What does it mean to call Jesus “Lord”?  
For much of the world’s history, the answer
to this question would have been obvious to 
most people.  Your “lord” was your ruler and 
master.  Sometimes, he was your king, as well.  
As Christians living in 21st century America,
 we have never lived under an absolute monarchy 
and we have never experienced slavery firsthand.  
We are so accustomed to being free that it is sometimes 
hard for us to grasp the concept of servitude.  
In Luke’s account of the Sermon on the Mount, we 
read a question that Jesus asked His disciples at the 
end of the discourse.  The question is one that every 
follower of Jesus should frequently consider.  “…Why 
call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I 
say?” (Luke 6:46)
Jesus is the Lord, and therefore He is “lord” over all.  
He is the ruler and master of the entire universe, and 
He controls our individual destiny.  Since that is true, 
we should submit to His rule and call Him our Lord.  
But saying that Jesus is our Lord is not enough.  If we 
are not obeying Jesus’s teachings or following His 
example, then we are not behaving as if He is our Lord.  
So while professing the Lordship of Christ in our lives is
 good, if it is not accompanied by obedience to His Word,
 then it is just lip service, and we are a hypocrite.  We must 
acknowledge the Lordship of Christ in our words and actions.