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You may turn back in your Bibles 
to Acts chapter 2. Acts chapter 2. Since we are 
having the baptism next Sunday morning and we've come to a natural 
break in our study in Matthew, we'll hold off for a couple of 
weeks until we pick up that next section in Matthew's gospel. 
This morning, I want to look at the current session of Christ 
specifically here, specifically here in Acts chapter two, verses 
22 to 36, primarily versus 34 to 36. The current session of 
Christ is a result. of his death, resurrection and 
ascension. The Lord Jesus fulfilled the 
law in his life. He satisfied divine justice in 
his death. He rose again on the third day. 
And as a result, the father was pleased with that work and highly 
exalted him and gave him a name which is above every name. Now, 
this dominion of this current session, this reign and rule 
of Christ was not given to him as God per se, Jesus has always 
been God. But specifically, as Robert Raymond 
says, this dominion is given to him as given to him as the 
divine human Messiah and as the divine human mediator between 
God and man. Christ as mediator, as the God 
man, has been given universal rule, dominion, power and authority 
over all things. This morning I want to start 
broad and then bring this to bear upon us as individuals. I'll just read verses 29 to 36 
and then we'll begin. Men and brethren, let me speak 
freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and 
buried and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, being 
a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him 
that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would 
raise up the Christ to sit on his throne. He foreseeing this 
spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that his soul 
was not left in Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 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. For David did not ascend into 
the heavens, but he says himself, the Lord said to my Lord, sit 
at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool. 
Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that 
God has made this Jesus whom you crucified, both Lord and 
Christ. Well, let us pray. Our Father, 
as we come to consider this, we pray for the ministry of your 
spirit, that he would guide us and lead us and direct us into 
all truth. We pray that we would appreciate 
afresh the current session of Christ, the fact that he reigns 
and rules at the right hand of the majesty of God on high. We 
praise you that he will come again in glory to judge the living 
and the dead. We praise you that he is our 
high priest and our mediator and our Lord and our Savior. 
We pray that this morning, as we consider this book of Acts, 
our hearts would be encouraged, we would be built up and strengthened, 
and that God, you would be glorified. And do forgive us now for all 
of our sins and anything that would hinder us from receiving 
your word. And we pray through Jesus Christ, 
our Lord. Amen. As I said, I want to start 
broad and then hone in specifically on how the current session of 
Christ speaks to us in our individual lives and as well as the Church 
of Christ. So I want to do two things this 
morning. I want to look first at the covenantal context of 
the session and then secondly, specifically at the current session 
of Christ. Current means right now. We ask 
the question, what is Jesus doing? Peter answers, for us, he was 
exalted to the right hand of God. He is sitting at the right 
hand of God until he has made his enemies his footstool. He 
has been made both Lord and Christ, and he will come again to judge 
the living and the dead. As I said, I want to put it in 
its larger biblical context. Luke is doing something more 
in the Book of Acts than just reporting history. He is a historian, 
to be sure, but he's also a theologian. He's also opening up for us biblical 
truth. He is showing us how all roads 
lead to the Lord Jesus Christ, how God's plan, God's purposes, 
God's desire for mankind fulfills itself or is played out in the 
life and ministry of Jesus Christ. I mentioned last week when we 
introduced the book of Acts, or probably two weeks ago, that 
Luke wrote Acts and he wrote the gospel of Luke. And what 
we find when we look at Acts chapter 1, for instance, is connection 
to the gospel of Luke. If you notice in Acts chapter 
1 at verse 1, he refers to the former account that he had made. He's addressing specifically 
Theophilus. So in this former account, he 
is referring, of course, to the Gospel of Luke. When we go back 
to Luke chapter 1 verse 1, he says his purpose in writing to 
Theophilus is to set in order a narrative of those things which 
have been fulfilled among us. Again, not just accomplished, 
but fulfilled. Luke wants the reader to appreciate 
Old Testament promise and Old Testament prophecy and how they've 
come to pass in the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus. As Luke records Jesus' final 
words in the Gospel according to Luke, chapter 24, not the 
absolute final, but as he encourages his disciples. In Luke 24, verse 
44, Jesus says, These are the words which I spoke to you while 
I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which 
were written in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms 
concerning me. So when we come to the book of 
Luke, when we come to the book of Acts, yes, we're supposed 
to see the history of Jesus Christ. That is a given. But we must 
also see the biblical doctrine, Old Testament theology, coming 
to fruition in the life and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. Luke 
continues in Acts chapter 1, where Luke highlights the fact 
that he is continuing the narrative of all that Jesus does. from 
heaven at the right hand of God Most High. And just to give you 
a quote, just to sort of bring these thoughts together, a man 
by the name of Thompson. The recent book on the Book of 
Acts, he says, when Luke's gospel and the Book of Acts are read 
in the light of this preface, it appears that Luke is writing 
to provide reassurance to believers about the nature of the events 
surrounding Jesus' life, death, resurrection, the spread of the 
message about Jesus and the nature of God's people following Jesus' 
ascension. He is providing assurance that 
these events really are the work of God, that God really has been 
accomplishing his purposes, that Jesus really is who he said he 
was, and that believers in Jesus really are the true people of 
God. So Luke wants us to get theology. He wants us to understand promise 
and fulfillment. And that brings us to consider 
several observations in the first few chapters of the book of Acts. The first is the Abrahamic promise. Remember way back when. And again, 
I think that if we understand the current session of Christ 
in its larger biblical categories, in its larger biblical context, 
hopefully it will cause us to stand in awe and to stand amazed 
at what God in Christ is doing. Remember that God made a promise 
to Abraham that in him all the nations, all the families of 
the earth would be blessed. He promised Abraham not only 
land. He promised him not only blessing, 
but he promised him a seed. Well, Luke, the theologian, picks 
up on that promise in chapter 3 of the book of Acts. Again, 
I just want us to see how all these rows of biblical truth 
converge upon and find their focus and their fulfillment in 
the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts chapter 3, specifically 
at verses 25 and 26. You are sons of the prophets 
and of the covenant which God made with our fathers saying 
to Abraham, and in your seed all the families of the earth 
shall be blessed. To you first, God, having raised 
up his servant Jesus, sent him to bless you in turning away 
every one of you from your iniquities. Jesus is the lamb that God would 
provide to atone for the sins of his people. That promise made 
to Abraham so many centuries ago finds its fulfillment in 
the work and in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. The second 
promise that I want to direct our attention to is a promise 
made during the Mosaic Covenant, during the time of Moses. specifically 
in Deuteronomy chapter 18 and highlighted here again in Acts 
3 in verse 22. Notice, for Moses truly said 
to the fathers, the Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet 
like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, 
whatever he says to you. And it shall be that every soul 
who will not hear that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from 
among the people. Do you see what Peter says here? 
that what God spoke to Moses, what Moses spoke to the children 
of Israel, has found its fulfillment in the person and in the work 
of the Lord Jesus Christ. He's not only the sacrifice that 
Abraham said would come, that lamb that would be provided by 
God to make atonement for sin, but He would be that prophet. 
He would be that spokesman. He would be that one who reveals 
in a very special way the glory of God Most High. No one has 
seen God at any time, John tells us. But the Son, the only Son, 
who is in the bosom of the Father, He has revealed Him. He has exegeted 
Him. He has demonstrated Him. So you 
see what Luke is doing? He's bringing these biblical 
truths to bear upon the early church and, by extension, for 
us as well. The third reality or the third 
truth that that that is brought to bear. And again, Peter is 
the one preaching here in Acts chapter two. We've already read 
it. The Davidic covenant to the promise made to David concerning 
his heir. If you look at chapter two, verse 
30, therefore, being a prophet, speaking of David. and knowing 
that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his 
body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ 
to sit on his throne. He, foreseeing this, spoke concerning 
the resurrection of the Christ, that his soul was not left in 
Hades, nor did his flesh seek corruption." So he speaks about 
Abraham, he speaks about Moses, and he speaks here about the 
Davidic covenant, the covenant of kingship, the covenant of 
kingdom. Specifically, in the backdrop 
here of Acts 2, is that promise in 2 Samuel 7, where God promises 
David that there would be one who comes from his line that 
would ascend his throne and who would reign forever and ever. 
In that context of 2 Samuel 7, verses 12 to 16, we learn that 
death does not annul the promise. See, David would ultimately die. 
Subsequent sons would rise up and reign and would ultimately 
die. But death does not annul the 
promise because there is one coming that will not die or he 
might or he will die, but he'll rise again. As well, we learn 
that sin cannot destroy the promise, though David and his sons and 
his earthly lineage would sin, it would never invalidate this 
promise of kingship forever. Time would not exhaust the promise. And of course, Luke works this 
into Luke chapter 1 when he speaks of Jesus taking the throne of 
David and reigning and ruling forever. So we have Abraham. We have Moses. We have David. 
We have the promise as well of a king-priest. It's a good psalm 
that Pastor Tim read at the outset of worship. You'd have thought 
I would have told him to read it, but I didn't. He knew the 
theme. He knew the subject, but he read 
that particular psalm. What does Psalm 110 announce? There's a king coming. What does 
Psalm 110 announce? There's a priest coming. And 
this king-priest would be one person. Remember that when Psalm 
110 was penned, the temple was standing. There was a monarch. There was a king on the throne. 
There was a temple. There was a priesthood in place. But it was not the final. It 
was not the end. It was typical. It pointed forward 
to. It announced the coming of one 
who would be a priest in the order of Melchizedek. He would 
both be king of Salem and he would be the priest and mediator 
of God most high. Of course, Peter cites that verse 
in his presentation here in Acts 2, 34 and 35. For David did not 
ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, the Lord said 
to my Lord, sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your 
footstool. That announcement of kingdom. 
And then later on, he is sworn with an oath that you will be 
a priest of the order of Melchizedek. This is applied to Jesus in Hebrews 
chapter seven. I hope this is an encouragement 
to you. I hope you like the big picture. I think at times as 
Christians, we just see one small thing and it's a blessed thing 
and it's something to rejoice at. But it's quite nice to step 
back for a moment and see a panoramic view of what God is doing. of how God is orchestrating every 
event and every detail, how God has promised to save and redeem 
his people by Jesus Christ. And he gives promises in the 
Old Testament and they come to fruition in the New Testament. The fulfillment of these things 
are all in and through the Lord Jesus. Peter speaks of his life 
as a man in chapter 2, verse 22. Men of Israel, hear these 
words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested 
by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs which God did through 
him in your midst, as you yourselves also know. He speaks of the death 
of Christ in verse 23, him being delivered by the determined purpose 
and foreknowledge of God. You have taken by lawless hands, 
have crucified and put to death. He speaks of the resurrection 
in verses 24 and following. He speaks of the exaltation in 
verse 35. And that leads inevitably to 
this current session. where the victor, the king, the 
lord of lords, is now enthroned at the right hand of the majesty 
of God on high, where he rules over all things, but with specific 
focus upon his church and with the individuals who make up the 
church. See, it's good to start broad 
and then to hone in. All that biblical data, all that 
biblical weight, all those covenantal promises of God converge in this 
blessed reality that Jesus is now stationed at the right hand 
of the Father for you and for I, or me. That's the grammatically 
correct way there. If Ken Harms was here, he'd raise 
an eyebrow at me. He might be doing that even now 
if he's watching. Now let's look at the current 
session. Two specific things. I hope you're not confused. I 
hope your mind isn't, you know, still over here. Focus. Keep 
these thoughts fresh. Two aspects of the current session 
of Christ. First, his universal reign over 
all things, and then secondly, his specific interest in the 
church. His universal reign over all 
things, and then his specific interest in the church. Let's 
just take up his universal reign over all things. Remember, in 
Matthew, chapter 28, after the resurrection, when Jesus is with 
his disciples, he makes that declaration. All authority has 
been given to me in heaven and on earth. Christ has comprehensive 
authority. Christ has comprehensive rule. Christ has universal dominion, 
again consistent with prophetic testimony. Daniel 7, 13 and 14 
refers not to the second coming of Christ, but rather to his 
ascension to the right hand of the majesty on high when he sat 
down. and then was given to him this 
dominion, this kingdom, this power, this authority, this glory. Again, not as God per se, but 
as the God-man, as the mediator, as the one in whom all the deity 
dwells in its fullness. Christ who identified with us, 
Christ who lived in obedience to the law, Christ who suffered 
at the hands of godless men. That one, locally present at 
the right hand of the Father, has sovereign rule over all things. May turn to Ephesians 1 just 
to get a view of this as we focus or as we look at his comprehensive 
or universal rule. And then as we begin to start 
honing in on his specific interest in the church. Ephesians chapter 1, after Paul 
highlights how he prays for the saints in Ephesus, he wants them 
to understand the power of God. How does he display, demonstrate, 
and illustrate the power of God, but in the resurrection of Jesus? 
And then he highlights in verses 20 and 21, which he worked in 
Christ, the mighty power of God, when He raised Him from the dead 
and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places. far above 
all principality and power and might and dominion and every 
name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that 
which is to come. You see, he has universal authority, 
universal empire, comprehensive sovereignty. There is not a square 
inch in the universe that Jesus Christ does not rule over. There is not one speck in all 
of the created order that Christ does not call mine. He has universal 
sovereignty. John Edie comments on this particular 
verse. He says the head that once was 
crowned with thorns is now crowned with universal sovereignty. The 
hand that was once nailed to Calvary's tree now wields the 
scepter of unlimited dominion. The feet that were washed by 
the harlot's tears and carried the Savior up the hill of Calvary 
are now over everything that is. He who lay in the tomb has 
now ascended to the throne of unbounded empire." That's the 
current session. That's what Christ is doing right 
now. Unbounded empire. Comprehensive sovereignty. rule over all things seen and 
unseen. In the book of Hebrews, we read 
in chapter 1, verse 3, He upholds all things by the word of His 
power. The benches that you are seated 
in are there because Christ upholds them. We see throughout the Scriptures 
that God not only has decreed all things, He's actively engaged 
in carrying out that particular decree. He has stationed Christ 
at the right hand as the God-man and mediator to orchestrate every 
single event and every single detail in this world. If that 
doesn't comfort you, I don't know what will. I don't know 
what can. And there's competing theories 
out there concerning what happens in the world There is that theory 
of faith. Everything is predetermined. 
It just sort of falls out by a predetermined plan. But there's 
not anything behind it such as we find in Jesus or any one behind 
it. We have a good Savior, a glorious 
Lord, the one who in the blessed language that Edy puts together 
here, the head that was once crowned with thorns is now crowned 
with universal sovereignty. You can trust Him. You can give 
your heart to Him. You can realize that He is going 
to carry things out in a manner that is consistent with the glory 
of God and the good of His people. The hand that was once nailed 
to Calvary's tree now wields the scepter of unlimited dominion. You can trust Him. Cast your 
burdens upon Him. You can try him and prove him 
to be faithful in each and every circumstance and issue of your 
life. The feet that were washed by 
the harlot's tears and carried the Savior up the hill Calvary 
are now over everything that is. Islam is on the rise. Abortion numbers continue to 
grow. Homosexuality continues to increase. There is a pervasive 
and ongoing defection from God and His truth. There is a pervasive 
and ongoing apostasy from God and His truth. Sometimes believers 
are paralyzed. Sometimes believers are needlessly 
worried. We need to remember that Christ 
is on His throne, that He is executing the decree of the Father, 
and He is carrying everything out for the glory of God and 
for the good of His people. Not only Ephesians chapter 1, 
but turn to Revelation chapter 1 for just a moment. And looking 
at the broader category here, of the universal reign of Christ 
over all things. We see the covenantal context 
of this session. We're looking specifically now 
at this session. First part is universal reign 
over all things. Then we'll focus in on a specific 
interest in the church. But in Revelation, chapter one, 
verse four, John to the seven churches which are in Asia, grace 
to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to 
come and from the seven spirits who are before his throne. and 
from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the 
dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth." It's a present 
tense statement. He is the ruler over the kings 
of the earth. What's going to happen in the 
remainder of the book of Revelation? What follows from chapter 1 in 
this introduction concerning Jesus Christ? Well, we get to 
chapters 2 and 3 and we see persecution in the church. We see trial and 
travail among God's people. We see heresy. We see doctrinal 
infidelity. We see departure from truth. 
But at the outset, we are reminded and we are told that Jesus is 
these things. He is currently ruler over the 
kings of the earth. But even transcending the religious 
concerns of Revelation 2 and 3, that persecution that is coming 
to the saints, to the churches, comes through unbelieving Jews 
and through the Roman Empire. Later on in Revelation chapter 
13, we'll be introduced to two beasts. One, I believe, is a 
beastly political power, and the other is a beastly religious 
power. Wouldn't this be an encouragement 
to your heart? Wouldn't this be a boon to your 
soul to realize that though the beasts wage war against God and 
his people, though the political realities are less than what 
they ought to be, And instead of protecting the people of God, 
they persecute the people of God. Wouldn't it serve to encourage 
you that in the midst of the mayhem, in the midst of the travail, 
in the midst of the persecution, what does happen or what does 
transcend that reality is that Christ currently rules over these 
kings? Is it any wonder why Psalm 110 
verse 1 is the most quoted or alluded to Psalm in the whole 
New Testament? The Lord said to my Lord, sit 
at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool. 
I'm sure that at the time of Nero, when he's burning Christians 
as human torches to light up his orgies and his godless parties, 
when he is feeding Christians to the lions, everything would 
suggest other than Psalm 110 verse 1. And yet the battle cry, 
the anthem, the recurring phrase employed by the Church of Christ 
is to realize that Jehovah has stationed at his right hand, 
Jesus Christ, and he must reign until all of his enemies are 
slain. Ultimately, the Roman Empire 
falls, doesn't it? Ultimately, it collapses. That's 
several volumes set by Edward Gibbon. He gives various reasons 
as to why the Empire collapsed. He doesn't get the right reason. 
Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father where he must reign 
till all of his enemies are made his footstool. That foot of Christ 
devastated the Roman Empire. That foot of Christ will devastate 
Islam. That foot of Christ will devastate 
every defection from and every departure from the truth of God 
Most High. He must reign till all of his 
enemies are made his footstool. I dare say that Revelation 1.5 
and this reality that Christ currently reigns over the kings 
of the earth would put fire in the bones of the saints of Jesus 
when they saw their beloved, when they saw their friends and 
family being taken off to the lion's den. They would have to 
realize and they would have to conceptualize and they would 
have to understand that though there are troubles, though there 
are trials, though there are difficulties, our God is in the 
heavens and he does whatever he pleases. You see, on the verge 
or on the edge of political elections, when we see godless men in high 
places, we need to realize Revelation 1.5 is still true. We may grieve, 
we may sorrow, we may be disconcerted by the fact that certain men 
occupy positions of political power, but we do not grieve or 
sorrow as the world. We realize that Christ currently 
is the ruler over the kings of the earth. He stations men. He 
raises men up. He takes men down. It is according 
to his plan. It is according to his rule. 
It is according to his investiture as the mediator, as the ruler 
over all things. Let's hone in on the church. 
Not only does this current session comprehend or rule over all things. But he has a specific interest 
in the church. In the book of Acts, I mean, 
it's obvious. We read the book of Acts, we 
say, wow, Jesus is active. Jesus is alive. Jesus is doing 
great things. That's true today. That's true right now. That any 
sinner comes to Christ is evidence of his position at the right 
hand of the majesty on high, that any saint grows in holiness, 
that any saint grows in sanctification. It's an evidence of the self-same 
Christ ruling over all things. Just as a sample in the book 
of Acts, though, the apostles pray to Christ to provide a replacement 
for Judas. He answers. Peter says that the 
outpouring of the Holy Spirit as witnessed on the day of Pentecost 
happened because of Christ. He, verse 33, poured out this 
which you now see and hear. It is Christ at the right hand 
of the majesty of God on high who supplies the Spirit to the 
church. We see addition to the church 
in Acts 2 and Acts 4. We see 3,000 come. We see 2,000 
come. We see the power of God demonstrated 
to the Jew first and also to the Greek. We see salvation wrought. This is a testimony to the current 
session of Christ with specific reference to the church of Christ. We see the empowerment of the 
disciples to speak the word of God with all boldness in chapter 
4. We see God, we see Christ rather, 
moving the hearts of his people in chapters 4 and 5 to a generous 
spirit, to a charitable way of conducting themselves. But you 
don't find in Acts 4 and 5 a state mandated charity. You see the 
hearts of God's people overflowing with love to God and love to 
others, sharing generously those good gifts that the Lord has 
entrusted to them. What do we attribute that to? 
The state and its oppressive power and its ability to wield 
the sword and cut off heads? Or do we attribute that to the 
generous spirit characterized in evidence by our Lord and as 
he is working those things in the lives of his people by his 
spirit? We see the discipline of the 
church in chapter 5. We see the presence of God during 
times of trial. We see the commission of the 
Apostle Paul in a way and in a manner which before that point 
was never seen before. A man who had literally canvassed 
thousands and thousands of miles to preach Jesus and his kingdom. We see the calling of the Gentiles. 
We see the progress of the church during persecution, during oppression. Remember that chapter 12 in the 
book of Acts starts off with the persecution of Jesus' church 
and it ends with the triumph of God's holy word going forth. What is Luke telling us? That 
as the powers may try, as regimes may attempt, they cannot stop 
the spread and the increase and the building of Jesus' church. We see also the institution or 
the initiation of the missionary enterprise in Acts chapter 13. We owe our salvation to that, 
humanly speaking. Of course, God is sovereign. 
But it was through that effort that the gospel first went to 
Europe. It was through that effort that the gospel left the Pacific 
confines where it was in the first century. We see the assembling 
of the church to deal with controversy in chapter 15. We see the strengthening 
of God's servants in chapter 18. We see the preservation of 
his servants all the way from chapters 19 to 28. You see, Paul. is being protected by God, to 
be sure, but through civil authority. He is securing and ensuring and 
making sure that he gets to his position so that he can take 
the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth. It's beautiful. 
You know, the Pentecostals and the Charismatics say, oh, that's 
how the Spirit worked today. And that's how we need the Spirit 
to work today. And that's how the Spirit worked 
then. And that's how we need the Spirit to work today. That's 
how the Spirit does work today. God Almighty has stationed His 
Son at His right hand. He pours out the Spirit so that 
every time someone is saved, Every time a saint grows in the 
grace and knowledge of Christ, every time there's encouragement 
for one downcast, that is a mark, that is an indicator of the work 
of Christ at the right hand of the throne of God on high. It's 
a beautiful thing. And then if we look at the church 
as a whole, leave the first century for a moment, look specifically 
at the church, our confession says. that as mediator between 
God and man, Jesus Christ serves as prophet, priest, and king. That's the Confession, Chapter 
8, Paragraph 1. So when we look at those three 
offices of Jesus, we should find comfort. We should find encouragement. We should find strength. We should 
find hope and help. We're going to take up the king 
first, and then the prophet, and we'll deal more with the 
priest tonight, the Lord's Supper. Christ is our king. Yes, comprehensively, 
he is ruler over the kings of the earth. He is sovereign over 
Mr. Harper. He is sovereign over Mr. Obama. 
He is sovereign over the rulers and the leaders of various nations 
and commonwealths and peoples. He is the ruler over those kings, 
but he is also the king of his church. He is the ruler and the sovereign 
over His church. The Westminster Catechism says, 
How does Christ execute the office of a king? Christ executes the 
office of a king in subduing us to Himself. Isn't that beautiful? Psalm 110, verse 3, You shall 
make them willing in the day of His power. Did you seek God? Did you decide for Jesus? Did 
you sign a card, put your name in the web box or on the web? You know, I want to be a Christian, 
so I'm going to put my name in my passcode to be a Christian. Is that how you became a Christian? You ran for God through Jesus 
Christ? No, it was him who made you willing 
in the day of his power. We speak and we preach irresistible 
grace. That doesn't mean God draws us 
kicking and screaming. It means that God gets into the 
heart. God changes the heart. He affects 
the will. He affects the affections. He 
affects the mind. He affects us completely. It 
is a whole-souled revolution. He makes us willing in the day 
of His power. He subdues us unto Himself. And 
praise God, that's not only true when he brings us initially, 
but the fact that he subdues us unto himself in our sanctification. Aren't you glad that God is sovereign? Aren't you? I mean, we are prone 
to wander and prone to leave the God we love. It's a great 
descriptor of the saint. I mean, we like to think better. 
We like to think more. We like to think we're strong 
and we're powerful and we're mighty. It's better to realize 
that Jesus is strong. Jesus is powerful and Jesus is 
mighty. And that in his position of authority 
and sovereign rule at the right hand of the father, he subdues 
us unto himself. By his word and by his spirit, 
he has put the fear of God in our hearts so that we will persevere. We are preserved by the Father. 
We are preserved by sovereign grace. We persevere according 
to His will and His plan. Not only does He subdue us unto 
Himself, the Catechism goes on to say, and in ruling and defending 
us, He deals with not only His enemies, but our enemies. Our 
enemies should be His enemies. He defends us. He watches over 
us. He is concerned for us. You know, 
we have this idea of monarchy that is less than biblical, or 
at least it may be biblical, but it's certainly not true of 
Jesus. You know, when you hear of a monarch, or you hear of 
a king, you think palace. You think crown. You think gold. You think jewels. You think scepter. You think regal stature. You generally don't think service. So usually the king sends his 
servants to do his bidding. That's where we don't have a 
correspondence with our king. Our king serves. Our king blesses. Our king defends. Our king is 
lowering his foot upon all of our enemies. Our king is active 
in his church and in the lives of his people. If you have a 
temptation, if there is an assault on your armor, if there is a 
battle that you are undergoing and you're not crying out to 
your king, you've not come to grips with his office. How many 
times do you succumb to temptation and sin instead of crying out 
to your king? Defend me. Help me. Vindicate me. Keep me, Lord Jesus. You see, this is one of his offices 
to protect his people. Before you click on that Internet 
site, or before you raise your voice at people, or before you're 
unkind, or you gossip, you engage in some lie or malice, pray to 
Jesus as your King. Guard me, watch over me, restrain 
me, keep me from this temptation. You see these ideas, king and 
prophet and priest. It's not just something the Westminster 
divines came up with. We see that in each of those 
covenants. Abraham announces a lamb. God 
will provide. God will provide atonement. It's 
the priest. You see that promise to David, 
from your loins, from your line, one will rise up to sit upon 
your throne and he will rule forever and ever and ever. Amen. 
That statement is one of kingship. Deuteronomy 18, I'll raise up 
from among you. One that you shall hear is the 
prophet. That description of Jesus in 
Revelation 1, 5 sets forth that threefold office. He's what? 
The faithful witness as the prophet of God. He's the firstborn from 
the dead as the priestly sacrifice. And he is the ruler over the 
kings of the earth as king of kings and lord of lords. You 
see, there's this idea that theological concepts and theology belong 
in the office or in the academy. I'm suggesting they belong in 
the closet. They belong in the kitchen. They 
belong in the workplace. They belong when you're alone. 
Seek the king. One of his functions and his 
duties and his prerogatives is to provide protection for his 
people. You're downcast. You're melancholy. You're depressed. You're lonely. What do you do? Pray to the king. Lord, help me not to succumb 
to this. Help me to hope thou in God. Help me to realize that 
your word is sure, that your promises are yea and amen, that 
all of God's dealings with you are all of God's dealings with 
me are in Christ and they're yea and amen. Invoke the priestly 
office of Christ. After making that statement of 
Christ's comprehensive sovereignty, his universal and unbounded empire 
in Ephesians 1, 20 and 21, he then goes on to say, just read 
verse 21, far above all principality and power and might and dominion 
and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also 
in that which is to come. And he put all things under his 
feet and gave him to be head over all things. Here it is, 
to the church. Universal Empire to the Church. Ruler over the kings of the earth 
to the Church. The One who governs every spot 
of creation, whether seen or unseen, to the Church. Which is His body, the fullness 
of Him who fills all in all. Christ subdues us to himself. He restrains our rules and defends 
us, and he restrains and conquers all his and our enemies. It's 
the end of Psalm 110. He drinks water at the brook. He lifts up the head. What does 
that mean? It means he's victorious. He's triumphant. In the messianic 
age, in the rule of Christ, he doesn't come up short. He's not 
the loser in this exchange. How do we see him in Revelation 
chapter 19? Again, I don't think what we're 
taught there in that chapter when Jesus is on the white horse, 
I don't think that's referring to the second physical coming. 
I think we're given a glimpse of his messianic reign. I think 
we're given a glimpse of how he rules in history, how he functions 
at the right hand of God Most High. He is King of kings and 
Lord of lords, and out of his mouth proceeds the sword. That's 
the word of God. He rules, he reigns, he exercises 
sovereignty by that word that proceeds from his mouth. And 
as well, brethren, as king, not only subdues us to himself, He 
not only conquers our enemies, He not only aids us in defense, 
but He commands us as Lord. You see, there's no room for 
self-will among His subjects. There's no room for independence 
among His subjects. There's no place for autonomy 
among His subjects. Christ not only saves us, but 
He commands us. His will, his word, and his rule 
are to be the standard for our lives as his people. You see, 
it would be a very disloyal subject to the king who refused his will. It would be a very disloyal subject 
to the king who didn't delight in his will. We would call that 
a traitor. We would call that a treasonous 
person. During times of war, that is 
a capital offense. And yet, how many of us in the 
Christian church reject against, rebel against, the will of our 
King? We ought to pray, Lord Jesus, 
fill me with Your Spirit in such a way that I delight to do Your 
will. It's not only our King. He's 
our prophet. How does Christ execute the office of a prophet? 
He executes the office of a prophet in revealing to us, by his word 
and spirit, the will of God for our salvation. The statement 
of Deuteronomy 18. Remember on the Mount of Transfiguration, 
the Lord Jesus, as it were, pulled back the humanity and let his 
glory shine. Moses and Elijah appear there 
with him. Peter says, we ought to make 
three booths. We ought to make three tabernacles. 
What's the point of that interchange? What's the point of that encounter? 
One, it is the fulfillment of Malachi's prophecy. But as well, 
God the Father says, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well 
pleased. Hear Him. Listen to the prophet 
Christ. Give ear to the prophet Christ. 
Give yourself to the prophet Christ's word. Jesus by his word 
and by his spirit communicates to his people in Revelation chapters 
two and three. Jesus addresses each of the seven 
churches. There is a conspicuous pattern 
in each of those seven letters. And one of the things that Christ 
does is he gives a self identification in the opening verse or two. 
He says something of his own nature, of his own character, 
and usually it comes right out of the description in chapter 
one. He then commends the church for any good that is in them. 
He condemns them from any bad that is in them. And in each 
of the seven letters, he says, he who has an ear, let him hear 
what the Spirit says to the churches. You see, Christ at the right 
hand of the Father exercises his prophetic ministry, not just 
in his earthly sojourn. But he exercises that prophetic 
ministry currently at the right hand of the Father, by the Word 
and by the Spirit. Now, I just heard a man recently 
say, when we listen only to our doctrines and stop listening 
to the Holy Spirit, we have problems. We can become like the church 
in Ephesus. Remember, they fought the good 
fight in terms of evaluating the claimants to apostleship. 
They were good. They were commended in that. 
But nevertheless, this I have against you. You've forgotten 
your first love." This particular person says, one of the problems 
is when we're focusing upon truth, when we're fighting for the truth, 
what can happen is that we don't listen to the Holy Spirit. He 
makes a dichotomy. This is pretty normal among Charismatics 
and Pentecostals. I don't say this to pick on them. 
I don't say this to say, oh, they're horrible, wicked, demonic 
people. I say this more as an observation, 
much the way they would say of me, he's a cessationist, so he 
doesn't believe the Holy Spirit works and does and has his being 
in the life of the church the way he used to and all that sort 
of thing. They're free to say that. It's 
a free country. I'm going to write blog posts 
against them and get nasty and vicious and unkind. Just making 
the observation, though, that within Charismatic and Pentecostal 
theology, you will find this sort of dichotomy. We have the 
truth, we have our doctrine, and we have the Holy Spirit. 
This particular man's point was simple. When we listen only to 
our doctrines and stop listening to the Holy Spirit. Now, if your 
doctrine is wrong, by all means, listen to the Holy Spirit. If your doctrine is right, you 
are listening to the Holy Spirit. There's not a divide. It's not 
a separation. There's not a dichotomy. Christ, 
the prophet, speaks by his word and his spirit, such that when 
he identifies himself to the churches, when he commends them 
and then condemns them, and he finalizes with exhortation, he 
underscores, he who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit 
says to the churches. It's not a dichotomy. Our doctrine 
is spirit-wrought. Our doctrine comes from His guidance, 
from Him as Teacher, from Him as the One who leads us into 
all truth. Jesus, at the position of authority, 
at the right hand of the Father, on the day of Pentecost, poured 
out that which you see. We trust, we believe, and we 
affirm that every time we enter into this place, Jesus, at the 
right hand of the authority of God Most High, pours out that 
same selfsame Spirit so that we can receive His Word, that 
we can hear Him, That we can be educated and engage in theology 
and Bible knowledge, not so we can be proud and arrogant and 
wicked, but so we can be humbled under His mighty hand and submit 
ourselves to the King. It's a beautiful thing. He is 
the king, prophet, and he's the priest. How does Christ execute 
the office of a priest? Christ executes the office of 
a priest in his once offering up of himself a sacrifice to 
satisfy divine justice and reconcile us to God and in making continual 
intercession for us. Beautiful. Again, these aren't theological 
abstracts that some divines in Westminster said, hey, let's 
just put this spin on it. They're accurate. They are properly 
setting forth the role of our mediator. And I want to remind 
us that the role of our mediator is not confined simply to his 
earthly ministry. But from that place of authority 
at the right hand, he is currently king, he is currently prophet, 
he is currently priest. Isn't this how John encourages 
us in First John 2? My little children, I write to 
you. I write these things to you so that you may not sin. 
John doesn't want his people to sin. He wants the people of 
God to sin. We might call that idealism, not the philosophical 
system, but the ideal place. I write these things to you so 
that you may not sin. But John's a realist as well. 
And if anyone does sin, we have right now, currently, presently, 
an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. You see, we need the priestly 
office of Christ continuously. We need Him to plead His merit 
on our behalf. We need him to advocate on our 
behalf. We need him to constantly remind 
his father, not, I speak as a man, not as if God needed reminding, 
he's an omniscient being, but to plead before him the efficacy 
and the merit of his atoning work on behalf of his people. 
We need that, but as well we need his intercession. We need 
the fact that Jesus always lives to make intercession for his 
people. Jesus, right now, at the right hand of the Father, 
currently ruler over the kings of the earth, prophet to his 
church, is the priest who intercedes for his people. I asked a Catholic 
once, why would you pray to Mary? Why would you pray to the saints? 
And this person said, because God is busy. It was that Catholic 
conception of the old switchboard operator. You got old Betsy sitting 
in the general store. She's got a great big board up 
there. Most of the kids, you probably 
don't even have a clue. If I can't text it, cell phone it, or download 
it, I don't even know. Well, way back when, even before 
my time, not that I'm that old, they had these big boards. They 
had all these holes in them. And you had this lady with it, 
usually a lady. There were gender distinctives 
back then in everything. It was amazing. You have this 
lady with these headphones on and she would take these things 
and sort of put it into the appropriate hole when people are trying to 
make a connection. No doubt she got busy and overwhelmed 
at times. No doubt she would have to tell 
me, well you just need to hold on. I can't do all that. That's our 
conception. That's our view. That's our image 
that somehow Jesus is too busy to listen to me. We have his 
ear. We have an advocate. We have 
an intercessor. We have one that is always there. 
We have one that is always present at the right hand of the father 
making intercession for us. That's blessing. That's beautiful. That's why we have one of the 
reasons we have a priest sacrifice and intercession of those concepts, 
those two activities that a priest engages in on behalf of his people. Gotta say, that was probably 
one of the quickest hours I've ever lived. Can't believe it's 
1225. I just want you to get excited 
about this is what I want. We could just jump right into 
Acts 2.36 and I hope be very blessed. But we saw this promise 
to Abraham. We saw this promise during the 
Mosaic economy. We see this promise to David. We see this announcement of a 
king-priest in Psalm 110. And then, lo and behold, in the 
fullness of the time, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, 
born under the law, to redeem those under the law. Jesus Christ 
is the champion. Jesus Christ is the victor. Jesus 
Christ is the fulfillment of all these lines of biblical truth. And I really believe that Luke 
wants us to understand this. Luke wants us to get this. Yes, 
history is important for our dear brother, but so is theology. So is understanding God's covenantal 
dealings. So is understanding and appreciating 
the panoramic of biblical history, redemptive history. Appreciating 
that God is in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, and that 
he is doing this through the mediator. The one who functions 
as a prophet, a priest and a king for his people. You see, the 
current session of our Lord Jesus Christ right now ought to encourage 
the people of God. I have a sign in my office, I 
have a sign at home. It has two words that say, and 
today. Sometimes people walk in, it's 
kind of cool. What is that? It's a Bible verse. I don't think they actually do 
this, but you kind of think that what Bible verse, you know, we 
all like to. Oh, we're pretty familiar. John 
3, 16. That's not in today. You know, Deuteronomy 6, 4, if 
we live in the old covenant, that's not today. What's in today? Hebrews 13, verse 8. Jesus Christ 
is the same yesterday and today and forever. You see, some of 
us have no problem realizing Jesus Christ as Lord of yesterday. We have no problem examining 
the Scriptures and seeing Him going about doing wondrous things 
and marvelous activities and raising the dead and healing 
the blind and feeding the multitudes and dying at Calvary and rising 
again. We have no problem seeing the 
Lordship of Christ over yesterday. Most of God's people have no 
problem with the future coming. with the glorious appearing of 
our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. We have no problem looking 
forward to the future. The current session impresses 
upon us that today we need to focus upon our prophet, our priest, 
and our king. He is right now at the right 
hand of the majesty of God on high. He is right now all those 
things that we have been discussing in this last hour. He is right 
now the fullness and the glory of God at the right hand of his 
Father where he is for his people. You see, the current session 
impresses upon us the reality that Jesus is not a distant, 
far-off spectator. Jesus is not a distant, far-off 
king, but Jesus Christ is with us today. Don't you love the 
mindset, the idea, the energy, rather, the blessed depiction 
that we find of Jesus in the Twenty-Fifth Psalm? Yea, though 
I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear 
no evil, because you're with me. You see what most of us do 
when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death? First 
of all, we forget we're walking through it. We think it's all 
going to end right here. Maybe you don't. I have trouble 
with the through part. When the troubles come, it's 
like it's all over. There's two types of people in this world 
as I see it. There's the steady Eddie and then there's the roller 
coaster. If you're a Stadietti, praise 
God and pray for us roller coasters. Because life gets rough doing 
this, you know. Fired up and passionate when 
they're on the top, but really, really down when they're at the 
bottom. But not only does the psalmist 
have that confidence that I'm walking through the valley of 
the shadow of death, he has this resolve, I will fear no evil. 
Is I'm a steady Eddie? No, because thou art with me. It's another fundamental problem 
between him and us. Speaking generically, you may 
have this down. We go through the valley of the shadow of death, 
and what do we conclude? God's not with me. Jesus isn't 
with me. Jesus is watching to see how 
I will perform. Jesus might be rooting for me. 
Jesus might be cheering for me. Jesus might be wringing his hands 
and hoping for me. But you know, to say that thou 
art with me in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death 
isn't generally our admission of faith. See, this threefold 
office, this current session of Christ, I hope will encourage 
you with that reality. He is with you. He will never 
leave you. He will never forsake you. He 
will never depart from you. There is practical comfort in 
this reality concerning the current session of Christ. I want to 
encourage my brothers and sisters here. I want to encourage the 
believers here. I want to encourage those who 
are in Christ. Never forget this threefold office. 
Don't just throw it over here and say, well, you know, that's 
not practical. I like what C.S. Lewis said. He said, you know, 
I get more out of reading doctrine than I do out of devotion. There's 
far more devotional benefit in a good doctrinal treatise than 
in the devotional literature. When I read that, I thought, 
that's beautiful. That's awesome. It's not the 
same thing for a while, and I just didn't kind of want to admit 
it, you know? Devotional books are nice and fine, and I don't 
want to rain on anybody's parade. But as Lewis says, when you're 
working through a particularly difficult or tricky piece of 
theology, the heart is warm. It's encouraged, strengthened, 
it's built up. It's one of the fears I have 
about doctrinal preaching in our day is that people just shut 
down and shut off and say, well, that's for the pastors and that's 
for the deacons and that's for those guys who like to meet on 
Saturday morning at O Dark 30. That's for people that, you know, 
go to seminary. That's for people that read big 
fat books. It's for you. Theology is the 
stuff of the Christian life. And for the unbeliever, for those 
who are not Christ's, I don't know who you are. I don't know 
who's in and who's out. This much I can say beyond a 
shadow of a doubt, hear Jesus as prophet. Listen to him. If God the Father on the Mount 
of Transfiguration in the presence of Moses and Elijah wanted to 
communicate to Peter, James, and John that this is my beloved 
Son in whom I am well pleased, hear Him, then I've got to believe 
that God the Father wants you today to hear Christ the Prophet. Listen. Don't reject the scripture. Don't despise the truth. Don't 
say, well, that's for another day. Listen to the word of God. May I encourage you to listen 
each and every day. Go to the scriptures. Seek the 
Lord while he may be found. Call upon him while he is near. 
Search the scriptures. Examine daily the things that 
are indicated. Try it. Prove it. See that in 
fact, God most high is true. So here I must profit, go to 
God through him as priest. This is what you need. You need 
sacrifice. You need intercession. You need 
an advocate and you need someone advocating. You need Christ in 
His person and in His work. You need obedience to the law. 
You need sacrifice for sin. You need blood to cleanse you. 
You need blood to wash you. You need blood to remove your 
iniquity. And you need a righteousness 
that avails with God. Go to the Father through the 
Son as priest. And then finally, submit to Him 
as King. Submit to God, Jesus Christ as 
king. And I want to close with his 
last statement concerning the exaltation of Christ. Submit 
to him as king because there is a day coming when you most 
certainly will. My encouragement is to go to 
Christ believing, to go to Christ confessing. to go to Christ, 
laying hold of him by God's grace, believe the gospel, and then 
submit to his reign now. Because most assuredly, everyone 
in here, mark my words, you may not believe it now, you may forget 
it, but on that 11th hour, when you're ushered into the presence 
of God, you'll remember it then. Paul says, therefore, God also 
has highly exalted him and given him a name that is above every 
name, which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, here 
it is, Every knee should bow of those in heaven and of those 
on earth and of those under the earth, and that every tongue 
should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the 
Father. You will bow. You will submit 
to his kingdom. You will submit to his reign. 
On that day it will be in shame and it will be just prior to 
being cast off. Submit now. Believe on Christ. Embrace his kingdom, embrace 
his kingship by God's grace and bend the knee and confess with 
the tongue. That's where joy, that's where 
happiness, that's where true blessing lies. Well, let us pray. Father, thank you for your word 
and thank you for this threefold office of Christ in his current 
session at the right hand of God most high. We praise you 
that he is there for us. We praise you that he rules over 
us, that he defends us, that he protects us. We thank you 
that he commands us in the word. We also praise you that he speaks 
by his word, by his spirit. He's not left us as orphans in 
this world. And we praise you for his priestly 
office. We praise you for that sacrifice 
that is perfect. that atonement that is finished. We thank you for his current 
session at your right hand, where he always lives to make intercession 
for his people. May this be an encouragement 
to each of us, God, and may you be glorified in our thinking 
and in our living. We pray for Mr. Proctor and we 
ask that you would watch over our dear brother, that he would 
find comfort in these truths, that you would build him up in 
his most holy faith, and that, God, you would bless him physically 
as well. And we ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen.