Jesus is Lord, What Does That Mean

When we hear that Jesus is Lord, it should conjure up some feelings and understandings within us. But, what are they. James MacDonald asks in my study this morning what I think about when I hear that Jesus is Lord. My written response was quick and only three words, King, controller, Father. Then I kept reading and came to the realization, He is more than that and I have to think harder.

Jesus is Lord is not just about who He is but also what He is. He has titles and roles, He is not just there. Way more is Jesus as Lord than King, controller, and Father.

“¹⁵He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. ¹⁷And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. ¹⁹For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, ²⁰and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” – Colossians 1:15-20 (ESV)

Colossians 1:15-20 give us the picture of who Jesus is and what He does/did. MacDonald lists out six things that He is/does/did. Where I agree 100 percent, I wanted to bring my own thoughts here.

“¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was in the beginning with God. ³All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” – John 1:1-3 (ESV)

Jesus is Lord means that He is the everything. He is the beginning of everything. He is the end of everything. He is all things between. He created everything. Even as the image of God, there is not another like Him. Jesus as Lord is not just a role or a title or a position. He is action. He demonstrates Himself through that action. I have to remember that what He can do and does or did is as much of Him as who He is.

Something that struck me in my study this morning is our molecular structure. Our molecules should be exploding based on science yet they do not thanks to the Lordship of Jesus (see Colossians 1:17 above). He holds us together even at our most basic self. Jesus did not just create us, He keeps us together for His glory.

My thoughts of Jesus as Lord were so simplistic before, and where it is not bad to have a simple view, I have to remember that He is way more. As I have dove in and think of Jesus as Lord now, I think of Him as it all. All things come after Him, and, because of Him. I come back to the next part that John reminds us in His gospel.

“⁴In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” – John 1:4-5 (ESV)

Jesus stands above all because He is above all. He is the light on the hill that draws us to Himself. He is looking over us and protecting us, because He created us. He loves us as a creation, but also as a Father and a brother. Jesus is Lord, because He is.

What do you think about when you hear, Jesus is Lord? Are you thinking as I did, about who He is? What if you were to add in all that He did/does and lean on that He created all things and all things are here after Him and because of Him, including you?