Christ Is Lord—Even When the Empire Strikes Back

We may or may not know next Tuesday who will be our next President of the United States.

Photo: Shutterstock

But Jesus is still Lord just the same.

Do I hope you will exercise your God-given privilege to vote? Yes, I do.

Do I hope you will vote for leaders who will approve what is excellent and punish what is evil (Rom. 13:3-4)? Yes, I do.

Do I hope you will vote for leaders who will allow Christians to “lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Tim. 2:3)? Yes, I do.

As for me, I know who I’m voting for. (Actually, I voted last week.) And it’s not even a close choice.

That said, I will not be sitting on pins and needles next week—or the weeks to follow, if necessary—as we wait to hear the election results.

It’s not that I’m indifferent to the election outcome—indeed I care—but I already know who’s in charge. And it’s not a donkey or an elephant—but rather a Lamb.

The crucified and risen Jesus Christ rules and reigns right now. And he ain’t stopping his forward, kingly march until every last enemy is handily defeated (1 Cor. 15:24).

That’s not to say, Christian, that life will always prove smooth sailing. Even here in America, we may be in for some hard times ahead. But Christ will get the job done and his church will advance (Matt. 16:18).

And this reality has been unstoppably true for two millennia.

Think about what the Apostle Paul dealt with back in the first century. Things were not always happy-go-lucky for missionary and preacher to the Gentiles. Yet Jesus was and is Lord!

Notice Paul’s words in the opening chapter of his letter to the Philippians.

“I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear” (Phil. 1:12-14).

Paul was in prison for the sake of the gospel. That’s not exactly the “good life.”

Yet Paul’s fearlessness inspired further fearlessness among his fellow saints. And the gospel continued to spread throughout the Roman Empire.

But wait—there’s more. The message of Christ didn’t just flank the outskirts of the Empire. No, Paul’s glorious gospel made it all the way to Caesar’s citadel.

How do I know that?

Check out the second-to-last verse in Paul’s letter to the Philippians.

“All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household” (Phil. 4:22, emphasis mine).

That’s remarkable. Even Caesar—who himself wished to be called “lord” by his subjects—couldn’t stop members of his own inner circle from bowing the knee to the Lord Jesus.

Why?

Because that’s the way it works, folks. Christ is not going to give his glory to another. No (D) or (R) after one’s name is going to change that truth.

And for that I simply praise the Lord.

Want to read more stories of God's advancing kingdom? Check out my new book, Jesus in Beijing: A Missionary Memoir of Christ's Victory in China, available here.