ONE LORD
Scott Bayles, pastor
Blooming Grove Christian Church: 1/28/2018
A three-year-old girl was listening intently to the children’s sermon one Sunday morning at her church. The minister explained that God wants everyone to get along and love each other. “God wants us all to be one,” he said. To which the little girl replied, “But I don’t want to be one. I want to be four!”
The little girl may not have understood it, but the preacher had it right.
On the eve of his crucifixion, Jesus prayed a powerful prayer: “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one…” (John 17:20-21 NLT). One is powerful number, especially in this context.
If you’re just joining us, we’re four weeks into a seven-week exploration of Christian unity. How can we experience the oneness Jesus prayed about? How can millions of believers from different backgrounds and walks of life, scattered all across the globe be one?
To help answer that question, the Apostle Paul provides believers with a series of seven “ones” that ought to bind us together in Christ-like unity. He writes, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:3-6 NIV). This list of “ones” creates a solid foundation upon which all believers everywhere can experience true unity of spirit.
Three weeks ago, we started with the first item on the list: one body. Two weeks ago, we focused on the second tie that binds believers together: one Spirit. Last Sunday, we talked about the third unifying factor Paul mentions: one hope.
All believers share one glorious hope for the future—the hope of heaven. Within the canopy of heaven, we look forward to new, immortal resurrection bodies, to a home of righteousness where there will be no death or crying or pain, and to a glorious reunion with believers who’ve gone on before us, not the least of which is Jesus himself. This shared hope for the future binds us together.
Today, we’re going to examine the fourth one Paul lists: one Lord.
Of course, the one Lord Paul is referring to is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, the exact phrase “the Lord Jesus” appears over 100 times in the New Testament and over half of those come from the pen of Paul.
But of all the references throughout Scripture to the Lordship of Jesus, few are more meaningful and memorable than Philippians 2:5-11. If you have a Bible or an app on your phone, open it to Philippians 2. This passage not only identifies Jesus as Lord, but also explains why he is Lord and even hints at why his Lordship unites all believers. Here’s what it says:
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming 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 acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord… (Philippians 2:5-11 NIV)
As I said, this passage not only tells us “Jesus Christ is Lord,” but also highlights several aspects of his nature that qualify Jesus to be Lord of all creation. First, we see that Jesus is heavenly.
• JESUS IS HEAVENLY
More to the point, Jesus is divine. Paul starts this passage, saying, “he was in the form of God and equal with God” (Philippians 2:6 GWT). The New Living Translation simple says, “he was God” (Philippians 2:6 NLT).
Since Jesus’ conception by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin Mary, the real identity of Jesus Christ has always been questioned by skeptics. It began with Mary's fiancé, Joseph, who was afraid to marry her when she revealed that she was pregnant. He took her as his wife only after an angel confirmed to him that the child she carried was the Son of God.
Hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, the prophet Isaiah foretold the coming of God's Son: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). When the angel spoke to Joseph and announced the impending birth of Jesus, he alluded to Isaiah’s prophecy, saying, "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’)" (Matthew 1:23). This did not mean they were to name the baby Immanuel; it meant that "God with us" was the baby’s identity. Jesus was God coming in the flesh to live on earth.
The heavenly origins and deity of Jesus is attested to all throughout Scripture. For instance, the Bible says, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9 NIV). And earlier in that same book, we read, “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation” (Colossians 1:5 NLT).
Jesus Himself understood the speculation about His identity. He asked His disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" (Matthew 16:13; Mark 8:27). The answers varied, as they do today. Then Jesus asked a more pressing question: "Who do you say that I am?" (Matthew 16:15). Peter gave the right answer: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16). Jesus affirmed the truth of Peter’s answer and promised that, upon that truth, He would build His church.
Simply stated, Jesus was not only a godly man; rather, He was actually God in human flesh. This is a profound truth, and it sets Jesus apart from every other religious leader who’s ever lived.
But the flip side of this truth is equally important and equally true. Not only is Jesus heavenly, he’s also human.
• JESUS IS HUMAN
In the following verse, Paul puts it this way: “he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.” (Philippians 2:7 NLT).
According to the Bible, Jesus was—and is—both heavenly and human. Both God and man! Jesus is the answer to Solomon’s age-old question: “Will God really live on earth among people?” (2 Chronicles 6:18 NLT).
The very same God who created you and spoke the universe into existence kicked against the wall of a womb, was born into the poverty of a peasant, and spent his first night in the feed trough of a cow. The universe watched with wonder as the Almighty learned to walk. Children played in the street with him. Jesus may have had pimples. He may have been tone-deaf. Perhaps the girl down the street had a crush on him or vice-versa. It could be that his knees were knobby and his nose runny. One thing's for sure: He was, while completely divine, completely human. The God of the galaxies left the glory of heaven and became human. Can you imagine?
In the mid-90s, recording artist Joan Osborne popularized a strangely theological song in which she asks: “What if God was one of us? Just a slob like one of us, Just a stranger on the bus, Tryin' to make his way home? If God had a face what would it look like? And would you want to see if, seeing meant, That you would have to believe in things like heaven And in Jesus…?”
Jesus is the answer to those questions. If the claims of Christ are factual, then God was and is one of us. He understands our aches and pains because he’s walked that road. The One who feed thousands, knows what hunger feels like. The One who gives living water, had dry and thirsty lips. The One who offers to heal our hurts, experienced his own.
And this is exactly what we need in a Lord and Savior. A just-God Jesus could make us, but not relate to us. A just-man Jesus could love us, be never save us. But a God-man Jesus could do both. And that’s who Jesus is—both heavenly and human.
But that isn’t all. In addition to being heavenly and human, Paul also tells us that Jesus is humble.
• JESUS IS HUMBLE
Now, if you or I were to begin listing Christ’s attributes—especially the ones that qualify him to Lord of all—humility probably wouldn’t be very high on the list. After all, Jesus was compassionate and commanding, he was powerful and priestly, he was bold and brilliant. Jesus possesses so many impressive characteristics. And yet, it was his humility that drove him to the cross.
Paul puts it this way: “When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross” (Philippians 2:7-8 NLT).
Jesus died from the worst possible torture—death by crucifixion. Death on a cross was the form of capital punishment the Romans reserved for notorious criminals. It was excruciatingly painful and humiliating. Prisoners were nailed or tied to a cross and left to die. Death might not come for several days, and it usually came by suffocation when the weight of the weakened body made breathing more and more difficult. Yet, Jesus chose this death. He chose to complete the plan, even though it led to suffering and death. Why? Because us. On the cross, Jesus put our needs above his own. He left the majesty and magnificence of heaven to suffer and serve. Jesus once put this way: “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28 NLT). That’s humility!
Glenda Lomax experience similar humility first hand. She tells of one Saturday night in April, when she and a friend stopped in at a Denny’s Restaurant in Dallas for coffee. Their waiter was a tall man with a South African accent. She writes, “I watched him as he hurried about between tables working hard to serve the many customers in his area that night. There was a refined quality about him as he spoke and I wondered how this gentle, intelligent soul had ended up waiting tables in a family restaurant in Dallas.” When she asked what kind of work he had done previously in his own country, he told her he had run several large companies. It was clear he had been in executive management. Glenda was awestruck that he could do such menial work with such a wonderful attitude toward even the rude and drunken patrons, which were out in force that particular evening. “But,” he replied, “I now have the privilege of serving others.” And with that he bowed his head, laid their check on the table and walked off to assist other diners.
Jesus saw serving others as a privilege too. So much so, that he willingly laid down his life to secure our salvation. Just as a side note, imagine how much unity we might experience if each one of us had the same humility of heart—if each of us chose service over serve us. That’s what Paul is getting at in the first verse of this passage, where he says, “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5 NIV). Finally, because Jesus is heavenly, and human, and humble, he is uniquely qualified to be highly honored.
• JESUS IS HIGHLY HONORED
In the next verse, Paul begins with the word therefore. I once had a professor in Bible college who often said, “Whenever you see the word therefore, you have to ask what it’s there for.” Therefore mean consequently, or because of everything that preceded this sentence. Because Jesus is in very nature God… because Jesus took on the nature of a human being… because he humbled himself even to point of death on the cross… because of all this, Paul continues: “Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 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” (Philippians 2:9-11).
The single most basic truth of Christianity is this: Jesus is Lord. The fact that he is Lord, means he’s in charge, he calls the shots, what he says goes. Every ounce of power and authority in heaven and earth resides in Jesus Christ. There was power and authority in his teaching. He exercised power and authority when healing, casting out demons, forgiving sins. He walked on water. He said, “Hush,” and the wind and waves obeyed him. He spoke and the universe leapt into existence.
In U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, a magazine published by the Navy, Frank Koch illustrates the importance of recognizing authority: Two battleships assigned to the training squadron had been at sea on maneuvers in heavy weather for several days. “I was serving on the lead battleship and was on watch on the bridge as night fell.” The visibility was poor with patchy fog, so the captain remained on the bridge keeping an eye on all activities. Shortly after dark, the lookout on the wing reported, "Light, bearing on the starboard bow."
"Is it steady or moving astern?" the captain called out. The lookout replied, "Steady, Captain," which meant we were on a dangerous collision course with that ship. The captain then called to the signalman, "Signal that ship: 'We are on a collision course, advise you change course twenty degrees.'" Back came the signal, "Advisable for you to change course twenty degrees." The captain said, "Send: "I'm a captain in the US Navy, change course twenty degrees.'"
"I'm a seaman second-class," came the reply. "You had better change course twenty degrees." By that time the captain was furious. He spat out, "Send: 'I'm a battleship. Change course twenty degrees.'" Back came the reply, "I'm a lighthouse."
“We changed course,” Frank concluded.
In so many ways, Jesus is like that lighthouse. We may like to feel in charge. But there is only one Lord. It’s not me. It’s not you. Jesus and Jesus alone is Lord of all creation. We just have to recognizing that and surrender to his authority. The Bible says, “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” (Romans 10:9 NIV).
Conclusion:
Have you done that yet? Have you confessed that Jesus is Lord? Because Jesus is heavenly, human, and humble he alone is qualified to be in the place of highest honor—the be Lord of Lords. And as Paul suggests, there will come a day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. We can choose to honor him as Lord now out of loving obedience, or be force to honor his as Lord when he returns. Nothing binds believers together more than our confession as one people with one voice that Jesus Christ is Lord!
Invitation
Next Sunday, we’ll continue exploring the seven “ones” that bind us all together. In the meantime, if you haven’t embraced Jesus as the Lord of your life yet, you can do that today. You can talk to me after church, call me at home, or come forward now while we stand and sing. Let’s sing church.
