What does it mean that Jesus is Lord?
The word “Lord” comes from the Greek term [Kurios] and is used in the New Testament to emphasize Jesus Christ’s divinity, authority and dominion over all creation.
The word “Lord” is the title used to refer to Jesus approximately 523 times depending on the Bible translation.
The fact that the Lordship of Jesus is mentioned numerous times in the New Testament signifies the importance of recognizing and affirming that Jesus Christ must perform the function of being Lord in our personal daily living.
When referencing Jesus is Lord, it signifies and affirms the following:
1. Jesus is Lord of all creation – He is the Creator and ruler of all creation, both visible and invisible. He has ownership over all creation. Jesus is Lord because without Him, creation would not exist.
1 Corinthians 8:5-6 says: For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
2. Jesus is Lord of the Church – Jesus is the Founder, the Builder and the Head of the true Church. He is the chief Shepherd of all true Christian believers. Therefore all Christian believers must submit to the authority, headship and lordship of Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:18 says: And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent.
3. Jesus is our Lord and Savior – Acknowledging that Jesus is Lord is a crucial aspect in understanding that Jesus is the source of our salvation and He desires our obedience and our submission to His will in our daily life.
Salvation is a free gift which we receive by grace through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9).
However, when we confess that “Jesus is Lord”, we affirm in our hearts that we not only believe in Him to be our Savior, but we acknowledge our desire to surrender our life to Christ and obey Him as our Lord.
Romans 10:9 says: Because, 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.
4. Jesus is Lord over all authorities and powers – There is no entity, authority, establishment, system, institution, government or individual that is above Jesus Christ. Everything is literally under the authority of Christ. Therefore by acknowledging the Lordship of Christ, we are affirming His dominion and supremacy.
Philippians 2:9-11 says: Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
5. Jesus is worthy of worship and adoration – Recognizing the Lordship of Jesus reminds us of His deity and that He must be worshipped and adored as God. Jesus was not just as man whilst on earth, but He was God in the flesh who was deserving of worship. By His own words and supported by His miraculous signs, Jesus proved His divinity and Lordship.
When Thomas witnessed the reality of Jesus’ resurrection and saw Jesus in the flesh after His death and resurrection, He immediately affirmed the divinity and Lordship of Jesus by calling Christ “My Lord and my God” (John 20:27-28)
Conclusion
Surrendering to the Lordship of Jesus Christ is an essential part of daily Christian living. God expects our obedience if we are to live as His disciples.
In Luke 6:46 Jesus asked “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord’ and do not do what I say?”
By asking this question, Jesus was simply confirming that when we confess and acknowledge Him as Lord, then we are obligated to submit to His authority and obey Him.
It is an undeniable fact that Jesus is Lord. As Philippians 2:9-11 says: every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord.