It is important to remember that Jesus is both the Savior and the Lord. Philippians 2:1-11 reminds us.
1So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,6who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus is the Servant Savior
If someone were to ask you what Christianity is all about, what would you say? Some would describe Christian practices, such as going to church and reading the Bible. But Christianity is not primarily about what we do for Jesus. It is primarily about what Jesus did for us.
According to this passage, Jesus:
- Made himself nothing, letting go of his divine form
- Took the form of a servant, embracing human form
- Humbled himself, obediently dying on the cross
In John 13:1-8, Jesus kneels and begins to wash his disciple’s feet, which was a task performed by the most lowly servants. When he gets to Peter’s feet, Peter refuses. “You shall never wash my feet,” he says. Jesus replies, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” If you are not served by Jesus, you have no share with him.
Jesus is the Risen Lord
This passage states that Jesus is Lord, period. Whether one acknowledges this fact or not, it remains true; and one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess its trueness.
9Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus told his disciples, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Just as if you are not served by Jesus, you have no share with him; if you do not obey Jesus as Lord, you do not love him.
Both Savior and Lord
Being a Christian is like riding a bike. Trusting Jesus as your Savior is one wheel and following him as Lord is the other. You need both. If you trust him as your Savior but don’t follow him as your Lord, you’ll be stuck in apathy and disinterest. Your Bible will sit in the back dash of your car or on a dusty shelf. You’ll live like the world and you’ll die in your sins because you don’t really know him.
If you follow him as your Lord but don’t trust him as your Savior, you’ll be stuck in religious obligation. You’ll go to church and do your Christian chores, but your heart will be far from him. Singing worship songs will be boring. You’ll find the whole game exhausting. You’ll do the church thing for decades and never grow or change or become like Jesus. And you too will die in your sins because you don’t know him.
But if you have both wheels, you’ll fly! You’ll experience the encouragement, comfort, participation in the Spirit, affection, sympathy and unity Paul mentions in Philippians 2:1-2. You’ll live selflessly, counting others more significant than yourself in humility, looking to the interests of others as Paul mentions in verses 3-4. Your sins will be forgiven and you’ll be a citizen of God’s kingdom.
Jesus is both Savior and Lord. Trust and follow him as such.
