#DailyDevotion Jesus Exercises His Power And Dominion For The Good Of His Church

Thursday Easter 7

Eph. 1:20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Now some people think the right hand of God is some physical location Jesus cannot move from, which leads to all sorts of errors. But that is not how St. Paul describes it here as far above all rule, authority, power, dominion and name. He says all things have been put under his feet. It is similar to being someone’s right hand man. The person doesn’t have to be on the right side of that person at all times. It just means you deal with person it’s as if you deal with the person they represent. He has authority to do what needs to be done. Jesus has the authority of the Father. At the right hand of the Father, Jesus exercises his divine nature with and through his human nature thus exalting our human nature.

Now what is Jesus doing at the right hand of the Father? Well he is exercising that authority over all things for you his church. Nothing in all creation he allows to happen which he does use on behalf of his church. He, by his power and might, is able to manipulate all things to spread his gospel, grow the church and to preserve the church. We do not always see it or how it happens, but he this confidence that it is so. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and his ways are higher than our ways. He allows people and nations to do what they will but is yet able to use even their wicked ways to his own advantage and the advantage of his church.

Now this church is his body. His fullness fills this body. This goes back to Jesus’ high priestly prayer and his teaching to his disciples on the night he was betrayed.  Jesus is in us and we are in Jesus. We are also joined together to all the saints by the same Spirit. We are intimately connected with Christ and one another so as a body as Paul describes particularly in his letters to the Corinthians, when one part of the body is sad or hurting we all are. And when one part of the body rejoices, the whole body rejoices with it. The weaker parts are being supported by the stronger parts. As Christians we are never really alone. The whole church and Christ go with us wherever we go. We become one with this body as we are baptized into Christ and receive faith in him through the Holy Spirit.

Heavenly Father, grant that we may have faith that Christ rules over all so we may with confidence look upon the world and its actions and know that while it does what it wills, it nevertheless is submitting itself to Christ’s will on behalf of the Church. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.