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THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS — Lincoln Park UBF

Yeshua [Jesus] rules in every case, over everything and everyone. He is the Master. PERIOD! We are His slaves. Yeshua [Jesus] is my Master (Owner). Yeshua [Jesus] has authority over me.

Even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. 

John 17:2

There is a huge benefit to Jesus having authority over our lives. Jesus gives eternal life. Now that is very good news and a huge deal. Yes Jesus, I want that! I really, really do.

If there are slaves then there is a … If Jesus has authority, then the word “master” becomes important to understand. So here is a fundamental question: “What is the foundational reality that defines what it means to be a disciple? What is the fundamental reality that distinguishes the believer’s relationship to Jesus? What is our great confession in three words?” Jesus is Lord (Master).

In fact, if you want to be saved, Romans 10:9 and 10 says, “You confess Jesus as Master (aka Lord).” Kuriosis the corresponding word to slave, i.e., doulos. Kurios is a title and means “master.” Doulos is “slave.” I can no more eliminate doulos from the my  relationship to the Master than I could eliminate kurios.

I hear a lot about the issue of the Lordship of the Messiah to try to help people who think I can become a disciple without acknowledging Jesus as my Lord (Master), which is an impossible thing. Nonetheless it’s advocated. I don’t accept it.

The simple answer to that is this. If Jesus is Lord, which is to say He is Master, then I am His slave. There’s no such thing as a master with no slaves or a slave with no master. And 1 Corinthians 12:3 says, “We call Jesus Master (Lord) by the Spirit of God.”

Jesus the Messiah is the Master over all of creation and reigns supreme over everything in the created order. Does Jesus reign supreme in my Life? Jesus wants to know.

In Colossians 1:18 Paul says that the Messiah is the head of the body. Then he exhorts us to make sure that we give the Messiah priority attention like we do with our own head and face. This verse concludes, “that in all things He may have the preeminence (or first place).”

And so there is some very good news. Jesus gave His life for us. The least we can do give Him first place in our lives.