Still reflecting on the birth of the Saviour of sinners, Jesus Christ, born in Bethlehem about 2000 years ago, let us look at one more name or title that Jesus has. We have thought about the Saviour’s name as Jesus, as Christ [the Anointed One, the Messiah], and His title, the only begotten Son of God. Now let us look at Jesus also being called Lord. Jesus is Lord, the Bible teaches us. How many names and titles of honour and praise the Saviour of sinners has, but these four, God’s Son, Jesus, Christ, and Lord are the most wonderful of all. In speaking about the gospel he was called to bring, Paul mentions all four of these most special names and titles of the Saviour in Romans 1:3, testifying he was called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God….concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; and declared to be the Son of God with power….

Just focusing now on Jesus also being called Lord, it is striking to notice how often He is named with this title of honour. Many, many times you can read these names together, ‘Jesus Christ our Lord’, or ‘Our Lord Jesus Christ’. Especially after Jesus’ resurrection, the Saviour is referred to again and again as “our Lord”. When Thomas met with the resurrected Saviour, his response was, as we can read in John 20:28, My Lord and my God. From the New Testament, it is clear that truly believing in Jesus means knowing Him and trusting Him not only as your Saviour, but also as your Lord. This Christmas season, are you honouring Jesus also as Lord? The theme for this message is: Glorying in Jesus as Lord.

What does this title, Lord, mean? Do you know? The word Lord means literally Master or Ruler, and that is the position that has been given to Jesus as Lord. He has been given the highest seat of authority and rule over all. The word Lord is not used much in our language and society today but in former times those who were in positions of authority and government would often be referred to as ‘Lord so and so’. Maybe you can think of some lords in history too, different governing authorities from the past, who had ruling positions of one kind or another. Yet an earthly leader’s lordship cannot compare to Jesus’ lordship. Actually, when Jesus is called Lord, that refers to Him being God over all, for in the Old Testament the Jews often referred to Jehovah God as the Lord, [in the Hebrew, Adonai]. Jesus’ title, Lord, equates Him with God and tells us Jesus the Saviour is God over all.

With Jesus being called Lord, what really needs to be understood and grasped is that it is Jesus, the crucified and risen Saviour, Who has this position of Lord over all. Jesus, the suffering servant, a real human being just like us in all things, sin excepted, is the Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus, that baby miraculously born of the Virgin Mary, the Son of Man, once crucified and risen, is now top Man over all the universe! As it says in Philippians 2, Him has God exalted above all! That is what His title, Lord, proclaims. Even so, before He ascended into heaven where He is now seated at God’s right hand, Jesus said, All power is given unto Me in heaven and on earth. This is the Bible’s clear teaching and the Christian knows it is absolutely true. Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son become man, is the Ruler over all. He is, as it says in Revelations 19:16, Lord of lords and King of kings!

You and I must not miss this wonderful truth in connection with the joyful tidings of Christmas and Jesus’ birth. We only truly understand the gospel and honour the Saviour, Jesus Christ, when we recognize Him and follow Him also as Lord over all and Lord over ourselves, each and everyone! Is that what you have done and are doing truly - honouring Jesus Christ also as Lord in your life and over your life?

When you truly speak of Jesus as ‘my Lord’, that means you acknowledge and respect His lofty position as ruler over all, and yes, ruler over you and me. Honouring Jesus as Lord means recognizing His position and bowing the knee before Him, that is always and again submitting to and surrendering to His Word and will. Is that true in your life? This past year, has Jesus Christ been Lord in your life in this way…and as we approach a new year, are you intending, by grace, that He be Lord in your life in all your ways, all your days? By nature as sinners in Adam, we are rebels against God and His Son, and we will not recognize and respect Him as our Lord. But when you are saved, you trust Jesus Christ for salvation from sin and you follow Him as your Lord and Master in all of life. Then the attitude of your heart and life becomes, when joined to Christ in true faith, not my will, but Thine be done (Luke 22:42). You then acknowledge Him as Lord of your life and follow His Word.

Do you so honour Jesus as Lord, and will you do so as you go on in life? Too many are the so called Christians who want Jesus as Saviour but not as Lord in their lives. Truly believing in Jesus means also acknowledging Him as your Lord, not just Lord over part of your life either, but over the whole of your life! It has been well said in this regard, “If Jesus is not in your and my life, Lord over all, He is not our Lord at all”. How important that we recognize

and honour Him also as Lord. For what better Lord can you ever find than Him, our Lord Jesus Christ?

Here notice with me what else the title, Lord, means according to the Bible’s teaching. It tells not only of Jesus’ rule and authority, His lofty position as Saviour, but also very much of His omnipotence, or if you will, His almighty power! Jesus’ power as Lord of lords is limitless and almighty. In the Christian life and struggle against temptation and sin, we can often feel so weak and helpless, but let us remember not to feel defeated or be defeated for with the Lord, our Saviour God, there is power to save, power over against sin and Satan, power even in the face of death, our last enemy to overcome!

The wonderful gospel truth also is that the Lord will exercise all His power especially for His people and their salvation and eternal wellbeing. In Ephesians 1, Paul writes about the exceeding greatness of the Lord’s power toward us and for us who believe. All things are put under Jesus’ feet as Lord, and God gave Him to be Head over all things to the church or for the wellbeing of His people in all their needs for body and soul, in life and death and for time and eternity. Jesus is Lord, and His is the kingdom, the power, and the glory - and no power can successfully stand up against His almighty power as He rules and guides and works for the salvation of sinners and the strengthening of His people and the final and eternal establishment of His glorious kingdom.

To honour Jesus as Lord means to rely on His power to save sinners and to preserve His people. It means to rely on His almighty power also to put down Satan and all the forces of evil and to increase and build His church and kingdom. How blessed to have Jesus the Lord as your Saviour and Lord! On the other hand, how miserable and hopeless to be living still apart from Him and how terrible if you keep on despising and rejecting Him. The Saviour Lord still graciously calls people to come unto Him for salvation once and again and again. He is the fountain of living waters opened for sin and uncleanness. Will anyone listening now to this broadcast refuse to respond to His invitation to come unto Him and be saved? In all your inabilities to be saved, call upon the Almighty Saviour of sinners Who is the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ!

Jesus’ title, Lord, teaches us not only how great is His ruling position over all and how grand is His almighty power over all, but consider how it surely speaks of His infinite riches too. All the riches of heaven and earth belong to the Lord, and all these Jesus the Lord will share with His people. All the riches of salvation He has obtained for His people, for as many as trust and obey Him. Jesus as Lord cares so much for His people bought with His precious blood. They are His special care whom He makes heirs of all things together with Himself.

How often the Bible speaks of Jesus Christ the Lord as being a most rich Saviour from out of Whose fullness we may receive grace for grace, wave upon wave, even as often as you and I call upon Him. Listen to these words of Scripture. But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). The same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him (Romans 10:12). Paul speaks to believers saying, All things

are yours (I Corinthians 3:22), and that they are joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), and James says in James 2:5, heirs of the kingdom which He has promised to them that love Him.

Do you see how special and precious it is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is also called the Lord? This additional title proclaims Jesus to be the Ruler over all, the Almighty Saviour with endless resources. What reasons to be attracted and devoted to the Saviour just from this brief study of these four names of Jesus, don’t you agree?

Honouring Jesus as Lord means you will prize Him as Master and Owner of your life and of all that you have and all that you do. Then you recognize that you belong to Him and that you owe Him your all in all, not just as Creator God, but especially also as Redeemer God Who through His shed blood has saved you from your sins and from the righteous wrath of God which we deserve, left to ourselves, on account of our sins and sinfulness. Being related to Christ our Lord in the way of true faith results in our being His possession for real and for ever and wanting it no other way either! Do you so glory in our Lord Jesus Christ?

In Matthew 7, Jesus warns that in the day of days many religious people will come before the judgment seat of God calling out, “Lord, Lord, have we not done this and that”, only to hear Jesus say, I never knew you, depart from Me, ye workers of iniquity(Matthew 25:41) and be cast away in the place of eternal punishment for not truly knowing, trusting, and serving Jesus Christ the Lord in this life, but only paying lip service to Him, if that even. One day every knee will bow before Jesus Christ and acknowledge Him as Lord of lords indeed, but how terrible if you should confess that then without truly knowing and serving Him now.

As we end this year and are about to begin a new year will you at this critical time confess with God’s true people for a first time or once again, the gospel of God…concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, Who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; and declared to be the Son of God with power. (Romans 1:3b & 4a) Christianity is all about knowing and trusting and serving this Saviour God, the one only true God. It is for sure the only way to end the old year happily and begin the new year hopefully too, namely, trusting and obeying the gospel of God concerning His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Oh come let us adore Him! Will you? Amen!