Sermon #44 Hebrews
Notes
Title: Christ Exalted
Text: Hebrews 10:12-13
Readings: Bob Duff and Larry Brown
Subject: The Exaltation of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Date: Tuesday Evening -- February 13, 2001
Tape # W-026b
Introduction:
Let me give you five pictures of Christ, as
he is revealed in Holy Scripture, which form the basis of my soul’s hope,
comfort, and expectation before God. I have hope of eternal life, I expect to
stand accepted before God forever, not because of anything I have done, not
because of anything I have experienced, and not because of anything I have
felt, but because of what Christ has done for me in these five things.
1. I have hope before God because Christ stood as my Surety in the
covenant of grace before the world began.
By his own oath, from which he will not
repent, the Lord Jesus Christ was made “a
Surety of a better testament,” Surety of a better covenant, in the eternal
councils of the Triune God (Heb. 7:22; Gen. 43:8-9; Job 33:24).
In that covenant, the Son of God
agreed to satisfy the law and justice of God for his people and bring all the
hosts of God’s elect safe into glory. God the Father entrusted
his elect people into the hands of his Son as a Surety. And Christ’s suretyship
engagements will not be finished until all that the Father gave him have come
to him, and he has raised them up at the last day, presented them to the
Father, and said, “Behold, I and the
children which God hath given me.” See John 6:37-40; 10:16; Heb. 2:13).
2.
The
fact that the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ came into this world as a man gives me hope as well (Matt.
1:21).
Immanuel, God with us, God in our nature,
is God come to save. The Son of God would not have become one of us were
it not his purpose to show us mercy. “For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that
the world through him might be saved” (John 3:17). This is good news
indeed: “The Word was made flesh and
dwelt among us” (John 1:14).
3. I have hope before God because Christ obeyed the law of God as my
representative.
Though I am a sinner, without any ability
to produce righteousness, I have hope before God who cannot accept anything
less than perfect righteousness. My hope is “The
Lord our Righteousness” (Jer. 23:6). Christ lived in this world in perfect
obedience to God as my Representative and brought in an everlasting
righteousness. It is this righteousness, the righteous obedience of Christ,
which God has imputed to me and imputes to all who believe (Rom. 5:19).
But before righteousness could be lawfully
imputed to me, my sins had to be both atoned for and put away, so ---
4.
I
have hope before God because the Lord
Jesus Christ died as my Substitute under the penalty of God’s holy law (Rom.
3:24-26; 2 Cor. 5:21).
My God, by a marvelously legal but
gracious transfer, transferred my sin to Christ and punished him for my sin and
then transferred Christ’s righteousness to me and rewards me for his
righteousness. Christ became what we were, so that we might forever be what he
is. Christ stood in our place, so that we might forever stand in his place.
Christ died, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, so that we
might live forever with God. And now God is faithful and just to forgive the
sins of all who confess their sins, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ (1 John
1:9).
5.
And I have hope before God because this
Christ, who lived and died as the sinner’s Substitute, arose from the grave,
ascended back into heaven, and has been exalted as King over the universe.
The Lord Jesus Christ, “when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of
the majesty on high” (Heb. 1:3). The fact that he arose from the grave
assures us that Christ has completely satisfied the law’s claim against our
sins. The fact that he ascended back into heaven assures us that he is accepted
of God as the Representative of his people. And the fact that he is enthroned
as King over all things assures us that “he
is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him” (Heb.
7:25).
I am
confident that Christ has done all of this for me, as my surety, my
Representative, my Substitute, because I honestly acknowledge my sin before God
and trust him alone as my Lord and Savior. My faith does not save me.
Only Christ can save. But my faith gives me a confident hope that I have been
saved by the grace of God through the righteousness and shed blood of the Lord
Jesus Christ (1 John 5:10-13).
Now, I
want, by the power and grace of God the Holy Spirit, to persuade you to let go
of every vain self-confidence, and trust Christ as your only, all-sufficient
Savior. And I want to give you who believe a message that will inspire
your confidence in Christ, your love for Christ, and your worship of Christ.
I know of no better way to do that than to set before you the exaltation of our great Savior, the Lord
Jesus Christ.
Turn with me to Hebrews
10:12-13. Here the Holy Spirit describes Christ’s glorious
exaltation. The priests of Israel, like the pretentious priests of Rome today,
stood and offered everyday the same sacrifices, which could never take away
sins. “But this man (the God-man, our
Savior), after he had offered one
sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth
expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.”
In this chapter the Holy Spirit is showing us the
superiority of Christ over the Levitical priesthood of the Old Testament. --
Those priests under the law were many. Christ is one High Priest over the house
of God forever. -- They offered many sacrifices. Christ made one sacrifice. --
They offered their sacrifices often, everyday. Christ offered himself once. --
They stood ministering in the holy place. Christ sat down. -- Their sacrifices
could never take away sins. Christ by his one great sacrifice “hath perfected forever them that are
sanctified,” having put away all our sins.
Not all the blood of beasts
On Jewish altars slain,
Could give the guilty
conscience peace,
Or wash away the stain.
But Christ, the heavenly
Lamb,
Takes all our sins away;
A sacrifice of nobler name
And richer blood than they.
Proposition: Now, that Christ who redeemed us by his blood
reigns in heaven to save us by the power of his grace.
Divisions:
1.The
Expiation Of Our Sins
2.The Exaltation Of Our Sins
3. The Expectation Of Our
Sovereign
I. First, we are assured of the
expiation of our sins (v.
12).
Our Lord's work of redemption is done. His atonement
is complete. The sins, which he bore in his body on the tree, have been fully
purged away, completely atoned for, and entirely removed. All that Christ came
to do he has completely done. The priests of Israel could never sit down,
because their work was never done, their sacrifices could never take away sin. “But this man, after he had offered
one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God.” Here
is proof positive that the work of redemption is done, completely and perfectly
done: -- Christ is sitting at the Father’s right hand.
·
Sitting down is a posture of
rest.
A man does not rest until
his work is finished. Christ came to do his Father’s will, “By the which will we are sanctified;” and he would not rest until
he had completely and perfectly done his Father’s will. Christ’s sitting
in heaven is our assurance that everything required for the salvation of all
his people is done (Rom. 8:34).
[Romans 8:33-34] "Who shall
lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
[34] Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea
rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also
maketh intercession for us."
·
Righteousness has been established.
·
Atonement has been made.
·
Sin has been put away.
·
God’s elect have been perfected (Heb. 10:10, 14).
·
Christ’s
sitting at God’s right hand also implies that he enjoys great pleasure.
The Psalmist, when he spoke
of Christ’s exaltation, wrote, “Thou wilt
show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand
there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11).
The highest joy and pleasure of our Savior
is the salvation of his people. Our salvation was the joy set before him,
for which he endured the cross, despising the shame (Heb. 12:2).
How could he enjoy pleasure, if his
people were in jeopardy? How could he have any joy, if he had not secured the
salvation of every lamb of his flock? If he had not rendered the eternal
salvation of every blood-bought soul as secure as his own throne, he would have
no pleasure. There is a smile of pleasure upon our Redeemer’s face,
as he sits in glory, because all his ransomed ones are perfectly safe.
·
Not only is Christ seated,
in the posture of rest and at the place of pleasure; but our text tells us
that, he “forever sat down on the right
hand of God!”
Christ, as our Surety, has undertaken to
save all of God’s elect. It was for this cause that he came into the world. He
has sworn to bring all the elect to glory and present them perfect, without
blemish, without fault, holy before his Father. If that is not already secured
as the result of his finished work, then he would be obliged at some point to
get up off his seat and go to work again. But our all-glorious Christ has so
thoroughly redeemed us that he forever sat down. He will never have to leave
his throne, because he finished the work he came to do.
·
Here is another proof that our sins are completely expiated by Christ:
– He is seated on the right hand of
God.
The very fact that Christ is in heaven,
accepted by God as our substitute, is proof that his work is done and that, as
the result of his finished work, God has no quarrel with us.
Illustration: As long as the United
States has an ambassador in Moscow, there is peace between the U.S. and Russia.
And as long as Christ our Savior is at the Father’s right hand, we may be
assured that there is peace between his people and God.
Since Christ is seated in heaven forever, it is no
assumption, but a matter of infallible certainty, that our peace with God can
never cease, and that the atonement for sin is both complete and effectual!
God almighty made Christ to be sin for us, and as a sinner, he could not
enter heaven until he had washed all our sins away in the fountain of his own
precious blood. This Man, being our Substitute, could not enter heaven without
two things: Perfect Righteousness and Complete Satisfaction. But, inasmuch as
he is seated on the right hand of God forever, we cannot question this fact –
Redemption is done!
‘Tis done, the great
transaction is done,
Christ died and did for sin
atone:
An everlasting
righteousness,
Which Christ brought in,
this is our dress.
II.
Second,
having completely put away our sins by his one great atoning sacrifice, the
Holy Spirit here tells us of the exaltation of our Savior. -- “But this man, after he had offered one
sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God.”
Of course, I am talking now
about Christ the Man, our Mediator and Substitute. As God, Christ was always on
the Father’s throne. Even when he was upon earth, he was in heaven. The Son of
God did not cease to be omnipotent and omnipresent, even when he was wrapped up
in human flesh. Insofar as his divinity is concerned, our Lord never left his
Father’s throne. He who is everywhere present cannot be anywhere absent. Our
Lord himself said to Nicodemus, “No man
hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, event the Son of
man which is (at this very time) in
heaven” (John 3:13). But Christ, as the Man-God, has assumed the glories
and honors of heavenly exaltation. This Man, who died as the sinner’s
Substitute reigns as the sinner’s God on the right hand of the glorious
Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The Man Christ Jesus is exalted to the
right hand of the Majesty on high. -- He is that One whom John saw as a Lamb
that had been slain rising up in the midst of the throne.
Let me tell you four things about the exaltation of our blessed
Savior.
A. It is a pre-eminent exaltation.
The triune God has ordained, “that in all things Christ might have the pre-eminence” (Col.
1:18). And he has given him the place of pre-eminence. God has crowned him with
glory and honor above all the works of his hands. God has exalted Christ “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
fullness of him that filleth all in all” (Eph. 1:121-23).
The dignity, which Christ
now enjoys, is a surpassing dignity. No angel rivals him. No creature can
compare with him. Christ is pre-eminent in all things. And Christ is
pre-eminent above all things. Christ is ---
·
The Pre-eminent Prophet!
·
The Pre-eminent Priest!
·
The Pre-eminent King!
·
The Pre-eminent Sacrifice!
·
The Pre-eminent Savior!
·
The Pre-eminent Brother!
·
The Pre-eminent Friend!
·
The Pre-eminent Husband!
B. It is a
real exaltation (Acts 2:33-36).
A good many men seek empty, meaningless titles, titles which
give them a name, but no power or authority (Lord So Fine – Doctor
Doodley-squat – Rev. Tweedle, D.D.). Christ does not wear a meaningless title.
He wears a name that is above every name, and he has power above all power
(John 17:2). The scepter of universal monarchy is in his hand (Rom. 14:9).
[Acts 2:33-36] "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.
[34] For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The
Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, [35] Until I make thy
foes thy footstool. [36] Therefore let all the house of Israel know
assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both
Lord and Christ."
1. He upholds all things by the
word of his power.
2. He is able to save to the
uttermost all who come to God by him.
3. He is able to work all
things together for the good of his own elect.
4. He is able to subdue all
things unto himself.
5. He is able to preserve his
own and to present you faultless before the presence of his own glory.
C. It is a
deserved exaltation (Phil. 2:5-11).
If God should put it to a vote, as to whether Christ
should be exalted, it would be carried by universal acclamation. All would
shout –
Crown Him with many crowns,
The Lamb upon His throne!
Hark how the heav’nly
anthems drown
All music but its own!
1.
All
the holy angels would acknowledge Christ’s right to be exalted (Isa. 6:2-3).
2. All the saints in heaven
acknowledge Christ’s right to be exalted (Rev. 4:10-11; 5:9-10).
3. Every believer upon the
earth would have Christ exalted (Col. 3:11; 1 Pet. 2:7).
4. Every creature of God will
in time acknowledge Christ’s right to be exalted (Rev. 5:11-14).
5. No other being in heaven
deserves to be there but Christ.
·
The angels are kept in heaven by grace.
·
The saints enter heaven by grace.
·
Only Christ is in heaven by right.
D. Do you see these things? Christ’s exaltation is a
pre-eminent exaltation, a real exaltation, and a deserved exaltation. Now be
sure you do not miss this blessed fact – It
is a representative exaltation (Heb. 6:20; Eph. 2:5-6).
[Ephesians 2:5-6] "Even
when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye
are saved;) [6] And hath raised us up together, and made us sit
together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:"
[Hebrews 6:20] "Whither the
forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever
after the order of Melchisedec."
Just as
you and I have our representatives in the houses of congress, every true
believer has a Representative before God in heaven. Yet, Christ is more to us
than a legal Representative, he is also a real Representative, because we are
really and truly one with him. He is the Vine. We are the branches. He is the
Head. We are his body. We are one with Christ!
One when He died, one when
He arose,
One when He triumphed o’er
His foes.
One when in heaven He took
His seat,
And angels sang all hell’s
defeat.
·
Is
Christ on a throne? He will give us to sit on the throne with him.
·
Does Christ wear a crown? He will give us a crown that fadeth not away.
·
Is Christ triumphant? He will make us triumphant too.
Child of God, set your heart’s eye upon your exalted Savior.
Behold him there in glory, with many crowns upon his head. And remember this –
You will soon be like him! Let us be content now to live in obscurity or even
in banishment for Christ’s sake. Soon we shall wear the crown of glory!
III.
I must quickly show you one more things in our text. We have seen the
expiation of our sin and the exaltation of our Savior. And in verse 13, the
Spirit of God shows us the expectation of our Sovereign.
Christ our Savior, he who redeemed us with his blood
and saved us by his grace, has been exalted to the throne of sovereign
dominion. And he reigns upon that throne of universal monarchy, “From henceforth expecting till his
enemies has been made his footstool.” Every foe of Christ shall
become his servant and his footstool (Isa. 45:22-25).
A.
In one sense this crushing
of his enemies into subjection beneath his feet has already begun.
Christ is the sovereign ruler of the universe;
and all rational beings, either willingly or unwillingly, are his servants (2
Pet. 2:1). He has power over all flesh.
1. Satan himself is Christ’s
slave, beaten into subjection (John 12:31).
2. Wicked men are the servants
of Christ, the errand boys of his providential rule.
B. Many of Christ’s enemies are conquered by his grace
through the preaching of the gospel (2 Cor. 10:4-5).
[2 Corinthians 10:4-5]
"(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty
through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) [5] Casting down
imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge
of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of
Christ;"
Illustration: Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9).
C.
When Christ comes the second
time, he will come to crush all rebellion.
The second advent will not
be a time of salvation, but of judgment upon all unbelievers. “The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from
heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that
know not God, and that obey not the gospel” (2 Thess. 1:8-9).
D. At last, in the day of judgment, every
enemy shall bow to Christ as Lord.
At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue
shall confess, in heaven, earth, and hell, that Jesus Chris is Lord. And God
shall be all in all.
Application:
In the end, because Christ is exalted, I am sure that ---
1. All who believe shall be saved.
2. Every enemy of Christ shall be destroyed.
3. All of God’s elect shall be saved (Rom.
11:26).
4. Christ shall be triumphant and glorious
(Rev. 19:6).
[Revelation 19:1-6] "And
after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying,
Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
[2] For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the
great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged
the blood of his servants at her hand. [3] And again they said,
Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. [4] And the four and
twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the
throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. [5] And a voice came out of the throne,
saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small
and great. [6] And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude,
and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings,
saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth."