The Session on God's Right Hand, Part 2

Introduction: Recapping Christ's Exaltation for Himself

0:02 The following sermon was delivered on Sunday evening, September 5th, 1999, at the Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey. Those of you who were with us this morning will already know what I propose to do for a communion meditation this evening, because in the very real sense, our meditation this evening is just a continuation and a completion of the ministry of the Word began this morning. But for those of you who were not with us this morning, let me take just a few minutes to sketch in the main lines of biblical truth that we considered together.

0:47 In our consecutive expositions of 1 Peter, we arrived last Lord's Day morning at... at chapter 3 and verse 22, a text which points us to the exaltation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1:04 Peter writes of the Lord Jesus that he is on the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him. And I stated that in my preparation for the exposition of that text, I came to the persuasion that I personally, Albert N. Martin, have not given sufficient attention to this element of the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus. I have not willfully, knowingly ignored it, overlooked it, have never denied it, on occasions have preached about it.

1:48 But as I looked up the twelve explicit passages in the New Testament that refer... to Christ being seated at the right hand of God, or the right hand of the Majesty on high, the right hand of the power, the several passages in the book of the Revelation that picture him as the Lamb in the midst of the throne, or the Son of God upon his Father's throne, I did come to that persuasion that this ought to receive more attention in my own life, and walk...

2:24 God, and that perhaps this would be the best time to bring two topical messages on the subject of the exaltation of our Lord Jesus Christ, and perhaps more pointedly, the session of our Lord Jesus Christ, that is, his being seated at the right hand of God. And after making some distinctions that are critical distinctions, and I can't go back over them tonight, we then sought to address this morning this very basic question, what did the exaltation mean to Jesus himself? And we saw

3:05 from the scriptures that the exaltation, and particularly his being seated at the right hand of his Father, involved at least three things for our Lord Jesus. First of all, what was his reward for his life of implicit obedience to the will of his Father? And this is underscored by Philippians 2 and verse 9. Secondly, we saw that it was his investiture, or his formal installation as the messianic king. And we looked at Acts 2 and Ephesians chapter 1,

3:45 which clearly established this fact. And then thirdly, we know that the exaltation of his that it was his entrance upon his heavenly high priestly ministry and the pivotal text that we considered that points us in this direction is Hebrews chapter 10 verses 11 through 13. Now tonight and more briefly I want to address a second question. Having considered what did the exaltation mean to Jesus, we want to consider tonight what does the exaltation mean

The Exaltation's Meaning for Believers and Unbelievers

4:23 to us. He is seated at the right hand of God. What does that mean to you and to me particularly as the people of God? It certainly means something to you who are not the people of God.

4:39 If you are impenitent and unbelieving, Christ being seated at the right hand of God, you are not the people of God. The right hand of the Father is the pledge that if you go on in your unbelief and impenitence, he will consummate his messianic function by damning your soul forever to outer darkness. Now that's blunt language, but the truth of scripture demands nothing less than such blunt language. The Father has given all judgment to the Son, and Jesus said the hour is coming in which all that are in the grave shall hear his voice and shall come forth.

5:21 They that have done good to the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation. But I want us to think particularly of what does his exaltation mean to us who are the people of God, who sit here tonight in the posture of penitent, believing sinners. Those who have owned their sinfulness, cast their souls upon Christ as he is offered in the gospel, and who live the life of penitent, believing sinners. Well, we may say in the simplest way possible that he is there at the

Christ is at God's Right Hand 'For Us'

6:02 right hand of God for us. That's the very language of Hebrews 9 and verse 24. Hebrews 9 and verse 24. For Christ entered not into a.

6:16 holy place made with hands, like in pattern to the true, but into heaven itself. Here we have his entrance into heaven that we know was followed by his being seated at the right hand of the Father, and we are told that he has entered into heaven now to appear before the face of God for us. We could give a more literal rendering to the original by saying now to appear. There is no

6:53 separate preposition. It's the locative case, in or at, with or by, to or for. He appears in the face of God for us. Now the term getting in someone's face is current jargon for someone standing very close to another in an adversarial relationship.

7:16 But here we are told that Christ is in the face of God, not in an adversarial relationship, but on behalf of his people. Now to appear, now to unveil himself and all the virtue of his work in the very face of God, who per hemo, on our behalf. He is there for us. But you say, Pastor, there for us to do what? And this is what opens up a rich vein of biblical teaching. And as I've

Christ Governs All Things for Us

7:55 wrestled with all of these texts that point us to Christ seated at the right hand of the Father for us, I've come up with at least seven distinct things that he's doing for us. And I won't have time in a communion meditation to open all of them, but I do want to open up several of them as time permits. First of all, in his position at the right hand of God, he is governing all things for us. At the right hand of God, he is governing all things for us. And here I direct your attention back to that Ephesians 1

8:35 passage, Ephesians chapter 1, where Paul records his prayer for the Ephesians that God would give unto them the spirit of wisdom and revelation. And he says, I will give unto them the spirit of revelation and the knowledge of himself, that the eyes of their understanding of their heart might be enlightened, that they might know three things. And the third thing that he's praying that they may be given spiritual perception to know is the exceeding greatness of God's power exercised toward believers, a power measured by the strength of his might, verse 20, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead,

9:18 made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion in every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. And he put all things in subjection under his feet and gave him not to be head. Those words are in italics in the old authorized version. There is no verb to be. Gave him,

9:48 head. Gave him as head over all things to the church. Christ is given to the church as head over all things. The church, which is his body, the fullness of him that fills all in all. Christ

10:10 is given as head. Head defined by the previous context. Head over all authority. All authority.

10:19 All power. All rule. All dominion. Every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that which is to come.

10:27 And in that posture of supreme messianic headship and lordship, he is given as head to the church. So that the church now should live out its life in the consciousness that the Lord Jesus, seated at the right hand of the Father, is in the position of absolute government over all things with a peculiar concern for the care, the success, the protection, the preservation, the well-being of his church. God has given him

11:07 as head over all things to the church. And it was in anticipation of this reality that Jesus said to his own, All right. what you have watched how you have give him care that you have given your complaints, have you works true work the good work, whether you can constitutionally quickly, have done all these things, I occurred to you, I have done the best. So many times, thought-förther that I was going to God, I did what I wanted to do.

11:48 One of the things that gave me courage was that I wanted it, ico virtually speaking. I did not see yourself as otherwise as I am today. This is the day. the days, all the way through this gospel age, in which the making of disciples, the baptizing of them, the teaching of them, i.e., in which the function of the church in extending the kingdom

12:04 of grace will be operative, the church is to know that she is operative by a Lord who has gone back to the right hand of the Father, but who has all authority in heaven and upon earth, and it is this Christ who has promised his presence with his people. You see, it is this reality that enables us to draw comfort from Romans 8.28. How can we draw comfort from any statement that all things are working together for our good, if we are not confident that all things are working together for our good?

12:41 We are under the sovereign control of our God and of our Savior. And surely, as we saw last Lord's Day morning, it was for this purpose that Peter introduced this very subject in 1 Peter 3. Here were these suffering saints in Asia Minor, and they understood enough of spiritual reality to know that behind the opposition they were already facing, behind the opposition that was going to intensify, were spiritual forces. And so Peter tells them, dear people of God, in the midst of your suffering, remember the Lord Jesus

13:19 who was raised from the dead is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to him. So this night, as we sit in this place and think of our Lord Jesus at the right hand of the Father, he is there for us, for us, in his position as governing all things on our behalf. But then secondly, in his position at the right hand of God, he is legally representing us.

Christ Legally Represents Us

13:57 He is legally representing us. And here 1 John 2.1 and the second text that we'll look at in the moment are pivotal to our understanding. 1 John 2 and verse 1.

14:11 My little children, these things I write unto you that you may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

14:30 These things I write that you may not sin. And every child of God says, oh Lord, that is the goal and the passion of my heart. If I could, I would never sin. I would never sin again until I die or until the Lord Jesus comes again.

14:48 But then there is this realism in John. And if any man sin, not as a pattern of life, but an individual specific sin, an outcropping of that remaining sin that is within us, falling prey to the seductions of the evil one, falling prey to the fear of man as the disciples did and denied the Lord. But as Peter did and the others forsook him and fled. If any man sin at the very point of our sin, which is as ugly in the sight of God as sin ever was.

15:24 Sin does not lose its ugliness because we are justified sinners. Because God has declared us righteous in Christ. Sin as sin does not lose its ugliness. Nor does sin lose its wrath deservingness.

15:40 And what the child of God needs to know, is that when he sins, we have an advocate. And here that word advocate used in different ways in the New Testament can mean as it was used in rabbinical literature. For one who offers legal aid. One who intercedes on behalf of another.

16:05 We have one who is the counsel for the defense. He is our lawyer representing us. He has taken our counsel. He has taken our case upon himself.

16:16 And John goes on to say, not and he made a propitiation. That's stated in Romans chapter 3. But here the text says, he is the propitiation. Well I thought he made propitiation.

16:35 I thought that when he died upon the cross, he turned away the wrath of God. That's what propitiation is. It is a sacrifice that turns away the wrath of God. It is a sacrifice that turns away the wrath of God.

16:44 It is a sacrifice that turns away the wrath of God. It is a sacrifice that turns away the wrath of God. But this text says, not he made a propitiation, which is true. But it says he is the propitiation.

16:56 There at the right hand of the Father, his presence embodies all the virtue of his once for all sacrifice. And in his position at the right hand of God, he is legally representing you and me. It is this wonderful truth that the hymn writer captured in the hymn that we often sing, number 222. My advocate appears for my defense where?

17:26 On high. The Father bows his ears and lays his thunder by. That's the truth. He is in the presence of God for us.

17:38 For us. Governing all things for the well-being and for the preservation of his own. There in the presence of God, legally representing us, so that all the demands made upon infinitely pure justice because of our sins are answered by Christ being there, embodying in himself all the virtue of his once for all sacrifice for sin. Look at a second text that points us in the same direction.

18:12 Romans 8. And the Bible says, And verse 34. Here in this section of Romans 8, where Paul is hurling challenge after challenge into the teeth of the whole moral universe with respect to the security of the true child of God, he begins in verse 31 of Romans 8, What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

18:40 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall we not also with him freely give us all things? Now here's our question. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies.

18:58 If God justifies, where will you find a higher court of appeal to overturn God's verdict? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? The highest court has spoken. There's no appeal to a higher court if God has spoken.

19:16 That ends the issue. Next question. Who is he that condemns? Now notice the basis of confidence that there will be no condemnation.

19:25 It is Christ Jesus that died. Yea, rather, that was raised from the dead. And I don't know why most of the translations omit the word also in this next phrase. You have two phrases beginning with hos kai.

19:44 Who also. Who also is at the right hand of God. Who also makes intercession for us. So in answering the question, who is he that condemns?

20:01 That is, can justly condemn anyone who is united to Christ by faith. In the light of the fact that Christ died, and in his death he died the just for the unjust. In his resurrection there was a validation of the full payment made, raised again for our justification, Romans 4.25.

20:27 Now Paul goes on to say, and furthermore, he is also at the right hand of God. And the intercession is something in addition to that. Who also makes intercession. There is something in this very part.

20:46 There is something in this very part. There is a posture of Christ that answers to the question, who is he that condemns? The Christ who died has been raised. The Christ who was raised is also at the right hand of God.

21:05 And in the light of the fuller teaching of 1 John 2, 1 and 2, he is there as our legal representative. Answering all the claims of divine justice. Answering all the claims of divine justice. Answering all the claims of divine justice.

Christ Intercedes for Us

21:17 Answering all the claims of divine justice. Against the sins of the people of God. But then thirdly, when we ask the question, what does his exaltation mean to us? It is not only that his position at the right hand is one in which he governs all things for us, legally represents us, but thirdly, in his position at the right hand of God he is interceding for us.

21:46 We stay with the Romans 8.34 passage. And Paul adds to this, who is also at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. From his posture, from his position at the right hand of God, he also makes intercession for us.

22:11 And what is the ultimate issue of his intercession? Hebrews 7.25 answers that question for us. We need not speculate.

22:20 Hebrews 7 and verse 25 answers the question, wherefore he is able to save, not from the uttermost, but to the uttermost, that is, save completely. He is able to save to the uttermost, bring to a complete salvation all upon whom his saving mercy has been set. He is able to save to the uttermost, them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them.

23:04 You see the pressure of this text? The intercession secures a complete salvation. He ever lives to make intercession, and this is the pledge and the certainty that he is able to save. He is able to save to the uttermost, each one who draws near unto God through him.

23:28 Now biblical exegetes and theologians discuss the question, is his intercession at the right hand of the Father vocal? Does Christ actually use vocables in the presence of his Father in interceding for us? Or is it non-vocal? Well, frankly, to me, that's an issue that I don't believe we can decide unless we were there.

23:55 It need not be vocal, but I have nothing from my Bible to say that it may not be vocal, and that it would be ludicrous to be vocal. So I'm just leaving the issue as a moot question. I won't discuss it. I don't believe the Scripture gives us the stuff, but surely this much is clear.

24:15 When God says he also makes intercession for us, he is able to save to the uttermost, seeing he ever lives to make intercession. The reality of what intercession is within the sphere of our understanding, it is proper for us to project that upward and say, whatever he does, it is akin to what we do when we intercede. Otherwise, God's using language that doesn't touch us where we are. This is analogical language.

24:45 There is analogy. There may not be absolute identity, but there is analogy. And when we turn to the Scriptures, we at least have pointers. We have pointers as to what his intercession may be like.

24:58 You remember that incident in Luke chapter 22? Peter, Satan has desired to sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you. And when you are turned again, strengthen your brethren. I have prayed for you, what?

25:17 That your faith fail not. And when you are turned again, when you are converted, strengthen your brethren. Luke 22, 31 and 32. I have prayed for you.

25:25 And then that marvelous record of our Lord's prayer on the eve of his crucifixion, John chapter 17, in which we find the Lord Jesus speaking out loud so that his disciples could hear the things for which he prayed. And some of those things go far beyond matters of immediate concern just to the twelve in his presence. And passages such as these. These at least point us in the direction of the substance and the nature of his intercession.

26:02 And when we take the Luke 22 passage and the principles out of John 17, we see that all of the ongoing supplies of grace for the people of God are secured by the intercession of the Lord Jesus. Now, whether that intercession is vocal or whether it is non-vocal, as far as I am concerned, is irrelevant. This much is clear. That in his role as mediator, do not think of him simply as the One who procured all of the blessings needed to get you safely to Heaven, when he died upon the Cross and rose again.

26:41 It is not as though his Cross in his resurrection secured every blessing and now they are just automatically dispensed to you as you need them. The very Christ who procured them is been fully confessing theovredressence in this place. him secures them in all the particularity of their application by his own intercession at the right hand of the father so that there is personal engagement of the lord jesus with each one of his own as he applies to each of his own the benefits of the salvation procured by his death

27:19 upon the cross could we not say that peter's recovery from a lapse of unbelief was secured by christ's death upon the cross yes it was he did spare not his own son how shall he not with him freely give us all things peter's restoration was secured by the death of his savior but the savior said i've prayed for you that your faith fail not and when you are turned again strengthen your breath though it is secured by his death it is actually procured

27:59 in its application through the intercession of jesus he is able to save to the uttermost why seeing that his death secured the eternal salvation of all for whom he died that would be true but that's not what the text says it says seeing he ever lives to make intercession you you you see the connection child of god can't you think of those times when your zeal has waned when your faith has almost been non-existent when the powers of temptation have come in like a flood upon your soul and you felt as ungodly and vile as anyone you've ever had any dealings with what in the

28:44 world was it that drew you back and caused the issues of holiness and communion with christ and desire to please him once again to be the dominant conscious dispositions of your soul what caused the seen that use the would not pay but your love would not fail that your faith would not fail that your passion for holiness would not fail every great implant to buy this period needs to stay in by the ongoing supplies that great as the fruits of the intercession of character

Christ Sympathizes and Helps Us

29:25 of the Lord Jesus. He is there in the presence of God for us, not as a figurehead, but as an ever-living high priest interceding on our behalf. But then fourthly, in his position at the right hand of God, he is sympathizing with and constantly granting help to us. He is a sympathizing and a helping high priest. And you've already, those of you who know your Bibles, thought of the

30:00 two passages to which I'm alluding with those words. Look at them there in Hebrews. Hebrews chapter 4, verses 14 and 15. Having then a great high priest, now notice the emphasis, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession for the Lord Jesus Christ.

30:24 We have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Our high priest in his present condition is one described as that one. We have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. That is, we have a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. Not because he is presently exposed to those infirmities. He's beyond

31:05 that. No more pang. No more grief of seeing around him the unbelief of his disciples. The narrow-eyed, squinty-eyed, mean spirit of the Pharisees looking to catch him in his words. No longer.

31:27 No longer must he experience the devil's direct assaults upon him, daring to come and face him in the wilderness and tempt him directly. No longer is our Lord to experience the grief and the pain as a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He's beyond all of that in his experience, but this text tells us that he has carried with him into heaven to the right hand of God a reservoir. Of that experience that was his when he was among us. And when his children come to him, feeling very

32:08 keenly their own infirmities, their own vulnerability, their own weakness, and they pour it out before him, it's not as though, and I don't mean to be irreverent, he scratches his head and says, what are you talking about? I can't relate to that. He says to every one of his children, I can relate. I can relate to that. I remember when. I remember when. In his position at the right hand of God, he is

32:38 sympathizing with us. And according to Hebrews 2.18, he stands ready to succor. And that old English word succor is an attempt to give something more than most modern translations write, in that he himself has suffered being tempted. He is able to help. But the Greek word used is not the Greek word for help.

33:00 It means to help those in true need. It is help for the needy. And in his position at the right hand of God, he is there to sympathize and to help us. To help us in every time of need. I can do all things in him

33:24 who presently strengthens me. The Lord Jesus says from his throne at the right hand of God, to the majesty on high, to the Apostle Paul, who said, this thorn in the flesh, whatever it is, it is standing in the way of my optimum usefulness. Lord, please remove it. Three times he sought the Lord, probably referring to three seasons of very intense, perhaps, prayer joined to fasting.

33:55 And he said, this thing is inconsistent with my doing your will. Until the Lord speaks, and says, no, Paul, I can use weak men, but I can't use proud men. And because of the abundance of the revelations given to you, lest you be exalted over much, I'm going to let this thing remain. And while it remains, I want you to know this, Paul, my grace, he said, the Lord said unto me, Jesus spoke to him and said, my grace is sufficient for you. My strength is made perfect,

34:31 not in remission. Not in removing your weakness, but in the midst of your weakness. So he said, most gladly, therefore, will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may intent itself around me, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. He understood that from the right hand of the majesty on high, the Lord Jesus was not only his sympathizing Savior, but his helping Savior.

Christ is Waiting to Receive Us

35:02 Now, many other things. could be added from Ephesians 4. He's at the right hand of God in order to furnish the church with gifts. Ephesians 5, from the right hand of the Father, he nourishes and cherishes the church.

35:15 At the right hand of the Father, he's preparing a place for his own. John 14, I say this is a rich vein. I've only begun to explore it afresh myself. But I want to conclude our meditation by pointing you to one further thing that he is doing at the right hand of the Father.

35:33 In his position at the right hand of the Father, he is not only governing all things for us, legally representing us, interceding for us, sympathizing and helping us, but in his position at the right hand of God, he's waiting to receive us. And here I want you to turn to Acts chapter 7. He's waiting to receive us. Another right hand of God passage. Remember that in Acts chapter 7,

36:04 we have a record of Stephen preaching. To those who hated his Christ and hated him because of his attachment to Christ. In verse 54 of Acts 7, we read, Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. And may I pause to say, people who say, if a man's full of the Holy Spirit, you'll know it because people will break in repentance under his preaching. That's nonsense. Because the next

36:37 verse says, He was a spirit-filled preacher whose preaching did nothing but get people angry enough to kill him. No indication that one person was broken down. One of them who stood by consenting was later arrested by the risen Christ, namely Saul. You find that in chapter 8 in verse 1. Saul was

37:00 consenting. But full of the Spirit, this man preaches and gets inside the conscience of these people until they gnash on him with their teeth. I've never had that happen yet. I've seen people sit and grind their teeth a bit and set their jaws and everything in them said, if their eyes could speak, it would be clear that they hated the preacher. Sometimes in this place. But they gnashed on him with their teeth, so full of venomous

37:29 hatred. But he being full of the Holy Spirit, now notice, looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus, not the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit. And he was a man who was sitting, but Jesus standing on the right hand of God. I thought Jesus sits at the right hand of God. Stephen sees him standing. And he said, behold, I see the heavens open and the Son of Man

37:58 standing on the right hand of God. But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed upon him with one accord. And they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned

38:17 Stephen, calling upon the Lord and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, I love these words, he fell asleep. He fell asleep. He fell asleep. And what were his last

38:42 thoughts before he fell asleep? I'm going to the place where my Savior stands to welcome me. What a way to die, to see Jesus,

38:58 waiting to receive him. And he falls asleep. And what he knew the millisecond after he fell asleep was far more glorious than what he saw in that vision of the Son of Man waiting to receive him. Well, you say, is he sitting or is he standing? Well, you see, when we get into this whole matter

39:21 of the physical things, I stated last Lord's Day morning that his being seated at the right hand of God was primarily a figure to convey blessed realities. And those realities are in no way disrupted. He can be sitting and doing all the things that a sitting Messiah does and standing to receive every soul of those washed in his blood and transformed by his grace. And we need in faith to think of him in what he does. And we need to think of him in what he does. And we need to think of him in what

39:53 he does. And we need to think of him in what he does. And we need to think of him in what he does. Whatever aspect of his glorious ministry to us is most needed at the moment.

40:00 And if God does not take us in a sudden accident or in a way that we are not able to see the approach of death. If God allows us some experience akin to Stephen's in which we know that life is heavy and it isn't long before we too will fall asleep. We need by faith not to claim a vision but by faith to know what God gave in revelatory vision to Stephen. He gives to all of his saints in the spiritual reality of it.

40:35 Jesus stands ready to receive the one for whom he shed his precious blood. He came out of heaven that he might go back to heaven. And stand at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Without stretched arms.

40:51 To receive your departing soul into heaven. I tell you to think about it is enough to give you a holy death wish.

40:59 And to cry out Lord Jesus receive.

Application 1: Christ's Identity Enables His Activity

41:06 He is waiting at the right hand of God to receive us. Now very quickly as I close. Three simple points of application.

41:16 Do you see why I emphasize so often from this pulpit. Jesus can do what he does because Jesus is who he is.

41:27 All of these things we've seen that his session means to us. He could not do them unless he were precisely who he is. If he were not truly man. He could not administer the affairs of his church with sympathy and understanding.

41:48 We would not have one of our kind there to whom we can go.

41:56 Emptied in all points like as we are. God cannot be tempted with evil. Jesus was driven by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. We have one of our kind.

42:10 There at the right hand of the majesty on high. But think of it. Right now of the millions of his children going to him. Seeking his help and his sympathy.

42:21 You mothers go crazy when just three or four of your kids all at once want you. Then you say wait. Well wait a minute. Time out.

42:27 I'm only one person. Now. Let's start. Now what's your problem?

42:31 Okay. Now let's take care of you. This is the ludicrousness you see of the Roman church saying well we don't make Mary into a goddess. And yet they encourage the faithful all around the world by the millions to pray to her.

42:43 Poor Mary would tear her hair out in heaven.

42:47 Saying give me a break.

42:50 Isn't that the truth?

42:53 Hail Mary full of grace. From millions of people all at once. She'd say whatever grace I had is gone. Trying to take care of all you people calling upon me.

43:03 It takes an omniscient, Omnipotent being. Sympathize with millions all at once. And to give as much attention to every single one as though there were no other asking for his attention. And you see because Jesus is precisely who he is.

43:21 He can do all of these things for all of his people all at once all around the world. And never once, never once, feel any frustration. He does what he does because he is who he is. He does what he does because he is who he is.

Application 2: Faith Appropriates Christ's Activity

43:35 He is the God-man. Second point of application. Faith must learn to appropriate that activity of Christ at the right hand of the Father. Most needed at any given point in our Christian experience.

43:51 You see Christ is all those things that we've described tonight. And we've looked at only five of them. And then I flew over another two or three and there are more. He is all of those things to all of his people all the time.

44:03 Whether they know it or whether they by faith. His being that is not depended on their understanding or even upon their faith.

44:13 But I tell you their enjoyment of it and their stability and their growth and their usefulness greatly depends upon their understanding and their believing appropriation of those realities. And when the scripture says since then you were raised with Christ. You want another whole vein of thought to blow your mind? We're there with him spiritually.

44:36 Yes, we were raised with Christ. Seated with Christ. In Colossians 3.1 says since then you were raised with Christ.

44:44 Seek those things which are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. We're to seek those things. What things? The things we've been talking about tonight.

44:55 It's our privilege to seek them.

44:59 And when you're in a state of pressured temptation. That's when you say ah, there's one at the right hand of the Father who knew what it was to be a sinner. And when you're assailed by the devil. Tempted in all points like as we are yet without sin.

45:14 I will come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in my time of need. And when I've miserably failed, I've blown my cork. I've indulged some secret sin and my conscience is bloodied. And the accuser comes and says how can you be a Christian?

45:35 You've done that. You've done that again. And you know it's the thing you've done again and again and again. Faith then turns and says if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father.

45:50 Faith lays hold of that dimension of Christ's place. And then when everything seems to be coming unraveled in our lives. Nothing makes sense. Everything seems to be chaos.

46:03 We say all things are under his feet. And he was given as head to the church. Lord Jesus I believe that in your infinite wisdom all of this makes sense in heaven. Though not a bit of it makes sense to me.

46:23 That's what faith does. And that's what produces stable Christians. Christians that glorify God. Only Christ, the Christ who is what he is can do what he does.

Application 3: Heavenly Activity Rests on Earthly Work

46:35 Faith appropriates the activity most needed. And then thirdly. And this is the bridge into our time. At the table.

46:43 We recognize here at the table that all that he does at the right hand of the Father. Rests down upon what he did here on earth. When he tread the fierceness of the winepress of the wrath of God all alone. What he's doing there for us rests down upon what he did in space, time, history here while among us.

47:09 And that's what we take into our hands again tonight. This is my body. This represents the real body that I assumed on behalf of my people. In which I lived out my life of obedience.

47:23 In which I went to the cross. This is my blood. The blood that course through my veins that will be poured out in the violent death of the cross. And it is what he did on earth that is the foundation of all that he does in heaven.

47:39 He sits in heaven. Because he walked. On earth. He sits in heaven.

47:46 Because he was impaled upon a cross on earth. He sits in heaven as a high priest with no sacrifice to offer again. Because he offered a once for all sacrifice here on earth. May we tonight in remembrance of him not only look back.

48:04 And thank him for the once for all atonement made for sin. But may we look up. And praise him and worship him and adore him. And love him for all that he is for us now.

Communion Meditation and Prayer

48:18 And when he brings us home. We'll all exclaim like those visitors to Solomon's kingdom. The half was not tall. Oh dear people.

48:30 May God break the spell of our incipient worldliness. And our wretched attachment to the trinkets down here.

48:48 Oh Lord Jesus. When you allow us to grasp as it were. But the edges of your ways. Our hearts are kindled with fresh love.

49:01 Our faith is strengthened. But we confess with shame that so quickly we lose our grasp upon these things. The things of this world fill our eyes and weaken our grasp upon heavenly realities. Lord Jesus have mercy upon us and come to us even here at the table.

49:23 Fill our hearts with new measures of faith and love and understanding. And cause us to gladden your heart. As we rejoice afresh in all that you are to us your people. Meet with us.

49:40 Seal your word to our hearts. And be glorified in our time of remembrance at the table. We ask for your name's sake. Amen.