SUNDAY SERMON: Son of Man seated at the right hand of God

We know that Jesus meant resurrection in the most literal sense. The disciples 2000 years ago could not imagine his death. He was the king of the kingdom they were all waiting for.

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What you need to know:

  • When Jesus was on trial before the leaders of Israel, he prophesied something even stranger than a resurrection. He prophesised ascension into heaven.
  • It was idolatry and blasphemy rolled up into one. Only pagans made ridiculous statements about a man taking his place among the gods. The most famous example was Hercules in the Greek myths.

Everyone in Israel eventually heard that Jesus was predicting a resurrection on the third day. That sounded so odd that his disciples could not grasp the meaning the words. St Mark says that “they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him.”

We know that Jesus meant resurrection in the most literal sense. The disciples 2000 years ago could not imagine his death. He was the king of the kingdom they were all waiting for. As Cleopas said on the road to Emmaus: “Jesus of Nazareth proved he was a great prophet by the things he said and did in the sight of God and of all the people. We were hoping that he would be the one to set Israel free.”

When Jesus was on trial before the leaders of Israel, he prophesied something even stranger than a resurrection. He prophesised ascension into heaven. It was idolatry and blasphemy rolled up into one. Only pagans made ridiculous statements about a man taking his place among the gods. The most famous example was Hercules in the Greek myths.

Jesus called himself the “Son of Man”, not simply to refer to himself but also to emphasise his humanity. He said, “You will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power.” For Jesus to claim he could approach the throne of God was already ludicrous. Not even the Seraphim and the Cherubim—the highest of angels—dared come close to their Creator. The Prophet Ezekiel tells us that they would hide their faces rather than look upon the majesty of the Almighty who lived in unapproachable light.

How could a carpenter from an upcountry village claim he had a right to stand next to God? Being “seated at God’s right hand” was, for the Sanhedrin, the most descriptive—and the most unacceptable—of all the phrases Jesus used to claim equality with his Father in heaven.

When we celebrate the Ascension, which many Christians do this weekend, we are not celebrating a departure but an arrival. It’s not a prophet being taken to heaven. It is the Son of God made man taking his place upon his throne to rule over all creation.

When the leaders of Israel stoned Stephen to death, he cried out: “I can see heaven thrown open, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” All people are destined to see this: “God raised him on high and gave him a name that is above all other names so that all creatures, in the heavens, on earth and under the earth will bend their knee at the name of Jesus and every tongue proclaim: Jesus Christ is Lord!”