MASTER JESUS
"That if thou shalt confess with the mouth Lord (*which means master) Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved"(Rom. 10:9).
*The literal translation from the original Hebrew and Greek of the Bible for the word "Lord" is "Master," as in a master/servant relationship. The word Lord is so often used in association with or in place of Jesus's name by Christians that it has almost become part of His name in usage, a way of addressing Him in speech or prayer often without the conscious realization that it is not His name, but is in reality His title--"Master Jesus" to His servant Christians. This is not a confortable connotation for fiercely independent Americans, but it is nevertheless our actual position in relation to Jesus as Savior--as servants to our Master's will.
What changes would the realization and deliberate acknowledgement of our true relationship to our Master Jesus as Christians bring to our church services, witnessing, and prayer life? Would a minister or layperson be so bold as to demand the attention of our Savior in Heaven if instead of crying out "Lord!," they addressed Him as "Master"? What kind of adament requests would a servant whose daily needs have already been well taken care of make of his master? A grateful servant would presume to make very few. Substitute Master for the word Lord in your scripture reading and experience the difference in perspective.
The word "master" is defined as one having authority or control over others. Some who profess to be Born-again Christians state that as part of their "sanctification process". They strive to daily submit more and more of their mind and will over to the authority and control of their Savior Jesus. According to Romans 10:9, the feat of becoming a servant given over completely to the Savior's will, the will of our "Master Jesus," is realized and accepted completely as an act of our will and confessed with our mouth at the exact moment of our conversion. It is a miracle originated and orchestrated by the Holy Spirit and is absolutely necessary if our salvation is to be genuine. Jesus is to be our complete Master Savior from the beginning, if we have been predestined to become His servants before creation, truly children of God and His emmissaries on earth from the start.
I have been reading Iagain The Man in the Iron Mask , the last book in The Three Musketeers Series by Alexander Dumas. Not that long ago in human history, it was considered to be a privilege and honor to serve someone important, to pledge one's life in service to them with loyalty and courage, self-sacrifice if necessary. As Christians, if we perform and complete our missions well, one day we will be greeted by our Master King on His palace grounds with the additional reward of the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
P.S. Melinda Doolittle, one of the last three contestants on the American Idol program, good Christian girl that she is, when the show's camera crew this week visited her hometown of Brentwood, Tennessee (just outside Nashville), she led them to her home church. During last night's live broadcast, Melinda wore a dress which bore the words, "Death Cheater" and a cross. Though she possessed by far, and consistently, the absolute best singing voice and professional delivery of the season, this week, of course, she was voted off. God bless this courageous Christian willing to take a stand for her faith, one of Jesus's good and faithful servants.
J. Wallace
*The literal translation from the original Hebrew and Greek of the Bible for the word "Lord" is "Master," as in a master/servant relationship. The word Lord is so often used in association with or in place of Jesus's name by Christians that it has almost become part of His name in usage, a way of addressing Him in speech or prayer often without the conscious realization that it is not His name, but is in reality His title--"Master Jesus" to His servant Christians. This is not a confortable connotation for fiercely independent Americans, but it is nevertheless our actual position in relation to Jesus as Savior--as servants to our Master's will.
What changes would the realization and deliberate acknowledgement of our true relationship to our Master Jesus as Christians bring to our church services, witnessing, and prayer life? Would a minister or layperson be so bold as to demand the attention of our Savior in Heaven if instead of crying out "Lord!," they addressed Him as "Master"? What kind of adament requests would a servant whose daily needs have already been well taken care of make of his master? A grateful servant would presume to make very few. Substitute Master for the word Lord in your scripture reading and experience the difference in perspective.
The word "master" is defined as one having authority or control over others. Some who profess to be Born-again Christians state that as part of their "sanctification process". They strive to daily submit more and more of their mind and will over to the authority and control of their Savior Jesus. According to Romans 10:9, the feat of becoming a servant given over completely to the Savior's will, the will of our "Master Jesus," is realized and accepted completely as an act of our will and confessed with our mouth at the exact moment of our conversion. It is a miracle originated and orchestrated by the Holy Spirit and is absolutely necessary if our salvation is to be genuine. Jesus is to be our complete Master Savior from the beginning, if we have been predestined to become His servants before creation, truly children of God and His emmissaries on earth from the start.
I have been reading Iagain The Man in the Iron Mask , the last book in The Three Musketeers Series by Alexander Dumas. Not that long ago in human history, it was considered to be a privilege and honor to serve someone important, to pledge one's life in service to them with loyalty and courage, self-sacrifice if necessary. As Christians, if we perform and complete our missions well, one day we will be greeted by our Master King on His palace grounds with the additional reward of the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
P.S. Melinda Doolittle, one of the last three contestants on the American Idol program, good Christian girl that she is, when the show's camera crew this week visited her hometown of Brentwood, Tennessee (just outside Nashville), she led them to her home church. During last night's live broadcast, Melinda wore a dress which bore the words, "Death Cheater" and a cross. Though she possessed by far, and consistently, the absolute best singing voice and professional delivery of the season, this week, of course, she was voted off. God bless this courageous Christian willing to take a stand for her faith, one of Jesus's good and faithful servants.
J. Wallace
Labels: Servants to our Master Jesus
posted by Purgatory Penman | 7:24 PM
1 Comments:
What kind of adament requests would a servant whose daily needs have already been well taken care of make of his master? A grateful servant would presume to make very few.
Great point--one that I need to keep in mind!
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