Some have suggested that "boss" is the closest we have to "Lord" in our daily lives.  I beg to differ.  An employer, or supervisor, has control over us but ONLY as relates to our job.  When not "at work" the boss has NO authority over us.  Even in the past, when feudal Lords ruled in England, those often DID hold authority over their "subjects," but not to the extent that Jesus desires to be "Lord" over our lives.  While similar to the concept at hand, it still doesn't go far enough.

First of all, Jesus did not TAKE His authority from anyone, it was given to Him from God the Father.  It was promised before He came to the earth when the angel Gabriel told Mary, "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end" (Luke 1:32-33).  Jesus reminded his disciples of this after He was raised from the dead, "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, "All power [authority, EDR] is given unto me in heaven and in earth" (Matthew 28:18). AFTER HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN, the Apostles declared in the first Gospel sermon, on the Jewish feast day of Pentecost, "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."  (Acts 2:36)

Jesus HAS the authority to be "Lord" over all mankind.  In fact, that's EXACTLY what He is, "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him" (1 Peter 3:21-22).  The Apostle Paul described Jesus' Lordship this way, "Far above all principality and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all" (Ephesians 1:21-23).

So, it's not really a matter of MAKING Jesus Lord, HE ALREADY IS!  What is needed is for me to accept the FACT of Jesus' Lordship over all creation (including me).  IF I accept that truth, then the obvious question is, "what does He want me to do?"  He wants me to BELIEVE that He is the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16; 8:24).  He wants me to yield my life to Him and turn to Him in REPENTANCE (Luke 13:3, 5).  He wants me to have enough faith in Him to not be afraid to tell everyone who He is (Matthew 10:32-33). And He loves me so much, He wants me to be a new person through Him, to go into the waters of BAPTISM and come up to walk in a new life IN HIM (Romans 6:1-4; Galatians 3:26-27).  From that point on Jesus will truly be the Lord of My life, as I walk in His path, In His light (1 John 1:5-7).

Earl D. Reed, Cheyenne OK