Christ The Lord
Introduction
Ken Taylor of Louisiana says that he had a missionary friend who served in a restricted access country.
For many years the government of this country has taught the people that there is no God. My friend had the opportunity to interact on a regular basis with a nonbeliever of that country who is a highly educated professional.
After developing a friendship with the professional, my friend had the opportunity to share the gospel story with him. My friend was taken aback by the man’s response: “What you have told me cannot be true. If it were true, it is such good news that someone would have told this to me before”
How about that? He had a point, didn’t he? If it were such good news, then why have we not told everyone? Why would we hold good news to ourselves? Christmas is a time where we celebrate the good news and it should be a time when we share the good news. After all, did not the angels say to the shepherds, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10)? Turn there–Luke 2:10-11.
It is good news, isn’t it? I believe that one of the reasons we have not shared the good news is because we have not responded properly to who the good news really is. That same passage in Luke goes on to say in v. 11, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.”
The mysterious wise men came from the East in search of the One whose birth was to usher in a new era. They came saying, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2). The mention of an unborn babe who was to be a king aroused the jealousy and fear of Herod.
The possibility of a rival king stimulated his fear to the extent that he commanded that all male children in the city of Bethlehem below two years of age were to be slain to eliminate this suspected future rival for the throne.
The title “king” in those days had a significance that is almost forgotten in our day. A king exercised authority over a nation of individuals, and according to their wishes people perished or prospered. Today we give little thought to the title “king,” because there are very few kings who exercise any authority over their subjects. The closest word in our thinking is probably Lord.
During this Christmas season it would be profitable if each of us would listen to the angelic announcement of the birth of the Christ and make a positive response to the title of King, or Lord, that was bestowed upon Him at the time of His birth. In our sentimental consideration of the Babe who was born in Bethlehem to be our Savior we might miss the title that provides us with a clue to understanding the means by which He is to be the Savior of men.
There are few words in our religious vocabulary that have suffered a greater loss of original meaning than the word “Lord.” In modern usage this word has been robbed of its original content. We let this title glide across our tongue rather glibly, as if it were nothing more than a given name. In reality it is not a name. It is a title. To use it as a name is to misrepresent its significance.
We need to understand the meaning of “Lord” that we might properly respond to the person whose birth we celebrate at this season of the year. To neglect or to refuse to respond to the implications of this title of the Savior is to deny ourselves of that which He came to accomplish in the lives of men.
The Greek word kurios is a word with a wide variety of meanings, each of which has significance for understanding the person and ministry of Jesus Christ.
I am firmly convinced that if we understand the Lordship of Christ, then we will be far more motivated to share the good news. Christ is the good news and we need to have a much better handle on who He is, what He has come to do, and who He has come to redeem.
I. Kurios-Lord Was The Normal Address Of Respect In Everyday Greek
The modern term is sir in English; herr in German; monsieur in French; and senor in Spanish.
II. Kurios-Lord Was A Title Of Authority
By this title a distinction was indicated between the master and a slave. In the ancient world slavery was a universal practice. The population was divided into free and slaves. The slave’s owner was a kurios–a master. As such he could command the energies and efforts of his slaves. He could buy a man as a slave, and he could sell a slave that he owned to someone else. The slave was at the disposal of his kurios–his master.
Jesus used this word to distinguish the slave fromhismaster. “No servant can serve two masters. Eithter he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money” (Luke 16:13).
This title “Kurios-Lord,” which the angels ascribed to the Babe who was born in Bethlehem, indicated that He was One who would have the right to command. Many of us have failed to recognize and to respond to this fact.
The captain of a ship has the right of command. He is the executive officer over all that transpires on the ship. At his command the ship departs from port, and at his command the ship follows a course to his chosen destiny. The captain is kurios-lord. His authority is respected by both the officers and the enlisted men. He has the right of command. The men on the base pattern their lives according to his orders.
The angelic announcement said, “Unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Are we guilty of anarchy and rebellion against Him whom God ordained to be our Lord and Master?
III. Kurios-Lord Is Used To Describe Absolute Possession Or Ownership
He who owned a house, a field, an animal, or a slave was a Lord. The word that Jesus used in describing the owner of a vineyard is this word kurios (Luke 20:13). This word is also used to describe the owner of the colt upon which Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Luke 19:33).
In announcing that Jesus Christ is Lord, the angels were actually introducing Him to us as the owner of all things.
In John’s Gospel we read, “He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive
him” (John 1:11). He came to His own people, and they refused to recognize Him and respond to Him. Israel’s tragic response to Him has been repeated over and over through the centuries. When the Lord is rejected and man is left to his own resources, he loses his proper perspective.
IV. Kurios-Lord Was Used To Denote One Who Served As A Guardian
In the ancient world legal rights were denied to women as individuals. To engage in any business or contract or to hold possession of property a woman had to have a guardian. This guardian could be the husband, a brother, or possibly a more distant relative. By means of a guardian the rights of the unfortunate were protected.
There is substance for an entire sermon on the thought of Jesus Christ serving as our Guardian, Savior, and Redeemer. He protects us not only fromourselves but also from satanic forces. He is a guardian who has promised to be with us throughout all of our days in all of our ways.
V. Kurios-Lord Was The Standard Title Of The Roman Emperors
To be lord implied sovereignty, power, and authority.
By means of this title the emperor issued orders and decrees. Often when a pastor writes to his people he will affix his signature over his title or office as pastor. When a Roman emperor issued an edict, proclamation, or order, he would sign it with his signature and the title “Kurios.”
This title summed up his authority in the same way that a president serves by virtue of his office and a police officer serves by virtue of his oath and uniform. The emperor exercised his authority in more instances and far more extensively than that of any present ruler.
The angelic announcement of the Christ child’s birth contained the idea that Christ was to exercise this kind of authority over the souls of men. For us to recognize this may help us to understand why Herod was concerned to the extent that he eliminated the male children in the vicinity of Bethlehem.
From your heart are you able to say to Jesus, “You are my Master, and I will be obedient to you as a devoted slave”? Can you honestly say, “You are my Owner, and I will let you occupy every portion and position of my life”? Can you say, “You are my Guardian upon whom I depend for protection and guidance”? Are you willing to say to Him, “You are my Emperor, and because you loved me enough to die for me I want to be faithful to you in living a life dedicated to the growth of your Kingdom”?
Can you with Thomas say to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28)?
When we make Jesus the Lord of our lives He becomes our Savior. He brings us an inward assurance of peace and helps us to relate to others in a manner that produces peace among men.
If we are to really observe this Christmas in a proper manner, we must yield the sovereignty of our lives to Him who alone is Lord.