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Jesus Christ R. I. P.
Stan and Marge are retired, and they never dreamed they'd enjoy life so much. No, not life's tranquil sunset into the retirement's typical routine, but a sunrise into 36 holes of golf a day and traveling to every state in the country before their RV needs new shocks and an overseas missions trip to Africa and scuba diving in Mexico and keeping track of the grandkids and ... well, you get the picture. These senior citizens boast a bumper sticker on their RV that brags "R.I.P. - Retirement Is Powerful." And their new lifestyle, too action-packed to allow them to put a foot in the grave, proves it.
"Jesus Christ R.I.P. - Rules, Intercedes, Prepares."
Life is now different for Jesus Christ. Don't misunderstand - he recalls with joy growing up as a carpenter's son, his mother's tender care, talking religion in the temple and the trips to Jerusalem; he remembers with a glad heart the smiles of the people he met and ministered to, helped and healed; he realizes the incredible accomplishment of his suffering, death and resurrection. But to say that Jesus Christ, whom we confess every Sunday "ascended into heaven," is now filling out his days in retirement is about as much as saying that Stan and Marge have nothing to do.
The living Jesus Christ was still ruling the universe when your head hit the pillow last night and when your feet hit the floor this morning and every thunderbolt in between. The living Jesus Christ interceded for you yesterday as he approached the throne of his Father with your prayer request to make doubly sure it didn't get lost in the shuffle, and he'll intercede for you today to seek out and to offer the forgiveness you need to be doubly sure you are at peace with God. The living Jesus Christ is cleaning the sin from your life and dusting off the cobwebs of spiritual inactivity and scaring away the devil and all his demons from their fourth attack on heaven this hour and organizing the angel armies to prepare heaven for you as a place of new life, like it is for him.
His ascension should have a logo or commercial jingle to it that boasts, "Jesus Christ R.I.P. - Rules, Intercedes, Prepares." If you picture Jesus Christ sitting at the right hand of God in retirement after a hard career's work, you've got the wrong picture of his ascension. As the ascended Savior, he's begun a new era of activity as the Father's right hand man. The Bible says he's hard at work for you.
The Bible tells us that after his resurrection, Jesus "appeared ... and spoke about the kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3). This is no loyal leader who died for a good cause, this is the living Lord who has authority even over death, and he wants his followers to know that he has authority over all things. Ascending into heaven is simply making an official entrance onto his throne, where his foes and your fears are his footstool. "God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church" (Ephesians 1:22). Jesus is not resting for his own enjoyment. He's ruling for your good.
Though Jesus has ascended into heaven and has visibly disappeared, he has not left us alone, confused and lost. He represents us, reassures us along the way, and rigorously gets things done for us even without our knowing or understanding. Notice from Acts 1 how Jesus reassures his disciples that he will represent their needs even after his departure, and make sure they are cared for. "Wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about ... It is now for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes one you." Confused? Lost? Concerned about the future? Living with guilt? Let Jesus hold your hand. Let Jesus step between you and whatever causes you fear. He will be with you always. He intercedes for you.
St. Sophia, a stately Christian church in Istanbul was transformed by the hands of those who don't believe in Jesus into a Mohammedan mosque. It had been one of the most beautiful churches in the world, but all the Christian inscriptions and symbols were painted over and replaced with Moslem ones. Standing under the great dome and looking straight up into the air at the paintings a Christian tourist saw that the figure of Christ with outstretched hands, which had been painted over, was coming back through the wear of the covering paint. He turned to the Moslem man next to him and said, "He's coming back. No one can blot him out. The future belongs to him."
To the disciples standing on the mountaintop, gazing into the sky that left no trace of Jesus' sudden departure, and to us the angels said, "This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back" (Acts 1:11). The ascension of Jesus Christ means that he is preparing a place for us. That's our future. And he won't let anything make it disappear. He promises, "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am" (John 14:2,3). Since our Savior is taking care of all the work that ensures us a reservation in heaven, we can focus our work not on gaining it for ourselves but on going out and getting others to come with us. "You will be my witnesses," he commands us with undertones of his own promise to help. He prepares a place for us and others.
"He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty." When you say those words, don't think retirement. Think R.I.P. Jesus Christ Rules, Intercedes, and Prepares. He's hard at work for you, because his career never ends.
