- Overcomer Literature Trust
- Swindon
- Wiltshire
JESUS CHRIST, OUR LORD.
By J C Metcalfe
For me there is something amazing in hearing our promised Saviour given His full title of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. There is such glory in Him and all these names express something of this glory.
There is a day coming which will be the end of world affairs. “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in Heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2 v10-11). But the apostle had not only the glorious future in mind when he dictated the verse, but also the present. He continues, “therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed - not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose” (Philippians 2 v 12-13). The Lordship of Jesus Christ needs preaching, because today it seems as if the enemy has stolen the true value of the word ‘Lord’.
Can we capture some of the real meaning of this word? Yes, if we humbly seek the help of the Holy Spirit. To become effective, the truth must be accompanied by the help of the Holy Spirit. A W Tozer said, “the truth must be accompanied by a mystic element, which is supplied by the Spirit. He should not be ignored”. Many believers might admit that Christ is Lord, but have no intention of applying the practical implications of His Lordship to their own lives. The Scripture plainly say that, “no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12 v3).
“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father - the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father - He will testify about Me” (John 15 v26), was the promise of the Lord before Calvary. On the Day of Pentecost this promise began to be fulfilled, and we find Peter filled with the Holy Spirit, testifying, “therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah” (Acts 2 v36). The result of this testimony about the Lordship of Christ was that those listening were “cut to the heart” (v37), and they questioned Peter.
In the Gospel the Lord Jesus stressed His right to be obeyed as Lord. “You call Me teacher”, He said to the Twelve, “and rightly so, for this is what I am” (John 13 v13). He then pointed out the practical application of Him being Lord to their lives and relationships. “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master” (John 13 v14-16). He effectively says, “I have lead the way, so follow Me”.
He is Lord of all.
The Lordship of Christ is at the heart of the preaching of the apostles. Peter, when speaking to Cornelius, said, “Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all” (Act 10 v36), and showed that Jesus is God’s appointed, “judge of the living and dead” (v42). In 1 Peter 3 verse 15 Peter further emphasises the Lordship of Christ, “but in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have”. One author comments on this verse, “Peter commanded that Christ be revered in our hearts as Lord”.
I noted recently the opening of 1 Corinthians. Paul wrote about the Lord Jesus Christ in words that give Him His full title of “Lord” in verse 2, 3, 7, 8, 9 and 10. We read, “for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live” (1 Corinthians 8 v6). In Romans is his statement of how we enter into the knowledge and possession of salvation, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10 v9). Humanity, because of sin became the slave of the god of this world. Then Jesus came into the world, and paid the full price of humankind’s rebellion on the Cross. The Father accepted His sacrifice, and showed His acceptance by raising Him from the grave, and setting Him at His own right hand as Lord and Christ. Now He offers anyone forgiveness on their acceptance of Jesus as Lord. Paul wrote, “don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey - whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness” (Romans 6 v16-18). Righteousness is found only in our Lord and Saviour.
I recently checked in the books of the New Testament. I found that in Matthew there were at least thirty references to Jesus as “Lord”. The references occurred mainly in His teaching to either His disciples or to needy souls such as the leper in Matthew 8 verse 2, who cried, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean”, or the Canaanite woman who cried, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me” (Matthew 15 v22). All were moved by His heart of compassion. The scribes and the Pharisees do not use this word, nor did Judas who in the Garden said “greetings Rabbi”. He did not say, “Lord”.
After His resurrection from the dead, Thomas, who was absent from the first visit of Christ to the disciples, was told, “we have seen the Lord” (John 20 v 25). Yet, he was troubled by the previous days and felt that this was not possible. When he saw his Lord, and looked at His wounds, he said, “my Lord and my God” (John 20 v 28). Only by the revelation of the Holy Spirit can a person know that Jesus’ wounds were for them. Then they will have no more questions about His Lordship. On the other hand, someone who has an intellectual belief in the doctrine of the Atonement might argue about whether it is correct to say “Jesus is Lord”. However, someone who through personal revelation has seen the Lord dying for them can echo the cry of Thomas, and from that moment they belong to Christ.
Our victorious Lord reigns.
There is a prayer letter on my desk from Belgium. It is an Easter greeting, and it opens with, “this is the glory of Easter, our victorious Lord reigns. Whatever we see around us, however great the difficulties, we know all power in heaven and on earth is given to Him”. We can go to the end of Revelation, and read, “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True.” “On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Revelation 19 v11-13, 16). Jesus Christ is Lord, and everything may be destroyed around us, but this fact will remain forever.
The cry of “Lord” was at the the beginning of new life for the apostle Paul (Acts 9 v5). At end of his earthly life he triumphantly said, “Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (2 Timothy 4 v8). At every step in between this apostle saw himself as the slave of Christ, and his whole life was shaped by this outlook. In answer to the question of the Philippian jailer, “what must I do to be saved”, Paul does not use informal terms like “come to Christ”. He says, “believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16 v31). Yes, the anointed Christ, and God can only be approached by those who will make Him Lord, and give their whole life to Him.
In 2 Peter and Jude, we find mentioned a great heresy. Peter writes about false teachers who were “denying the sovereign Lord who bought them” (2 Peter 2 v1) and Jude wrote about, “ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord” (Jude 1 v4). Thomas Goodwin, the Puritan, comments, “both Peter and Jude name the heresy that they ran into as that of denying the Lord Jesus Christ as the only true God”. Can we be guilty of this too? We can if we do not give Him His correct place as Lord of our lives. It is not so much about what we say but about how we live our lives. It is easy to be like the Israelites, we read, “My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain” (Ezekiel 33 v31). In life we are to be associated with Him by practical acceptance of Him as Lord here and now in our lives.
The Overcomer magazine travels to many countries. It may be that some who will read this article will be facing the fires of persecution, or find themselves involved in problems that seem to be without a solution. It was in dark days of Church history when John sent out his vision from Patmos. In such a time the Lordship of Christ was the only effective source of comfort and strength. The future is secure, “for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7 v17). He is leading you now, and He cannot fail.
The crucified Saviour is Lord, and although He is Lord of an infinite Empire, He lowers Himself to be my Lord because of love. The world holds no greater fact than this.