Post #5: What is Jesus Up To?

Understanding the importance of the Resurrection and Ascension.

1.  Certainly, without the death of Jesus we would be sunk with no way for rescue or to be made right before God. It is the pivotal point in the story of mankind.  But without the resurrection, the entirety of Christianity is meaningless.  In fact, Paul says in I Corinthians 15, that if Christ was not raised from the dead, then our faith is futile, and we have no hope.  In fact we are a people to be pitied the most (because it’s all a lie).  There many things written in apologetics about the facts surrounding the resurrection and why it’s true.  For me, I believe for the following:  

1. There were hundreds of eye-witness accounts that wrote about it.  These people had nothing to gain from propagating a lie, and everything to lose.  Those who bore witness to it gave their lives as martyrs, refusing to stop telling others about Jesus.  Not sure why anyone would do that, and face torture and brutal death, for a lie.  

2. The women were the first to hear of his resurrection.  Now, this is interesting because of the culture of the day. A woman’s word meant nothing in that day.  If you were to write a story and try to give evidence to a fact, you would not, could not use a woman’s word, or have it be a part of the testimony.  But the gospels tell it like it was.

3. It’s personal for me.  I know Him.  I pray that you too have, or will have that understanding and relationship too.

2. So where is Jesus now and what’s he up to?  Acts Chapter 1 describes the story of Jesus ascension.  Jesus said, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses…to the ends of the earth.”  Then, “as they were looking on, he was lifted up and a cloud took him out of their sight.”  I guess this is where we get the idea that heaven is up, in the clouds.  Then, two angels stood among them, and basically said, (my paraphrase) stop looking up into the sky, Jesus will come again in the same way you saw him leave. Now get to it!

   
   

Mark 16 says, Jesus was taken up to heaven where he sits at the right hand of God.  
Romans 8:34 says, “Jesus…the one who died, who was raised - who is at the right hand of God, and is interceding for us.
1 John 2:1 says, “I am writing to you so that you do not sin.  But if you do, we have an advocate with the Father - Jesus Christ the righteous one.
Hebrews 7:25 says, “He is able to save to the utmost, those who draw near to God through [Jesus], since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

So what is “interceding” or being our “advocate” all about?

I see it as this:  He stands in for us.  If Satan wants to accuse and condemn, Jesus says, nope, I took care of all that.  And when it comes to us being right before God, Jesus says again, I have made them righteous by my sacrifice.  He prays for us, roots for us, and stands in our place for us.   That’s what He’s up to.  I think that is pretty good news.  What do you think?