JESUS 5
JESUS 5
With the death and burial of Jesus, the narrative of His earthly career comes to an end, but with His resurrection on the third day, He lives on as the exalted Lord (CP Ac 2:32-36; 5:30-32; Php 2:5-11). It should be noted though before we look at His resurrection, that between His death and resurrection, Jesus went and preached to the spirits in prison (CP Pe 3:18-20. It is not material to this study who the spirits in prison are, and what Jesus preached, but for a detailed teaching on this subject, see author's study Who are the Spirits in Prison, in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 1)). The risen Christ revealed Himself first to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary when they went to the tomb to anoint His body with spices before sunrise on the Sunday morning following His burial (CP Mt 28:1-10; Mk 16:1-10; Jn 20:1-18). Jesus then appeared to the disciples - first to two of them on the road to Emmaus (CP Mk 16:9-13; Lu 24:13-35). Secondly, to the eleven (CP Mt 28:16-20; Mk 16:14-18; Lu 24:36-48; Jn 20:19-23). And lastly, to the seven disciples fishing in the Sea of Tiberius (CP Jn 21:1-24).
Forty days after His resurrection, Jesus ascended to Heaven (CP Mk 16:19-20; Lu 24:50-51 (also Ac 1:1-9)). Christ's ascension to Heaven was predicted in the Old Testament by King David (CP Psa 68:18 with Eph 4:8-10; Psa 110:1 with Mk 16:19). The captivity Jesus led captive in Psa 68 and Eph 4, were the souls of all the saints of God from Abel to Christ who had died and been held captive by Satan, including those who were resurrected after Christ (CP Mt 27:52-53 with He 2:14-15; 12:23). Since Jesus' ascension, when Christians die, their souls go straight to Heaven awaiting the resurrection of their bodies (CP 2Cor 5:1-4; He 12:22-23; Rev 6:9-11 with 1Cor 15:20-23, 42-44, 51-58). The gifts in Eph 4:8 which Jesus gave to men when He "ascended on high" were the gifts of the Spirit and ministry gifts for the church (CP V 8 with 1Cor 12:1-11(A) and Eph 4:11-16. For detailed teachings on these subjects see author's comments on 1Cor 12:1-11(A) and Eph 4:11-12, in his book A Question and Answer Study on the New Testament). Jesus' earthly ministry subject of this study is but an infinitesimal part of His overall ministry recorded in scripture, and even that, according to the beloved disciple John, is also but an infinitesimal part of His actual ministry. To quote John, "and there are also many other things which Jesus did, to which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written, Amen" (CP Jn 21:25). What has been included here of Jesus' earthly ministry will suffice for the purpose of this study.
Let us look now at Jesus' present ministry. The first aspect of His present work was sending the Holy Spirit to lead His people in the way of everlasting life, to convict sinners of their need of a Saviour (CP Jn 14:16-17, 26; 16:7-15), and to empower Christians for service to God (CP Mt 3:1-2, 11; Mk 1:1-6; 16:17-20; Lu 3:2-3, 16; 24:49: Jn 1:32-34; 7:37-39; Ac 1:4-8; 2:1-4, 38-39; 10:44-46; 19:1-6. For more detailed teachings on this subject see author's studies Baptism in the Spirit, in his book Foundational Truths of the Christian Faith, Signs and Wonders in God's Redemptive Plan, in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 1), The Work of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament Church, and The Doctrine of the Trinity, in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 2)).
But the present work of Christ that is emphasised the most in the New Testament is His intercessory ministry on behalf of Christians with God. He is their advocate, mediator, high priest and intercessor (CP Ro 8:33-34; 1Ti 2:5; He 7:25; 8:1; 9:11-14; 1Jn 2:1). Jesus has made it possible through His shed blood for Christians to come confidently to the Throne of Grace where He sits at God's right hand. They can know that they will obtain mercy and grace in their time of need (CP Col 3:1; He 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2 with He 4:14-16). Mercy and grace are dispensed to Christians from the Throne of Grace through Christ's intercession for them with the Father (CP Eph 2:18; He 10:19-22). Through the Veil, that is to say His flesh in He 10:20 refers to when Jesus died on the cross - as we learned in our study on Jesus' death - the veil in the temple that symbolically separated men from God's presence tore in two, signifying that the way was now open for all who believe in Jesus to have direct access to the Throne of God (CP Mt 27:50-52). God's children no longer have to go through priests to obtain mercy and grace in their time of need (CP 1Jn 1:8-10).
The future ministry of Jesus includes the resurrection of all the saints of God, Old Testament and New Testament alike, living and dead, and taking them back to Heaven with Him (CP Jn 5:28-29; 14:1-3; 1Cor 15:51-58; Php 3:20-21; 1Th 4:13-18; 5:1-11; 2Th 2:1-3; 2:6-8). These scriptures all refer to the first resurrection, or the rapture, as it is known among Christians. The events that take place in those scriptures all signify the end of the church age. (For detailed studies on this subject see author's comments on the above scriptures, in his book A Question and Answer Study on the New Testament, and his study The Rapture, in his book Foundational Truths of the Christian Faith). The next aspect of Jesus' future ministry is to judge Christians after He has taken them to Heaven. This is called the Judgement Seat of Christ. This judgement is not to determine punishment, but the believer's place in Heaven. It is where Jesus will judge every Christian's earthly works, and how those works stand or fall will determine the believer's position in God's eternal Kingdom (CP Ecc 12:14; Ro 14:10-13; 1Cor 3:11-15; 4:5; 2Cor 5:10; Eph 6:1-9; Col 3:16-4:1; Jas 1:2-4, 12, 19, 21; 2:1-4, 9; 1Pe 1:3-7, 17; Rev 22:7, 11-12). Everything Christians have ever done during the course of their Christian life, whether good or bad, will be revealed at the Judgement Seat of Christ. (For a detailed teaching on this subject see author's study Coming Judgements of God, in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 1)).