Jesus Christ is Lord
JESUS WAS fully man and fully God. He came to earth as the prom- ised Christ. The other title given to Jesus relates to us. He is ‘our Lord’. The Greek word is kurios, meaning ‘…absolute ruler’. To call Jesus ‘Lord’ means that He’s sovereign over the entire universe, and has the right of sovereign rule over all. When Jesus was raised from the dead, God re-established Him as Lord and gave Him a name above all names. When we surrender to Him as Lord, all that He has achieved accrues to us. Romans 10:9 (NKJV) says that “…if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” . To confess with the mouth means more than saying the words. It means to agree from the heart that you believe and are committed to what you are saying.
The Roman Empire was vast and consisted of many different people groups and religions. Each religion had its own code of conduct and pattern of worship. Because these religions tended to keep people pacified, the Romans generally left them alone. Rome required only that taxes be paid and everyone proclaim “Caesar is Lord”. But Christians steadfastly refused to say it. They couldn’t and wouldn’t deny Christ. That’s why during those days of persecution, Christians were slaughtered by the thousands, crucified, burned at the stake, run through with the sword, and thrown to the wild animals. This was the great dividing line that Christians wouldn’t cross.
When we say Jesus is Lord, it means He has full reign over our lives, and even in the face of death, we will not bow to another. To call Him ‘Lord’ means that we surrender all we have to Him and will follow wherever He leads, whatever the cost. We can bow to His Lordship now or bow later. There’s a day coming when Jesus will return and will establish His Kingdom; and how we handled the truth of His Lordship will be judged and His Lordship enforced on all. Philippians 2:9-11 tells us that God has ordained that one day His Son will be universally recognised as the Lord of heaven and earth.
On that day, “every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord”. It will include all creatures “in heaven and on earth and under the earth”. This includes angels and saints in Heaven, demons and Satan himself; all those living on the earth, and under the earth. Even the dead will rise to hail Jesus as Lord. Bowing the knee means submission to Him as Lord. Confessing with the tongue means that there is no other Lord but Jesus. “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32. All the nations will be gathered before him, … 34. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world … 41. Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’” ( Matthew 25:31-41 NIV).
Jesus will have the last word and will be vindicated before the entire universe. Even His enemies will bow before Him. Not all will be saved, but all will confess that Jesus is Lord. In light of all this, what will you do with Jesus?