Sunday's Hymn: A Shelter in the Time of Storm

The Lord’s our Rock, in him we hide,
A shelter in the time of storm;
Secure whatever ill betide,
A shelter in the time of storm.

Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land,
A weary land, a weary land,
Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land,
A shelter in the time of storm.

A shade by day, defense by night,
A shelter in the time of storm;
No fears alarm, no foes affright,
A shelter in the time of storm.

The raging storms may round us beat,
A shelter in the time of storm;
We’ll never leave our safe retreat,
A shelter in the time of storm.

O Rock Divine, O Refuge dear,
A shelter in the time of storm;
Be thou our helper ever near,
A shelter in the time of storm.

—Ver­non J. Charles­worth

Other hymns, worship songs, or quotes for this Sunday:

• Loved With Everlasting Love at The Happy Wonderer
• It’s Getting Dark, But We Know Who’s Coming at The Outspoken Tulip

Theological Term of the Week: Threefold Office of Christ

threefold office of Christ
The office given to Christ by the Father. It consists of three parts: the office of prophet, the office of priest, and the office of king. Christ fulfills the duties all three parts as he accomplishes the mediatorial work of salvation; also called triplex munus or three offices of Christ.

• From scripture, Christ as prophet:

  Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.” (Acts 3:19-26 ESV) 

• From scripture, Christ as priest:

  We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:19-20 ESV)

• From scripture, Christ as king:

  …[H]e raised [Christ] from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 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. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church…. (Ephesians 1:20-22 ESV)

• From the 1689 London Baptist Confession, Chapter 8, Of Christ the Mediator::

  9._____ This office of mediator between God and man is proper only to Christ, who is the prophet, priest, and king of the church of God; and may not be either in whole, or any part thereof, transferred from him to any other. (1 Timothy 2:5) 

   10.____ This number and order of offices is necessary; for in respect of our ignorance, we stand in need of his prophetical office; and in respect of our alienation from God, and imperfection of the best of our services, we need his priestly office to reconcile us and present us acceptable unto God; and in respect to our averseness and utter inability to return to God, and for our rescue and security from our spiritual adversaries, we need his kingly office to convince, subdue, draw, uphold, deliver, and preserve us to his heavenly kingdom. (John 1:18; Colossians 1:21; Galatians 5:17; John 16:8; Psalms 110:3; Luke 1:74, 75)

Learn more:

1. Got Questions: What does it mean that Jesus is prophet, priest, and king?
2. Joel Beeke: Jesus’s Threefold Office as Prophet, Priest, and King
3. R. C. Sproul: The Threefold Office of Christ
4. Anthony Carter: Jesus Christ: Our Prophet, Priest, and King
5. Kim Riddlebarger: The Triple Cure: Jesus Christ — Our Prophet, Priest, and King

Related terms: 

• king (as an office of Christ)
• mediator
• priest (as an office of Christ)
• prophet (as an office of Christ)

Filed under Person, Work, and Teaching of Christ

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16 Truths You Should Know: Jesus Is Lord

Where is heaven? Have you ever wondered where it is? Has anyone (a child, perhaps) asked you? How did you answer?

The truth is that we don’t know exactly where heaven is, but we do know that heaven is somewhere. Right now, the risen Jesus is reigning in heaven in his glorified physical body, so we know it is a real place. (The word heaven can refer to more than a spatial reality, but the place called “heaven” where Jesus is now is a spacial reality.)

His Ascension

Forty days after his resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9-11). The resurrection was the first step to the return of the Son of God to the glory he left behind when he came into the world from his place at the Father’s side. After the Son “emptied himself” by being born as a human being and “humbled himself” by dying on the cross (Philippians 2:7-8), God

raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 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. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church … .(Ephesians 1:20-22 ESV) 

The Son’s glory has been restored, only this time, he is glorified as the God-man. As I write this, and as you read, the Jesus who died to save us is enthroned in heaven as master of the universe.

 

His Session

Theologians sometimes call Jesus’s present reign his heavenly session. When a court is in session, the judge sits as he rules over the court. During his session, Jesus sits at God’s right hand, ruling over all creation. He reigns over all “rule and authority and power and dominion” and “every name that is named” from the time of his ascension into the never-ending future (see verses from Ephesians quoted above). He has authority and power over all human authorities and all spiritual powers.

From his throne in heaven the ascended Jesus rules his church and protects her. Since Pentecost, he has been equipping the body of believers through the work of his Holy Spirit. At the request of the risen Christ, the Spirit builds and guides the church. He inspired the Scriptures, which is the founding document of the church, and he empowers the preaching of the Scriptures so the church continues to grow (Ephesians 4:8-12).

The ascended Jesus  intercedes for his people (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25), bringing their requests to the Father and intervening on their behalf. He pleads “for their acceptance on the basis of his completed sacrifice, and for their safe-keeping in the world.”¹ J. I. Packer explains that since Jesus intervenes from his throne, his position is “not one of sympathy without status or authority.”² He intercedes as ruler of everything, ensuring that his people possess forever all the saving benefits he purchased by his death. We can be confident in our continued and final salvation because Jesus is Lord.

Jesus’s heavenly session will last until all of his (and our) enemies—including death, the final enemy—are defeated. Then the risen and ascended Jesus will come again to raise the dead for his final judgment of the world.

That Jesus is Lord—that he is ruling now at the right hand of the Father and will continue to rule for the rest of history—gives us complete confidence that everything will end up exactly as it should. From his place of authority, he will make all things right. And those who belong to him can be certain they will be saved, because the ever-living Jesus is in heaven interceding for them (Hebrews 7:25). 

1Systematic Theology by Louis Berkhof, page 353.
2Concise Theology by J. I. Packer, page 128.

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Previous posts in this series:

1. 16 Truths You Should Know: God Has Spoken
2. 16 Truths You Should Know: God Is One and God Is Three
3. 16 Truths You Should Know: God Is Who He Is
4. 16 Truths You Should Know: God Has a Plan
5. 16 Truths You Should Know: God Created the Universe
6. 16 Truths You Should Know: We Are Made in God’s Image
7. 16 Truths You Should Know: We Are All Sinners 
8. 16 Truths You Should Know: God Saves
9. 16 Truths You Should Know: The Son Came
10. 16 Truths You Should Know: Jesus Died
11. 16 Truths You Should Know: Jesus Is Risen