With modern technology, the exchange of information is almost instantaneous.
As well as being a blessing, this can create minor problems as well.
This morning, for example, just before the alarm went off, Judy and I awoke by the ringing of the phone.
Fe is in a different time zone and she usually forgets to calculate the difference in time.
He was saying, “Instant communication is wonderful, but don’t wake me up at 2:00 a.m.”
I quite often think about him on Saturday night, and pray that the Lord would bless his church services.
And then I have to correct myself, because our Saturday night is already his Sunday afternoon.
Sometimes I ask myself, what do you suppose Bro. Sergey is doing right now?
And when I do the math, I find that I may be studying, but he’s sleeping.
It wasn’t streaming video or some other computer technology; it was a vision from God.
Stephen didn’t see what the Lord was doing on the other side of the world, but outside of the Universe.
Have you ever asked yourself: “What is the Lord Jesus doing at this moment?”
We are supposed to be the Lord’s servants – the Lord’s ambassadors.
What is He doing right now, while we try to bring glory to His name?
The Bible doesn’t give us a lot of information about this subject, but there are a few suggestions.
But even in those few things, we know little about the details.
At the very least, let’s consider a brief outline of the activities of our Saviour today.
But before we do, I want you to note something so slight that I almost missed it.
What was Jesus’ favorite term to describe Himself?
Did He speak of Himself as Rabbi?
And with the exception of this verse, 82 times Jesus’ uses the phrase to describe Himself.
This is the only place outside the gospels in which a man calls Jesus, the “Son of man.”
“But [Stephen}, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God,
And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.”
So, what is the Lord Jesus doing at this moment?
In the New Testament alone, it is found about two dozen times.
Jesus told the High Priest, “Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”
In Mark’s description of the ascension he said, “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.”
In the 8th chapter of Romans: “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.”
Colossians 3:1 – “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”
The Book of Hebrews is filled with this thought –
Hebrews 8:1 – “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.”
Hebrews 10:12 – “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.”
Hebrews 12:2 – “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
These verses are just the beginning.
The Bible NEVER says that Christ is on the left side of the Father.
To stand beside one of the great men of the world, should be considered a privilege no matter where.
But the Bible clearly teaches that the most honored place in any important man’s life, is on the right.
And when that spot is purposely prepared and dedicated it shows the highest of all possible honors.
And Psalm 110:1 tells us that “the LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”
And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.”
Other than this unmistakable fact, everything else that I have for you in this regard is rather imprecise.
Where do we draw the line between Jesus’ humanity and His unending deity?
How can we separate the work of Father, the Son and Holy Spirit?
Does One take up where the Other’s leave off?
About all we can do is point to a scripture or two and leave them almost unexplained.
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:
Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”
I can’t tell you that before His incarnation angels weren’t subject to the authority of the Son,
Because I believe that they were.
And when we look at the earthly life of the Lord Jesus, we see that even demons were subject to His authority.
I can tell you that at this moment, both demons and angels are being dispatched, recalled, controlled and monitored by our Saviour.
No wonder all things work together for our good.
“To which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
And who sent them forth to minister to us, if it isn’t our Saviour?”
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:
Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”
The Lord Jesus was apparently examining, testing, judging, encouraging, threatening and generally directing those churches.
He is the Head of this church; its owner, its proprietor; its director and its benefactor.
At this moment the Lord Jesus is governing and judging all of His churches.
And as Peter says in I Peter 4 “judgment must begin at the house of God.”
I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”
What does the Bible mean when it says that the Lord Jesus controls the keys of hell and death?
Doesn’t it imply that He is the Administrator of death?
Satan doesn’t ultimately determine who lives or dies,
And he certainly has no say in who spends eternity in the Lake of Fire.
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”
Does this verse say that Christ is the Heavenly general contractor building, renovating and decorating mansions for each of His saints?
I am not so sure.
First, the One who created by the word of His mouth, doesn’t need tools and time to build anything.
Heaven isn’t a work in progress.
Wasn’t what the Lord described here was accomplished in His death, resurrection and ascension into His Father’s house?
I think that His preparation for us was in the purchase of our salvation.
No, Jesus doesn’t have a tool kit around His waist, and a portable drill in his hand right now.
For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.”
If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
And “what shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
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.”
I question whether that God needs to hear the Lord’s intercession on our behalf.
It’s not that we aren’t in need of constant tending.
Does He need to see the blood of Christ over and over again?
Perhaps what this refers to is the Lord’s stepping between the Satanic accuser and the Father on our behalf?
It’s not that I don’t know what the Bible says.
It’s just that I don’t really understand what it contains, and my theology books don’t help me very much.
And perhaps even in regard to my lack of understanding of His intercession.
Even if the stones and the murderers are not taking our lives right now, it won’t be too many years down the road before a cement truck or a heart attack takes away our physical life.
What is the Lord doing?