C101: Lesson 5; The Lordship of Christ

The Lordship of Christ

Key Verse: “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11 (NKJV)

Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to help the disciple understand the truth of Christ’s Lordship and the implications of His Lordship upon their lives.

The Savior is called the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Luke 2:11 (NKJV) “For there is born to you this very day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

Philippians 3:20 (NKJV) “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Titus 1:4 (NKJV) “To Titus, a true son in our common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.”

Jesus Christ is both LORD and SAVIOR.

2 Peter 1:11 (NKJV) “for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

2 Peter 2:20 “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.”

2 Peter 3:18 “but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”

Salvation includes confessing that Jesus is LORD.

Romans 10:9 (NASB95) “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;”

Romans 10:9 (HCSB) “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.”

Philippians 2:9–11 “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Jesus is both Lord and Savior

What does “lord” mean? Webster’s defines “lord” as “a ruler by hereditary right or preeminence to whom service and obedience are due.”[1]The Greek word translated as “lord” in the New Testament is kurios that means “he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has the power of deciding”[2]and “one who exercises supernatural authority over mankind—Lord, Ruler, One who commands.”[3]The early church, from the time of the New Testament until the time of Constantine in 325 A.D., was subject to persecution. During that time in history the Roman Empire was in power. In an act of homage and allegiance to the Roman Emperor Caesar, people were expected to proclaim, “Caesar is Lord!” Christians refused declaring instead, “Jesus is Lord!”[4] For them it was a declaration that Jesus is the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords. It seems that the declaration of Christians today has changed to “Jesus is Savior!” without any reference to Him being Lord. While it is true that Jesus is Savior, He is Savior because He is Lord. In most gospel presentations today, sinners are told to “accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior”, or “ask Jesus into your heart”, or “invite Jesus into your life”, or “make a decision for Christ”. These appeals are not found in the New Testament. They were not a part of the gospel that Jesus and His disciples proclaimed. They preached a call to discipleship which involved full surrender and leaving all to follow Christ. Salvation was offered to repentant sinners who believed that Jesus was God’s Son and Savior and, in believing, followed Him as Lord. It was not a message of easy-believism. It required sinners to count the cost before deciding to believe and follow Christ. For many it cost them their comfort, their families, their friends, their place in the religious community, their employment, their riches, their security, and even their lives. If it didn’t cost them all, they still had to be willing. Unfortunately, many were willing to believe in Him but were unwilling to follow Him. As a result, they left Him. Jesus did not stop them. Neither did He bargain to have them receive Him as Savior but not as Lord. They either accepted Him as both Lord and Savior or not at all. It was this kind of Christianity that did not flinch under persecution. It was this kind of Christianity that spread like wildfire through the known world of that day. It is so different than the Christianity of today. What happened? It began with a revisionist teaching introduced in Scotland in the 1700’s that salvation was through simple assent to the facts of the Gospel without any requirement to repent and follow Christ.[5] In the early 1900’s a distinction made between “carnal” Christians and “spiritual” Christians entered the mainstream of Christianity, thus separating salvation from Christ’s lordship.[6] This resulted in the idea that a person could receive Jesus as Savior without any need to receive Him as Lord. The consequences of such separate categorization spread through mass evangelism ushered in a modern gospel message that emphasizes remission without repentance, grace without gravity, faith without fruit, confession without commitment, salvation without sanctification, spirituality without submission, decisions without discipleship, and love without lordship. The effect of this gospel distortion has been disastrous. Many now assume the name of “Christian” without ever surrendering to Christ as Lord.[7] Jesus’ role as Savior cannot be divorced from His position as Lord. Scripture teaches that Jesus is both Lord and Savior. His role as Savior is established in His position as Lord.[8] Christian theologian J.I. Packer explains, “Simple assent to the gospel, divorced from a transforming commitment to the living Christ, is by biblical standards less than faith, and less than saving, and to elicit only assent of this kind would be to secure only false conversions.”[9]Puritan Minister John Flavel (1630-1691) wrote, “The gospel offer of Christ includes all his offices, and gospel faith just so receives him; to submit to him, as well as to be redeemed by him; to imitate him in the holiness of his life, as well as to reap the purchases and fruits of his death. It must be an entire receiving of the Lord Jesus Christ.”[10] A. W. Tozer wrote, “To urge men and women to believe in a divided Christ is bad teaching for no one can receive half of Christ, or a third of Christ, or a quarter of the Person of Christ! We are not saved by believing in an office nor in a work.”[11]Salvation involves receiving Jesus as Lord as well as Savior.

Jesus is Lord because He CREATED all things.

John 1:3 (NKJV) “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”

Colossians 1:16 (NKJV) “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.”

Jesus is Lord because GOD made Him to be Lord.

Acts 2:36 (NKJV) “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

Jesus is Lord over the ANGELS.

Hebrews 1:4 (NKJV) “having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.”

Hebrews 1:6 (NKJV) “But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He say: ‘Let all the angels of God worship Him.’”

Jesus is Lord over all PRINCIPALITIES, POWERS, MIGHT, DOMINION, and every NAME that is named.

Ephesians 1:20-21 (NKJV) “which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.”

Philippians 2:9 (NKJV) “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Colossians 2:15 (NKJV) “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”

Jesus is Lord over those in HEAVEN, of those on EARTH, and those UNDER the earth.

Philippians 2:9 (NKJV) “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Jesus is Lord over the DEAD and the LIVING.

Romans 14:9 (NKJV) “For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.”

God has committed all JUDGMENT to the Son, Jesus Christ.

John 5:22-23 (NKJV) “For the Father judges no one but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”

2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”

Jesus Christ is Lord not only in this age but also in the AGE TO COME.

Ephesians 1:20-21 (NKJV) “which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.”

One of Jesus’ titles is the KING of kings and the LORD of lords.

Revelation 19:16 (NKJV) “And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Lordship and the Kingdom of God

The Lordship of Jesus Christ refers to His heavenly and sovereign rule over everything in heaven, on the earth, and under the earth.[12]God has established His Son Jesus Christ as King in His kingdom.[13]The government of the kingdom has been placed upon Jesus’ shoulders.[14]Jesus affirmed that He is indeed a King and that His kingdom is a heavenly kingdom.[15] The message that Jesus and the disciples preached is the gospel of the kingdom.[16]Those who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior are delivered from the kingdom of darkness under Satan’s rule and sin’s power to enter into Christ’s kingdom.[17] Entering the kingdom of heaven in salvation involves coming under the sovereign rule and reign of Jesus Christ as King and Lord. Those who call upon Him as Lord must obey Him as Lord.[18]When Christ returns at His Second Coming, He will judge the earth and establish His kingdom on the earth for one thousand years where He will rule the nations with a rod of iron.[19]

Which of the following statements is true in your life?

_________ I have not made Jesus Christ Lord over my life.

_________ I have experienced victories as well as some defeats in my experience with submitting to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

_________ I have submitted to Christ’s Lordship because I believe He knows what is best for my life.

Four common reasons why people refuse to make Jesus the Lord of their lives:

1. “God may ask me to do something I do not want to do.”

2. “I believe I know what is best for my life.”

3. “I am not sure God has my best interests in mind.”

4. “I’m afraid that what I submit to God may be taken away from me completely.”

Which reasons seems to be your greatest hindrance in submitting to the Lordship of Jesus Christ? ____________

Jesus Christ is the GOOD Shepherd. He gives His LIFE for the sheep.

John 10:11 (NKJV) “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”

The thief does not come except to STEAL, KILL, and DESTROY. Jesus came to give us LIFE and life more ABUNDANTLY.

John 10:10 (NKJV) “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

Submitting to Jesus Christ as Lord means letting go of our own plans and trusting that God has the BEST plan for our lives that will give us a FUTURE and a HOPE.

Matthew 16:25-26 (NKJV) “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV) “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Five Stages of Obedience Toward God.[20]

1. “I am going to do what I want to do no matter what God wants.” (Defiance)

2. “If God will give me what I want first, then I will give Him an equal exchange.” (Bargain)

3. “If God will give me what I want first, then I will give Him what He wants.” (Control)

4. “I will give God what He wants first by faith believing that He will then give me what I want.” (Rights)

5. “I will give God whatever He wants regardless of whether He gives me what I want.” (Lordship)

The statement above that reflects the true nature of Christ’s Lordship is 5.

Lordship means OBEDIENCE to the WILL of God.

Matthew 7:21 (NKJV) “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”

Luke 6:46 (NKJV) “But why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?”

Jesus must be Lord of all because no one can serve two MASTERS.

Matthew 6:24 (NKJV) “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

Jesus Christ is either Lord of ALL or He is not LORD at all.

[1] Mish, F. C. (2003). Preface. Merriam-Webster’s collegiate dictionary. (Eleventh ed.). Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc. [2] G2962, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance [3] Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 138). New York: United Bible Societies. [4] Philippians 2:11 [5] A Christian sect called the “Sandemanians” was founded in Scotland by John Glas (1695-1773) and his son-in-law, Robert Sanderman (1718-1771). Sandeman taught “that the bare death of Jesus Christ, without any thought or deed on the part of man, is sufficient to present the chief of sinners spotless before God.” He maintained that justifying faith is a simple assent to the Divine testimony concerning Jesus Christ, differing in no way from belief in any ordinary testimony. (from Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, ed. James Hastings) [6] In 1918 Lewis Sperry Chafer published He That Is Spiritual that introduced the concept that 1 Corinthians 2:15–3:3 speaks of two classes of Christians: carnal and spiritual. In his work he asserted that “The ‘carnal’ Christian is…characterized by a ‘walk’ that is on the same plane as that of the ‘natural’ [unsaved] man.” Thus the idea that a person could be saved without of any outward change or even willingness to change became accepted. [7] This type of so-called Christian is a “CINO”—”Christian in name only” [8] Luke 2:11; Philippians 3:20; Titus 1:4; 2 Peter 1:11; 2:20; 3:18 [9] MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2000). The Gospel according to Jesus: what does Jesus mean when he says “follow me” (Electronic ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Academic and Professional Books, Zondervan Pub. House. [10] John Flavel, The Works of John Flavel (London: Banner of Truth, reprint, n.d.), 2:111. [11] A. W. Tozer, I Call It Heresy! (Harrisburg, Pa.: Christian Publications, 1974), 10–11. [12] Philippians 2:9-11 [13] Psalm 2:6 [14] Isaiah 9:6-7 [15] John 18:36-37 [16] Matthew 4:23; 9:35; 24:14; Mk 1:14 [17] Colossians 1:12-13 [18] Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46 [19] Psalm 2:8; Revelation 2:27; 12:5; 19:15 [20] Bob Boardman, a missionary from Japan