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March
17, 2004
THE
EXALTED ONE
"God
has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of
the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received
from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out
what you now see and hear" (Acts 2:32, 33, NIV).
Today,
we turn the spotlight on Jesus, our ascended Lord. In this
portrait, He is described as the exalted One. What a magnificent
title! It focuses upon Christ's triumphant return to heaven.
Imagine
the jubilation that accompanied the return of Jesus to headquarters
after successfully completing His redemptive mission on earth!
In His incarnation, He lived a sinless life, ministered to
the needs of humanity, suffered and died vicariously for our
sins, rose triumphantly from the grave, and then ascended
to heaven to report, "Mission accomplished!"
Ellen
G. White described it this way: The sacrifice of Jesus was
now complete. All the conditions of the atonement had been
satisfied. The mission to our planet had been accomplished.
The plan of salvation was now a guaranteed fact. (See Acts
of the Apostles, p. 29).
As the
returning conqueror, Christ is given a tumultuous welcome
home. God the Father now restores His unique Son to His preeminent
position of honor--not only as co-Creator and Lord of all,
but also as the Redeemer. In the celestial inauguration ceremony,
Christ is exalted and enthroned at God's right hand "far
above all government and authority, all power and dominion,
and any title of sovereignty that can be named, not only in
this age but in the age to come" (Ephesians 1:21, NEB).
This is preeminent exaltation!
Capture,
if you can, the emotion of this scene as Christ is exalted.
"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."--Acts of the Apostles, pp. 38, 39.
My
Prayer Today: Lord, thank You that the mission has
been accomplished and that it included me. Amen.
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