Jesus is Sitted in Heaven

 

Standing before a great audience, a world-famed musician took up a violin and played upon it so remarkably that his listeners sat in rapt attention. One string of the violin broke. He played on as though nothing had happened. The second string broke and though the audience was amazed still he continued to play as before. Then the third string broke leaving only one and while the people held their breath, he played on beautifully.

At last the fourth string broke and the great musician raised his violin and bringing it down with all his might dashed it to pieces. The people thought that in anger he had ruined a very valuable instrument. He then told them that he had purchased that violin for three dollars; that he had used it to show them that it was not so much the instrument as the master hand that played it which determined the quality of music.

In his sermon on the day of Pentecost, Peter told his audience "God has raised this Jesus to life and we are all witnesses of it” (Acts 2:32). Jesus ascension was witnessed by many people who were listening to his sermon. Jesus had been take away as they watched only a few days earlier (Luke 24:50-52, Acts 1:8-9).  The actual event of the resurrection is not described anywhere, but its discovery is recorded in some detail.

In Luke 24:1-8 we read that some women visited the tomb of Jesus. They found the stone rolled away and that the body missing. Matthew 28:2 tells us that it was an angel who rolled the stone away. John 20:19 tells us that Jesus, in His resurrection body, could pass through material barriers. The stone was rolled away so that others could see in and be persuaded that Jesus had risen from the dead.

Two men stood by in shining garments and asked the women “why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Jesus had ascended to Heaven and was now "exalted to the right hand of God” (Acts 2: 33, 34).  The right hand is a position of honour and authority. This was a restoration to the position Jesus had given up when he came to earth (Phil. 2:6-8). It was for this restoration that he had prayed in John 17:5.

Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear (Acts 2:33). The Holy Spirit by visible and unmistakable signs demonstrated His presence. In John 7:39 Jesus had spoken of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive after he was glorified.

The outpouring of the spirit on Pentecost was evidence that Jesus had been glorified. In John 14:15-19 Jesus had promised “if you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him, but you know him for he lives with you and will be in you” (John 14: 15-19).  

In Acts 2:34-35, Peter quoted Psalm 110:1 which says “for David did not ascend to heaven and yet he said, ‘the Lord said to my Lord “Sit at my right hand  until I make your enemies a footstool for your  feet ", David rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David (1King 2:10). When David had served God's purpose in his own generation , he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed (Acts 13:36).

Peter told his audience “ I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah (Acts 2:29-32). The Jews believed that the Messiah would the son of David but they did not believe He would be God.

Three gospel (Matt.22:43-44; Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41-42) record Jesus quoting Psalm 110:1 to prove that the Messiah was not just a man (Son of David) but was God (Son of God). Jesus' argument was if the Messiah is no more than a man how could David's son also be David's lord? David would not have addressed a mere human descendant as "Lord." God the Father is speaking to God the Son telling him to take his enthroned place (Eph. 1:19-20, Heb. 8:1).

The Lord said “sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”. When a defeated enemy was brought before an oriental king, the ruler would make the prisoner bow at his feet and would then place his foot on the neck of the enemy as if he were a footstool. This act is described in Joshua 10. When defeated kings were brought to Joshua, he said to the chiefs of the men of war “put your feet on the necks of these kings (Joshua 10:24).

The message of Peter was unquestionably true. The Word of God as expounded fitted the conditions exactly. In Acts 2:36 Peter draws a powerfully conclusion to his sermon. He says "therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ-this Jesus whom you crucified". Christ means “the promised one”. God had promised a messiah who would come to restore Israel’s kingdom (Acts 1:6).

Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies of the promised messiah. Numbers 24:17,19 says  “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel . . . a ruler will come out of Jacob.” Psalm 2:7-9 says “you are my Son, today I have become your Father. Ask of me and I will make the nations your inheritance; the ends of the earth your possession.”

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called...Mighty God... Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end, He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom , establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the  Lord Almighty will accomplish this (Isa.9:6-7).

“Lord” means ruler of all things and the one who holds the key to life and death in his hands. God exalted Jesus to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name (Phil. 2:9). To a Jew, there was only one name above every name– the name of the God of Israel. Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved Acts 2:19-21

Peter’s words made perfect sense to this multitude. The messiah they had awaited for so long had come and they had killed him. The person they crucified was both Lord and Christ. The evidence was too great to deny. Peter had used all available evidence to show them that they were guilty. The full force of Peter's arguments thudded home, and they realized that they were in a very precarious position.

The Holy Spirit did what Jesus had predicted he would be doing (John 16:7-11).  The exercise of the gift of tongues produced nothing in the listeners except for astonishment and mocking. It was not until the gospel was preached that conviction was brought about .The Spirit of truth (John 16:13) and the "Sword of the Spirit" which is the word of God (Eph.6:17) supernaturally touched their hearts.

The word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates... it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Heb.4:12).Luke uses the phrase “cut to the heart” to describe the conviction of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus was arrested, Peter used a literal sword and human power to defend his master (John 18:10). He accomplished nothing.

On the day of Pentecost the Spirit filled Peter “cut the hearts” of thousands with the powerful sword of the Spirit. They asked “brothers, what shall we do?” Peter must have been pleasantly amazed to see what God had done in this situation. Instead of charging him with blasphemy and crucifying him, three thousand people believed him and trusted in Jesus as Lord. They even called the disciples “brothers”.

Proverbs 16:7 says “When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him”. Peter said to them, " Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off... Save yourselves from this corrupt generation” (Acts 2:38-40).

Peter called for individual repentance "every one of you”. It was a personal decision. Before that remarkable day had ended three thousand had been added to the Church. From then on, everyone who would call on the name of the Lord would be saved. The Holy Spirit would incorporate each one of them into the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13).  

There was joy on earth among the disciples but there was no doubt far greater joy in heaven (Luke 15:7). The results were astounding but they were far larger than what is recorded. Three thousand joined the Church that day but the ripple effect is not told. These men went back to their various nations to give their fellow citizens the Gospel. The Spirit no doubt worked with power through them also. Only eternity can tell the exact results.

We are told that the Lord added these members. Jesus now in heaven was continuing to do through his disciples, what he had “began to do and to teach” (Acts 1:1-2) when he was on earth.  God bestows His Spirit on the believers for the same reason that He poured out His Spirit on Jesus when he began His earthly ministry (Luke 3:21-22; 4:14-19). He does so to empower them to proclaim the gospel.

Luke wanted his readers to view their own ministries as the extension of Jesus' ministry. The Holy Spirit was poured to consecrate the Church to the task of worldwide ministry (Acts 1:8). Mark 16:19-20 says “ after the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it”.

Today it looks like the enemies of Jesus are triumphing and that evil is "winning," but that will change one day. Paul told the Romans, “everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Rom 16:19-20).