Date: Tuesday Evening -- February 13, 2001

Tape # W-026b

1. 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.

1. 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.

1. 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!

1. 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).

1. 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.



2. 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).

3. 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).

4. 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."

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Don Fortner