Wear a Chair

I think I’ll wear a chair.

Not that I will wear a chair as such, but I will wear a chair necklace, a pectoral chair.

Some pastors wear a crucifix, a cross necklace with a dead Jesus. Some pastors wear an empty cross, a cross necklace without the figure of Jesus. There is great symbolism and historical precedence for both. The former draws our attention to the suffering that Jesus experienced to reconcile us to God. The latter expresses that Jesus was raised from the dead in triumph over death itself so no more figure of Jesus.

I think I’ll wear a chair.

This occurred to me having recently listened to a favorite seminary professor. He spoke about the presence of Jesus right now. Where is Jesus? Yes, he is present with us through his Spirit and wherever two or three are gathered. Yes, he is present in Holy Communion. But where is Jesus? The Church in her creeds confesses that Jesus is right now seated at the right hand of the Father reigning and ruling, building and protecting his Church.

Of course it is not that there are two chairs in heaven, one where the Father sits and there, next to him on the right, one where Jesus sits. The expression is a metaphor that describes Jesus as empowered on behalf of the Father to have control of all. (You know the expression,  “My right-hand man.”) It expresses the reality of what Jesus said in Matthew 16:28, “I will build my Church and the gates of Hades cannot prevail against it.”

Many Christians are concerned about “what is happening” in the world, culture and Church. We see hand wringing. We see pessimism. We see capitulation to demographics—nothing can be done about the decline of the Church. Some seek to battle against the culture. Some seek to escape the culture. Some, sadly, give into the culture.

I think I’ll wear a chair.

It will remind me not to be afraid because Jesus, conceived, born, suffered, crucified, died, buried, risen, ascended is now, right now this minute, seated at the right hand of the Father. It will encourage me to keep believing as a person of hope that Jesus is at work even when it doesn’t look like it. (Hebrew 11:10). It will help me to bear witness to others, both believers and non-believers, that despair is not the answer; there is indeed someone “on the chair” in power to make all things new.

Pastoral pectoral jewelry is adiaphora. Some wear a crucifix. Some wear an empty cross.

I think I’ll wear a chair.