Matt Chandler - Jesus Is Lord

If you have your Bibles, I think it’s important for you to grab them or your device and get to the text. We’re literally going to look at this passage phrase by phrase. I want to give you a warning, or maybe I should say that I want to make you aware, that I will touch on some sensitive subjects in this sermon that may have an emotional impact on some of you. Let me outline what those are: because of the context of the New Testament, I’m going to address sexuality, abortion, and infanticide. I’m asking for your trust as we go through this. I’m trying to please the Lord and be bold, but I want you to understand that people are complex. I hope you won’t be shocked right in the middle of the sermon, as these subjects will take shape gradually, allowing you to understand the context as we approach them. Are we good? I’m just trying to prepare everyone for what’s to come.

My dad was a military man, and I grew up on military bases. He had a strong emphasis on titles and respect. Perhaps it wasn’t just the military—it was also the era in which I grew up. I’m a Gen Xer, and the times were different. What I mean is, I knew no adult by their first name; they were always Mr., Ms., Doctor, or Pastor. They were never just their first name. If I was feeling a bit confident and threw out a first name, there was no time-out in my day. We never got to go to a corner to reflect on that disrespect. My dad had a strong grip; he would grab the back of my neck and squeeze just enough to let me know he could control me. Anyone else relate? Did they train our dads in this? Did Boomers take a course or something? He would squeeze enough to communicate, «I could kill you. I’m not going to; that’s illegal, but let’s not ever do that again.» The culture I grew up in wasn’t as casual as the one we find ourselves in now.

I became a Christian at First Baptist Church of Texas City, Texas, where everyone wore what we used to call their «Sunday Best.» It was one of the ways you honored the Lord. I’m from a very blue-collar place, and those refinery workers, welders, and roughnecks looked so awkward in their suits. They wore them because they wanted to honor God, and there was some good in that, but also a lot of bad. Even when I got to Highland Village First Baptist Church, also known as The Village, I had to go shopping for slacks and a button-up shirt. I had just been doing student ministry all over the country, and you generally don’t wear Banana Republic slacks to those things. So, I had to get some appropriate attire. But we are a culture that’s becoming increasingly casual. While that has its benefits, it has downsides too. My dad was serious about titles; Mr., Mrs., Doctor, and, to a lesser degree, Pastor, mattered.

You’ve probably encountered this if you call a nurse practitioner a nurse. They will let you know, «Actually, I’m a nurse practitioner. I did a little extra schooling. I’m not just a nurse.» It’s not that being «just» a nurse is bad; it’s just that if you’ve done the extra study, you want people to recognize your achievement. I think this plays out in other areas as well. For example, don’t call flight attendants 'stewardesses.' There are many little places where titles matter. It’s funny when I mention that because I can see the nurse practitioners in the room thinking, «Finally, someone from the stage gets it!» Then when I said 'flight attendant, ' I sensed nods of agreement.

Why am I opening with this? Because Jesus in the New Testament has many titles. Let me share some of his titles: he’s Christ, the Word, the Lamb of God, Emmanuel, the Son of Man, and the King of Israel. But the main title used for Jesus, which is also the most political title, appears 750 times in the New Testament: Jesus is Lord. I draw attention to this because, in our day, it’s easy to say, «Yeah, Jesus is Lord,» but this is an incredibly political statement. In the Roman Empire, it was subversive, antagonistic, and ultimately led to persecution.