PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)
NCE(Eng.) ND/HD
(Journalism); BA (Hons) MA, PhD.
THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST
Devotional Text: Phil 2:5-11
Introduction:
Jesus Christ is indeed, the Lord of all, and His Lordship implies
that He owns, and has authority over everything, in Heaven and Earth, and even
beyond. According to Fartex’s Free Dictionary, a Lord is, “one who has power
and authority, a master, a ruler, a governor, a prince, a proprietor, as of a
manor”… So, when the Lordship of Jesus is mentioned, it means He is Supreme, and
Reigns above every Kingdom, principality and power, making it a necessity for
one to submit to His Lordship, for His salvation and reign in one’s life, (See
Rom. 10:9).
GENERAL
REMARKS
(1)
The Lordship
of Jesus requires that one receives Him as one’s Lord and personal Saviour,
(Acts 16:31).
(2)
The Lordship
of Jesus also requires that one does what He says, and not just call Him, Lord!
Lord!
(Luke
6:46).
(3)
The Lordship
of Jesus equally requires that one submit totally to Him, as well as make no
provision for the flesh, (Rom. 13:14).
(4)
The Lordship
of Jesus as well requires repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord
Jesus Christ, (Acts 20:20-21).
THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS IN THE LIFE
OF THE BELEIVER
One is a believer indeed, only when one’s life is under the
Lordship of Jesus,. That is, when one’s life is owned and controlled by Jesus
Christ. In line with this, the Scripture states that …. “He died for all, that
those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for
them and rose again”, (2 Cor. 5:15). In other words. the Lordship of Jesus
reigns in the life of a believer, when the believer lives to please the Lord,
and not self. This implies further that every tastes, desire and decision of
the believer must not be in conformity with the systems of the world, but in
line with the perfect will of God, (See Rom 12:2). Therefore, the Lordship of
Jesus can only exist in one’s life only when one;
i)
receives Him
as one’s Lord and Saviour, (John 1:12);
ii)
possesses
the Spirit of Christ, (Rom 8:9);
iii)
no longer
live for oneself, but for Christ, (2 Cor. 5:15).
THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS IN
CHRISITIAN HOME
The Lordship of Jesus exists in the Christian Home, where the
authority and commands of the family are subject to the Lord, without a second
fiddle. In this case, the leadership of the home, namely; parents are in total
allegiance to Christ, and like Abraham, would always command their children to
keep the ways of the Lord, (Gen. 18:19). By implication, there is no form of
allegiance to strange gods or deities in the Christian home, where the Lordship
of Jesus reigns (See Deu. 4:15-20). Furthermore, in Christian Home, where the
Lordship of Jesus is supreme, there is no prayer through Saint Mary, Saint
Jude, Saint Thomas or any other dead or living saint, or in the name (or
attachment) of any religious leader, as Jesus remains in such a home the only
mediator between God and man, (I Tim. 2:5). So, the Lordship of Jesus is in
full force, in a Christian Home where parents;
(i)
choose to serve
God with their entire household, (Jos. 24:14-15);
(ii)
keep their
covenant with God, as well as instruct their descendant to do same, (Gen.
17:9ff).
(iii)
teach their
children the precepts of the Lord, (Deu. 6:6-7)
THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS AND THE
LEADERSHIP OF THE CHURCH
The Lordship of Jesus
Christ in the church is without question, since He is the Head and Saviour of
the church, (Eph. 5:23b). In this connection, the delegated (human) leadership
of the church (pastor, evangelist, prophet apostle, teacher, bishop or
archbishop, etc) should learn to come under the Lordship of Jesus, instead of
usurping or exercising undue authority over the flock of God. In the words of
Jesus, the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great
exercise authority over them. “Yet, it shall not be so among you: but whoever
desires to become great among you let him be your servant, (Matt. 20:25-26).
This implies that the leadership of the church should be a composition of:
(i)
servant
leaders, and not those who lord it over the flock, (vs. 25-26);
(ii)
those who
serve in humility, and not those who serve in arrogance, (vs. 25-26);
(iii)
those who exercise authority in love, and not
those who bully the people of God, (vs. 25-26).
In
conclusion, please note
once again that the Lordship of Jesus Christ is over all, which means, He is
the Maker of all, Owner of all, Master of all, Ruler of all, Governor of all,
Prince of all, Proprietor of all, Saviour of all, Lord of all, and can never
change. Make Him the Lord of your life,
family and church today!
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