Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus, Seated, Part 1

Welcome to Delight in Grace. The teaching ministry of Rich Powell, pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. After becoming the one and final sacrifice for sin and conquering death, Jesus sits down at the right hand of God the Father.

He sat down. This is an easy statement to overlook, but today Pastor Rich shows us how rich of meaning this little clause really is. Let's look at Hebrews 12-2 today in this message titled, Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus. You're listening to part two of a sermon first preached on December 30th, 2012. It reminds me of a Colombian evangelist who is down there working among the guerrilla revolutionaries, a Marxist group who is by definition atheist because it is Marxist and they're trying to bring this revolution to the country of Colombia. And this Colombian evangelist who is a Christian is up there ministering to these people and he gives them scriptures, he gives them supplies, he gives them copies of the New Testament and he teaches them, he tells them the Word of God, he tells them that God loves them and that Jesus died for them. And because they are by definition a Marxist, therefore an atheist organization, they are threatened by these truths and they threaten his life. And yet he continues to go back and people ask him, aren't you afraid of them? Don't you know what they can do to you? And he says this, they can kill me but they can't do anything bad to me.

You know what that is? That is a man who recognized that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the throne of God, meaning he is ruler and judge. It is only his opinion that counts and nobody else's does. That's living by faith, that Jesus is judge. Fourthly, the fact that Jesus sat down at the right hand of the throne of God means that he is teacher.

He is the master teacher and we ought to be learning from him. There's the idea of sitting at the feet. There's much of that in scripture, sitting at the feet. When you think of that, think of it, you know, where in classes today, usually a teacher stands up front and gives a lecture, a sermon or something like that and people are sitting, kind of like what we're doing here today, right?

You know, but in Bible times, the teacher would come to the front of class and sit down and the rest would sit around. Now, when I go to India at the end of January and beginning of February, you know, the people are going to be sitting on the floor in there. I might just take a seat. I don't know. I might try to do that, but it might be fun, but I might get distracted with that, too, because you know me, it's hard to talk when you're sitting down with your hands. And if you tie my hands behind my back, I might not be able to say a word. So I don't know.

I'm thinking about that. But Jesus is teacher and we sit at his feet. The idea of sitting at his feet, you know, we would see that today, for example, in a kindergarten class. All right, the teacher sits down and all the students gather around to listen and they will ask questions and they will answer questions and all of that, that interaction between teacher and pupil. To sit at Jesus feet, this is how it was practiced in ancient times where a teacher would sit and so sitting at his feet means learning from the teacher.

Second Kings chapter four, verse thirty eight, it speaks of the sons of the prophets were sitting at Elijah's feet. Now, Jesus is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. That means he is the teacher.

He is the master teacher. When he was on earth, he also sat down and he taught. We have an example of this in Luke, chapter 10, verses thirty eight to forty two, when Jesus went to Bethany and he was visiting the home of Mary and Martha and Lazarus. Remember Lazarus, the one that he rose from the, rose from the grave? OK, it wasn't really a resurrection.

It was a resuscitation. But because Lazarus had to die again. But that was a wonderful miracle.

And those that were watching that, they knew there was an undeniable miracle going on. But still, because their pride was in the way, because their agenda was in the way, they decided they were going to go and destroy Jesus because they were threatened by him. That family. The family of Mary and Martha and Lazarus. And before that time, Jesus comes in there and he's sitting in their home. And they are friends with him and they're listening.

They're eager to learn from him. Mary sits down at Jesus feet and she's learning from him. Martha, meanwhile, is busy. She's getting the house in order. For what? We're not exactly sure.

But the record doesn't tell us that. But Martha gets distracted by that. And she appeals to Jesus. She says, Jesus, ask my sister to come help me instead of just sitting there listening to you.

Not sure how that made him feel, but, you know, listen to what Jesus said to Martha. Martha, Martha. Says her name twice. That means I'm getting your attention.

Okay. Martha, Martha, listen to this. One thing is necessary.

One thing is necessary. And he told Martha, Martha, you've been distracted. You're distracted by the busyness of life.

You're distracted by the busyness of trying to make life work. But Jesus looks in her eyes and says, Martha, Martha, one thing is necessary. And Mary has chosen the good part. A lot of things can happen in life, but one thing is necessary and Mary has chosen the good part to sit at his feet and learn. To be a student of Jesus Christ, a committed follower versus being preoccupied with the busyness of life, trying to make life work. Wouldn't it make more sense to sit down and learn from and walk with and follow the one who designed life, who knows how it works?

That's what Mary chose. And so Jesus as teacher, the fact that he has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God is our master teacher. And we ought to be learning from him, sitting at his feet, learning from him. Those are the important ways to understand the fact that he sat down. Now, where did he sit down? He sat down at the right hand, at the right hand. The right hand is the place of privilege and honor.

When you are said to be at the right hand of someone is the place of privilege and honor. My oldest son's name is Benjamin. It means son of my right hand.

He's my firstborn. So in biblical times, that would mean he has the place of privilege and honor because he is my firstborn, the son of my right hand. And we see this in scripture because when the firstborn was blessed, the father would place his right hand on the head of the firstborn to give him the blessing of the firstborn.

So the right hand is the place of privilege and honor. Consider this verse in Psalm 16 verse 11. In your presence is fullness of joy.

At your right hand are pleasures evermore. Listen, this is a messianic prophecy. It was the Messiah saying these words. Do you think of God this way? That in his presence is fullness of joy and at his right hand are pleasures evermore? We need to think of God this way because if this is not how we think of God, then we're missing out. We're missing out on what he has for us. But see, this is what Jesus knew.

This is what he understood. At his right hand are pleasures evermore. And that's what's so important that he sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Isaiah 41 10. Fear not for I am with you. Be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you.

Yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. It is the place of privilege and honor. There's another sense that is important about the right hand, and that is that God's right hand represents his mighty acts. The mighty acts of God. Look at Psalm 98, verse one.

Oh, sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm have gained him the victory. Consider Psalm 118 and verse 15. The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous. The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.

Look at Psalm 48 verse, not Psalm, Isaiah 48, verse 13. Indeed, my hand has laid the foundation of the earth and my right hand has stretched out the heavens. His right hand represents his mighty acts.

Now think about this. Where is Christ seated? He's seated at the right hand of the throne of God. I like Michael Card's song where it says, Your most awesome work was done by the frailty of your son. That son who is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

That one. The right hand is the place of privilege and honor. Seated at the right hand of what? Of the throne of God. The throne of God speaks of one thing alone and that is his sovereignty. His sovereignty. It is his creation. We are his creation and that says a lot. To put it briefly, it means that all things were created by him and for him. Those two prepositions are chock full of meaning.

Listen, I can make you this guarantee. That is existence in a nutshell right there. All things by him and for him. If you don't get that, you don't get life. It doesn't make sense.

Never will. The throne of God speaks to his sovereignty and that all things are by him and for him. And therefore the conclusion is that he is the point. He is the point to our existence. When it's all said and done, what do I have but God? As the psalmist said in Psalm 73, whom do I have in heaven but you?

And there is none on earth that I desire besides you. He is the point. Lastly, it is his purpose that becomes and is reality. It is his purpose. Not mine, his.

Because it's not about me, it's about him. Because all things were created by him and for him. So it is his throne. He is the ruler of all of creation. And it is his purpose that is being carried out.

So the point then is in conclusion. The point of this teaching is as you sit at Jesus feet, as you walk with God and as you walk with Christ and follow him. Your life will become all about God's character and purpose. And your life will have one clear message.

Jesus is Lord. We're so glad you've joined us for Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell, Pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. You can hear this message and others anytime by visiting our website www.delightingrace.com. You can also check out Pastor Rich's book, Seven Words That Can Change Your Life, where he unpacks from God's Word the very purpose for which you were designed. Seven Words That Can Change Your Life is available wherever books are sold. As always, tune in to Delight in Grace weekdays at 10 a.m.