Why Preaching Christ as Lord Matters

Paul preached Christ as Lord (2 Corinthians 4:5). We explained why that matters. Before the birth of Jesus, the angel announced that He is the promised Saviour; He is Messiah and Lord (Luke 2:11). Peter proclaimed that the crucified Jesus is 'Lord and Christ' (Acts 2:36), being a witness of His resurrection, ascension and exaltation (vv 32-35). The letter to the Hebrews shows the divine identity of the Son and the divine atonement of Him as Saviour. Preaching Christ as Lord matters to demonstrate His identity as Saviour, to explain His divine work of salvation and to understand His power in His sovereignty as King of kings and Lord of lords. Here is why this matters.

Introduction

Titles and names in Scripture matter. They reveal identity and purpose. Jesus is Saviour and Sovereign as expressed by the title 'Lord.' His Name 'Yeshua' reveals His mission as Saviour of the world. He was fully God and fully Man as Son and Saviour. He is the eternal Son of God as Sovereign. His atonement to provide salvation for humanity was God's divine plan from eternity, predicted by the prophets and fulfilled in Christ. In Him all of God's blessings are available to those who believe (Ephesians 1:3-14).

A closer look at why the title 'Lord' matters shows Jesus' identity as Saviour, His mission to bring salvation and His role as Sovereign at the right hand of God. All power has been given to Him in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). He is King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16), exalted to the right hand of God (Hebrews 1:3, 13; Acts 7:55-56). The church is to proclaim Christ as Saviour of all peoples and Lord to all nations until He returns as Sovereign to judge the living and the dead and establish the new heavens and earth in which righteousness will dwell. God's plan will stand no matter who rises up against Him and His Christ. Messiah will rule to defeat all evil and establish peace.

1 Saviour

The first issue why preaching Christ as Lord matters is the issue of His identity: Who is Jesus? According to John, He is the eternal Logos who became flesh and explained God to us in a perfect manner (John 1:1-18; cf., Colossians 1:15-20). Jesus is the creative Logos through whom all things came into existence and who gives life to all. John declares Jesus to be eternal God ('the Word was God') with the Father ('the Word was with God'). This fine distinction upholds that Father and Son are two persons yet of the same divine substance and perfect unity. The Spirit is the third Person of the divine triune Godhead. The divine identity of the Son matters as it reveals the divine redemption He accomplished for us as Saviour-Son.

According to the letter to the Hebrews, Jesus is portrayed higher than man and angels—He is God's Son. As John affirms in the Fourth Gospel, Hebrews affirms that God speaks through His Son, Jesus, and created all things through Him (Hebrews 1:1-2). Christ is 'the brightness of His [God's] glory and the express image of His [God's] person,' who not only created all things, but also upholds all things 'by the word of His power,' now seated at the right hand of God 'the Majesty on high' after purging the sins of humanity at the cross (v 3). He is not an angel; He is much higher than created beings, having 'a more excellent name' (v 4). Jesus is God's Son (vv 5-14, as the Messianic psalms (Psalm 2:7; 45:6-7; 97:7; 102:25-26 104:4; 110:1) and the prophets (Isaiah 51:6; Daniel 7:9-14) predicted.

The Son and Saviour, humbled Himself in His incarnation and suffered on the cross on behalf of humanity as 'the author of their salvation,' having tasted 'death for everyone' (Hebrews 2:9-10; cf., Philippians 2:6-8). Jesus as 'merciful and faithful high priest' made 'propitiation for the sins of the people' (Hebrews 2:17). Jesus is 'the Apostle and High Priest of our confession' (3:1), 'a great high priest,' who as 'the Son of God,' established salvation, extending mercy and compassion from the throne of grace (4:14-16). Jesus is not a human priest who had to first offer a sacrifice for Himself before offering a sacrifice on behalf of the people; Jesus is not of the Aaronic, earthly, temporal order, but as the eternal Son, He is of the heavenly and eternal order of Melchizedek (5:5-6) and therefore 'the source of eternal salvation' (v 9). Jesus is high priest forever (6:20) and 'the guarantee of a better covenant' (7:22). It is the New Covenant (8:1-13), as predicted by Jeremiah (31:31-34) and established in Christ's blood (Hebrews 9:11-14), the new covenant and eternal redemption to give us 'the eternal inheritance' (v 15). By the blood of Jesus, we gain access to a 'new and living way' to draw near to God with sincere hearts and full assurance of faith (10:19-22).

The Son is the Saviour and has established eternal salvation by His blood. His identity as eternal Son and perfect Saviour matters, for without it, salvation would not be possible. Jesus as eternal Son and divine High priest established eternal salvation. The Son and High Priest is, in the words of John the Baptist, the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

2 Salvation

According to the angel, Jesus is Saviour, Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11). According to John and Paul, Jesus is God-in-the-flesh, God who became Man. If Jesus was not God-incarnate, God who became flesh (Lat. carne), the eternal Logos who manifested God's glory, He could not have establish divine salvation. He had to be God in order to save; He had to be Man in order to save mankind. Jesus was fully God and fully Man—His two natures—and brought eternal salvation available for all and accessible for those who believe.

The letter to the Hebrews not only explains the divine nature of Christ the Son, but also the divine nature of His atoning death. Jesus is portrayed as both the spotless Lamb (sacrifice) and the perfect High Priest (the One atoning on behalf others). The eternal salvation Jesus established is divine because He is the Son of God; it is perfect, because He is the flawless High Priest; it is eternal because He is Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, not the human order of Aaron. His perfect sacrifice is eternal and everlasting. No more sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins are needed. As we confession our sins to Him who died for sin, we can have forgiveness from sins and reconciliation with God (1 John 1:9—2:2; Romans 5:1-11; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21).

Jude, in upholding Jesus' divine identity as 'Master and Lord' (v 4), pointed out those who teach contrary to 'our common salvation,' 'the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints' (v 3). We are saved by Christ, the Lord. Jude recalls how 'the Lord' saved His people in the exodus from Egypt in the time of Moses (v 5), typological of the salvation through Christ. Two early manuscripts refer to Jesus as 'the Lord.' In context, this is likely original as intended by Jude, since he had just mentioned Jesus as 'Master and Lord' in the previous verse (v 4). He refers to Jesus an additional three times as Lord (v 17, 21, 25). Paul affirms how Christ was with the Israelites in the wilderness (1 Corinthians 10:1-4). God is Saviour through Jesus Christ our Lord (Jude 25). Jesus is Saviour and Lord. Death will be swallowed up by the Lord Jesus Christ as the final victory of His salvation (1 Corinthians 15:54-56). The angel announced Jesus as Lord; the apostles witnesses to Christ as Lord; and they wrote about Him as Lord—and always pointing to His salvation. Affirming His lordship in salvation, also implies His Lordship in life.

3 Sovereignty

When Peter proclaimed Jesus as 'Lord and Christ' (Messiah), he did so in the context of offering salvation to the hearers in Jerusalem. As witness to His resurrection (Acts 2:32), Peter demonstrated that Jesus is Lord of whom David had stated, the LORD (Yahweh) said to his Lord (David's Lord), 'Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool' (vv 34-35; Psalm 110:1). As Jesus had pointed out in a theological debate over this verse in relation to the Messiah's identity, it is clear that the Messiah as Lord is the Son, Saviour and Sovereign (Matthew 22:41-45). Jesus is the sovereign Lord, as addressed by David and God Himself: David addressed Christ as his Lord; God spoke to His Son in His role as sovereign Lord who would rule over His enemies. This speaks of Christ's exalted position, having received the Name above all names after His humilitation in incarnation and crucifixion and His exaltation in resurrection and ascension (Philippians 2:6-11). Jesus is the Name given under heaven through which we can be saved (Acts 4:12), the Name on which we call in order to receive salvation (2:21; cf., Romans 10:13)—'Yahweh' in the Hebrew text (Joel 2:32). Calling on Yahweh, the Lord of heaven brings salvation.

Jesus the Saviour, risen from the dead and making people alive (1 Corinthians15:20-22), is portrayed as heavenly, a life-giving spirit and 'Lord from heaven' (vv 45-47 NKJV). This is strikingly similar to the title 'Lord of Heaven,' a title used for God the Creator (Acts 17:24), God the Father (Matthew 11:25; Luke 10:21) and Yahweh in the Hebrew Bible (Daniel 5:23; cf., 'God of heaven' in 2:18, 26 or 'a God of gods and a Lord of kings' in 2:47 or 'King of heaven' in 4:37). Yeshua, as His Name says—'Yahweh saves'—is the incarnation of Yahweh in the second Person of the triune Godhead. He came to save humanity as God in human form. The death and resurrection of Christ were the predetermined plan of God for salvation through the forgiveness of sin (Acts 2:22-24, 38), the Saviour who is Lord and Christ/Messiah (v 36). In His sovereignty, God brought salvation in Christ.

The death of Jesus brought salvation, as outlined in the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). At His return (Second Coming of Christ) as Judge, He will defeat all evil rule and subject it to God the Father (vv 23-28). The Saviour is also the Judge of the living and the dead (2 Timothy 4:1-2), before whose judgment seat we will all appear one day (2 Corinthians 5:10). Paul, therefore, urged people to be reconciled with God (vv 18-20), based on the salvation by the atonement of the One who died for the sinners (v 21). It was a matter of urgency (v 14).

The claim of Christ's Lordship is also a claim over our lives. How can we call Him, 'Lord, Lord' but not do what He tells us? (see Luke 6:46) You cannot profess Him as Lord and live in disobedience. To do so, would be as foolish as building your house on sand (a weak foundation); only acting on Christ's words in obedience brings stability in life (vv 47-49). The freedom we have in Christ is the liberty to live in His will and fulfil His royal law (Galatians 5:13-14), expressed in the fruit of the Spirit (vv 16, 22-23), and not in the works of the flesh (vv 17-21). We are to walk in the 'newness of life' after our sins are forgiven and we were raised to new life (Romans 6:1-4) as a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15). We are to live for the will of God and abide forever (1 John 2:15-17).

Conclusion: Why Preaching Christ as Lord Matters

Preaching Christ as Lord matters in order to establish His divine identity as Son of God who made eternal salvation possible. In Yeshua, Yahweh came to earth the save His people from their sins as Emmanuel, 'God with us' (Matthew 1:21-23). He is Lord over all flesh and the sovereign God whom He serve as Lord and who we worship as Creator. We offer people salvation in Christ and make them aware of moral accountability. We tell them how much God loves them and what He has done for them in His love; we explain why actions have consequences and that one day God will hold us all accountable. We encourage people to be reconciled with God, to live a godly life and to look forward to eternity in heaven. Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords, who died for our sins as Saviour and who will come again to judge the living and the dead as Judge. Jesus is Lord, Saviour and Judge. All three aspects matter.