Looking Into The Future
(Part II of II)

III. Our Hope
“And sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2c).

Jesus sat down because His work was finished. In the Old Testament, the priests on duty could never sit down because their work of offering sacrifices for sin was never complete. However, once Christ offered Himself as the final sacrifice for sin, no other offering could be made or accepted. This is why theologians refer to Jesus Christ’s work as “finished work,” signifying that the process of redemption is now complete.

He sat down at God’s right hand, the position of supreme honor in the universe. There is no higher place or status for the Lord Jesus Christ in all of heaven and earth. Therefore, all praise and majesty belong to Him. He must have preeminence in our lives because God has given Him a name that is above every name. When we pray to Him, we are approaching the One who has been exalted to the highest place of honor, which means we have a Friend in high places who can help us in our time of need.

Ephesians 2:6 presents an intriguing thought by stating that, through grace, we have been saved, raised, and are even currently seated with Christ in heaven. It does not say that we will be seated someday; instead, it affirms that we are already seated with Christ right now. We are united with Him by faith in a living connection, which means that wherever Christ is, we are there with Him. Due to the imputation of His righteousness, we share in the victory He achieved through His death and resurrection.

This profound truth is difficult to grasp, especially when many of us are navigating the challenges of daily life. Often, we don’t “feel” as if we are seated in heavenly places. In our minds, we find ourselves in a battle every day. However, from God’s perspective, the battle is already won, and victory is assured. One day, when we meet Christ, all that belongs to Him will also be ours because we are “joint heirs” with Jesus. Our great hope as we run the race set before us is that soon we will cross the finish line and be seated with our Lord Jesus Christ in heaven, our work completed and our victory finally secured.
Running the Race

Let’s take a step back and consider how this great text can help us in the coming year.
Three simple thoughts come to mind:

1) The only way to win the race is to keep your eyes on Jesus. Hebrews 12:1 tells us to run with patience the race that is set before us. We have everything we need to help us along the way. We have the victories of the saints who have gone before us, the example of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the promise of coming glory when we finish our earthly course. So keep your eyes on Jesus. Don’t be turned aside or distracted by the things of the world. Keep running. Don’t look back. Fix your eyes on Jesus and run with all your might toward the finish line.

When hard times come, don’t start by focusing on your problems in an attempt to find Jesus. Instead, begin with Jesus and then return to your issues. This principle is profoundly important. Difficult times can confuse us as we struggle to understand why God allows certain things to happen. However, you will never indeed find Jesus by sifting through your troubled circumstances. If you concentrate on your problems first, connecting with the Lord will be nearly impossible.

Start with Jesus. Go back to the Bible and reflect on what you know about Him—His grace, power, and wisdom. Once you’ve established this foundation from the Word of God, you can revisit your situation. Although this doesn’t guarantee that you’ll understand everything that happens to you, it highlights the importance of your starting point. Always begin with Jesus, not with your problems.

When you feel like giving up, remember that you are already a winner in God’s eyes. You are seated with Christ in heaven. The outcome has already been determined from God’s perspective. Even if the odds seem against you, if you know Jesus, his victory is also yours. One day, you will openly share in his triumph. Let all who proclaim the name of the Lord rejoice in him. Remember who you are and who you are in Christ. God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love, power, and a sound mind (II Timothy 1:7). Let this truth from God give you strength when you feel like you cannot go on.

“Is your faith strong?”

“Is your faith strong?” a Christian man was asked just a few hours before his death. He replied, “No, but my Jesus is.” It doesn’t matter whether your faith is strong or weak today. Over the coming year, your faith will fluctuate with the diverse seasons and tides of life. But do not worry if your faith seems weak. Even faith as small as a mustard seed is honored by God.

Here is some good cheer for the New Year: Everything we need can be found in Christ. He embodies all the hope, love, grace, power, strength, wisdom, patience, guidance, encouragement, joy, endurance, gentleness, forgiveness, determination, submission, boldness, and meekness that we require. Every virtue belongs to Him, and every good thing we need is available through Him. What He has, He willingly gives to us.

Do not falter in the race that is set before you. Let no one drop out because of discouragement, fear, doubt, despair, anger, or bitterness. The Lord Jesus has already run the race; He is the Captain of our salvation, our soon-coming conquering King.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus in 2025, and we will all be “more than conquerors.” Amen.

In His Great Love

Dr. Robert Bryant