阅读经文 

在发表一项重要的声明后，我们最好是稍微停顿一下，使听见的人有机会仔细想想所听见的的话是怎样的含义。从某个角度来看，当我们在使徒信经中说：“我信我主耶稣基督，神独生的子”之后，情况也是一样的。这句话包含很多我们需要思考的因素。

在新约圣经中，“主”这个字出自希腊文的kyrios。在地中海的世界，人们以“主”或“主人”称呼那些有能力和权柄管理别人的人。在新约圣经中，耶稣被称为“主，”有超过七百次之多。

耶稣被称为“主”，有两个意思。第一，祂被称为“主”，就像人们向祂发问或求祂医治时通常称祂为“夫子”或“老师”一样。然而，耶稣受死和复活之后，称祂为“主”便有更深的意义了。这个称呼表明耶稣自己就是神，它表明父神已经把天上地下所有的权柄都给了耶稣，祂更前瞻末了，期待万民“无不口称耶稣基督为主，使荣耀归与父神。”（腓 2:11）的那一天到来。

当我们称耶稣为“我们的主”时，最适合我们停下来默想。我们承认祂的真正身份和我们合宜的回应。然后，我们便怀着敬畏和感恩的心，祈求方法和寻找机会去服侍祂。

After making a weighty statement, it’s good to pause and let the meaning of the words settle in.

In a sense, that’s what happens after we say, with the Apostles’ Creed, “I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.” This is a lot to take in. The word for “lord” in the New Testament comes from the Greek word kyrios. In the Mediterranean world, someone with power and authority over others was called a “lord” or “master.” In the New Testament, Jesus is addressed or referred to as “Lord” more than 700 times.

Jesus is addressed as “Lord” in two ways. First, he is called “Lord” in the same way as he is often called “Rabbi” or “Teacher” when someone asks him a question or requests healing. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, however, calling him “Lord” takes on much greater meaning. It signifies that Jesus is God himself. It signifies that God the Father has given Jesus all authority over heaven and earth. And, ultimately, it looks ahead to the day when “every tongue [will] acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11).

We rightly pause when we call Jesus “our Lord.” We confess both his true identity and our just response. Then in awe and gratitude we ask and seek out how to serve him.