Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Towards the beginning of October, I attended the Best Practices – Heartland Conference. Of the different conferences I have attended … this one has to be one of the best. The speakers were great, the sessions were amazing, and the fellowship was beneficial. I’m already looking forward to next year’s conference.
Of all the different things that were discussed, one stands out to me when I think about what is happening this month, particularly on November 5th. Now, before you put this down or skip to the next page, I ask that you hear me out because this thought I want to share with you goes beyond what happens on election day. First, let me provide some context for you.
One of the main speakers talked about the “posture of God.” He emphasized that throughout the Bible, there are five different postures that God has. Here they are. God is:
seated
lying down
suspended from the cross
lying down
seated.
Here is the cliff-note explanation of these.
God is the Creator of all things. Isaiah 45:18 says, “For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it do be inhabited!): ‘I am the LORD, and there is no other.’” As the Creator and Lord of all, God is seated on His throne at creation.
Because of humanity’s fall into sin, God sent Jesus to be borne of Mary. As we will celebrate soon enough, Mary gave birth and laid Jesus down in the manger.
To pay the price for our sins, Jesus took on God the Father’s wrath and paid the price for your and my sins with His blood by being suspended from the cross.
Jesus was then taken down from the cross and laid in a tomb.
On Easter morning, the Son of God rose from the dead, stood up and walked out of the tomb! Forty days after Jesus’ resurrection, He ascended up into heaven. This is where the last posture of God comes in.
As we confess in both the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds, Jesus “ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand” of God the Father. Jesus is seated at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms waiting for the day in which He will return and redeem you and me and all of creation.
And not only is Jesus seated at God’s right hand, I envision Him with His feet propped up. I like the way the King James Version of the Bible puts it. Psalm 110:1 says, “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”
Jesus is seated on the throne in heaven, surrounded by the angels, the elders, the four living creatures and all the saints. Together they are praising Him saying “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come. … You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being” (Revelation 4:8 & 11).
Jesus is seated with His feet up propped up on His enemies. Notice a couple of things here. Jesus is victorious. Jesus has already won the battle against sin, death, and Satan. Jesus did this through His lying down in the humility of being made man and being born in a manger. Jesus did this through His perfect life, suffering and death, suspended up on the cross. Jesus did this through His victorious resurrection on Easter morning. Jesus is the victim and the victor of our lives.
Being the victor, the ultimate victor … sitting on the throne … no one nor any thing is ever going to dethrone Him. And this is where I want to tie it in to November 5th and to the struggles that each of face. No matter what happens November 5th, that is under the feet of Jesus. The things we struggle with physically, emotionally, spiritually … they are under the feet of Jesus. The consequence of our sin, that is under the feet of Jesus. All those who don’t believe in Jesus as their Savior, are under the feet of Jesus. As the sovereign Lord of all … all things are under His feet.
And as believers of Jesus, as disciples of Christ … when we approach the feet of Jesus, we do so not in fear or intimidation, but as recipients of the victory Jesus has already won. Jesus takes His victory and gives it to you and me as a gift. As we approach Thanksgiving, of all the things we can be thankful for, this gift from Jesus and the eternal presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts … they are on the top of the list.
As you and I live our lives … may we take comfort knowing and believing that Jesus is sitting on the throne victorious and that someday, someday we will be there with Him and all the saints who have gone before us. To God be all glory, honor, and praise forever and ever!
God’s blessings to you!
Pastor Mike
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