Colossians 1:12-13
"Giving thanks to the Father, which has made us meet (fit or prepared us) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who (speaking of the Father, remember) Has delivered us from the power of darkness, (where’s that? On the earth. He’s delivered us from that power of darkness, or evil) and has (past tense) translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son:" Well, where’s the Son? In heaven. Alright, now let’s back up a page to Philippians chapter 3 verse 20. Here we have concrete evidence of where our seat of worship is now located.
Philippians 3:20a
"For our conversation (or citizenship is a better word, for our citizenship is where) is in heaven; from whence we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ:"
So our citizenship is already in heaven, and not here on this earth. We’re just strangers passing through. We’re foreigners, and we’re looking for our Savior. We’re much closer to our Lord’s coming than Paul was. You remember we refer to a cartoon we saw, this old boy was sitting in front of his cave door, bearded and everything else, and over the cave door he said "The end is near" but he had added "er." Remember that? And that’s what made me think of it. Paul wrote in about 63 or 64 AD that he was looking for the Savior from Heaven. But here we are 2012 years later, the end is what? Nearer. So we should be even more expectant than the Apostle Paul was. So remember "our citizenship is in heaven from whence we look for the Savior, the Lord Christ Jesus:"
When he comes, now you see, Paul is speaking as though we’re going to be alive when this happens. "Who shall change our vile body, (this one) that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body." That’s why if the Lord decides to come now, that ceiling isn’t going to stop us. No way, because we’re suddenly going to have a body like He had. Did He have to walk around and find the door? No, He went right through the wall. He could have come in through the ceiling and we’re going to leave the same way. Never lose sight of that. That the scripture’s so plain that we’re going to have instantly a body like His resurrected body. It’s going to work even as His did. Well anyway, let’s get back to Hebrews chapter 4.
So we have this great High Priest, not in Jerusalem, not waiting in the sanctuary of the temple there, that’s long gone, but He has passed into the heavens. Jesus the Son of God. Now you remember when we were back there in the early chapters of Hebrews? We were emphasizing the Son. How that Jesus of Nazareth was the Son in Whom everything had been placed. Alright, we’re reminded again that He is the One Who is the core of our confidence and confession or profession. And that is what? That Christ, the Son of God, the creator of the universe, the One Who was born in Bethlehem, Who grew up in Nazareth, the one who left us with His New Covenant Last Supper meal and then His garden prayer, Who went the way of the cross, rose from the dead and ascended back to glory, that’s our confession. You know, that you’re going to be in heaven, either after the departure or after you die or fall to sleep? How do you know? I only want to hear one answer. And what is it? I believe with all my heart, wholeheartedly that Christ died for my sins and I know that He arose from the dead. Now when we hear that, then we can say, yes, we have to agree, you’re going to be in glory. Because that is the only reason. You can work from now till doomsday and you’re never going to work your way into God's heaven. But our confession is this Jesus the Christ Who has passed into the heavens, Who is the Son of God, I am one with Him. Now then in verse 15.
Hebrews 4:15
"For we (now back to Hebrews 4) have not (or do not have) a high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;"
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