GETTING THE MESSAGE/Jesus paid it all

GETTING THE MESSAGE/Jesus paid it all

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Psalm 110:1 reads, “The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” David is speaking prophetically about Christ. After he was crucified and raised from the dead, he ascended to heaven and sat down at the right hand of God, a posture of a reigning king invested with the power of God. This psalm is the most quoted in the New Testament.

In Hebrews 1:13 we are taught Christ’s position at the right hand of God argues he is superior to all creation and creatures: “To which of the angels has God said, “Sit at my right hand.” The answer is none. Christ is crowned Lord of all, and his sitting indicates he will be judge of all.

Peter quoted verse 1 in his sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:34) and then concluded with this: “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Those in the crowd who believed were “cut to the heart.” They saw by faith their offense against the Lord and turned to him for mercy.

True faith sees Christ at the right hand of God. His people know he is the exalted Lord. To seek first the kingdom of God as Jesus instructs us, we must willingly submit to his reign as king over us, and serve him accordingly. We can’t do this apart from confessing and repenting from sin. And this is what we see in the converts to Christ in Acts 2.

In Matthew chapter 22, the Jewish leaders approach Jesus with questions to try and trip him up in some way. At one point Jesus asks them a question, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They responded to him, “The son of David.”

Jesus said to them, “How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet?’ If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?”

Jesus wasn’t trying to catch them with an argument or trip them up; he asked them this to illumine what is at stake in their resistance and rebellion against him. Jesus was the promised descendent of David who would reign forever. All are accountable to him and all will give an account to him. We do well to remember Jesus is at the right hand of God.

In verse 3 we read, “Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments.” This is a wonderful promise of having your will subdued by Christ in such a way you offer yourself freely to him. It is a miracle for a sinner to desire the glory of the Lord. It puts us under obligation to love Christ when we recognize his working in us. Can you see his work in you?

Men tend to think serving the Lord to be hard. But it’s the only position that cultivates real joy. Jesus said: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

There are countless heavy yokes in this weary world. People think there can be no worse thing than assuming a yoke; particularly one with the dreaded restraints of Christianity. But all people wear a yoke, they serve some interest. There is only one yoke that leads to rest for the soul. It is in service to the Lord Jesus.  What can be nobler than serving the Lord of all?

Your experience as a Christian may be one of struggle, and you wonder where is this rest, this victory the Lord speaks of? Take heart. Christ will take your struggles and you together. There is no meeting with Christ except with a heart broken for sin. The Christian life is called the “good fight” and “wrestling” against spiritual enemies. So the rest is found in Christ, in knowing he is at work in you. The more dependence we feel the more at rest we will be in him.

And never forget he is our high priest who gave himself for us as is depicted in verse 4 of this important psalm (and Hebrews 7). We can never be restful outside of knowing his atoning work for our sin, and knowing that through his blood we have peace with God. These truths will fasten our grips on Christ’s love, and heighten our resolve to honor him.






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