Further Thought:

 Study these two descriptions of Christ’s exaltation from the writings of Ellen G. White:

“When Christ passed within the heavenly gates, He was enthroned amidst the adoration of the angels. As soon as this ceremony was completed, the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples in rich currents, and Christ was indeed glorified, even with the glory which He had with the Father from all eternity.

Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com

The Pentecostal outpouring was Heaven’s communication that the Redeemer’s inauguration was accomplished. According to His promise He had sent the Holy Spirit from heaven to His followers as a token that He had, as priest and king, received all authority in heaven and on earth, and was the Anointed One over His people.” — The Acts of the Apostles, Pages 38, 39.

“The Father’s arms encircle His Son, and the word is given, ‘Let all the angels of God worship Him.’” Hebrews 1:6.

“With joy unutterable, rulers and principalities and powers acknowledge the supremacy of the Prince of life. The angel host prostrate themselves before Him, while the glad shout fills all the courts of heaven, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.’” Revelation 5:12.

“Songs of triumph mingle with the music from angel harps, till heaven seems to overflow with joy and praise. Love has conquered. The lost is found. Heaven rings with voices in lofty strains proclaiming, ‘Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.’ Revelation 5:13.” — The Desire of Ages, Pages 834, 835.

Discussion Questions:

<–Thursday

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Early Christians saw in Psalm 110:1 a prophecy of the exaltation of Jesus: “The LORD says to my LORD: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool’” (ESV). They read in the same way, with its affirmation that God has “put all things under his feet,” (Psalm 8:6, ESV), the feet of “the son of man” (Psalm 8:4, ESV). While they believed that the powers of darkness in the heavenly places were over their heads and threatened to subjugate them, they laid hold of the truth that those powers were under Christ’s feet.

Image © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com

Note carefully that having “put all things under his [Jesus’] feet,” the Father “gave him as head over all things to the church” (Ephesians 1:22, ESV; compare “gave Him to be head over all things to the church,” NKJV). While “all things” is a universal, inclusive term, Paul still has in mind “the powers” mentioned in Ephesians 1:21. All things — the cosmic, supernatural, spiritual powers included — are under the feet of Christ, subservient to Him.

What benefits does the exaltation of Christ to the throne of the cosmos, and His rule over all things in heaven and on earth, provide for His church? Ephesians 1:22-23.

God has made Christ victorious over all evil powers. The church, closely identified with Christ and supplied by Him with all it needs, is itself guaranteed victory over those foes. The power of God, on display in the resurrection and His exaltation over every cosmic power, has been activated for the church. God has given the victorious Christ to the church, which is so united with Him as to be called His body.

How can we believers know the exalted Christ and experience God’s power in our lives? Paul does not directly address any mechanisms or strategies by which this occurs. However, the fact that the passage is part of a “prayer report” is suggestive. Paul believes that God will answer his prayer. He affirms the efficacy of celebrating God’s power, revealed in Christ, in God’s own presence and asking for it to be active in the lives of believers.

<–Wednesday Friday–>

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Join It Is Written Sabbath School host Eric Flickinger and this quarter’s author, Dr John McVay, as they provide additional insights into this week’s Sabbath School lesson
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxKk_m6cVkY&w=560&h=315]

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You can view an in-depth discussion of The Power of the Exhalted Jesus in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris. Click on the image to view: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af1h9j9wcc4&w=560&h=315]

With thanks to

Hope Channel – Television that will change your life.

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Practically all Christians understand we are saved by grace, but what exactly does grace save us from? 

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),  and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:1-10 NKJV 

Grace saves us from death. This is our justification. Last week we saw that justification is “me in Jesus.” I was in Jesus when He lived a perfect life and I am saved by His life (Romans5:10) as well as by his death. This is my title to heaven. In Ephesians 2:1-10 we see that grace also saves us from the power of sin and gives us good works. This is our sanctification, which is “Jesus in me.” This my deliverance from the power of sin and my fitness for heaven. 

Last week we talked about being in Christ when He was crucified. See Galatians 2:20. We were in Christ when He lived a perfect life. See Romans 5:10. Now in Ephesians 2:6 we see we are already sitting in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. 

and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, Ephesians 2:6 NKJV

The story goes of a pastor who was changing trains at a station near Washington D.C. While between trains he met a man who tried to hand him some religious literature. The pastor smelled alcohol on the man’s breath and asked him about it. The man conceded that he was an active alcoholic, but that it was okay because Jesus had already gotten the victory over sin so he did not have to.

The pastor asked the man, “So Jesus died so you don’t have to?”

“Right!” The man replied.

“And Jesus overcame so you don’t have to overcome?” the pastor asked.

“Right!” The man replied.

To which the pastor also said, “Then do you know what else Jesus did for you? He went up to heaven so you don’t have to.”

The pastor was sharing with the man that if Jesus died and overcame so we don’t have to die to self and overcome, then Jesus also went to heaven so we don’t have to go to heaven. The pastor was sharing that the reality of grace is that Jesus died so that we can also die to self. See Romans 6:3-7 and Galatians 2:20. Jesus also overcame sin so we also may overcome. See Revelation 3:21. Jesus also went to heaven so we can also go to heaven. See John 14:1-3. Everything Jesus did He did it so by His grace we can do it too. 

Grace does way more than just save us from death. 

Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, Romans 1:5 NKJV

In Romans 1:5 grace gives us obedience. 

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10 NKJV

In Ephesians 2:8-10 grace gives us good works. 

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, Titus 2:11-12 NKJV

In Titus 2:11-12 grace helps us live righteous and godly lives right here and now. 

Jude warned us,

I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Jude 1:4 NLT

In the very same book where Paul tells us we are saved by grace Paul also tells us,

For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Ephesians 5:5 NKJV

Sometimes when people have a hard time believing that victory over sinful addictions is possible, they get accused of wanting cheap grace, and wanting to continue in sin. I don’t believe this is the case. I believe these fallen ones (and that would be all of us!) feel awful about breaking their Father’s heart by giving in to sinful addictions. To such a  one I would say,

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise. Psalm 51:17 NKJV

God does not and never will despise a broken and contrite heart, no matter how many times sin has broken that heart before. But while Jesus continues to forgive us every time our hearts are broken because we have broken our Father’s heart, His grace also gives us the power to stop breaking hearts. In Genesis 44:18-34, Judah explains to Joseph that he had already broken his father’s heart before, and he was now prepared to die a slave in a foreign land before he would break his father’s heart again. Grace gave Judah the victory over breaking his father’s heart, and grace can give us the victory over breaking our Father’s heart. 

Even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus Ephesians 2:5-6 NKJV

Grace gives us all the forgiveness we will ever need. Grace gives us all the power we will ever need to overcome sin. Don’t give up. by grace you are already sitting in heavenly places with Jesus. 

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