"Here I Stand, Part Deux"

Our continuing series on core principles, "Here I Stand," continues with core principle #2. This is a biggie. Jesus is Lord and Savior. Whew! I know, your thinking I really went out on a limb on that one. Jesus is Lord and Savior. What a radical thing for a pastor to say. Granted, I probably did not divulge one of the great mysteries of the universe with that one. But, it is an important principle. And I fear, because it is so simple and straightforward, we often overlook it. But, as the incarnation of God's love, Jesus is Lord of all creation. Through his ministry of grace and healing, through his crucifixion where he took upon himself the sins of the world, and by the power of his resurrection, Jesus has ushered in a new kingdom of love and grace. Yes, it is simple. But, what does it mean if it is actually true. If Jesus really is the Lord and Savior of all creation, how does that change my life. It should change it in absolutely every conceivable way. This means, not only has God through Jesus Christ done great things in the world, but he has also called us through those "mighty acts in Christ Jesus" to allow our lives to be shaped and molded by Jesus' example of sacrificial and self-giving love (see previous blog "how Shall the Kingdom be Won?" for a deeper discussion of this). Some scriptures that help to illuminate this principle are Luke 4:16-21, John 3:16, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, and Philippians 2:5-11. Jesus is Lord and Savior. Here I stand. Are you with me?