The Seat of Glory

Yesterday, to end his sermon, my pastor got down on his hands and knees, with head bowed.  He was proclaiming the glory and majesty of Jesus Christ, his voice thundering with praise and exaltation.  It was one of the most powerful moments I'd ever experienced while being in church.  At that moment, every believer in the room must have been holding their breath, longing for heaven, for the time coming when all the elect will be worshipping at the feet of Jesus.  

The sermon was out of James 2:1-7.  This is the passage where the Holy Spirit through James teaches us that partiality has no place in the church.  If someone comes into church well-dressed and with lots of bling, don't show favoritism to that individual.  If someone comes into church in dirty clothes, maybe a little smelly, don't look down on that person.  Don't give to them a superior attitude by telling them they cannot sit up in front, or by telling them they have to stand in the back, or by not welcoming them at all.  A church that favors the rich is wrong - this  church could be one that upholds the prosperity gospel, that God wants us to be materially wealthy.  A church that favors the poor is also in the wrong - this is the church that believes in the poverty gospel.  You must give up all your wealth to be godly.  The bible simply does not teach either.  God doesn't want us to be rich or poor.  He wants us to be godly and we are to treat people equally because the bible says that we are equal in our humanity and we are also equal in our depravity.  We all need to be robed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.    

Our Heavenly Father does not play favorites, like His children sometimes play favorites with each other.  He loves all His children equally.  We all will be inheritors of the kingdom.  We all have access to the power needed to live godly,  Christ-honoring lives.  And that is what this life is all about.  Giving Jesus the place of honor.  The seat of glory is reserved only for Jesus Christ.  Splendor and glory and majesty belong to Him alone!

It doesn't matter where we sit, but it matters greatly where Jesus sits.  Be faithful till death, or the return of Christ, longing Christian.  Let's keep putting off the sin the Holy Spirit reveals to our hearts, and put on the love and righteous character of Jesus Christ.  Your faith is going to be sight, some day.

"To Him who sits on the throne,

and to the Lamb,

be blessing and honor and glory and dominion

forever and ever."

Revelation 5:13