After Jesus was crucified, he arose from the grave on the third day. He was with His disciples for forty days and then he ascended into heaven. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles and they miraculously spoke in tongues. The apostle Peter spoke to the crowd about Jesus. Acts 2:31-36 “This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.’ Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” God has made Jesus the Lord and the Christ, the anointed one. Jesus is at the right hand of God the Father. The right hand of an individual of power and authority was traditionally identified as a place of honor. This communicates that God has honored Jesus and given him power and authority.
How exalted is Christ? Ephesians 1:20-21 “Which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.” Christ has been exalted far above all principality, power, might and dominion. Not just a little above them, but far above them all.
The exaltation of Jesus Christ is foretold in prophesy. Isaiah 9:6-7 “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” Look at the name He has received: Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. How great is His name! Daniel 7:13-14 “I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.” He has supreme authority, He rules over all peoples, and they should serve Him. His kingdom will never be destroyed.
The apostle John describes what he saw in heaven. Revelation 5:11-13 “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!’ And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: ‘Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!’” Jesus is the Lamb. He has received power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory and blessing.
Jesus is now reigning as King in heaven. He is described as Lord of lords and King of kings (Revelation 17:14). In the end, Jesus will give the kingdom back to God the Father. 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 “Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. For ‘He has put all things under His feet.’ But when He says ‘all things are put under Him,’ it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.”
God exalted Jesus because Jesus first humbled Himself and became obedient in dying on the cross. Philippians 2:5-11 “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
My encouragement to you is to bow your knee before Jesus in worship and submission. Serve Him. Confess that Jesus Christ is your Lord, to the glory of God the Father.