“ if you confess 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

Jesus is Lord. It’s one of the best-known phrases in all of Christianity. Everyone says it…but how many people know what it really means? How many people make this truth central to their lives?In Romans 10:9, the Greek word for Lord, κύριος, is derived from “kuros”, meaning “supremacy”.  In this verse, it means “he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.” In modern American culture, the idea of looking to anyone as having supremacy in our lives is unfamiliar to us, but it’s a lack we need to overcome if we are to be in right relationship with Jesus.Jesus is Lord … what exactly does that look like? What is He Lord of? First, Jesus is head over all others in authority. He is Lord of lords. When someone was referred to as “lord” (lower case) in Jesus’ day, it meant people of importance, such as a prince or a Roman emperor. From the perspective of the believer, Jesus is Lord of lords and King of kings.   Jesus is supreme over all people or beings everywhere. Just as a lord in the Roman empire reported to the Roman emperor who was lord of that empire, all the greatest of the lords of the earth, or the kings of the earth are subordinate to Jesus. Jesus is Lord of all; there is no one above Him.

Secondly, Jesus is Lord of our lives. Think back to the story of Esther, for whom approaching the throne could have cost her her life. Think of David, who, even when he knew King Saul was after him, still showed reverence for him, because of his position as king. In our innermost being, where the course of our life is decided is a throne room. In this room is a throne, and it only seats one. Who is sitting on the throne in your heart? Is it you, or is it Jesus? Are you trying to share it with Him? You can’t serve yourself and Jesus at the same time. Jesus will share the throne with nobody. He will not come where He is not invited.

What does it mean to live for Jesus, as opposed to living for yourself? If you live for yourself, Jesus is not on the throne; you have taken His place. If Jesus is Lord, you are willing to do what He demands of you, even when it requires submitting your will to His. His demands could be long-term: if He says He wants you to quit your job and go into the missions field, you do it if He is truly your Lord. And it is short term: if He demands that you confess that sin, or make that phone call and offer forgiveness to one who has wronged you, you do it if He is truly your Lord.

Philippians 2:10 tells us that one day, every knee will bow to Him and call Him Lord.  Every knee.  Every tongue.  Each man, woman, and child will agree that Jesus is who He says He is. Blessed is the one who recognizes it, and walks in it, long before that day.