Daniel Fast Day 12

DEEPLY ROOTED
You’re Not the Boss of Me!


As a kid growing up in a home with other siblings, especially siblings close in age, the phrase, “You’re not the boss of me!” was very often heard and expressed. Humans don’t like to be told what to do. We especially don’t like to be told what to do when we perceive the person telling us is less than or the same as us. In my family growing up, we would say things like, “who died and made you king?” with the response of, “Mom and Dad told me to watch you guys!”. It seems like there were always two groups created by the challenge of absent parents. The first group who claimed authority, and the second group who felt it was their duty to rebel to the aforementioned, newly established authority. Things would eventually escalate to the point of shouting verbal insults and threats, “I am going to tell Mom and Dad when they get home!”. With retorts of, “you’re not the boss of me!”.

I have news for you. This is news you can use. It is news you probably know, so no surprises here. Christ Jesus is the Boss of you and me! He is not only the Boss of us, He is the Boss of all of us. Here’s what we need to grasp. Our acceptance or rejection of Christ’s authority in no way impedes or diminishes His authority. Maybe you have heard the statement, “If Jesus is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all.” I admit I have used that phrase in many of my sermons. I understand the sentiment to encourage all of us to give Jesus free reign in every area of our lives, yet it conveys with it a sense of us limiting Christ’s authority. Jesus is Lord. He is Lord of all. Those who accept His Lordship will enjoy the benefit of His goodness and kindness. Those who reject His Lordship will receive the result of their disobedience and dissonance. Christ’s Lordship is neither enhanced nor diminished by those who believe and those who do not believe. Plain and simple, Christ Jesus is Lord, and every knee shall bow and every tongue confess!

Paul continues with the thought of Christ’s preeminence: “He is the Head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He might come to have first place in everything. For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.”  Colossians 1:18-19(NRSV) Christ Jesus is the head of the church, and we are the Body of Christ. Nobody can function without a head. Even the Headless Horseman (Irish myth) carries his head under his one arm. The body cannot function without the head, in the same way, the church cannot function without Christ. When the church tries to find its expression or function outside of the Lordship of Christ, it becomes derelict and void of Christ’s power. Christ Jesus being raised from the dead demonstrates that He has first place in everything. The striving should cease for all of us because the prize of first place has already been awarded. Jesus, through his death, burial and resurrection reconciles everything to Himself and makes peace between heaven and earth.

“and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.  This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions.  Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.” Colossians 1:20-22(NLT)

The God of creation purchased our salvation through the very One who made everything. His work is complete, and He left nothing more to be done. Our salvation is complete and our sin has been purged by God Himself. We have to believe and receive what Christ has done. Stop trying to pay for something that has already been paid for. You couldn’t pay for it no matter how hard you tried. Just accept what was done on your behalf by Him (Jesus). I hear people say, “well I am just trying to do better” yet it seems that trying to be better is not what Jesus did for us. Jesus did not make us better, He made us over. We are born again, reborn. We are made new. “Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence.” 2 Corinthians 5:17(GW) Our first birth plunged us into being enemies of God. The way we thought and the way we behaved was completely contrary to the ways of God. Then Christ came and reconciled us to the Father. His reconciliation is complete. It is so thorough, that as we stand in His presence, we have no blame and not a single fault! We need to stop trying to be better, and just believe what Jesus has done for us, and walk in the new way of living.

There is no reason to appeal to any higher court because the Highest Court has already pronounced the verdict. There is no reason to do penance because the Judge took your penalty upon Himself. No matter how loud the accuser shouts, “they are guilty!”, Heaven’s Lamb has declared your innocence. “But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it.”  Colossians 1:23(NLT) There is no reason to live a weak Christian experience. We are weakened when we allow ourselves to drift away from the truth of who Jesus is and what He has done for us. Jesus is first in everything and will forever be, regardless if you believe it or not. Believing doesn’t make Jesus Lord more, believing simply acknowledges He is Lord!

Jesus Christ is Lord. He is Lord of all creation. He is Lord over the sinner and the saint. He is the Boss of all of us. The difference between those who believe and those who do not is simply when they acknowledge His Lordship. He gives us a choice.  We can acknowledge Him as Lord before our days on earth are done or we will acknowledge Him as Lord the day after our life has ended. “That is why God has now lifted him so high, and has given him the name beyond all names, so that at the name of Jesus “every knee shall bow”, whether in Heaven or earth or under the earth. And that is why, in the end, “every tongue shall confess” that Jesus Christ is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11(J.B. Phillips) 

So, take heart! Our sins are forgiven and our innocence established. We have a place in His presence, we are members of His body and we have a part in His Kingdom. In the end, everyone and everything in all of creation, including the unseen world, will acknowledge, “He is the Boss of me…”

Prayer and Reflection:

  • Do you see yourself as holy, blameless, and without a single fault in God’s presence? If not, why not? If Jesus sees you this way, why are you not seeing yourself the same way?
  • The things we struggle with the most are the things we try to control. What do you need to release to Christ’s Lordship? Why are you reluctant?
  • What are you afraid will happen if you release everything to God? Considering how much God loves you, is this fear rational?
  • Your relationship with Christ is rooted in love, operated by faith, and lived out in humble obedience. Which part do you need to grow in? What is your plan and strategy to grow in these areas? When will you start?

Father, I acknowledge Jesus’ Lordship in every area of my life. I release my need to be in control and ask Your will be done in my life. I am spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically, financially, and relationally under Your Lordship. Reveal any and all areas where I lie to myself or justify myself, instead of trusting You.

Thank You Jesus for loving me and reconciling me to the Father. Help me to walk in the new way of living You purchased for me through Your Blood. Help me to see myself as You see me in Your presence. Forgive me where I have failed and strengthen me so that I may stand firm in the truth of who You are and don’t allow me to drift away from the Good News!

You are my Lord! In Jesus’ Name, Amen!
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