The Exalted Lord

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. - Acts 2:36

    1. Christ must be preached where he is now if we are to preach the gospel of his glory! Christ as prophet, teacher, healer and even as Savior, men will preach about, and accept; but Christ as Sovereign Lord of lords and King of kings men will not tolerate. If Christ is exalted at the right hand of God everything else about Christ is easy to believe. His resurrection  declared him to be the Son of God—his exaltation declares him to be Lord! Peter closed his message in Acts 2 with these words "God had made this same Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Christ." This is the climax of true gospel preaching. Jesus Christ is Lord! God hath delivered all things, all authority, all judgment and all revelation into his hands.

    2. Christ must be preached where he is now if we are to correctly receive him and call upon his name! Rom. 10:9 says "If thou shall confess with thy mouth Jesus to be Lord...thou shalt be saved." Rom. 10:13  says—"Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

    One cannot confess, call upon, or receive a false conception of Jesus Christ and be saved. He is not a pitiful, helpless exile waiting to see what will happen. He is the enthroned Lord who has all power over all flesh to give eternal life to as many as the Father hath given him.

    3. Christ must be preached where he is now if we who believe on him are to have a good hope! I can have a good hope of salvation because my exalted Lord is able to save, to keep and to raise my vile body. I can have a good hope of success in preaching the gospel because my exalted Lord has all authority in heaven and earth. I can have a good hope of living in heaven because my exalted Lord has entered and taken possession of that heavenly kingdom, and wills me to be with him and behold his glory!