standing in your shoes on judgment day before God's throne." - Paul
12. See also an Internet forum by the Washington Post. Go to: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A8711-2003Jan31

C. More than a Joke

"It's certainly a catchy phrase. A lot of folks have come up with jokes. [Note to Pastor/Teacher: See http://www.highrock.com/personal/WWJD/ for a good list.] And comedians have had a good time speculating on what a person from the First Century Palestine would drive. But is it more than a joke? The folks who started the WWJDrive campaign, the Evangelical Environmental Network, understand why some might find the question initially amusing, but they also urge us to take the question seriously - as do prominent Christian leaders such as __________ [Note to Pastor/Teacher: choose from WWJDrive Call to Action Signatories list]. Should we?"

D. WWJDo

"The WWJDrive question is of course a more specific version of the popular question, "What Would Jesus Do?" (WWJDo). Christians, who believe the Risen Lord is alive in their hearts, know the WWJDo question actually is asking another question: "Lord Jesus, as your follower, what would you have me do in this situation?" Some have thought WWJDo to be a simplistic question. It may be a simple question, but it's not simplistic. Indeed, its simplicity is its power. Consider what you need to know to be able to answer it:

1. Who Jesus is - Second Person of the Trinity; Creator, Sustainer, Reconciler (Col. 1:15-20), Great Physician, and Prince of Peace [See Who Jesus Is Fact Sheet];
2. What Jesus taught - the Kingdom of God, or God's will being done on Earth as it is in Heaven, summarized in the Great Commandments and the Golden Rule;
3. What Jesus' death and resurrection accomplished - human salvation, grace to empower us to live righteous lives (Rom. 6:18), reconciliation of all of creation (Col. 1:20);
4. A thorough understanding of the situation, problem, and decision you are struggling with;
5. Guidance from other Christians, especially those more mature in the faith than ourselves.

WWJDo is simply another way of asking, 'What is God's will for me in this situation?' There's really not a more important question than that."

2. Is Jesus Lord of our Transportation Choices?

A. Brief Review of Jesus' Lordship

[Note to Pastor/Teacher: See texts above in section II and section III.]

B. Doing What Jesus Taught

"Confessing Jesus as Lord includes doing what He taught. 'Why do you call me, "Lord, Lord," and do not do what I say?' (Lk. 6:46). His basic ethical teaching was to love your neighbor as yourself. Does that have anything to do with our transportation choices - how we get to work, go shopping, get the kids to school? Is there a reason to ask the WWJDrive question, understood to also mean, 'Lord Jesus, what would you have me drive?'

C. Jesus' Lordship and Our Transportation Choices

"Now the WWJDrive campaign has received criticism simply for raising the question. A good deal of this criticism probably stems from resistance to the idea that Jesus' Lordship extends to our transportation choices, how we choose to get around. Most of us probably never thought how we got around had anything to do with morality or Jesus' Lordship. But the folks supporting the WWJDrive campaign say that it does."

D. Transportation Choices as Moral Choices

"For a Christian, all choices fall under the Lordship of Christ. Therefore, all choices are moral choices. Our task is to understand how our transportation choices fulfill Jesus' teaching to love our neighbor.

This is not a new burden. Rather, it's a new way to love others and thereby do God's will - and this is exciting!"

3. Harmful Impacts from Transportation

"Unfortunately, how we get around is having some harmful consequences. Three of the biggest concerns are these:

1. impacts on human health, especially of children and the unborn;
2. the problem of global warming; and,
3. U.S. dependence on foreign oil from unstable regions."

[Note to Pastor/Teacher: See Fact Sheets for all three. Choose a few facts to highlight. Have congregants think of persons with health concerns, e.g., children with asthma. See links below for helpful newspaper articles.]

4. What Christians Can Do

A. Feeling Trapped and Guilty in our Car Dependency

"Some of those who have contacted the WWJDrive campaign have expressed exasperation about being made to feel guilty about something they feel they have little control over. The originator of the campaign, the Rev. Jim Ball, has written about growing up feeling 'car dependent.'" [Note to Pastor/Teacher: See pages 10-11 of Creation Care magazine's Fall 2002 issue. View online: http://creationcare.org/magazine/fall02.php#walk or download the pdf: http://www.whatwouldjesusdrive.org/files/cc_mag_fall02.pdf.]

"But the WWJDrive campaign is not interested in making people feel guilty. It wants to help empower folks to find ways to love their neighbors through their transportation choices."

B. Actions We Can Take

"Here are some suggestions from the WWJDrive campaign on what folks can do. These suggestions help Christians fulfill Jesus' teaching of the Great Commandments and the Golden Rule when it comes to our transportation choices. [Note to Pastor/Teacher: Choose actions to highlight.]

• Christians should organize their lives so that it is easier and more desirable to walk, bike, car pool and use public transportation more, and use personal vehicles less.
• When they move, Christians should choose a location that makes it is easier and more desirable to walk, bike, or take public transportation.
• When a new passenger vehicle is required, Christians should purchase the most fuel efficient and least polluting vehicle available that truly fits their needs and does not significantly threaten their safety or the safety of others.
• Christians could donate a significant portion of the money they save from fuel savings to missions.
• Christian business leaders should encourage their employees to use public transportation and participate in ride-share programs, avoid subsidized parking, and purchase fuel-efficient business vehicles.
• Local churches should educate their congregations about public transportation options available both for their daily activities and for church services, and create ride-share programs to transport members to worship services and church activities.
• Churches, denominations, and Christian organizations should educate their members that transportation choices are moral choices.
• Christians and Christian organizations and denominations should advocate for government policies that make it easy for individuals to do the right thing when it comes to transportation. This includes:
  • making communities pedestrian and bike friendly;
  • making public transportation easily accessible, readily available, and affordable;
  • requiring new passenger vehicles to be more fuel efficient by significantly raising fuel economy (or CAFE) standards, and;
  • supporting research and development for hydrogen fuel cells and other promising alternative technologies.
• Christians and Christian organizations and denominations should encourage automobile manufacturers to make more fuel efficient and less polluting vehicles by purchasing them and by contacting them to make their views known."

5. Conclusion

"So the WWJDrive question challenges us to reflect anew upon the Lordship of Christ in our lives. Is Jesus Lord of all of our choices, including our transportation choices? If so, what does this mean for our daily transportation decisions? May the presence of Christ in your mind and heart guide you as you ponder how to love your neighbors through your transportation choices, how we can do so as a church, and how our society can help all of its members reduce the harm caused by pollution and oil dependence."

See the WWJDrive Fact Sheets on who Jesus is, human health, global warming, and peace and security.

The WWJDrive Discussion Paper (use the HTML version, not the PDF) has helpful links in the footnotes that document many of the facts presented in the Fact Sheets.

For an article from the New York Times reporting on a study linking air pollution to low birth weight and smaller infant brains go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/17/health/17STUD.html

For a helpful article from the Washington Post describing how global warming could combine with other problems to severely impact the poor in Africa, go to: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A19765-2003Jan6¬Found=true

For an Internet Forum by the Washington Post on the issue, go to: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A8711-2003Jan31

For some WWJDrive jokes, go to: http://www.highrock.com/personal/WWJD/.

For a select number of news stories on WWJDrive and transportation issues, see our News page on this website.

Note to the Teacher: The following suggestions are meant to stimulate your creativity and be adapted to your situation. We have provided more suggestions than you will probably have time for. Remember that section VI above, Sermon/Teaching Outline, is also meant as a resource for teaching, as is the campaign's Discussion Paper. Finally, see our resource on Carpooling for suggestions on how to have a discussion session devoted entirely to this topic.

Question to the class: "Are there areas of our lives that are not subject to Jesus' Lordship? If not, are there areas of your life that you find it hard to allow Jesus to be Lord over?" Give a personal example. Then ask for examples from class members and list them on the board or overhead.

Inform the class: "Our transportation choices are the number one way we as individuals impact God's creation through pollution and environmental degradation." Tell the class about the "What Would Jesus Drive?" (WWJDrive) campaign, including the fact that it is a pro-fuel-efficiency and pro-pollution-reduction campaign, not an anti-SUV campaign (as has been mistakenly reported). Ask them if they have heard about the campaign. Mention local coverage, if any. (Do a Google News search to find.) For levity, ask if they have heard any WWJDrive jokes. (See http://www.highrock.com/personal/WWJD/ for a good list.)

Pass around a copy of the Christianity Today ad. Hand out the WWJDrive Pledge and fact sheets: Who Jesus Is, Human Health, Global Warming, and Peace and Security. Break the class up into three smaller groups. Assign one group to read the human health fact sheet, one the global warming fact sheet, and the third the peace and security sheet. Have them discuss among themselves what they found surprising and/or disturbing.

Give each of the three smaller groups several biblical texts from section II and section III above. Ask them to discuss whether they find any connection between the texts and our transportation choices today in light of the problem their group has focused on (human health, global warming, and oil dependence).

Instruct the group discussing the human health fact sheet to read the "Great Physician" section of the Who Jesus Is fact sheet. Have the global warming group read the "Lord" section of the Who Jesus Is fact sheet, and the oil dependence group read the "Prince of Peace" section. Ask each group to relate the section about Jesus they read to the transportation problem they have focused on.

Give each group a positive comment and a negative comment from section VI.1.B above, Praise and Criticism, or from the Washington Post Internet forum (go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A8711-2003Jan31). Have them discuss whether they agree or disagree with the comments and why.

Have each group review the Great Commandments and the Golden Rule (see section III above). Ask each group to discuss how loving our neighbor and doing unto others relates to our transportation choices in light of the problem they have focused on.

The final small group discussion question concerns actions that can be taken, including the WWJDrive Pledge. Ask the groups to review the Pledge and discuss it among themselves. Are the commitments called for in keeping with Jesus' Lordship over our transportation choices? Why or why not? Are these ways we can love our neighbors? Do the commitments seem too easy, too hard, or about right? Consider having the groups discuss some of the additional action suggestions listed at the end of the WWJDrive Discussion Paper. Ask them to come up with other actions they could take as individuals, or the church could take collectively. (Remember to review our Carpooling resource sheet for guidance on that topic and share with the class as appropriate.)

Bring the small groups back together and have them report on their discussions. Let everyone know that if they are interested in taking the WWJDrive Pledge, they can do so on the website, www.whatwouldjesusdrive.org. Also let them know about resources available to them on the website, such as www.fueleconomy.gov, which gives information on the pollution and fuel economy of each vehicle.