Jesus claimed to be Yahweh, the I AM WHO I AM, the God of Abraham who appeared to Moses in the burning bush (Exodus 3:1-22). In one of the most important verses in the Bible, Jesus astounded his hearers with this claim: “Before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58).
To say that Jesus is Lord, therefore, is the same as saying that Jesus is God; he is more than your boss, he is your God. That is why he is your Ruler, your Master, and your Owner. To say that Jesus is Lord includes all these elements, but first of all he is your God. Some time ago I was speaking on the Lordship of Jesus and thought it would be a good idea to make a list of all the things of which Jesus is Lord. I started out well; but after an hour of writing I concluded what an idiotic thing that was to do. I was writing a list that would never end. I threw the list away. Jesus is Lord of everybody and everything; nothing and no one in all creation is excluded from his Lordship. He is Lord of every life, and every moment of every life, every thought, every word and every decision of every life. Jesus is the only way, not one way among many, or just another option from which to choose.
There is an old adage that preachers sometimes use: I admit that in the past I have used it myself. It says, Jesus is Lord of all or he is not Lord at all. I no longer believe that. Jesus is Lord of all, even if I do not acknowledge his Lordship. The writer Aldous Huxley once said, “Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.” Jesus is Lord: fact. People may not like that fact or they choose to live as if the fact is not true. Jesus is still Lord. He is also the Lord of every person who does not believe in him; he is Lord of all. Sometimes Christians are exhorted by preachers to make Jesus their Lord. I have heard them say, “You have received Jesus as your Saviour but now he invites you to make him your Lord.” That is totally incorrect. We do not make Jesus anything, especially our Lord. Jesus is Lord because he is Lord.
