In The Place Of Honor

Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by hanging him on a cross. Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior.”

Acts 5:29-31

If we are reading our daily passages in the Bible and are pressed for time, it’s easy to skip over significant gems of truth—like the shining promise in the fifth chapter of Acts. Peter and the apostles are speaking to the Temple council. But just the night before, Peter and the apostles were in prison. An angel came to their jail cell, opened the gates, and brought them out to freedom. As soon as the next day began, they went about the business of obeying the angel’s command to go to the Temple and share the message of life.

Within their words to the authorities in Acts 5 appears a great truth: The Father put Jesus as Prince and Savior in the place of honor right beside him at the throne of grace. As I pondered that verse, I was filled with awe that Jesus, who was crucified for your sins and mine when we were still sinners, is seated at the Father’s right hand. And what is he doing? He is preparing a place for us in heaven, John tells us in John 14:2, and “sustain[ing] everything by the mighty power of his command” (Hebrews 1:3). He was rejected and crucified that we might be accepted. And someday he will present us to the Father with great joy because there—at that place of honor—Christ is interceding for us day and night.

I praise you, Jesus, as Prince and Savior! Thank you, Father, for raising your Son from the dead and seating him at your right hand in the place of honor. I worship you and give you all praise and love because you are worthy!

The Lord appeared in the flesh, that he might arouse us by his teaching, kindle us by his example, redeem us by his death, and renew us by his resurrection.

Gregory The Great(540–604), Roman pope