Forty Days Full - An Invitation To Real Life

Day Thirty-Four: Seated With Christ In Heaven

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:6 NIV).

M atthew 20:20 tells a humorous story of the mother of James and John. She brought her sons with her to ask Jesus if He would grant her a promise that they would sit at his right and left hand when He comes into his kingdom. The other ten disciples were indignant that James and John would get their mother to ask Jesus to make such a promise. They probably wished they had thought of it first. Can you imagine? These were grown men acting like they were in junior high. He told her that she didn't knowwhat she was asking for. The Israelites were confident that when the Messiah came, He would set up His earthly kingdom in Jerusalem and rule the world from there. They were all vying for first place next to Jesus. He informed them all that it was not His place to grant this position but that, "These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.” (Verse 23b)." In fact, this place was reserved for Jesus. He had not yet come to set up an earthly throne, but to go to His Father's throne as a servant for all humanity. "...Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." (Romans 8:34b) The promise we are focusing on today has huge implications. Jesus was granted the most favored position in the universe when He sat down next to the Father. Then we are invited to