Lesson 74 – When the Spirit Exalts Christ

Acts 2:32-33

"This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 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."

    As Peter continues his sermon to the crowd on the day of Pentecost, we learn of the exalted position of Jesus at the right hand of God. Peter explains that it was as a result of this exalted position that the Father gives Christ the Holy Spirit to pour out upon the Church.

    I'm sure you wrestle as much with the concept of the Trinity as any other – God revealed as Father, Son and Spirit - but all one God, one person - existing in three roles. We may never understand how one God can sit on the throne and be at the right hand and be poured out on us as the Spirit, but all be one God!

    But that's where we see Jesus. In the receiving of the Spirit, the Father exalts the position of Christ to the right hand of the Father. Now Christ pours out this Promise on the Church. And guess what? In giving us the Spirit, Jesus exalts our position as well.

    Sure, we're not exalted in exactly the same way as Christ, for we've not suffered for all of humanity on Calvary's cross, nor are we God in any sense of the meaning. But still, our exalted position is still very real. As the Church of Jesus Christ, we've been exalted into the very presence of God via the Holy Spirit.

    Now don't be getting a big head out of this exalted position. Just as Christ was obedient to the Father, even to death on the cross, so our exalted position calls us be obedient to Christ. We've been exalted by the Spirit to live as servants of our Lord.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the exalted position of your Church. May we never cease to forget the cost of this exaltation and never tire in living only for you. Amen.