Jesus Our Lord

This message is primarily for those who call on the name of Jesus Christ as their own Lord and Savior from sin, and serve as a Chaplain or a gospel minister in a jail, prison or a follow-up ministry such as a rescue mission – in the United States.

All Scripture quotes are usually taken from the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. When quoting a text, any deviation from the NKJV text is placed within parenthesis signs (). These usually occur as direct translations from the original languages, or as notes from the original setting to help apply the text to today’s culture.

ALL CAPITAL LETTERS are sometimes used to emphasize words in a text, or to make a comment about a biblical text, or emphasize a statement.

Jesus is Lord. One day in the future, ALL WILL SAY SO. The NASB in Philippians 2:10-11 says:

"so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ IS LORD, to the glory of God the Father."

The fact of Jesus’ being Lord is connected with the fact that He is fully God. His Deity suggests His Lordship. Since He is the “over all .... God” (Romans 9:5), or to use jail/prison lingo, "He calls all the shots," eternally. To truly understand and believe that Jesus is God implies that the believer should be willing to submit to His Lordship.

True believers and followers of Jesus the Christ say so AND ACT ACCORDINLY NOW. Jesus is THEIR Lord. But before continuing, I think this is one Bible word you MUST DEFINE.

The New Testament words translated "Lord" mean the owner and controller, the master and ruler over OR, THE SOVEREIGN ONE. Calling Jesus our Lord means we are willing to submit to Him as the decider over everything that applies to us. It means we recognize His power and AUTHORITY over all our life.

There are human lords that are masters over some sphere of influence – but they are never for one split second, supreme Lord. That One is Jesus. He is the King of kings and LORD of lords. He is Lord over all kings, and lords, and masters, and bosses.

The Bible says Jesus is Lord. In fact, Jesus is referred to as Lord in every New Testament book except 1 John and 3 John. The NT calls Him "Lord" about 600 times!

We don’t make Him Lord, HE IS LORD. Whether we actually submit to Him as our Lord, or rebel against His rule in our sin, He – not we, has the final word and way. If we are at odds with His will – we lose. This is true for the unsaved now. If they continue in their unbelief and die in their sin, they LOSE FOREVER. They are losers, because they assume they are the lord of their own life.

On the other hand, for the solid believer and confessor of Jesus the Christ these words of the great new Irish Hymn - by Keith and Kristin Getty, "In Christ Alone" which speak of His Lordship, hold true. Being absolute Lord, He has both supreme authority and the power that accompanies it.

"From life's first cry to final breath, JESUS COMMANDS MY DESTINY. No power of hell, no scheme of man, Can ever pluck me from His hand; Till He returns or calls me home, Here in THE POWER OF CHRIST I'll stand."

Four passages to consider and teach inmates about the Lordship of Jesus from are: Romans 10:6-13; Ephesians 6:23-24; John 14:21-23 and Luke 6:46-49. The words used in each of these passages for "Lord" are definers of Jesus.

1. Romans 10:6-13 – The context is about salvation and the inability to achieve it and righteousness through the law of Moses. Verse 6 begins the alternative and true way of attaining salvation and righteousness – through FAITH in Christ as LORD AND SAVIOR.

6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, "Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’" (that is, to bring Christ down from above)

7 or, "‘Who will descend into the abyss?’" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). [the quotes in verses 6 and 7 are from Deut. 30:12,13]

Dr. John MacArthur says: "Paul speaks of the righteousness based on faith as if it were a person and puts in its mouth a quotation from Deut. 30:12,13. His point is that the righteousness of faith does not require some impossible odyssey through the universe to find Christ" (ascend... descend).

8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): [the quote is from Deut. 30:14]

According to verse 8, the journey of verses 6 and 7 is unnecessary because God has clearly revealed the way of salvation: it is by faith. The "word of faith" is the message that faith is the way to God. It is spelled out as the theme of the preaching that Paul and others were doing in the 1st Century - in verses 9 and10. You too should always preach faith in Jesus as the only way of salvation.

9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus (more literally, ‘Jesus as Lord’ and so rendered in the ASV, NASB and Darby translation) and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Commenting on verse 9, MacArthur says: " ‘Jesus as Lord’ - Not a simple acknowledgment that He is God and the Lord of the universe, since even demons acknowledge that to be true (see James 2:19). This is the deep personal conviction, without reservation, that Jesus is that person's own master or sovereign."

This phrase "confess ... Jesus as Lord" includes repenting from sin, trusting in Jesus for salvation, and submitting to Him as Lord. This is the volitional element of faith. (Other referenced note): "the sinner submits his will to Christ and trusts in Him alone as the only hope of salvation. Genuine faith will always produce authentic obedience." (MacArthur)

The words of Jesus (Mark 1:14) "Repent and believe in the gospel," and the words of the Apostles (Acts 20:21) "testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" mean more than just believe who Jesus is and trust in what He did. They mean the moral rebellion against the Sovereign Lord’s will expressed by His law is ended, turned from, repented of.

To confess that Jesus is YOUR OWN LORD implies repentance. In doing so the believer/confessor is saying they are through with running their own life and being their own lord and master. THEY ARE SAYING THEY ARE NOW SUBMITTING TO Another – even Jesus - as their Lord.

The end of verse 9 mentions belief in the resurrection from the dead. "Belief in Christ's resurrection is necessary for salvation because it proved that Christ was God and that the Father had accepted His sacrifice in the place of sinners (See Romans 1:4 and 4:24). Without the resurrection of Christ, there is no salvation." (MacArthur).

One other thing is important here in verse 10. It says:

10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Saving faith in Jesus must be from the depths of the inner life, from THE HEART. But it also will always express itself outwardly with the mouth. Confession of salvation is made outwardly and publicly in believers’ baptism.

The passage continues on the theme of SALVATION THROUGH AN ACTIVE FAITH IN JESUS AS LORD, in verses 11-13.

11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." [quote is from Isa.28:16]

12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.

13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved." [quote is from Joel 2:32]

The "whoever" in verses 11 and 13 include everyone from every background IF THEY BELIEVE (not just Jews or those who are first "religious.")

In verse13 to call on the name of the LORD, does not refer to some desperate cry to just any deity but to the one true God as He has revealed Himself - a revelation that now includes recognition of Jesus AS LORD and the One who raised up Jesus from the dead.

2. Now look with me at Ephesians 6:23-24. As the Apostle closes his God-breathed letter, he says:

23 Peace to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (This is a benediction, a prayer for the true Christians)

24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

This blessing closes with a definition of who true Christians are. They are those that LOVE Jesus AS THEIR LORD in all sincerity, or with undying incorruptible love. The Apostle John said of Christians "We love Him (a reference to Jesus) BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US" (I John 4:19). Jesus is a LOVING LORD, not a capricious dictator.

3. In John 14:21-23, Jesus defined how true love for Him is demonstrated. He said:

21 He who has My commandments AND KEEPS THEM (which is to say, obeys them), it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."

22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?"

23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he WILL KEEP My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

Jesus’ answer to Judas, the son of James, in verse 23, means that the manifestation, or evidence of His presence (and even the Father’s presence) will be internal rather than external. (Compare "Christ IN YOU, the hope of glory" - Colossians 1:27).

4. But what about people who say Jesus is their Lord and do not EVER obey Him? They never, according to Jesus’ words in John 14, "love" Him. This brings us (and YOU, to teach) Luke 6:46-49

46 "But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and NOT DO the things which I say?

47 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and DOES THEM, I will show you whom he is like:

48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. (This is an illustration of a truly saved obedient believer.)

49 BUT HE WHO HEARD AND DID NOTHING is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great." (This illustrates the doom of disobedient unbelievers.)

Here are some application points. Inmates often fall into the error of thinking they can make a deal with Jesus. You don’t make a deal with the supreme Lord, you must submit to whatever He wants, not try to get Him to use His power to do what you want. People, especially inmates really need to hear and understand this. So, you need to be regularly reminding them of this truth!

We have a great problem in the realm of what claims to be Christianity in our society today. Many people think you only have to say you believe in Jesus and that is what makes you a Christian – no matter what you do after that public confession. The result is we have a lot of fake, PRETEND CHRISTIANS.

Pretend Christians are people who talk the talk but do not walk the walk (consistently, as the normal direction and bent of their life). This has always been a problem in jail and prison with inmates, BUT NOW it is on a much larger scope of society today. From top to bottom, politicians, entertainers, top athletes, right on down to people that live on the streets and are in and out and in jail again. You need to speak to your inmates and residents about this a lot.

The John MacArthur quote, "the sinner submits his will to Christ and trusts in Him alone as the only hope of salvation. Genuine faith will always produce authentic obedience," has a lot of opponents. They call this "Lordship salvation" and say it is part of a "works salvation" gospel. The AGRM has sponsored teachers with this view. It is not working for salvation but rather the EVIDENCE OF GOD’S GRACE AT WORK in the life of a truly saved person.

In closing, look at Matthew 7:21-27 with me. For many contextual reasons, I side with those scholars that believe Jesus said this at the same time or occasion of Luke 6:46. That means the sermon in Luke 6:20-49, also know as "the Sermon on the Plain," is one and the same with what is called "the Sermon on the Mount," recorded in Matthew 5-7. If so, then Jesus’ question in Luke 6:46, "…why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and NOT DO the things which I say?" most likely comes RIGHT BEFORE Matthew 7:21-27, which says:

21 "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’

23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Much could be said about these three verses. Jesus our Lord spoke them. Note this: those that were pretend Christians calling Jesus “Lord” did not DO the Father’s will. They were disobedient to the Lord Jesus and PRACTICED, as a general direction of their life, LAWLESSNESS. According to 1 John 3:4, that’s another word for “sin.” I believe the key to not being one of them is mentioned BY JESUS, in verse 23. It is in KNOWING HIM – in having a right relationship with Him as your own personal Lord.

Now notice how verses 24-27 here in Matthew 7, are virtually the same as Luke 6:47-49.

24 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock

25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

26 "But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:

27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."

If we call Jesus our Lord and say that we love Him, it HAS TO BE MORE than just words. We have to want to obey Him, and by the power His Spirit supplies - ACTUALLY OBEY HIM AND DO WHAT HE SAYS, at least as the normal direction of our lives.

Therefore, we must listen to His directives. Then we must obey Him, not only because we love Him, which is the best motive, but also because we have to answer to Him BECAUSE HE IS THE LORD OF ALL. This is why 1 Peter 4:17 says "For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; (a title for the saved church) and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? " (NASB)

Romans 14:10 also says to Christians: "But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we (Christian believers) shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ."

All true believer’s works will be judged by their Lord, Jesus. Some of us will receive rewards. The key to that is consistent, loving obedience from the depths of our hearts. Apply that to yourself first, then demonstrate it and teach it to the inmates and staff!


Rich Hines - Minister to Chaplains, Aurora Ministries’ Chaplain Help Ministry