Rooted in WorshipSample

Jesus is Lord

The Oxford Dictionary defines “lordship” as having supreme power or rule.

God is Earth’s first and foremost authority figure. He created time, order, plants, animals, humans, space, water, and sky to worship and obey Him. He is the Lord. His authority is supreme, and he is worthy of all of our worship.

God gave Adam and Eve authority on the earth. In the very first chapter of the Bible, we are told, “God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground” (Genesis 1:28). This God-given role and responsibility is called stewardship. A steward is someone who manages or looks after the property of another.

God has given each of us the responsibility to steward his creation. This is a privilege. We exercise stewardship each day in relation to our family, home, animals, money, influence, time, creativity, decision-making, and many other things. As we live our lives in obedience to the Lord and contribute to society, we are adhering to God's design.

It is important to understand that a steward is a servant. A steward does not own what they manage. They cannot do with it whatever they like. The job of a steward is to seek to know the owner's will and work to make that happen. A faithful steward is one who represents the owner well.

Jesus modeled stewardship for us. His life was focused on knowing and obeying the Father's will. Before his crucifixion, Jesus prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39).

Jesus obeyed the Father through suffering and to the point of death.

Death!

Jesus submitted his whole life to the will of the Father.

...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, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

Jesus has given us a model of stewardship to follow. Our obedience to God is an act of worship.

One of the earliest professions of faith in Christian communities was the phrase “Jesus is Lord.” When we hear these words, they sound like safe church language, but in their original context, these words were a dangerous act of worship.

Pastor Mark Moore explains the risk of the statement in this way,

“When the early Christians boldly proclaimed, “Jesus is Lord,” they pitted Jesus against both local leaders and literary legends. In a society where Caesar was Lord, this seemingly foolhardy assertion was a perilous move that could be understood as fomenting rebellion. And where Zeus was Lord, it could be interpreted as blasphemy... Just so we are clear, Christians didn’t add Jesus to the list of leaders, human and divine, who were also Lord. He replaced them. “Jesus is Lord” excluded all other claimants, putting Jesus on a pedestal that reached the very throne of God.” (Mark Moore - “Jesus is Lord”: A Revolutionary Echo from the Greco-Roman World)

As Christians, we boldly proclaim that Jesus is Lord! He is our king. He is the Lord of our church, finances, families, time, work, hobbies, relationships, and the king of our whole lives.

Jesus is Lord!

Reflection:

What does the phrase “Jesus is Lord” mean to you?

Are there any areas of your life that you have not submitted to the Lordship of Jesus?

When it comes to the important things in life, do you live more like a steward or more like a lord?