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Thursday

Jul022020

16 Truths You Should Know: Jesus Is Lord

Thursday, July 2, 2020 at 3:30AM

Where is heaven? Have you ever wondered where it is? Has anyone (a child, perhaps) asked you? How did you answer?

The truth is that we don’t know exactly where heaven is, but we do know that heaven is somewhere. Right now, the risen Jesus is reigning in heaven in his glorified physical body, so we know it is a real place. (The word heaven can refer to more than a spatial reality, but the place called “heaven” where Jesus is now is a spacial reality.)

His Ascension

Forty days after his resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9-11). The resurrection was the first step to the return of the Son of God to the glory he left behind when he came into the world from his place at the Father’s side. After the Son “emptied himself” by being born as a human being and “humbled himself” by dying on the cross (Philippians 2:7-8), God

raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church … .(Ephesians 1:20-22 ESV)

The Son’s glory has been restored, only this time, he is glorified as the God-man. As I write this, and as you read, the Jesus who died to save us is enthroned in heaven as master of the universe.

His Session

Theologians sometimes call Jesus’s present reign his heavenly session. When a court is in session, the judge sits as he rules over the court. During his session, Jesus sits at God’s right hand, ruling over all creation. He reigns over all “rule and authority and power and dominion” and “every name that is named” from the time of his ascension into the never-ending future (see verses from Ephesians quoted above). He has authority and power over all human authorities and all spiritual powers.

From his throne in heaven the ascended Jesus rules his church and protects her. Since Pentecost, he has been equipping the body of believers through the work of his Holy Spirit. At the request of the risen Christ, the Spirit builds and guides the church. He inspired the Scriptures, which is the founding document of the church, and he empowers the preaching of the Scriptures so the church continues to grow (Ephesians 4:8-12).

The ascended Jesus intercedes for his people (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25), bringing their requests to the Father and intervening on their behalf. He pleads “for their acceptance on the basis of his completed sacrifice, and for their safe-keeping in the world.”¹ J. I. Packer explains that since Jesus intervenes from his throne, his position is “not one of sympathy without status or authority.”² He intercedes as ruler of everything, ensuring that his people possess forever all the saving benefits he purchased by his death. We can be confident in our continued and final salvation because Jesus is Lord.

Jesus’s heavenly session will last until all of his (and our) enemies—including death, the final enemy—are defeated. Then the risen and ascended Jesus will come again to raise the dead for his final judgment of the world.

That Jesus is Lord—that he is ruling now at the right hand of the Father and will continue to rule for the rest of history—gives us complete confidence that everything will end up exactly as it should. From his place of authority, he will make all things right. And those who belong to him can be certain they will be saved, because the ever-living Jesus is in heaven interceding for them (Hebrews 7:25).

1Systematic Theology by Louis Berkhof, page 353.
2Concise Theology by J. I. Packer, page 128.

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Thursday

Jun252020

16 Truths You Should Know: Jesus Is Risen

Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 3:30AM

The historical accounts in the New Testament report that after Jesus died, he was raised from the dead. The apostles and others saw him, heard him speak, touched him, and ate with him, so we know his post resurrection appearances were not just visions, nor was he an apparition. He was a real person with a physical body.

The first Christians based their hope on the fact that Jesus not only died for their sins, but also rose from the dead. As the apostle Paul writes,

…if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain… . [I]f Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:14, 17 ESV)

There would be no Christianity at all if Jesus was not risen. His death in place of sinners lies at the heart of our salvation, but his work of resurrection is necessary for salvation, too.

(And the resurrection really is his work. Yes, the Father and the Spirit participated (see Acts 2:24 and Romans 8:11), but the Son also raised himself by his own power. “I lay down my life,” he said, “that I may take it up again… . I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again” (John 10:17-18).)

When Jesus rose again, he did not return to the same kind of life he had before he died, but rose to a new kind of human existence. Before he was raised, he was subject to weakness and death. When he was raised, he was re-created with no weakness and no possibility of death. He rose in a glorified body, perfectly suited to live forever in heaven, where he is living right now in the same body.

The Resurrection Saves

Without the resurrection of Jesus, we could not be saved. For one, the resurrection is proof that Jesus’s death worked exactly as intended. If the reason Jesus died was to pay the penalty for our sin on our behalf, once the penalty was completely paid, how could he stay dead? No more penalty, no more death, right?

I suspect this is what Paul meant when he said Christ was “raised for our justification” (Romans 4:24). That Jesus is risen is evidence that we are no longer under penalty of death for our sins. His resurrection vindicates us.

The Believer’s Future Resurrection

What’s more, just as believers are united with Jesus in his death, they are also united with him in his resurrection. Anyone who is united to him can be sure that they, like him, will rise again:

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:20-23 ESV)

Christ’s present resurrected life is a promise that those who believe will be raised to this same kind of resurrected life when he returns. His resurrection included the resurrection of his body and so will ours. His resurrection body is imperishable and our will be, too (1 Corinthians 15: 42-49). We will be raised with glorified bodies to live forever with the one who included us in his resurrection. This is our future hope.

The Believer’s New Life Now

But there is more. The resurrection life that we will inherit in full at our glorification already exists within us. We have been made alive together with Jesus and a new kind of life—a re-created life—has started.

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. (Romans 6:4-5 ESV)

Our new life is grounded in our union with Christ. Things are changing inside us because we are united with the risen Jesus.

And we are called to live a new kind of life based on this resurrection reality. Paul urges us to put aside the things we once loved because we already have new lives with resurrection power over sin. We are called to have new loves and new passions—to seek heavenly things.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you … . (Colossians 3:1-5a ESV)

There is no reason for sin to defeat us as we work out the victory over sin that became a reality when Jesus rose again—a victory that will be complete when we are raised with him when he comes again.

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Sunday

Jun212020

Sunday's Hymn: Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

Sunday, June 21, 2020 at 8:55AM

What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Refrain

Leaning, leaning,
Safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms?
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

—Elisha A. Hoffman

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