Jesus’ Heavenly Ministry
September 19th, 2007 by Sean
What is the most quoted OT verse in the NT? It goes like this “The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.’ ” The answer is Psalm 110.1. This text was taken by the NT writers to apply to the ascension and second coming of Jesus. In fact, this was my main frame of reference for understanding what Jesus was in fact doing in heaven. Is he merely sitting on a chair next to God…waiting…until he is told to return. However, as I have continued to study the New Testament I have come to see Jesus’ heavenly ministry to be much more than that.
baptism of the spirit
John’s prophecy about Jesus is that he would come and baptize people in holy spirit (Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33). This was repeated by Jesus in Acts 1.5 in which case he implied that the spirit would come before the kingdom. Then on the day of Pentecost, Peter, filled with the spirit, says “Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He [Jesus] has poured forth this which you both see and hear” (Acts 2.33). Thus, Jesus is the spirit baptizer.
advocate (high priest)
Jesus advocates for his own before his Father in heaven. “And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2.1). The writer of Hebrews emphasizes this theme via the office of high priest. Jesus is our high priest who can sympathize with us because he also was “tempted in all things” (Heb 4.15). In fact since Jesus “was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted” Heb 2.18).
healer
Jesus is still in the healing business! After Jesus had ascended Peter was in Lydda and ran across a man named, Aeneas who had been bedridden for eight years. Peter said to him “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed” (Acts 9.34). I would have expected Peter to say “in the name of Jesus Christ get up and make your bed” but instead he said “Jesus Christ heals you.” This indicates that Jesus was the one who healed him.
head of the church
Christ is the one “who searches the minds and hearts” (Revelation 2.23). He is the head of the body (Colossians 1.18) who is able to cause “the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love” (Ephesians 4.16). The risen Christ is with us always (Matthew 28.20) and in the midst of two or three gathered in his name (Matthew 18.20). His role as head of the body only makes sense if he is involved with the body, communicating with it, otherwise it would be a paralyzed body. The circumstance involving the conversion of Paul on the road to Damascus is a good example (especially considering that Jesus also appeared to Ananias) of Jesus at work in his heavenly ministry.
how is this possible?
Yet at the same time, he is still a man (1 Timothy 2.5) seated at the right hand of God (Mark 16.19; Hebrews 12.2; etc.) in heavenly places (Ephesians 1.20; 1 Peter 3.22; etc.). So how can Christ be intimately involved in working within his church even while he is in heaven? As the disciples asked, how could he disclose himself to them without the world seeing him (John 14.22)? Christ is present through the spirit. The spirit which proceeds from the Father connects Christ to his body like a nervous system—making him aware of what is going on and allowing him to coordinate his body. In other words, the spirit is Christ in me.
I agree and I like how you presented this. The more I look at it, the more I see what a big deal this aspect of the spirit is. I am starting to think that the whole Pentecostal scene and how they view the spirit is a smokescreen and a distraction from what the holy spirit is really all about. (See the “No Sacred Cows” thread).
Mark!!! You must be doing better. We were praying for you.
Yes, I’m fine! They did a bunch of tests and they all showed nothing wrong with my heart. Whatever it was I was feeling was not a heart attack. Praise God! I knew they were praying for me here, but I didn’t realize it had “gone national.” What a great family!
I don’t think we need to erect a division between the “Christ in you” aspect of the spirit and the manifestations. The spirit in OT times (plus the synoptics) was seen as a way that God could empower or enlighten people for a specific task. Then with the ascension of Christ we add to the existing understanding of the spirit the notion of God and Jesus abiding within us. See my paper on this here.
I’m not thinking of a division so much as the fact that so many charismatics/pentecostals place great emphasis on tongues to the point where it distracts from the true working of holy spirit in us to regenerate us and help us live the Christian life.
Sean These things that you have written that Jesus does, or is doing, can they or should they be thought of in an active sense where we would ask for this help or are they there in a completed fashion waiting to be accepted as part of his completed work for God and for us, or is it both. It may not matter but it may help me and others with what we do with our mind when we need his help. I really like your nevous system analogy. Why do you suppose 2 or 3 need to be together why not just one what do you think about that? Is the “signal” stronger or is that just silly? Is he just trying to encourage us to work together? love Patty
Mark,
I think your comment about all the talk of manifestations being a diversion is accurate. Because of that focus too much Scripture concerning the convicting nature of the Spirit, and the Gospel regeneration that happens because of the Spirit working in the message, are painfully ignored.
Patty, good questions. I’m not sure I have the answers though. My intention in doing this post is that Jesus is doing something up there in heaven. From the Scriptures I can see several of the different activities. I do not think of this in the same way as his “accomplished works.” We have a living and active savior (just think of how boring it would be to sit up there all this time without having work to do). I honestly have no idea why Jesus said that 2 or 3 should be gathered. Does anybody else have light on this?
Sean
Just finally got around to reading your post. It’s very encouraging to realize that we serve a living Lord who is taking an active role in the church and in our individual lives. Not simply a historical Jesus we read about and then acknowledge his work.
One other role I see is that he is also an intercessor – which I understand to mean that he is praying or pleading for me on my behalf.
Rom 8:34 “who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.”
Heb 7:23 ” Therefore He [Jesus] is also able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for him”
God Bless
Rich
Sean thanks Its good to think that Jesus is actively working. We need all the help we can get love Patty
The active role of Jesus mentioned in these comments remind me of the first vision in Revelation in which Jesus is seen as walking among the lamps (which are the churches) with very intimate knowledge regarding what is commendable and what should be reproved in each of seven churches (Revelation 1: 20, 2: 1ff.)
When believers are united to the vine (Christ), there should be a supernatural atmosphere in which encouragements, commendations, and reproofs are truly on target due to “Christ in you” realities as guided by he who walks among the lamps.
The most pointed verse (for me) in Revelation 2-3 is
This sort of Jesus does not fit in with the evangelical “works is a dirty word” culture. It reminds me of this audio file from Fire on the Altar
Dear Sean,
I have some difficulties about this concept. If Jesus is actively working as head of the church and specifically of the man, why doesn’t we pray him to receive help e satisfaction?
maurizio
from Italy
Maurizio,
We pray in accordance with Scripture. Prayer is addressed to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ. Jesus is our mediator for salvation, not for prayer. God was able to hear prayers before Jesus was exalted to his right hand and continues to hear them. Jesus spent his whole ministry directing people to the Father (his only true God, cf. John 17.3) and he continues to lift up his God and Father even now. For me, it is simply a matter of obedience to address my prayers to the Father.
Dear Brother Sean,
I thank you. I didn’t mean to be argumentative, I’m only trying to solve some problems for me and my christian community about our “new Doctrine”.
If Jesus is really the searcher of hearts and minds then He knows what there is in my heart, but what is the purpose for that If it is God that works all things in all men?
Why Jesus gave the revelation to John through an angel and not him directly?
Why was given only to Paul this special privilege, “The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth.” (Ac 22:14-15)?
What kind of practical fellowship have we with the resurrected Jesus if we have to speak, to worship, to thank, to pray, to sing and finally to love only God?
Jesus himself said “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength”. A unique love that we have to reserve only to God and not to Jesus.
In my daily difficulties I am fortified by God my Father through His powerful Spirit or by Christ in me? I Think Paul referred to God and not to Jesus: “I can do everything through him who gives me strength”.
Dear Sean probably I have some confusion, there I need suggestions!
God May Bless you and all the brothers in this Blog.