Jesus is Lord

Luke 12:35-59

Jesus does not fit into easy categories. Jesus is a healer, comforter, teacher, friend, and savior. He also challenges us, calls us to repentance, and at times scares the daylight out of us. It is no longer happy, loving Jesus when he says things like: "that slave who knew what his master wanted, but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted, will receive a severe beating." (Luke 12:47) A severe beating for not being obedient and ready. What do we do with this? How do we reconcile a loving and gracious Lord with these kinds of statements? Some people choose to ignore the apocalyptic and final judgment Jesus. They simply focus on God's grace and assume that all people will go to heaven. I cannot take scripture so lightly when Jesus speaks relatively clearly about the consequences of rejecting God.
Jesus is Lord. This was the first creedal statement of the early church. Jesus is Lord means that he is in charge and we are not. Jesus gets to decide who is in and who is out. Our faith teaches us that through Christ's death and resurrection we have the promise of eternal life. This promise is real, it is true, and can be trusted. But, outside of the promise...we should approach these topics with fear and trembling. It is God's business to decide the eternal fate of each person. Through faith and by the grace of God we can be assured of our salvation. But I cannot so easily dismiss the tough teachings in scripture which imply dire consequences for those who reject God. Jesus' message for us is to be ready. Be ready to stand before the Lord. Be ready to decide whether you stand with or against God. This Jesus makes me nervous and reminds me that following Christ is of cosmic importance and not simply a life-style improvement decision. Jesus is Lord and the Lord is in charge.