RIGHT HAND

1. At a recent preacher’s meeting I listened to a conversation about weddings.

2. One of the men was explaining the custom of throwing rice.

3. This was supposedly done to give the new couple something to eat.

4. They would go home, shake the rice out of their clothes, and use it for supper.

WE SOMETIMES SEE OR HEAR THINGS WHICH ARE FAMILIAR TO US BUT WE DO NOT KNOW HOW THEY STARTED OR THE BACKGROUND FOR THEM.

A. This lack of knowledge sometimes extends to the scriptures.

B. In the New Testament there is an expression which occurs about 50 times.

C. In various places we read about the “right hand” of God.

2. One of the places where this term is found is Acts 5:31.

3. Jesus has been exalted to the Father’s right hand.

4. Most are familiar with this expression.

5. Most would also acknowledge the “right hand” is a place of honor and power.

6. Yet, do these two words have any other sense or significance?

7. Tonight we want to study this expression because it tells us about Jesus.

A. The starting place for learning more about the right hand is the Old Testament.

B. There are about 100 places in the Old Testament where we read about the “right hand.”

C. The psalmist said (17:7) that God uses His “right hand” to save people.

D. A similar point is found in Ps. 98:1

8. If we stopped with these two verses we would conclude the right hand is associated with good.

9. God’s right hand is a description of blessing and helping people.

10. This conclusion is true, but it is only partly true

11. In Hab. 2:16 we find that God’s right hand is linked with punishment.

12. God does not have a literal right hand.

A. This description is figurative just as other figurative descriptions are applied to God.

B. In the Bible it is said that God has eyes which roam the earth.

C. God is spoken of as having a back, ears, and a mouth.

D. These descriptions are used to make a point; they are not literal.

E. This is certainly true concerning God’s “right hand.”

13. If we figuratively think of God as having a right hand, the passages just cited tell us two things.

14. This description involves both blessing and cursing people.

15. We have two hands—one is on the right side of our body and the other is on the left.

16. If the Bible figuratively God pictures as having a right hand, what about a left hand?

17. Do the scriptures ever describe God has having a “left hand?”

18. The answer to this question is no.

19. There are some passages which describe a left hand.

20. Two of these verses are in the Old Testament — Prov. 3:16 and Eccl. 10:2.

21. In Prov 3 there is a reference to wisdom.

22. This quality is said to be better than gold and silver.

23. It is more precious than rubies.

24. It is then said the left hand can contain great riches - verse 16 – READ.

A. Here the left hand is not spoken of in a bad way.

B. Rather, it is presented in very positive terms.

C. In the second passage, Eccl. 10:2, the left hand is portrayed in a negative way.

D. Here is how this passage reads – READ.

AS WE LOOK AT THE DESCRIPTIONS OF LEFT HAND AND RIGHT HAND, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO SAY THE LEFT HAND ALWAYS DESCRIBES WHAT IS EVIL AND THE RIGHT HAND ALWAYS DESCRIBES WHAT IS GOOD. THIS CONCLUSION GOES BEYOND THE EVIDENCE. WE CAN, HOWEVER, SAY THAT THE RIGHT HAND EMPHASIZES POWER.

A. This is what we see in Acts 5:31.

B. It takes power to be a savior to mankind.

C. Since Jesus is at the “right hand” of God He has the power to save man.

D. He has the right position and sufficient authority to reconcile us to God the Father.

E. The Lord’s authority is further demonstrated in the book of Hebrews.

F. We are asked to keep Heb. 8 in readiness.

G. Now is the time to look at two key verses from this chapter.

2. We will start with the opening verse in this chapter – Heb. 8:1 – READ

3. Jesus has been placed at the “right hand” of God.

4. Skipping verses 2-5, let’s see what we have in verse 6 – READ.

A. Jesus now has a “ministry.”

B. This is good, but does He have the power to make it work? Yes.

C. Jesus is at the “right hand of God”— a place of power and activity.

D. Sometimes His activity, as I showed from Hab. 2, is negative.

E. At times the Lord must chasten His people.

F. There are unfaithful Christians who must be removed from His body.

G. There are enemies which need to be met and subdued.

H. There are times when the Lord defends His people.

I. Jesus is in the right place and has the necessary power to do whatever needs done.

5. Another passage which has bearing on the Lord’s work is found in Heb. 2.

6. Let’s back up to Heb. 2:8-9.

7. These two verses affirm Jesus is now ruling.

8. He is a king and He is now reigning.

9. READ. Heb. 2:8.

A. In order to be a ruler, a person must have power.

B. There is no better example of this in modern times than the current situation in Iraq.

C. Saddam has lost his power so he can no longer rule.

D. If Jesus is to rule, He must have power.

E. Verse 8 says “all things have been subject to Him.”

F. There is nothing that is not subject to Him.

G. Jesus can rule and does rule—He is a king—because the Bible describes Him at the “right hand.”

10. The power and position of Jesus is especially important to those who are Christians

11. This morning we established that even the best Christians sin.

12. We therefore need an advocate (someone to intervene on our behalf when we sin).

A. A passage which has a lot of bearing on our spiritual lawyer is Rom. 8:34.

B. The verses leading up to verse 34 describe Jesus’ coming to the earth and death.

C. Verse 33 describes the justification of Christians.

D. The 34^th verse which we want makes two points about Jesus.

13. READ verse 34.

14. Paul said Jesus “condemns.”

15. What gives Jesus of Nazareth the right to judge people and condemn them to eternal punishment?

16. He is at the right hand of the Father; He has sufficient power and the right position to make judgments.

17. On the other hand, Jesus also has the power & position to “intercede” for the people who belong to Him.

A. Jesus is just as He described in Jn. 10. He is a door.

B. He has the power to block the unsaved from coming into contact with the Father.

C. For those who are saved, He uses His power to keep them reconciled to the Godhead.

18. When we think about Christians and the right hand of God, another NT verse comes to mind.

19. There is a picture of the final judgment in Mt. 25.

20. The Son of God will come at the end of time (verse 31) and all the angels will be with Him.

21. He will be seated on His throne of glory and the ultimate judgment will commence.

A. The “sheep” (verse 33), a description of the saved, will be on His “right.”

B. The unsaved, who are described as “goats,” will be on His “left.”

C. Have we ever wondered why people will be to the “right” of the Lord?

22. Did Jesus toss up a coin and say “heads right” and “tails left?”

23. Being on the right is highly symbolic.

A. In Ps. 16:8 the writer said he would “not be moved.”

B. He then gave a reason: the text speaks of being associated with God and the “right.”

C. This passage suggests the right is associated with protection.

D. A similar reference is found in Ps. 109:31:

E. For he will stand at the right hand of the needy, to save him from them that judge his soul.

24. When God says the saved will be on the right side, this is a message of encouragement.

25. On the Day of Judgment every faithful Christian will be protected by Jesus Christ.

26. Satan will not be able to launch any accusations against us.

27. He will not be able to grab us and take us to his eternal home.

28. Being on the right side of Jesus at the end of time means absolute security.

29. Jesus will offer this protection because we were on the right in this life.

A. Think for a moment about Mt. 5:30.

B. In this part of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus spoke about sexual sin.

C. He said if our hand would cause us to “stumble” it is best to cut it off.

D. Jesus specified a certain hand: the right hand.

E. Most agree He named this hand because this is the one which most use.

F. Here is another example of figurative speech which describes a great sacrifice.

30. If we are willing to make whatever sacrifices in this life, even our right hand or eye,

31. Jesus says we will be on His “right side” at the end of time.

32. His now being on the right hand tells us He has all the power necessary to keep His word.

33. There is no better expression of this than Heb. 1:13.

34. The writer asked a powerful question:

A. When has any angel ever been asked to sit at the Father’s right hand?

B. The answer to this question is never.

C. Jesus has assumed a position, just as He said in Mt. 28, which has “all authority.”

D. If we are on His side we are on the right side.

The “right hand” expression is applied to the Lord again and again.

This single expression should encourage every person in the world to become a Christian.

If we are a child of God we cannot lose.

Thus, tonight we ask if you are on the Lord’s left side or His right side.