Jesus Is Lord

Before becoming Paul the Apostle and a devoted follower of Jesus, Saul was on his way to Damascus with orders to imprison Christians for their faith. 

The story unfolds as follows:

Act 9:3-6 KJV  And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:  4  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?  5  And he said, Who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting: it is hard for you to kick against the goads.  6  And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what will you have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told to you what you must do.

Saul's encounter with Jesus transformed his life

Confronted by the Lordship of Jesus, he submitted to Him. The pivotal moment came with two simple but profound questions: 1) "Who are You, Lord?" and upon realizing it was Jesus, 2) "What will You have me do?" These questions marked a turning point for Saul and are the same ones each of us must answer in our own journey of faith.

A true follower of Jesus is one who has submitted to the Lordship of Jesus. What does that mean?

On the Day of Pentecost, Peter made an astounding statement: "Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified" Acts 2:36.  This deeply affected those who heard it, and they were cut to the heart, asking Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Acts 2:37. Peter's reply was that they should repent, be baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit Acts 2:38.

Why did this statement have such a profound impact upon this crowd?

It is because when Peter declared that Jesus is Lord, they understood this to mean that He is God, and when Peter called Him Christ, they knew he meant He is the Messiah. If Jesus is God and Messiah everything changes, and for those in the crowd that day, it was a call to follow Him through their repentance and baptism.

If Jesus is Lord (and He is) how does that impact our lives today?

• If you are not yet saved, then take the first steps that Peter commanded - "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Act 2:38

• Paul also indicates that receiving Jesus as Lord is essential to salvation, "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" Rom 10:9.

• In fact the bible teaches that, "at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" Phil 2:9-11.

In daily practical terms

• If Jesus is our Lord, we will serve others as He served us John 13:13-14. 

• If Jesus is our Lord it will move us to do the will of the Father Matt 7:21-23. 

• If Jesus is our Lord, it will result in a life of obedience to Him Luke 6:46-49.

Acknowledging Jesus as Lord involves recognizing His authority, aligning our lives with His will, serving others, and embodying His teachings in our daily conduct. The gospel calls us to embrace a sincere and obedient faith that transforms both our lives and our actions.