Where is Jesus?
Where is Jesus?
Have you asked that question; where is Jesus when I need Him? And also literally where is Jesus now after rising from the dead? What is He doing now? Most times we only think of Jesus when we read His life on earth. That is good and we should do so but His earthly life was not the end of Jesus. We even believe that He rose from the dead and often we just stop there. Jesus is alive and well and He is doing and being God. He also left us with His Holy Spirit to live in us while we are here on earth.
The Scripture tells exactly where He is. Listen to Paul:
“That you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Ephesians 1:18-23
Jesus is in His rightful place of honor and above all principality and power (angelic/spiritual beings both good and evil). Paul is laying the foundation for what he would later instruct us to do – not to fight flesh and blood (i.e. each other) but to war against the principalities and powers using the whole armor of God (Truth of the Scripture, Faith, Christ’s righteousness, praying always etc. Ephesians 6:10-20). Top secret: your spouse, children, friends, co-workers etc. are not your enemies. Pray for these people.
Paul goes on to say something most of us have not comprehended – that we are seated together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6) meaning we are by position in Christ above these so called principalities and powers. If you believe and trust in Christ, then you are in Christ and Christ is above every power or principality there may be. In fact they are under His feet for His crushing.
We are also reminded what Jesus is doing where He is:
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?...
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Jesus is making intercession for us and His Holy Spirit that lives in us here on earth is also making intersession for us. We are covered both in heaven and on earth with prayers and intercessions that nothing can be able to separate us from His love. Jesus is committed to us 100% even when we show him yoyo love. His grace is bound to get us to where He is and not just to save us at the beginning.
Jesus is also declared the head of the Church which is His body. We are part and parcel of Jesus and that is why nothing can separate us from Jesus. You cannot cut the head and leave the body. Jesus is alive forever so are we His body, the Church. In fact Paul goes on to say that we are to instruct the principalities and powers:
10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. Ephesians 3:10-12
That is amazing. Case closed. The wisdom of God is in Christ so let’s employ Him to deal with those “wiles of the devil” that tend to harass us. Go ahead and pray it now and let God’s will be done in your life. Jesus lived to do His father’s will so must we as we pray and hear Him in His Word – the Bible.
We have received exceedingly and abundant grace and love from God in Christ Jesus. May we apply the same grace in living with and relating to one another. If we don’t then this whole gospel is meaningless and we do not yet understand it. Let’s not condemn one another because Christ has not condemned us. He loved us even while we were yet sinners. Who do you and I need to extend same grace to today?
Lord, grant me your grace to see and understand your grace and love for me. Please help me to extend your grace to others as you continually pour your grace on me. Amen.
Have you asked that question; where is Jesus when I need Him? And also literally where is Jesus now after rising from the dead? What is He doing now? Most times we only think of Jesus when we read His life on earth. That is good and we should do so but His earthly life was not the end of Jesus. We even believe that He rose from the dead and often we just stop there. Jesus is alive and well and He is doing and being God. He also left us with His Holy Spirit to live in us while we are here on earth.
The Scripture tells exactly where He is. Listen to Paul:
“That you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Ephesians 1:18-23
Jesus is in His rightful place of honor and above all principality and power (angelic/spiritual beings both good and evil). Paul is laying the foundation for what he would later instruct us to do – not to fight flesh and blood (i.e. each other) but to war against the principalities and powers using the whole armor of God (Truth of the Scripture, Faith, Christ’s righteousness, praying always etc. Ephesians 6:10-20). Top secret: your spouse, children, friends, co-workers etc. are not your enemies. Pray for these people.
Paul goes on to say something most of us have not comprehended – that we are seated together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6) meaning we are by position in Christ above these so called principalities and powers. If you believe and trust in Christ, then you are in Christ and Christ is above every power or principality there may be. In fact they are under His feet for His crushing.
We are also reminded what Jesus is doing where He is:
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?...
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Jesus is making intercession for us and His Holy Spirit that lives in us here on earth is also making intersession for us. We are covered both in heaven and on earth with prayers and intercessions that nothing can be able to separate us from His love. Jesus is committed to us 100% even when we show him yoyo love. His grace is bound to get us to where He is and not just to save us at the beginning.
Jesus is also declared the head of the Church which is His body. We are part and parcel of Jesus and that is why nothing can separate us from Jesus. You cannot cut the head and leave the body. Jesus is alive forever so are we His body, the Church. In fact Paul goes on to say that we are to instruct the principalities and powers:
10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. Ephesians 3:10-12
That is amazing. Case closed. The wisdom of God is in Christ so let’s employ Him to deal with those “wiles of the devil” that tend to harass us. Go ahead and pray it now and let God’s will be done in your life. Jesus lived to do His father’s will so must we as we pray and hear Him in His Word – the Bible.
We have received exceedingly and abundant grace and love from God in Christ Jesus. May we apply the same grace in living with and relating to one another. If we don’t then this whole gospel is meaningless and we do not yet understand it. Let’s not condemn one another because Christ has not condemned us. He loved us even while we were yet sinners. Who do you and I need to extend same grace to today?
Lord, grant me your grace to see and understand your grace and love for me. Please help me to extend your grace to others as you continually pour your grace on me. Amen.
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