THE LORD of ALL.
Key Verse: “He is Lord of all” – Acts 10:36
The most important truth for us as Christians is the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Jesus didn’t just come to save us – His ultimate goal was to be Lord of our lives. As Philippians 2:5-11 makes clear, God’s plan from the start has been that Jesus would reign as Lord over everything. Whether we recognise it or not, He is already Lord.
In love and recognition of what Jesus has done for us, God has declared His Son to be both Lord and Christ – Acts 2:36. The Father has given Jesus absolute authority. He has no rival, no equal, no superior. There is no one before Him, beside Him, or above Him. As Romans 14:9 says, Jesus came to die, rise, and live again, so He could be Lord over both the living and the dead.
The truth is, we often underestimate just how powerful Christ’s lordship is in our lives. We love to talk about Him as our Saviour – which He is! (Matthew 1:21, Luke 19:10, Romans 10:9-13, 1 Timothy 1:15, Hebrews 7:25). But Jesus is also Lord. He’s the King, the Master, the One who holds all authority. Accepting Jesus as Saviour means accepting Him as Sovereign too (Matthew 3:3, Luke 2:11, Acts 2:36, Acts 10:36, Romans 10:9).
To call Him Saviour means we’ve also got to call Him Lord. If He’s come into your life (Revelation 3:20), He’s not just your friend or helper – He’s the One who sits on the throne of your heart (Revelation 3:21). If you haven’t fully submitted to His lordship, then you’ve only grasped part of what it truly means to follow Christ.
Here’s a thought: What is Jesus to you, right now, in your daily life?
1. Is Jesus Christ Lord of Your Life?
Let’s get down to the practical stuff. If we say Jesus is Lord, what does that really mean for how we live?
- You, as a Whole Person: As human beings, we’re made up of spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). If Jesus is Lord, He has authority over every part of us – our spirit, our thoughts, our emotions, and our physical body.
- Our Emotions, Thoughts, and Will: Jesus doesn’t just rule over what we do, He rules over how we feel, what we think, and what we decide. If He’s Lord, He’s in charge of our heart, our mind, and our choices.
- Our Bodies: Think about it – our eyes, ears, lips, hands, and feet – every part of us belongs to Him (Romans 6:13). If He’s Lord, those parts of our body serve Him.
- Every Part of Our Life: Jesus is Lord of our home, our work, our finances, and every area of life. There’s no area of life where He doesn’t have authority. When we welcome Him into all of this, He rules every part of it.
2. Is He Lord in Your Life?
Let’s look at what it means to fully submit to His Lordship. What does it look like in real, day-to-day life?
- Complete Ownership: If Jesus is Lord, everything you are and everything you have belongs to Him. You don’t belong to yourself anymore. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, we’re His – our body, our talents, our money, even our loved ones. Nothing is ours anymore.
- Unquestioning Obedience: When Jesus is Lord, we obey Him without hesitation. His commands are not optional; they’re commands. If He says, “Go there!” or “Do this!” we do it without arguing. His lordship means He has the right to call the shots in our lives (Matthew 8:9).
- Wholehearted Service: If Jesus is Lord, we follow wherever He leads. Just think about Isaiah’s encounter in Isaiah 6:1-5 – he saw the Lord and was completely changed. Everything about his life changed, and he was ready to serve. Have you ever had that moment where you realise Jesus is in charge, and you’re ready to follow Him wherever He leads – even if it means stepping into the unknown?
- Total Trust: If Jesus is Lord, we trust Him, even when life gets tough. When the pain hits or things don’t go as planned, we trust that He knows what He’s doing. We can say, like Job in Job 1:21, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” When He’s Lord, we trust Him even through the hardest times.
3. The Certain Reward.
If Jesus is Lord, one day He’ll reward us with His “Well done!” (Matthew 25:21). Isn’t that amazing? We get the chance to give Jesus His rightful place in our lives, recognising that He’s the Lord of all – Acts 10:36. When we see His power and authority in action – Matthew 8:27, Luke 5:4-6, John 21:6 – we can’t help but bow before Him and give Him all we’ve got.
Conclusion: How Can We Make Jesus Lord of All?
Here’s the truth: We can’t do this on our own. We can’t make Jesus Lord in our own strength. 1 Corinthians 12:3 tells us that no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit. It’s impossible for us to make Him Lord on our own.
But here’s the good news: The Holy Spirit can help us. If we ask Him, He will enable us to crown Jesus as Lord of all. “No one can say Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:3).
Thank God, through the Holy Spirit, we can make Jesus Lord of our lives! Isn’t that incredible? Let’s let Him be Lord in every part of who we are.
