I heard a preacher say that Jesus is taught as Savior only two times in the book of Acts. Interesting, right? It gets more interesting, as that same preacher counted that Jesus was taught as Lord some 93 times in the same book! That means that, yes, the Apostles and early church believed Jesus was, indeed, our savior, but they emphasized His Lordship even more (nearly 95 Percent more times, in fact)! What does this mean for us? It means that we, in our modern faith might be in trouble, doesn’t it? Why? We like the idea of Jesus as Savior, but many of us reject Him as Lord, and we MUST have Him as both.
Jesus does, indeed, rescue us from our sins. He did, indeed, become the all encompassing, all atoning sacrifice for our sins, but He is more than a Sacrifice! He is LORD. He is the model of what we should be. He gets to decide what we should be. He is more than a Sacrifice, more than a good example, He is the One who created everything, and established the laws that hold the universe together. He designed us in His image, and so, He gets to determine what image we hold. Everything else is arrogant and prideful. Everything else is us demanding a savior and rejecting the Lord. When we give our lives to Christ, our lives are His to command. Jesus is our King, our Lord, our Savior, and the reason we’re adopted as sons and heirs in His Kingdom. We have no rights before Him. We have no hope beside Him. We owe all to Him, and should follow Him with everything we are.
Philippians 2:1-18
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 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.
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
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