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“Who
do you say I am?”
Jesus
asked his disciples this question in Mark 8:29; He also asks it of us, His
modern-day disciples. What is our response?
God’s
Word declares, “Jesus is Lord!” According to 1 Corinthians 12:3, only those
guided by the Holy Spirit can say “Jesus is Lord!”
I
am so thankful that when we place our trust in Jesus’ sacrifice for our
forgiveness, we receive the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13), who then assures and
empowers us to wholeheartedly answer Jesus' question with, “You are Lord!”
The
truth is that Jesus is Lord, not because of what He has done, or what we
believe, but because He is God and God is LORD. There are no elections,
ceremonies, or achievements that made Him Lord. He just is!
We
have all sung the little chorus, “He is Lord”, but what does saying or singing
that phrase really signify?
Colossians
2:6-7 offers an explanation: “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as
your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him,
and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the
truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”
Within
these verses we find five indicators of someone whose life proclaims, “Jesus as
Lord”:
- Following Him
- Letting our roots grow deep in Him
- Letting our lives be built on Him
- Growing faith
- Overflowing thankfulness
Terry
Broome, minister at Broad Street Church of Christ, Scottsboro, Alabama,
recently wrote, “We’re acknowledging much about Christ when we declare that He
is “the Lord.” We’re indicating that He has authority or power. . . He is the
one to whom many of us voluntarily surrender ourselves, and thus some refer to
Jesus as “the Lord of my life.” He must occupy this position for any who are in
a rightful relationship with Him.”
Many
of us say “Jesus is Lord”, but are we living like He is? I have to confess, I’m
pretty good at talking the talk but I don’t always walk the walk. One of the
five indicators we see in Colossians 2 that I find very challenging is to live
a life of “overflowing thankfulness”. Although my life brims over with
blessings, my thanks is often stingy. I need to work on expressing my gratitude
generously, for Jesus deserves thanks and praise that overflows.
Who
do you say Jesus is? If you say, “Jesus is Lord”, in what areas do you struggle
to live out your claim?
Blessings!
Pam
