"Who do you say that I am?" -- the most essential question Jesus ever asked, and for us to answer. And not just any answer will do.
In the end, every person must deal with Jesus Christ. No one can escape him. You can avoid the question, or delay it, or postpone it, or stonewall it, or pretend you didn’t hear it. But sooner or later you must answer it. -- Ray Pritchard
The Apostle’s Creed gives us four desciptions of Jesus, that help us answer that question: Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord
"Jesus" = the Lord Saves or God to the rescue.
“You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).
He is the "hero" of the "story". It all about the mission of Jesus; the reason why he came.
"Christ" = Messiah; a title not a name; anointed one
The anointing was a sign that God had called a king, prophet, priest to their position. To call Jesus “the Christ” means that the he is the one whom God promised to send to deliver Israel and bring salvation to the world.
cp. to Neo
"his only Son" = the unique relationship that he had with God
Jn. 3:16 -- “only-begotten” means “one and only” or “absolutely unique” or “one of a kind and there can never be another of the same kind.” The term stresses the absolutely unique nature of Jesus Christ.
To call Jesus “God’s only Son” means that he shares the same essential nature as the Father
He is not “similar” to God. To call him “God’s only Son” means that he is “God the Son,” and thus worthy of the same worship, adoration, praise, and reverence that we give to God the Father.
He is the God-Man. 100% God and 100% man (not 50/50 or God appearing as a man)
SEE BONO
"our Lord" = the one who is absoutely sovereign
“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” (Philippians 2: 9-11).
Romans 10:9 says that “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.”
Rome required only that taxes be paid and that everyone be required to say, “Caesar is Lord.” That’s all-just three simple words. Say “Caesar is Lord,” and then go on about your business. Affirm that Caesar was sovereign and then follow whatever religion suited you. For many people in the Empire, that was no big burden. But Christians steadfastly refused to say, “Caesar is Lord.” They simply wouldn’t say it. How could they say, “Caesar is Lord” when their faith taught them that “Jesus is Lord?” They could not and would not deny Christ. And that is why during the days of persecution, Christians were slaughtered, murdered 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 would not cross.
Chuck Colson notes that in the first century, if you stood in a public gathering and cried out, “Jesus is God!” no one would be upset. But if you shouted, “Jesus is Lord!” you would start a riot. Rome did not persecute Christians because they believed in the deity of Christ, or that Jesus was the promised Messiah, or that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead. Rome did not kill Christians because they said Jesus is the only way of salvation. Those were “religious beliefs” that did not threaten the state. But when Christians declared, “Jesus Christ is our Lord, and there is no other!” that was a direct attack on Caesar-worship, and thus punishable by death.
"Lord" = in control, all-powerful, the King of the universe Himself; who is control of the economy, environment, government, company CEOs , eternal destiny
Ultimately becoming a Christian is about relenquishing control. Yes it includes acknowledging Jesus as the Son of God, believing that he died and rose again -- MORE
It means to live under his rule; to follow him
It is at THIS point or description of Jesus that people get uneasy. Some only come this far -- believe and accept that Jesus is Savior, the promised Messiah, the Son of God, but stop there.
This is when Jesus starts to get demanding and intrusive, disruptive. Some would like to simply add Jesus to their lives -- insurance, comforting to know you are loved, higher purpose, God watching over you, kind Jesus as a sympathetic friend, a savior for sins.
But that Jesus is "our Lord" means that he isn’t someone you add to your life; it means he BECOMES your life! It means handing over the keys, the title deed, owner’s papers to your life. It means that everything you are, do, possess is no longer yours or for you, but are now His and for Him.
THIS is the part about Christianity that people can’t stand; the part about Jesus that we can’t stand. "Look I’ll worship you every Sunday, live a good life, but let me live the way I want to."
It is no wonder that when Jesus started getting demanding on people, when he called for absolute surrender and allegiance, that they began to dessert him.
When we call Jesus "Lord" it means that he has the right to and claim on our hearts, devotion, worship, obedience, lives, everything. He is Lord of every aspect of our lives.
The way I do my work, study, school, play sports, how I spend my time, who I hang out with, what I’m thinking about, what I am feeling, Sex life, love life, friendships, hobbies, money/chequebook, etc. is all to be under submission to Jesus as Lord and King. There is no aspect of my life to which he does not have rule; does not have a right to; which is "mine"; private or personal.
What does that mean? Does it mean that he is always watching, making sure I’m being good and not breaking the rules, and getting his proper due? ie. servant or slave -- Caesar and Romans
No! Remember that Jesus isn’t interested in making our lives miserable, holding us down -- Jesus is a good Master, King; it is not as if he has no concern about our dreams, talents, interests, abilities and strengths
-- he wants to use these! But for his purposes, which are ultimately the purpose for which you were made and given these abilities and opportunites
ie. making Jesus Lord doesn’t mean you become something LESS but become something MORE; what you were meant to be.
Don’t think that as your Lord what Jesus actually wants is your service, or your money, or your obedience. What he wants is YOU!!
Don’t forget how he becomes Lord -- by becoming a servant and laying his life down on a cross. This is a King with nailscars; who endured darkness, agony, horror, despair.
Don’t forget why he does that -- out of love for you. Do you really think that all he ultimately wants is to make you miserable?
This is a King who allows you to share his throne -- we are "seated with Christ in the heavenlies".
Ill. Pippin and Merry become vasals of kings, but in doing so they become part of something much bigger than their simple lives of the Shire; they become key players in mighty kingdoms -- Gondor and Rohan; there is honor and dignity.
By the way, the options are not: 1) Make Jesus your Lord or 2) Have no "lord". If Jesus is not your Lord, all it means is that something or someone else is.
“Whatever controls you is your lord. The person who seeks power is controlled by power. The person who seeks acceptance is controlled by the people he or she wants to please. We do not control ourselves. We are controlled by the lord of our life.” -- Becky Pippert
-- whatever you are living for; can’t live without -- person or relationship, status or reputation, approval and acceptance of others, money, wealth, pleasure, addiction -- THAT is your "lord"
-they make all sorts of demands, and all sorts of promises -- fulfillment, glory, happiness, peace -- but they let us down, don’t come through; leave us empty, depressed, angry, hopeless -- and yet we keep serving, always hoping that satisfaction will one day come. Instead we just become more enslaved; we lose ourselves.
-cp. the One Ring -- it enslaves those who possess it. Bad master.
Jesus is the Lord who actually allows you to live! He frees you from all other "lords"; all the other passions, and persons that hold you captive.
ILL. FIRST KNIGHT
At the Round Table, where the High Council of Camelot meets, King Arthur tells him the table has no head or foot; they are all equal, even the King. Lancelot reads the inscription on the table: "In serving each other we become free." King Arthur remarks: "That is the very heart of Camelot. Not these stones, timbers, towers, palaces. Burn them all, and Camelot lives on. Because it lives in us, it’s a belief we hold in our hearts." cp. "In serving JESUS we become free"
****************
eg. work -- either I work out of fear of being fired or not being able to provide or pay the bills, or I work in order to establish an identity, and thus the approval or respect of others, or I work in order to be able to make money to get the things I want. Or perhaps it is a combination of all three. But look at them. Which of these options is the most freeing: fear, identity or desires?
But if I worked under the realm of "Jesus is Lord" ie. I go to work and work hard, not out of fear, not to make money, not because I won’t be anything worthwhile if I don’t, but out of gratitude, honor, seeing it as serving a higher cause and a higher Lord, as an expression of faith and worship, all the while trusting that this Lord is taking care of you -- you tell me that THAT would not be liberating, and a source of joy?
Application: What are the areas where I need to give Jesus control? Where he isn’t first or the one I am doing it for?
Work: Jesus, or fear, status and reputation, identity, building a "kingdom"?
Family: Jesus, or how others view my faimily (nice); peace and quiet (ME!); the kids?
School: Jesus or fear of failure, parental approval, identity?
Friendships: Jesus, or approval and acceptance; identity?
Sex: Jesus or lust (self-gratification-- pornography, masturbation)?
Money: Jesus or consumerism, coveteousness, greed, miser? Security determined by my bank account or income?
Let the Spirit work here -- "Jesus, I give YOU control here. Help me to surrender."
SEEKER: One day you WILL bow. EVERYONE will. He is after all THE Lord. Whether or not that is a glorious day or a dreadful day depends on whether or not he is YOUR Lord, and give him control of your life.
Li after noticing that her dog "was fond of crouching on the steering wheel and often watched her drive," decided it would be a good idea to give the dog a turn behind the wheel. She operated the brake and gas pedals, but had her dog steer. Things didn’t go so well for them. Shortly after giving the dog control of the car, they crashed into an oncoming car.
Can you imagine a different outcome than this?! Of course the car would crash if a dog is in control of the wheel. That’s the same outcome we experience when we take control of our own lives instead of giving control over to God.
You can trust this Lord. Will you surrender? Give up control? Give him first place?
