Things Evangelicals Think: Jesus Is Hoping To Be Your Lord

If you missed the last post introducing this series on things evangelicals think, you can get the main idea back here.  It includes my trying to be clear that I love evangelicals and the movement, and consider myself part of it.  So these posts are an exercise in taking the plank out of our collective evangelical eye.

Today we are going to think about Jesus and his lordship.  We often talk about Jesus' reign as though the kingdom of God is a heavenly democracy.  Jesus is running for the office of Lord of the universe hoping to get enough votes to win, though he has a backup plan of rapturing his voters out if things get western down here.  

And usually, it is more individualistic than that.  We talk like Jesus is not so much interested in running for Lord of the universe, truly he would be satisfied just to be Lord of your heart.  You hold all the cards, all eyes eagerly wait, and heaven holds its breath to see what the computer will read after you step out from behind the voting booth curtain.  Did Jesus win?

But this gets it all backwards, because Jesus is not hoping to be your Lord.  Jesus is the Lord of lords.  The question is whether or not you will acknowledge that reality and bow to him now willingly under his mercy, or later when he comes to consummate his kingdom with armies of angels in his wake.

Jesus is not outside your life, hat in hand, hoping that you will accept his campaign for Lord.  He is not running for the title of Lord, needing your vote.  His Lordship is not in question.  God has demonstrated it by raising him from the dead.  Even though we are all born under the kingdom of darkness, Jesus has been given authority even over the ruler of that realm.  He has bound him and is plundering him, bringing about his kingdom of love and righteousness and joy.

Remember what he said after his resurrection?  "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations..." (Mt. 28:18-19a).  All authority belongs to Jesus, all nations are to be discipled to observe all that he has commanded.  Jesus commands the nations.  It is worth noting that Jesus doesn't say, "I am hoping for all authority on earth, go therefore and campaign for me, glad-handing and asking people if they would consider letting me save them and tell them what to do, if they find me to be nice enough."

Or remember when Paul writes about the power of God "that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.  And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all" (Eph. 1:20-23).  It does not say that he is being offered to all as a lord, but that all things have been put under his feet who has been placed far above all rule and authority, power and dominion.  He is over all in this current age, and in the age to come.

But what about Romans 10:9?  Doesn't this teach that Jesus wants you to believe in him as the Lord?  In a way.  I am afraid the common idea is something like the picture of Santa's sleigh at the end of the movie Elf.  If enough people believe that Santa is real, then his sleigh will be able to fly out of Central Park.  We just need an adorable Zoey to bat her eyelashes and sing carols to stir up our sentiment enough to get Jesus' lordship off the ground.  

But what does Romans 10:9 say?  It says that "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."  Notice it doesn't say that if you confess him to be Lord, then he will become Lord.  This is about how we are rescued from our rebellion.  We are rescued when we openly acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus over all, and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead.  Jesus is Lord, and at the heart of our sin is a refusal to submit to his authority.  "The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead" (Acts 17:30-31).

As the Lord, he is mercifully offering the nations terms of reconciliation and eternal life, despite our cosmic rebellion against his lordship.  His terms are simple: faith and repentance.  If you will trust in him, look to his sacrifice for the forgiveness of your rebellion in sin, turn from your rebellion, and bow your knees in repentance, you will be welcomed freely into his kingdom.  In light of your track record, this is amazingly merciful.

Jesus is sitting on his throne in heaven, and you are in rebellion against him by nature.  He is willing to take you as one of his subjects on his terms, and he went to incredible lengths to open the way for you.  He has become one of us.  He has suffered and died on a cross as a substitute for sin.  This Lord, this King, this Sovereign is the one who came to die.  He came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.  

So the offer stands today; repent and believe and be welcomed into the kingdom of God not only as a servant, but as a son, adopted into the family, delighted in, loved, rejoiced over, and given eternal joyous life in this sovereign King.  

Jesus is the Lord, and his kingdom is coming.  It will not be stopped.  It is not up for a vote.  The goal of the Father is 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" (Phil. 2:10-11).  This does not establish his lordship, it is the outworking of it.

Do you see how the Bible presents to you a merciful Lord and not a pandering candidate?  Do you see how this shows you to be a rebel in need of bowing before the sovereignty and steadfast love of Christ, rather than a guy in charge of whether Jesus will be his Lord or not, deciding whether he wants a more abundant life by voting for Jesus to sit on a throne in his heart?  God is incredibly gracious and merciful.  His throne is a throne of grace.  And it is a throne of grace.