The following student report was submitted by Ambassador League Agent Joshua E. during the 2007-2008 League.
SSI BIBLE STUDY #1: The Lordship of Christ
Though there are many key ideas upon which Christianity rests, they would be meaningless if the sovereignty of Christ were not at its center. His Lordship is the fundamental doctrine of Christianity. From it stems perspective on all other facets of Christianity. It tells us who and what life is about - that Jesus is Lord and Master and that the primary purpose of our lives is to honor and obey Him.
The term "Lordship" is an authoritative title, and the authority of Jesus comes from God. Philippians tells us that, "Though he [Jesus] was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:6-11) As Jesus himself said before his Ascension, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." (Matthew 28:18)
What is it that identifies Christ as Lord? Paul wrote: "Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross." (Colossians 1:15-20) Christ is intimately connected with all of creation, and He is first in everything because He reconciled man with God. Luke wrote: "This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel-that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all." (Acts 10:36) Christ's message was one of peace for a Godless world.
After Christ came, the focus switched from Jehovah and the Old Covenant to Jesus and the New Covenant. We read that "All the old fashions are now obsolete. Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ." (Colossians 3:11-MSG) Christ unites us as Children of God and defines us as followers of His way. "You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel." (Hebrews 12:24) Jesus is our mediator, a beacon of forgiveness in the midst of our guilt.
The Lordship of Christ and His message of salvation are not just esoteric concepts, but things that we can personally experience: "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. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved." (Romans 10:9-10) After acceptance, we must follow Him, as we read in Colossians: "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." (Colossians 2:6-7) His Lordship is not only about acceptance and honor, but obedience and emulation as well.
Paul gives us a good summation of what our new lives should look like: "I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith." (Philippians 3:7-9) Everything else falls away and becomes secondary when compared to the significance of Christ's message and Lordship.
And what did Jesus himself say about his Lordship? He wants action. "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46) Hearing and doing were inseparable as far as Jesus was concerned. When we don't put his words into practice, we render His message meaningless as an active component in our lives. Perhaps the best example of His Lordship is found during the Last Supper, when He washes the feet of His disciples. "After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, "Do you understand what I was doing? You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and you are right, because that's what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them." (John 13:12-17) Jesus tells us that He is Lord. In light of this, we should follow His example, which was that of a servant. As He extended grace to us, so we too should extend grace to one other, fulfilling our purpose in Him.
