Jesus, Lord of all

In Communion our church remembers the Lord Jesus Christ and what He has done for us. In Baptism, the people baptized proclaim their union with the Lord Jesus Christ as the rest of us, with great joy, celebrate their new life. The joy continues in my heart today as I think of what God has done in sending His Son to be my Savior.

Jesus came in the fullness of all that God is — to declare Him to us. Jesus is God in human flesh, yet the Bible warns that this will not be welcome news to everyone. Paul wrote: 

“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.” (Colossians 2:8–9)

The identity of Jesus is an affront to some people. I’m trying to think why, but all I know is my own difficulty in declaring Him. It is easier to talk about God than to name the name of Christ. Perhaps this is because whenever I do, there is a reaction. Besides that, just saying His name reminds me of my own sin, my shortcomings, my personal reason for believing. I worship and serve Jesus Christ because there is nothing else that is important, that I can boast about. Talking about Him is humbling.

Nevertheless, Jesus is everything. “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.” (Colossians 1:18) He is ‘the firstborn of every creature’ (verse 15), meaning that Christ is the one out of whom creation was born.

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

Because all things sprang from him, He is the original cause of all things, “the beginning of the creation of God.” And this makes me fall on my face, sense my nothingness in the light of Him. This is the same experience of anyone who hears and yields to this amazing King of kings. The Bible declares how He will be honored in heaven:

“And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ‘Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.’” (Revelation 4:9–11)

Some will refuse to honor Him in faith. Even His disciples doubted at first. Eight days after He rose from the dead, His disciples were inside a room along with Thomas . . .

“Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’” (John 20:26–29)

Those who say they must see to believe are making excuses. Jesus is God raised from the dead, God revealed. The Bible says that one day everyone will know this:

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9–11)

Jesus, I’ve no reason at all to hesitate at saying Your name. One day, everyone will say it — willingly or otherwise. Grant me whatever I need to boldly declare it now, even as I will forever in eternity.