Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 2806
“Jesus our Lord.” Romans 4:24.
“JESUS our Lord” is a somewhat unusual form of expression to be used in the Scriptures. We have many references to, “Jesus Christ,” and to, “our Lord Jesus Christ,” but there is only one other passage in which this occurs. Yet, to me, it seems to be inexpressibly sweet. I shall be devoutly grateful to God if, in my sermon, I am able to convey to you even a tithe of the sweetness which I have drawn from this expression for my own enjoyment.
It is part of faith to accept very great contrasts and if we look, for a moment, at the words of our text, “Jesus our Lord,” and especially if we look at the connection in which they are found, we shall see a great contrast. Jesus, the “Man of Sorrows,” and yet, “our Lord” Jesus! Thoughts of sorrow, rejection and shame cluster around that blessed and ever-musical name, yet He is “our Lord” in the highest and Divine sense—our Lord and our God! Faith has learned to think of Him, even before His birth, as the Christ of God, and to give heed to the angel’s message to Joseph, “You shall call His name, Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.” Faith also bows at the manger with the worshipping shepherds and with the wise men from the East presenting gifts, realizing that the Infant is the Infinite and that the Babe of Bethlehem is the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Faith sees Jesus in the humble garb of a Galilean peasant, moving about in the company of a band of fishermen. She sees that He is a friend of publicans and sinners, yet she believes Him to be the Son of the Highest, though flesh and blood have not revealed that great Truth of God to her. Even in His humiliation, she knows Him as Lord of the sea who made the stormy waves lie still at His command, and as the Master of diseases, before whom all manner of sicknesses, and even devils, themselves, fled apace. She knows Him to have been a suffering Man, yet she calls Him, “Lord.” Yes, even though, on the Cross, she beholds, with tearful eyes, His agony and death—yet even there she salutes Him as Lord! She did so in the dying thief’s prayer, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And she has done it thousands of times since. And now, today, though the name of Jesus of Nazareth is bandied about and to many it is only a byword and the despised Galilean has, as yet, only a partial sway over the sons of men, yet Faith sees Him exalted to the highest heavens and she acknowledges Him as both Lord and God!
And these things which I said were contrasts which it was the part of Faith to accept, have ceased to be contrasts with her now, for now Faith sees but little contrast between Christ’s death and His reigning in Glory! In fact, she understands that the one is the outgrowth of the other, especially as she reads such a passage as this, “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a Servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a Man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in Heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Faith delights to think that Christ’s being Lord is the actual fruit of His having died and having risen again from the dead, for she comprehends the meaning of the Apostle Peter, at Pentecost, when he said to the Jews, “This Jesus has God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses…Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made that same
Jesus, whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Faith has quick ears and she has heard Jehovah speaking in the same language as that which saluted David’s ears, “Jehovah said unto My Lord, Sit You at My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool.” Even when Faith sees Jesus Christ under the most humiliating circumstances, she perceives how, out of that very humiliation, His mediatorial Kingdom has grown and she delights to acknowledge that glorious fact—and with adoring reverence she calls Him, “Jesus our Lord.”
Before I finish this introduction to my discourse, I want to remind you, Beloved, that notwithstanding all the sweetness with which the name of Jesus is associated, and the blessed condescension by which He has brought Himself so near to us, yet our faith never takes liberties with Him, or forgets that He is, “Jesus our Lord.” He is, “Jesus.” Oh, the ineffable sweetness of that dear, precious and consoling name! But He is also, “Jesus our Lord.” And you will always find that in proportion as faith grows, reverence grows. Unbelief is presumptuous, but faith is always humble. The more you know of Jesus as your Savior, saving you from sin, the more you will also recognize Him as your Lord. No one rebels against Christ because he believes in Him, but, because we believe in Him, He becomes our Lord and we learn to obey Him. That is the spirit I long to have reigning in all our hearts—the spirit of devout, worshipful reverence towards “Jesus our