Seated at the Right Hand of the Father

An Exposition of the Apostles' Creed (An Exposition of the Apostles’ Creed)

I believe in God the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

The Westminster Confession of Faith: Edinburgh Edition Westminster Larger Catechism Question 46

Q. 46. What was the estate of Christ’s humiliation?

A. The estate of Christ’s humiliation was that low condition, wherein he, for our sakes, emptying himself of his glory, took upon him the form of a servant, in his conception and birth, life, death, and after his death, until his resurrection.

The Westminster Confession of Faith: Edinburgh Edition Westminster Larger Catechism Question 51

Q. 51. What was the estate of Christ’s exaltation?

A. The estate of Christ’s exaltation comprehendeth his resurrection, ascension, sitting at the right hand of the Father, and his coming again to judge the world.

The Westminster Confession of Faith: Edinburgh Edition Westminster Larger Catechism Question 54

Q. 54. How is Christ exalted in his sitting at the right hand of God?

A. Christ is exalted in his sitting at the right hand of God, in that as God-man he is advanced to the highest favour with God the Father, with all fulness of joy, glory, and power over all things in heaven and earth; and doth gather and defend his church, and subdue their enemies; furnisheth his ministers and people with gifts and graces, and maketh intercession for them.

The Westminster Confession of Faith: Edinburgh Edition Westminster Larger Catechism Question 55

Q. 55. How doth Christ make intercession?

A. Christ maketh intercession, by his appearing in our nature continually before the Father in heaven, in the merit of his obedience and sacrifice on earth, declaring his will to have it applied to all believers: answering all accusations against them, and procuring for them quiet of conscience, notwithstanding daily failings, access with boldness to the throne of grace, and acceptance of their persons and services.

When will Jesus rule and reign as King over all the earth?

Psalm 2

Psalm 2 “1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, 3 “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” 4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. 5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, 6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” 7 I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” 10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.”

Matthew 28:18-20

Matthew 28:18–20 “18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

The Nature of His Sitting...

The 2 Natures of Christ

Divine

Omnipresent

Never Left Heaven

Human

Limited

Returned to Heaven upon His ascension

His Human Nature and His Divine Nature are united in the single person of Jesus Christ

One person - 2 natures

“Christ is exalted in his sitting at the right hand of God, in that as God-man he is advanced to the highest favour with God the Father, with all fulness of joy, glory, and power over all things in heaven and earth...”

As to His Divine Nature

This is exactly where He belongs

This is the vindication of Christ - the Son of God

This is a display of the divine majesty of Christ

John 17:5

John 17:5 “5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”

This is exactly what we should expect of God -

That he be high and lifted up - and the train of his robe filling the temple - and cherubim and seraphim surrounding the throne all day, every day - crying, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, Almighty - who was and who is and who is to come!”

This is God, the Son

As to His Human Nature

This is the height of perfection and excellence

Soul

Luke 2:52

Luke 2:52 “52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.”

This is the height of that

He grew in knowledge and in power

He had original holiness and continued in that undefiled

Body

Philippians 3:20-21

Philippians 3:20–21 “20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

His body was glorified upon His resurrection

And we will receive glorified bodies at the resurrection as well

But to Jesus’s humanity - this is the pinnacle of humanity

“...as [the] God-man he is advanced to the highest favour with God the Father, with all fulness of joy, glory, and power over all things in heaven and earth...”

Fullness of joy, glory, and power...

Psalm 16:11

Psalm 16:11 “11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Every Scripture’s central meaning is focused on Christ

How does this Scripture point to Christ?

But there is also immediate application to us

How does this Scripture apply to us?

Because we are united to Christ, we are seated at the right hand of the Father

So for you and I today - there is fullness of joy/there are pleasures forever more

If you’re depressed, dejected, stressed - faced with anxiety - there is joy for you today - there is fullness of joy at the Father’s right hand.

The pleasures of this life are fleeting

But the promises of God

His peace, His presence, His comfort, His sustenance

Those pleasures are forever.

And we don’t have to wait for Heaven to get them

Ephesians 2:4-7

Ephesians 2:4–7 “4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

By virtue of our UNION WITH CHRIST, we have been seated with Christ so that God might show the immeasurable riches of his grace toward us in Christ Jesus

Jesus is the richness of God’s grace

You want to see the immeasurable riches of God’s grace - look to Christ - look AT Christ

The Role of His Sitting… (What is Christ Doing?)

The Westminster Confession of Faith: Edinburgh Edition (Westminster Larger Catechism Question 54)

Q. 54. How is Christ exalted in his sitting at the right hand of God?

A. Christ is exalted in his sitting at the right hand of God, in that as God-man he is advanced to the highest favour with God the Father, with all fulness of joy, glory, and power over all things in heaven and earth; and doth gather and defend his church, and subdue their enemies; furnisheth his ministers and people with gifts and graces, and maketh intercession for them.

Christ is Ruling and Reigning…Now

In Power

Matthew 28:18-20

Matthew 28:18–20 “18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

1 Corinthians 15:27

1 Corinthians 15:27 “27 For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him.”

Ephesians 1:20–22

Ephesians 1:20–22 “20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,”

1 Corinthians 15:23–28

1 Corinthians 15:23–28 “23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.”

Daniel 7:13–14

Daniel 7:13–14 “13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”

Psalm 2

As King, Jesus is ruling and reigning

and in his ruling and reigning - we, the church, benefit in 3 main ways...

1. Christ Gathers and Defends His Church

2. Christ Blesses His Church with Gifts and Graces

3. Christ Intercedes for His Church

1. Christ Gathers and Defends His Church

Christ Gathers

Hebrews 12:18-24

Hebrews 12:18–24 “18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.”

Hebrews 12:28–29

Hebrews 12:28–29 “28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.”

In our weekly corporate worship, we are called up into heaven. We come to Mount Zion and we offer God acceptable worship.

How are we ushered into Heaven in our worship?

- Because we are united to Christ

Christ Defends

Psalm 110:1

Psalm 110:1 “1 The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.””

1 Corinthians 15:25

1 Corinthians 15:25 “25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.”

How are Christ’s enemies being placed under his feet now?

The Gospel going forth

Christ defeats his enemies in 2 ways

First, in the traditional sense - by wiping them out

Second, by making his enemies his friends

2. Christ Blesses His Church with Gifts and Graces

Ephesians 4:4-12

Ephesians 4:4-12 “4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” 9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)”

3. Christ Intercedes for His Church

Romans 8:34

Romans 8:34 “34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”

The Westminster Confession of Faith: Edinburgh Edition Westminster Larger Catechism Question 55

Q. 55. How doth Christ make intercession?

A. Christ maketh intercession, by his appearing in our nature continually before the Father in heaven, in the merit of his obedience and sacrifice on earth, declaring his will to have it applied to all believers: answering all accusations against them, and procuring for them quiet of conscience, notwithstanding daily failings, access with boldness to the throne of grace, and acceptance of their persons and services.

Christ is seated as the God-man next to the Father

He is accepted on the merit of HIS obedience and HIS sacrifice

He is declaring His will to have it applied to all believers

He is answering all accusations against believers

He has received for them and is producing in them quiet of conscience - peace

We have access to the Father because of Jesus

We can come before the throne boldly BECAUSE we are united to Jesus and He sits next to the Father

Our acceptance is assured and our deeds are accepted because Jesus is pleading our case

This is intercession.

John 17:6-10

John 17:6–10 “6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.”

Hebrews 7:25

Hebrews 7:25 “25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”