The 2020 Presidential Election on November 3rd looms as the conventions of both parties have concluded. No matter who wins, Christians can rest in the truth that Christ our King is seated at the right hand of God today. Yes, He will still be on His throne Nov. 3rd, and in 2021, and forever!
However, we can only rest in that truth if we KNOW that truth. Today I want to invite you to follow me through Scripture as we look beyond Col. 3:1 for further evidence that Christ is seated at the Father’s right hand right now.
Colossians & the Unposted Life:
Learning to Live Hidden (Day 17/Week 5)
Colossians 3:1-4 (NIV84):
1″Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things ABOVE, WHERE CHRIST IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD.
2″Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
3″For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
4″When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”
During Weeks 2 & 3, we zoomed in on the latter part of Col. 3:3 [Days 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12].
Last week we turned our attention to Col. 3:4 and asked ourselves, “Is Christ your life?” [Days 13, 14, 15, 16].
Today, in light of Col. 3:1, we’re asking:
How do we know Christ is seated at the right hand of God?
We know from Col. 3:1 alone that Christ is seated at the right hand of God. This part-of-a-verse written by the apostle Paul is enough; however, if you’re like me, you focus in on the “set your hearts” part of the verse and skip or skim over this truth. Beyond that, I was curious what else New Testament Scripture has to say about Christ’s current location as described here. The following are many references to this very thing! I didn’t realize how many times it comes up. Let’s walk through some together.
In Paul’s other writings
“18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, 19 and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way,”
(Ephesians 1:18-23, NIV).
- God seated Christ at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
- He placed all things under Christ’s feet.
- He appointed Christ to be head over everything for the church.
“Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us,”
(Romans 8:34, NIV).
- Christ is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
From Mark’s gospel
“Again the high priest asked Him, ‘Are You the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?’ ‘I am,’ said Jesus. ‘And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven,'”
(Mark 14:61,62, NIV).
- Jesus Himself said He will be sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One.
“Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating… After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and He sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed His word by the signs that accompanied it,”
(Mark 16:14,19-20, NIV).
- The Eleven (Jesus’ inner circle minus Judas Iscariot) appear to have witnessed Jesus being taken up into heaven and sitting at God’s right hand.
According to Peter
“It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to Him,”
(I Peter 3:21,22, NIV).
- Jesus has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand — with angels, authorities, and powers in submission to Him.
In the Book of Acts
“32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at My right hand
35 until I make Your enemies
a footstool for Your feet.”’36 Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah,”
(Acts 2:32-36, NIV).
- This Jesus has been exalted to the right hand of God.
- Peter is the one who spoke these words in his sermon on the day of Pentecost.
- He says that he and the other disciples were all witnesses of it.
- Psalm 110:1 is quoted by Peter.
“29 Peter and the other apostles replied: ‘We must obey God rather than human beings! 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging Him on a cross. 31 God exalted Him to His own right hand as Prince and Savior that He might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him,’”
(Acts 5:29-32, NIV).
- God exalted Christ to His own right hand as Prince and Savior.
- Peter and the other apostles say they are witnesses and so is the Holy Spirit.
“55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 ‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’”
(Acts 7:55-56, NIV).
- Stephen, the first Christian martyr, full of the Holy Spirit, saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God and told members of the Sanhedrin what he was seeing just after he had preached and right before he was stoned. It’s interesting to me that he saw Jesus before his stoning, not during the stoning as some sort of near-death, passing-from-this-life-to-the-next experience.
Four passages from Hebrews
“1In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven,”
(Hebrews 1:1-3).
- Jesus, the Son of God, sat down at the right hand of God after He had provided purification for sins.
“1Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being,”
(Hebrews 8:1-2, NIV).
- Our high priest, Jesus, sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and serves in the true heavenly sanctuary set up by the Lord.
“12But when this Priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God, 13 and since that time He waits for His enemies to be made His footstool,”
(Hebrews 10:12-14, NIV).
- Jesus our High Priest sat down at the right hand of God after offering for all time one sacrifice for sins.
- Verse 13 is another reference to Psalm 110:1.
“1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart,”
(Hebrews 12:1-3, NIV).
- Jesus sat down at the right hand of the throne of God after He endured the cross.
- This is a well-known passage of Scripture, yet I usually don’t pay much attention to the part we’re highlighting today! Have you been surprised, as I have, by the number of verses that reference Christ’s present location?
We can KNOW that Jesus Christ our Lord & Savior is seated at the right hand of God right now.
Day 17 PRAYER:
Father God in heaven,
Your Word reveals to us that Jesus Christ Your Son and our Lord is seated in heaven with You even now at Your right hand.
Thank You that His Spirit is with us and in us! (John 14:16-18).
I pray that this knowledge will give us peace and confidence no matter who wins elections here on earth.
I also pray that we, as American citizens, would take our responsibilities, rights, and freedoms seriously by exercising our right to vote.
Lead us and guide us with Your wisdom in Your will — Thy Will be done.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.