Jesus Christ

Seated at the Right Hand of God

Acts 2:22-24, 32-36 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Verse 22 A man approved of God
Verse 23 crucified and slain
Verse 24,32 God raised him from the dead
Verse 33 God exalted him
Verse 34 God seated him at His right hand
Verse 36 God made him Lord & Christ

Jesus Christ was a man. He was approved of God, yet still a man. He was not one third of a triune God. He was the promised Christ. The man who would walk the walk the first man, Adam, failed to walk. He was crucified and slain - the true passover lamb chosen out of the flock (again a man) and sacrificed for our sins. He was raised from the dead by God. He did not raise himself. God raised him. He was exalted by God and sits today at God's right hand. God does not sit beside Himself. Jesus Christ sits at God's right hand. God has made Jesus to be our Lord and Christ. He walked the walk for us. He was our substitute and we have an identification with him.

The Right Hand
In the Bible the right hand is the hand of blessing. Gen. 48:13-19 tells how Joseph's younger son (Ephraim) received Jacob's blessing instead of his firstborn (Manasseh). Jacob laid his right hand on Ephraim signifying blessing. The right hand also is used to signify strength and salvation. Psalm 20:6 declares that "the Lord saveth ...with the saving strength of his right hand." God has placed Jesus Christ at His right hand to bless and to save us and to show forth His strength.

Intercession
I Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
I John 2:1b...we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Romans 8:34...Christ, ...who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Jesus Christ sits at God's right hand as our advocate and mediator making intercession for us when we fail to live up to God's Word. He has taken our sins upon himself and now pleads our case to the Father continually. We do not need a priest or to perform sacrifices to purge our sins. Jesus Christ has accomplished it all and sits at God's right hand as our constant advocate.

Head of the Church
Ephesians 1:20-23 Which he (GOD) wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
God made Jesus Christ Lord and Christ. He is the head of the church. No other individual may claim that title because it was God who made Jesus Christ the head - not us. God placed him in a position of rulership over all angels, principalities, and powers. As God's right hand man, Jesus Christ is Lord. There is no one above Jesus with the exception of God. (I Corinthians 15:27 ...But when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.)
Jesus Christ is not God. But Jesus Christ is Lord. God made him Lord. We have been blessed by the accomplishments of Jesus Christ. God's Word declares in Ephesians 2:5-6 that God has quickened us together with Christ, raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places with Christ Jesus. We have an identification with Jesus Christ and we are to keep our "eyes up" and remember his position at the right hand of God:

Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Cortright Fellowship
URL http://www.cortright.org/seated.htm
© Copyright August 1996 Michael Cortright