Jesus Is Messiah and Lord

Before you consider what Jesus may ask of you, discover what kind of Lord He is.

What Kind of Lord Is Jesus?

That Sunday morning, the family had sung a song that repeatedly called Jesus Lord. On the way home, Sam asked, "Do we use that word so often that we stop hearing what it means?"

Later that afternoon, Anna wrote a new question in the blue notebook:

What kind of Lord is Jesus?

"That question should come before we talk about what He may ask from us," Dad said.

Joel leaned back in his chair. "Because lord can sound like someone who only gives orders."

"Then let us begin," Mum said, "not with a dictionary, but with Jesus on His knees."

The Lord Who Knelt Down

Dad asked Joel to read John 13:1–15.

On the night before the cross, Jesus washed His disciples' feet. Foot washing was normally the work of a servant. Yet Jesus knelt before His followers and served them.

Then He said:

"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am."
John 13:13

"Some rulers make themselves look important by making other people feel small," Mum said. "Jesus used His authority to serve."

"Jesus did not stop being Lord when He knelt down," Anna said.

"No," Dad replied. "He showed us what His lordship is like. His authority is never selfish, cruel or insecure."

Dad asked them to read Philippians 2:5–11. Jesus humbled Himself, took the place of a servant and obeyed even to death on a cross. God then raised Him to the place of highest honour.

"Every knee should bow...and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord."
Philippians 2:10–11

"Why does Paul say that every knee will bow?" Joel asked.

"He is echoing Isaiah 45:23, where the Lord says that every knee will bow to Him," Dad explained. "Paul uses that language for Jesus. Calling Jesus Lord is much more than calling Him a respected teacher. It gives Jesus the honour that belongs to God, and Paul says this brings glory to God the Father."

Anna looked back at John 13. "So the One with the highest authority is the One who knelt to serve."

"Yes," Dad said. "The Lord who asks for your life is the Lord who gave His life for you. When we follow the King who knelt, we learn to serve too."

What Do Messiah and Lord Mean?

Sam took the notebook.

"Can we write down what the titles mean? I used to think Christ was part of Jesus' name."

Dad smiled. "Many people do."

When Christians say Jesus is Lord, they recognise that the crucified and risen Jesus is God's promised King and the rightful ruler over everyone and everything.

Paul writes:

"If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
Romans 10:9

"Is saying those words a password?" Joel asked.

"No. Repeating a sentence does not save us," Dad replied. "The words express the trust of the heart. Paul joins believing that God raised Jesus with openly confessing Him as Lord."

Mum added, "The good news is not merely that salvation is available. It announces who Jesus is. He is the Messiah who died for sins, the King God raised from the dead and the Lord who saves."

THE GOSPEL ANNOUNCES THE KING → THE KING RESCUES → HIS PEOPLE BEGIN LEARNING HIS WAY

From Self-Rule to Trusting the Saving King

"Could I accept Jesus as Saviour now and decide about Lord later?" Sam asked.

Anna responded before Dad could. "Wouldn't that divide Jesus into the parts we want and don't want?"

"Yes," Dad said. "We cannot separate the Jesus who saves from the Jesus who leads. We receive the One who loved us, gave Himself for us and now calls us to follow."

"Then what does it mean?" Sam asked.

"It means we come to Jesus as the Person He truly is," Dad replied. "We may still be learning, but we cannot ask Jesus to rescue us while closing every door to His guidance."

To receive Jesus is not to add a spiritual helper to a life we still insist on ruling. It is to trust the Saviour who died and rose for us and welcome Him as Lord.

Grace is not a reward for perfect surrender. But grace brings us to the Lord we are beginning to follow.

"This takes us back to Adam and Eve, doesn't it?" Joel asked.

"Tell me how," Dad replied.

"They wanted to decide good and evil for themselves."

"Yes. They wanted to be the final judges of right and wrong. They wanted to define what was good without trusting their Creator."

Anna wrote two sentences:

Self-rule says: “I will be the final authority over my life.”

Faith says: “Jesus, You are my Lord. Teach me what is truly good.”

"Are we giving freedom back to God when we receive Jesus as Lord?" Sam asked.

"God never lost His authority," Dad replied. "We are giving up our false claim to be the final authority."

Joel shifted in his chair. "That still sounds like losing freedom."

Dad nodded. "I understand. But doing whatever we desire is not freedom if sin, fear, pride or the need for approval is controlling us."

Jesus warned that sin becomes a kind of slavery. Then He said:

"If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
John 8:36

Jesus does not erase our personality. His good rule frees us from sin's control and teaches us to love what is good.

The Kingdom Worth Everything

"If salvation is a gift," Anna asked, "why did Jesus tell people to count the cost?"

"That is an important question," Dad said. "Let's read two of His shortest parables."

In Matthew 13:44–46, Jesus described a man who found hidden treasure and a merchant who found one pearl of extraordinary value. Both recognised something worth more than everything they had. The first man acted with joy.

"Did they buy salvation by giving up everything?" Sam asked.

"No. Jesus was not placing a price tag on salvation," Dad replied. "Grace cannot be bought. The parables show that nothing is more valuable than Jesus and His kingdom. When we see the treasure clearly, everything else is valued differently."

"And the first man acted with joy," Anna said.

"Yes. Jesus and His kingdom are worth more than everything we try to keep apart from Him."

"Does following Jesus mean selling everything, leaving school and giving up every plan?" Sam asked.

"Not necessarily," Dad answered. "Those things may be gifts from God. Lordship means we no longer keep them outside His direction."

Joel picked up the pen. "Then what does it cost?"

Together they wrote several clarifying lines.

Salvation cannot be bought. Following Jesus may change how we use our money and possessions.

We do not become perfect before coming. We come honestly and let Jesus correct what is sinful.

We do not need every question answered before coming. We trust Jesus while continuing to learn, even when faithfulness costs comfort or approval.

"The cost is not a payment for salvation," Dad said. "Jesus has completed the saving work. What we leave behind is the claim that we alone will decide what is right."

Jesus said:

"Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."
Luke 9:23

To deny yourself does not mean hating yourself. It means refusing to treat your desires as the highest authority.

To take up your cross and follow means trusting Jesus and obeying Him even when faithfulness is costly.

Jesus also told people to count the cost before claiming to follow Him. See Luke 14:28–33. He was not looking for hurried promises that would disappear when life became difficult. He invited people to respond honestly and wholeheartedly.

Lordship in Ordinary Life

Sam's phone buzzed against the table. He turned it face down.

"Does lordship reach things as ordinary as what I do on this?" he asked.

Dad smiled. "Especially the ordinary things. We learn to follow Jesus in ordinary moments."

"It might affect what we watch, post or hide online," Anna said.

"And how we study or think about our future," Joel added.

Together they listed areas that belong to Jesus:

• our bodies, friendships and relationships;
• phones, entertainment and private online life;
• studies, work and ambitions;
• money and possessions;
• words, choices and hidden habits;
• gifts, time and future plans.

"Jesus may not take those things away," Anna said. "But He may change how we use them."

"Exactly," Dad replied. "He may ask us to leave something sinful, tell the truth, apologise, forgive or use a gift in a new way."

If following Jesus creates disagreement, remain respectful, gentle and loving. Do not create conflict to prove that you are serious. Ask mature Christians for help so that you can respond with courage and wisdom.

Following Jesus is personal, but it is not meant to be secret and lonely. Jesus brings us into His people so that we can receive guidance, correction and encouragement.

A New Direction, Not Instant Perfection

Sam stared at the list. "What if I truly want to follow Jesus and then fail?"

"You will fail at times," Dad said. "I do too."

The children looked at him.

"Sometimes I have known that I should apologise, but my pride resisted," Dad continued. "Calling Jesus Lord meant I could no longer pretend my pride was right. I had to return to Him."

"Then how is lordship real if Christians still disobey?" Joel asked.

"The direction of life has changed," Dad said. "Christians may still disobey, but they no longer want to defend self-rule as their right. When Jesus corrects us through Scripture, we learn to admit it, return to Him and follow again."

We are not saved because we follow perfectly. Obedience is fruit that begins to grow from living trust in Jesus.

"Is following an extra requirement added after trusting?" Sam asked.

"No," Dad said. "Following is the new direction that begins when you receive the Lord."

Trusting the risen King begins a life of belonging to Him, not a life of instant perfection. Turning, trusting and receiving Jesus are not achievements that earn salvation. They describe different parts of the same response to Jesus. Following is the new direction of that life.

Joel read the words quietly.

"Then this is not a question Dad can answer for us," he said.

"No," Dad replied. "The next page is not another lesson from me. It is space for each of us to answer Jesus honestly."

The next page gives you quiet space to consider Jesus honestly and respond without pressure or performance.