For Lord’s Day, January 24, 2016

Dear Saints,

While my family finished the end of Book II of Pilgrim’s Progress together, we were quite moved to read about Christiana and many of her travel companions being called upon by Christ at different moments to join Him at His heavenly feast.  They were each so very gloriously happy.

This led us to read about Stephen on earth seeing Christ in heaven waiting to receive him as he was about to pass through the valley of the shadow of death.  Something stood out to us we had never noticed before: Jesus was standing.

But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. (Acts 7:55-56)

The New Testament Scriptures often speak of Jesus being exalted at God’s right hand, but any time they specifically mention His posture, He is sitting.  This image of sitting is important, because it communicates that Jesus presently reigns as King and that His salvation work is completely finished for Christians.

But here and here alone we see Jesus standing at the right hand of God, because He is about to take Stephen by the hand and into heaven.  King Solomon showed his mother honor by rising up to receive her when she entered into his earthly throne room (1 Kings 2:19).  Acts 7 reveals that King Jesus similarly stands up to receive Christians at their death as His honorable guests while entering into the heavenly throne room of God!

Let that bless our souls as we lay our heads down this evening to prepare to enter into God’s throne room with Jesus in worship tomorrow (Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 3:1-3; Hebrews 12:22-28).

Semper Reformanda,

Pastor Grant