Romans 10:8-13
8 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame." 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
SERMON
Following on from our Ash Wednesday Sermon entitled: “A new humility” we are continuing in our Lenten sermon series, which is also going to take us right through Holy Week and Easter, entitled “All things new”.
These sermons will be based on the epistle lessons for each week, and show us that instead of being boring and old or repetitive, Lent calls us into a newness of life, of perspective, of practice, and of depth of faith.
Today we are concentrating on : A New Confession.
Paul’s words in Romans 10 speak with clarity and conviction about what it means to confess Jesus as Lord. He writes, “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” This is not just a declaration; it is a transformation. To confess that Jesus is Lord means everything changes, for if He is Lord, then we are not.
The Confession That Changes Everything
Confession is more than words; it is a reality that takes hold of the entire life. When Paul speaks of confessing Jesus as Lord, he is drawing attention to a fundamental shift in allegiance. In the ancient world, to call anyone “Lord” meant recognizing their authority and submitting to it. To confess Jesus as Lord is to acknowledge that He reigns not only in heaven but over our lives, our choices, and our hopes.
But this confession also reveals something about us. If Jesus is Lord, then we are not the masters of our own destiny. The world tempts us to believe that we are in control, that we can build our own security, shape our own future, and rule our own lives. Yet, the heart of faith is the realization that life is not about grasping for power but about receiving grace. To confess Jesus as Lord is to let go of the illusion of control and trust the One who holds all things together.
The Renewal That Comes with Confession
Paul’s words also show us that this confession is not just about admitting who Jesus is; it is about experiencing the renewal that comes with faith. He says, “With the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” Here, justification and salvation are not the results of human effort but of God’s mercy. This confession is not a demand placed upon us but an invitation into a new life, one shaped by Christ rather than by our own striving.
The renewal that comes with confessing Jesus as Lord is not merely personal; it is communal. Paul goes on to say, “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.” The confession of Christ as Lord unites people across every boundary. It brings together the broken, the weary, the lost, and the burdened. It draws us out of isolation and into the new Israel, the fellowship of believers who rest not on their own strength but on the promise of the Gospel.
Confessing Christ in a World That Resists
Living in a world that resists the lordship of Christ, this confession is not always easy. We see in Scripture that the early Christians faced opposition precisely because they confessed Jesus as Lord. In Rome, to say “Jesus is Lord” was to say that Caesar was not. In our own time, confessing Christ means letting go of the false gods that clamor for our attention—the idols of success, self-sufficiency, and personal ambition. These things promise fulfillment but leave us empty. True life is found in the One who gave Himself for us.
Yet, even as we struggle, the promise remains: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” This is not an uncertain hope but a sure foundation. The Gospel is not a demand placed upon us but a gift given freely. Jesus, who is Lord of all, invites us not into fear, but into trust; not into burden, but into rest.
Living as Those Who Confess Christ
What does it look like, then, to live as those who confess Jesus as Lord? It is not about striving to prove our worth or about perfecting our own righteousness. It is about living in the freedom that comes from knowing that Christ has done everything for us. It means walking in the assurance that we are His, not because of our efforts, but because of His grace.
To confess Jesus as Lord is to let that truth shape our relationships, our work, and our daily lives. It means treating others not as competitors or obstacles but as fellow recipients of God’s mercy. It means finding joy not in power or control but in serving, just as Christ came to serve. It means trusting that in all things, even in suffering, Christ remains Lord, and His promises remain true.
Conclusion: A Confession That Leads to Life
Paul’s words remind us that the confession of Jesus as Lord is not a burden but a blessing. It is the confession that leads to life. It is not about our strength but about God’s grace, not about our control but about Christ’s kingship. And this is a confession that never grows old. Each day, we return to it, not as a duty but as a gift. For in Jesus, we find life, renewal, and the promise that all who call on Him will never be put to shame.
So let us confess with joy once again this Lenten season, and today, with hope, and with confidence: Jesus is Lord! And in that confession, let us find the renewal that only He can bring.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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