GospelDrivenLife

at the right hand of God

It seems I missed something.  It seems I have read the NT for years and missed a significant emphasis.  What I missed is the exaltation of the Christ.  From Acts to Revelation the attention of the writers is to the Savior at God's Right Hand. 

It is not that they do not think of his incarnation, or his life, or his substitution, or his resurrection.  Rather, they speak of all that he is and all that he has done NOW at God's right hand. 

The One at God's right hand is incarnate God.  There is a man in the Trinity today.  yes, that is wild and unthinkable.  But then the Son was glorified, it was his humanity that was glorified.  The God-man is in the circle of the Godhead.  Humanity is in the Trinity.

The One at God's right hand is the One who remembers his entire life -- was tempted in all points as we are.  He can exercise his memory and go back to the healing of the leper, the interrogation by his enemies, the slowness of the disciples.  And out of perfect sympathy and infinite grace can give us grace in time of need.

The One at God's right hand is the crucified.  Rich wounds yet visible above, in beauty glorified.  His exaltation is a reign of redeeming sovereignty.  He rules to call his people to himself and apply the blood of the covenant to their lives.

The One at God's right hand is the risen one. He lives forever.  And in his everlasting life is the prevailing power for our salvation.  His ever live to make intercession for us.

All that he is and all that he has done is NOW for us at God's right hand.

And that is a call for us to live as pilgrims on the earth, for he is our destiny.  We shall be at his side as his bride forever.  Glory is hardly a fitting description to what lies before us.

And he is ever accessible for us. As we walk toward this everlasting grace-given glory, he is ever accessible to give us grace to follow.

Listen HERE for more.

Jesus Ascended: The Meaning of Christ's Continuing Incarnation

via www.amazon.com

There are few books that seem to be in a class of their own. This is one. Perhaps this is simply because the subject of Jesus ascension receives so little attention. But Dawson shows that such a neglect is out of touch with the Scriptures. All that Jesus is and all that he has done and all that he has experienced is now at the right hand of God for us, his people and for the Gospel and its advance. That seems to me to be of more than passing interest.

Ascension

That Jesus is Ascended is glorious, but more than I imagined.  We view the cross through the throne.  Here is a hymn that sweeps through the purposes of God.  Meditation on these words will bring rich encouragement.

At the Name of Jesus
every knee shall bow,
every tongue confess him
King of glory now;
'tis the Father's pleasure
we should call him Lord,
who from the beginning
was the mighty Word.

At his voice creation
sprang at once to sight,
all the angel faces,
all the hosts of light,
Thrones and Dominations,
stars upon their way,
all the heavenly orders,
in their great array.

Humbled for a season,
to receive a Name
from the lips of sinners,
unto whom he came,
faithfully he bore it
spotless to the last,
brought it back victorious,
when from death he passed;

Bore it up triumphant,
with its human light,
through all ranks of creatures,
to the central height,
to the throne of Godhead,
to the Father's breast;
filled it with the glory
of that perfect rest.

Name him, brothers, name him,
with love as strong as death,
but with awe and wonder
and with bated breath;
he is God the Savior,
he is Christ the Lord,
ever to be worshiped,
trusted, and adored.

In your hearts enthrone him;
there let him subdue
all that is not holy,
all that is not true;
crown him as your Captain
in temptation's hour;
let his will enfold you
in its light and power.

Brothers, this Lord Jesus
shall return again,
with his Father's glory
with his angel train;
for all wreaths of empire
meet upon his brow,
and our hearts confess him
King of glory now.

Fighting the Noonday Devil | First Things

Fighting the Noonday Devil | First Things

Though I am not a subscriber to First Things, there are occasional articles therein that really throw light on current trends. Today, while studying the ascension of Christ, I found Reno's linked article.

Here is some thinking that seems to deal a mortal blow to the "Revolutionaries" who think playing golf with another Christian or sipping lattes at Starbucks with the same is a good alternative to a particular church. Recently Kluck and DeYoung have written a masterful book on the church (Why We Love the Church) which speaks to this drift. But turns out, Dante wrote on this too -- as well as a number of medieval thinkers.

You see the sin behind all this abandoning of the church could just well be acedia -- indifference, apathy, also known as one of the "seven deadly sins," that being laziness. The ancient writers referred to it as the destruction that wastes at noonday (Psalm 91). The article recommended here opens this up with lots of implications to our "whatever" society.

For example, Reno explains:
According to another ancient writer in the Evagrian tradition (cataloguing of core sins), the noonday demon “stirs the monk also to long for different places in which he can find easily what is necessary for his life and can carry on a much less toilsome and more expedient profession. It is not on account of locality, the demon suggests, that one pleases God. He can be worshiped anywhere. (emphasis mine)

Let me paraphrase -- this sin shows up in words and thoughts like these:

• I can worship God on the golf course without having to deal with bylaws, poor music, crying babies, and inhospitable fellow saints.
• I can attend church and not get to know people. 
• I can leave one church and head to another at any time.
• Who needs the local church? 
• I can have an organic church.
• Or I can have a customized church with my kind of music and people.

But this sin shows up elsewhere.  American Christians, who believe the Gospel, need to watch for this sin of indifference, this lack of passion, this spiritual dullness which seeks the easiest way through.  We need to watch for making ourselves and our comfort the center - and for the weariness that comes when we begin to think it is not worth it, the weariness that makes us pull back. 

No one I know in the USA is tempted to renounce the faith in order to avoid martyrdom -- but we are tempted to retreat, to play it safe, to make our entire lives a gated community of safe experiences and nice people.

Dorothy Sayers put it this way: laziness is “the sin that believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing, and remains alive because there is nothing for which it will die.”

Certainly the Gospel calls us out of such flabbiness.  Sin is deadly.  Sacrifice was required and offered. Holiness matters.  Hell is real.  Lies damn. Our Savior is not one option among many, but the ultimate Lord and Judge, now seated at God's right hand. This is hardly a call for another pumpkin spice latte.

Jesus the ascended Lord shouts to us, "Its worth it to follow me, to renounce yourself for me."  I need to do some repenting for my indifference.