Seated

Ephesians 2:4-7 NIV But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead because of our sins—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Whether in an upscale fine dining restaurant or the local all-you-can-eat buffet, we have all experienced a fixed price menu. Originating from the French term ‘prix fixe’, a fixed price menu provides a multi-course meal for a set price, everything is included. When Christ gave himself as a ransom and payment for all (1 Timothy 2:6), He paid the entire bill due for all mankind. But his all-inclusive payment includes more than spending eternity in heaven. Ephesians 2:4-7 tells us three distinct expressions of Christ’s payment that we can receive today, this side of eternity.

The Old Testament story of Ezekiel and the Valley of Dry Bones is more than a captivating Sunday School story. It is a prophetic picture of what Jesus would do for us more than 600 years later. In this story, Ezekiel sees a valley filled with dry bones and the Lord speaks over the bones and says, “I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life” (Ezekiel 37:5). Jesus stated the same thing this way, “I came that you may have life and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10). Until we see ourselves as lifeless, dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1), we can never receive the abundant life Christ came to give us. Possibly the most important truth in all of Christianity is stated right here: When we see our need for a Savior, we are made alive together with Christ.

But Jesus did not pay for us to be made alive only to leave us in our current condition, we have been raised up with Christ. After His resurrection, Jesus left the tomb and so should we – we don’t live in the tomb of our old life any longer. God does not move in only to marginally improve our lives. He comes in for a complete transformation in the way we live and the way we think. Paul wrote in Colossians 3, “you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” The direct result of a life that has been raised up with Christ is a new way of thinking. Old things have passed away and behold all things are new (2 Corinthians 5:17).

And the final course is this: we have been seated in heavenly places. If you have ever been to a sold-out sporting event or concert you have likely noticed last minute attendees standing in designated ‘standing room only’ areas. The good news is there are no standing room only tickets in the Christian life. Being seated means God knew you were coming, you can enter confidently, with expectancy knowing that you have an assigned seat. Your acceptance of Jesus as your Lord and Savior, his blood as the atonement and payment for your sins, was your RSVP. Being seated is a position of spiritual authority and a position of rest. We are called there knowing that Jesus Christ paid it all, tearing the temple veil that separated man from God and giving us full access to the throne of grace. (Heb 4:16)

Being made alive, raised up, and seated with Christ means we can live in constant fellowship and intimacy with God. It is not a future tense but has already been done and available now. We can be made whole: physically, mentally, and spiritually. Just ask and receive all that Christ has fully paid for.

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Gary and Sandy Anthony

Colossians 3:1-3 NIV Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

Ephesians 1:3-4 NLT All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.

Romans 6:4-7 NLT For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.

Colossians 2:13-15 NLT You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

John 17:21-23 NLT I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.

Revelation 3:20-21 AMP Behold, I stand at the door and continually knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God, I will grant to him the privilege to sit beside Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down beside My Father on His throne.

Hebrews 12:2 NLT Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

Hebrews 10:11-12 NLT Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.

Hebrews 1:3 NLT The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.

Hebrews 8:1-2 CSB Now the main point of what is being said is this: We have this kind of high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary and the true tabernacle that was set up by the Lord and not man.

Galatians 2:20 NIV I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

1 Corinthians 15:22 NIV For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.