Signed, `I, Jesus,` (Rev. 22: 16)

[Marilyn C]

There is now a group of us who are studying & meditating on the Lordship of Christ. We shared how after accepting Jesus as saviour that there came a distinct time when we acknowledged that Jesus was Lord of our lives.

It was encouraging to hear each story of how we had realised that Christ was Lord of our lives & that we were no longer `in charge.` Christ was the One who knew us & He has been directing our ways over many years. Testimonies like that build each other up in the spirit & knit us closer together.

May you also share & meditate on what Christ`s Lordship means to you. Talking about our Lord, helps us to grow to know Him more & develops us into maturity.
 

[Marilyn C]

God the Father gives us an awesome picture of Christ`s Lordship in Revelation chapter one. This is a vision of the glorified, exalted Lord as He is known in the heavenly realms. The Apostle John tells us what he saw.

`I saw seven golden lampstands, & among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to His feet & with a golden sash around His chest. His head & hair were white like wool, as white as snow, & His eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, & His voice was like the sound of rushing waters.
In His right hand He held seven stars, & out of His mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. Then He placed His right hand on me & said “Do not be afraid.” (Rev. 1: 12 – 17)

We could quite identify with the Apostle John who was overcome by this wondrous vision of the Lord Jesus. The blinding sight of Christ`s glory, His concentrated gaze & the terrible sword protruding from the mouth all made John`s heart tremble & become terror stricken. But the Lord lays His hand upon him & reassures him that He has all things under His command.



There is so much to talk about & discuss here but I thought it would be good to start with the authority the Lord has been given by the Father –

`In His right hand He held seven stars.` (Rev. 1: 16)

To me this is an amazing sight to behold as the Lord Jesus Christ is shown holding as it were the stars of heaven. I believe this is a symbolic picture of Christ the Lord with His royal sceptre to use as He wills. We are then told that the seven stars are the angels of the `called out ones,` the churches.

To understand the significance of this symbol we need to look throughout the Bible for God`s interpretation. In Job 9: 9, 38: 31 & Amos 5: 8 we see that the Pleiades cluster of stars are known as the `seven stars.` They are a magnificent constellation of millions of stars but only seven are visible to the naked eye. This group is more than three thousand billion miles away, yet Christ has decreed that they control our planetary system, drawing it on a vast orbit that takes a thousand years to complete one circuit.

What an amazing picture to show that the magnitude of Christ`s authority is beyond our human reckoning. It reveals that Christ, not only has the Administrative Authority over the centuries but throughout the world.

Thus it amazes me when people think that Christ`s Lordship is weak. They say `the church` is weak & ineffective, measuring Christ`s work by man`s organisations & numbers attending. They become driven to uphold man`s plans & thus get a distorted view of the Lordship of Christ.

So let us think on Christ`s Lordship over His Body as He is the One who has planned it, & He is carrying it through to completion.

How does knowing about Christ`s Lordship effect what you do in daily life?
 

[Persuaded]

Job 38:31 (KJV)

Canst thou bind the sweet influences (bonds, bands) of Pleiades, or loose the bands (cords) of Orion?

I've taken this to refer to constellations which have gravitationally related stars- a somewhat rare thing in the visible sky. It "so happens" that Job knew that Pleides and Orion were so linked.

See the part about "open clusters", here:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asterism_(astronomy)

[Persuaded]

Perhaps more to your point, it's interesring to review each encounter between man and the Lord in His non-flesh aspect. Offhand, I'm thinking of Moses and the bush, and later on the mountain, Joshua and the captain of the Lord's host, Isaiah, Daniel, John at the first appearance of Christ by the Jordan, Peter James and John at the transfiguration, Saul on the Damascus road, and John here in Revation 1- each has an equivalent response to "woe is me, I am undone". No matter how tall we stand among the pillars of faith in the scripture or since, we shall all be undone by His presence. We all will say, like Thomas, "my Lord and my God". It is interesting that that phrase can be said with adoration, or with terror.

[Marilyn C]

Hi Persuaded,

 

Thank you for your interest & your good comments. Yes, as you said - adoration or with terror - "my Lord & my God.` And as your said the different encounters people have had with the Lord. Now can you personally remember when you acknowledged Jesus as Lord of your life & not just as saviour? Can you share any of that here? 

[Persuaded]

I'm not much of a story teller, and long format stories don't work on the Internet...

But basically I'm a thinker more than a feeler (without disparaging feelers- the tallest pillar of faith in my life has been a feeler, a person who walked directly with God and for whom the scriptures seemed like a side dish rather than the thinker's main course). So for me, the scriptural substance and evidence, the more sure word of prophecy, the consistent use of types and models, the fingerprints of the Spirit throughout the Word, which prove day by day that Christ is Lord of time, that He spoke of Himself in the volume of the book, that His Word is true and His promises sure, all team up to establish Him as Lord. Yet He chose to become a servant and to take on flesh and humble Himself on the cross, and the constant realization of that fabulous gift of love constrains me to do all I can to serve Him.

Perhaps it is an interesting topic, whether He can be your savior if he isn't your Lord? "Belief" in scripture means much more than intellectual assent; it includes the element of obedience. Unless our belief comes in our dying moment, our belief will be lived out through our obedience to His lordship over our lives. I'm not sure the two concepts can exist, separately.

But, there is a process the new believer goes through, as they learn to trust God more and more, before entering His rest. I'm not sure where His Lordship begins there- we often fumble on the way between salvation (Israel saved from Egypt), and rest (the promised land), so that the 8 day's journey can last forty years. Perhaps recognition of His Lordship, and the full, selfless obedience that entails, is synonymous with His rest.

[Marilyn C]

Hi Persuaded,
 
(My computer has been getting checked over & it took over a week, so sorry for the delay in replying.)
 
Thank You for your thoughts. I really appreciated them & so did my husband. I do agree that Christ is Lord & Saviour & we cannot just have one aspect of Him. I have been asking friends when they came to realise His Lordship. Some said at a specific time while others have said over a period of time. For all of us I believe it is a gradual giving over of those areas in our lives that the Holy Spirit highlights to us.
 
I really appreciated your last comment -

[quote]`Perhaps recognition of His Lordship, and the full, selfless obedience that entails, is synonymous with His rest.`

Edited October 15, 2014 by Marilyn C

[Marilyn C]

The Lord desires that we know Him more & as we grow in that relationship of honour & respect we come to maturity in Him. One of the ways Christ has made for us to know Him is through His many titles. He reveals different aspects of Himself with these interesting names.

Let`s look at the group of three in Revelation 20: 13.

`I am the Alpha & Omega, the first & the last, the beginning & the end.` (Rev. 20: 13)

We looked at `Alpha & Omega,` further back, as the Lord being the Reservoir of all wisdom & the source & Author of all revealed truth.

Now let`s meditate & think upon Him as `the beginning & the end.` This to me reveals that Christ is the Originator of all things. Nothing exists without His originating energy. He also is the Overseer of all forms of life & the objective towards which all things tend & in which they will terminate.

Christ commenced & will conclude all time periods. He conceived the duration of the ages & will yet crown & consummate the ages to come. Everything is under His control. And no event came before the exercise of His will & none will come after His counsel. (1 Cor. 15: 28)

I believe that scripture tells us that Christ is the `end,` or aim for which all things are created.
`...for Thy pleasure they are & were created.` (Rev. 4: 11 KJ)

With Christ as the End, we have reached the end of desire, the goal, the climax of hope, for –
`of Him, & through Him, & to Him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen.` (Rom. 11: 36)

The End, a small word but oh the significance. Christ will end the strife & terror, the cries & conflicts, the anger & cruel words, He ends evil & all that defiles & will finally destroy the last enemy.

What a blessed hope & assurance for we can put our trust in Christ as `the Beginning & the End.`

What does that title of our Lord mean to you?

 

[Marilyn C]

We have been looking at one of the 3 triune names of our Lord from Revelation –

`I am the Alpha & Omega, the first & the last, the beginning & the end.` (Rev. 22: 13)

Let us read & meditate on the title `the first & last.` Christ revealed this title of Himself at the beginning of Revelation also.

`I was in the Spirit on the Lord`s day, & heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, saying, “I am Alpha & Omega, the first & the last:.....` (Rev. 1: 10 – 11 KJ)

We know that the final unveiling (revelation) of our Lord is given to fully identify the deity of Christ. We see Him reigning at the very pinnacle of His power, subjugating all things to Himself. Yet with a consummation there had to be a beginning. Thus standing at the very threshold of creation is Christ the first & foremost.

Our Lord`s claim, “I am the First,` is, I believe, a revelation of His almighty authority & energy. He is the sole source of spiritual strength, righteousness & holiness. Christ is also the first in expressing the fullness of the Godhead, the first as the Father`s resemblance, the first as the forgiver of sins, the first as a faultless sacrifice & the first in His mastery over death. There are scores of other `firsts` & maybe you can think of some more.

In relation to the word `last,` as Christ applies it to Himself we see that in His humanity He is the Last Adam, Headship of a spiritual race. He is also last in deity, which displays His final Headship supernaturally...

`...before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord: & beside me there is no saviour.` (Isa. 43: 10: 11)

The title, `Last,` is exclusively Christ`s own, & shows that He is the highest in position & supremacy.

 

` ...above all principality, & power & might, & dominion, & every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.` (Eph. 1: 21)

Yes it is through Him that the storms are stilled, strife is settled, and sorrows & sickness gone. Christ is the final solution to all mankind`s problems, whether national, social, racial or moral. The immensity of Christ`s exhaustless powers assures relief & rest to our hearts.

What does Christ`s title as the `first & last,` mean to you?

Edited October 24, 2014 by Marilyn C

[Guest]

What does Christ's title as the 'first & last' mean to you?

 

 

The First

 

He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Colossians 1:17 (NLT)

 

And

 

So also it is written, "The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 1 Corinthians 15:45 (NASB)

 

The Last

 

Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. Hebrews 2:8 (KJV)

 

As I Read It

 

Pay homage to the Son or He will be angry and you will perish in your rebellion, for His anger may ignite at any moment. All those who take refuge in Him are happy. Psalms 2:12 (HCSB)