It is a sobering thought that in His death, Christ achieved more than all others achieved in their lives! He has conquered more hearts, been more loved and achieved more fame than any emperor, king, queen or president ever did! He split history into A.D. and B.C. His influence on civilization worldwide is undeniable. Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, but Christ Jesus made the moon that he walked on! He is King of kings and Lord of lords – the eternal Sovereign of an unending kingdom. Truly He is Lord!
The word, “Lord” in the Greek, is “kurios,” and carries with it the idea of supreme authority. It is often overlooked, through our misunderstanding of the deeper meaning in the title, “Lord.” Now, “lord” can mean, as in Matthew 27:63, simply a respectful, “sir,” as when the false witnesses were brought before the Sanhedrin at the trial of Jesus or as Paul used it in Philippians 2:10-11. “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Here Paul leaves no doubt as to the divine context of the title. In Revelation 19:16, Christ is referred to as, “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” This title indicates a ruler of prestige. Common in the Middle East for centuries, it was a title fitting for Jesus the Messiah, King of Israel, the Christ.
The Roman Emperor was often referred to as kurios Caesar, reflecting not just his earthly authority, but also the supposed god among us that he claimed to be. In the Greek, the Lord Jesus Christ reads as “Kýrillos Iisoús Christós,” declaring His right to rule as Savior and as the anointed one of God. This name carries with it authority and declares at once His complete victory over the powers of darkness. In His early life, as Jesus of Nazareth, He showed His compassion and mercy. In His mission as the Anointed One, He took away the power of sin over mankind, and in His resurrection and ascension, Jesus took His rightful place as Lord over all.
Christ’s death matters, for through it, we can be assured that (1) the price of our sin is paid in full, and (2), we are valued more than we could have ever imagined. His life matters, for by His example (that we must follow, Matthew 4:19), we learn to behave in a manner pleasing to God. The wisdom of Christ reveals much about our world and indeed the world to come. He promised to give us a life with purpose. Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). His reign matters – remember, we are commanded to maintain His church and cooperate with God’s kingdom in the here and now. Why do I say cooperate? Well, we have a choice to obey through our love for Him or, like Judas, betray our Lord for our own selfish desires. Other lords, such as Caesar, maintained their empire through the application of terror. Christ’s kingdom is properly maintained when we apply His charge to our lives through our love for Him. He said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). If our love for him is real, then our service to Him will be what we desire above all else. When we face our precious Lord at the end of time, it will be our greatest desire to hear Him say, “Enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Matthew 25:21).
Our question to ourselves must be, “Where do I fit in this story?” Our lives are busy, but our duty is clear. In the end, as loyal and loving Christians, we should have the same desire as the apostle John in Revelation 22:20, when he exclaimed, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” He is the loving Creator, God in the form of Man. He broke the power of sin and Satan over us with His selfless love. Will you call Him your Lord or reject Him? The choice is yours.
