Where Is Jesus and What Is He Doing Right Now?
Where is Jesus and what is he up to? If someone asked you these questions, would you know how to answer them? It is more likely than ever that someone may ask you these questions. For example, web searches for the question, “Where Is Jesus Now” have tripled over the last ten years. Folks are wondering about Jesus. What would you tell them?
Where Is Jesus Now?
In order to answer, “Where Is Jesus Now,” let’s talk first about where Jesus is not.
Jesus is not on the cross.
Although we may picture him on the cross, Jesus isn’t there anymore. The cross was a one-time historical event that divided all of history and humanity. The cross has implications for us all. However, compared with all of eternity, Jesus spent just a small amount of time on the cross.
Jesus is not in hell.
The Apostle’s Creed says, “[He] was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead.” So yes, Jesus did descend into hell after he died, but like the cross, he’s not there anymore.
Jesus is not coming out of the grave.
On Resurrection Sunday, we celebrate the glorious resurrection of Jesus. Jesus conquered sin and death by his resurrection; this was one-of-a-kind. But Jesus didn’t die just to be raised. The resurrection is not the apex of Christianity–there’s more.
Jesus is not on the earth.
Acts 1 says that after Jesus was raised from the dead, “He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.” And after that, “he was taken up before their very eyes…” In his place, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be on earth for him.
So if Jesus is not on the cross, not in hell, not coming out of the grave, and not on earth, then where is he?
Ephesians 1:20 says, “[God the Father] raised [Christ] from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms.”
Jesus is seated with God.
Jesus is seated at the right hand of God in the heavenly realms.
Here’s what’s so special about where Jesus is now, according to the Book of Ephesians:
- Jesus is far above all rule and authority. Not a little above. Far above.
- And not just far above some rule and authority. Far above all rule and authority.
- And not just far above all rule and authority. Far above all power and dominion.
And not just above all that, but far above every title that can be given:
- Not just in this age, but in the age to come.
- Higher than every title we can think of conferring on dignitaries and luminaries and leaders in the present or in the future.
And not only that but:
Jesus is seated at the right hand of God because God has placed all things under his feet.- And God appointed Jesus to be head over everything so that He fills everything in every way.
I can hardly contain myself because of all the glorious implications of Jesus’ heavenly position, but it leads to another question.
What Is Jesus Doing Now?
The question, “What is Jesus doing now?” is of ultimate significance. If Jesus is long dead in a tomb, it doesn’t matter how we live beyond trying to “memorialize” him the way we say about dead people, “I am going to do this because Grandma would have wanted it.”
And if Jesus is a flimsy flappy angel (not the way angels actually are, but the way we imagine them to be), happily flittering away and only thinking of what tune to play on his harp, he can’t do much in terms of the entire universe. But Jesus is neither dead nor flimsy flappy.
Here are seven things I believe Jesus is doing right now:
- Living
- Reigning
- Interceding
- Building the Church
- Abiding in relationships
- Bringing all things under his feet
- Inviting unbelievers to redemption
When someone asks you where Jesus is or what he is doing, I pray you’ll be ready with an answer.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Chris Heinz
Chris Heinz is the Founder and CEO of Munyay, which creates coaching solutions to help you love your life and work. He’s also the Vice President of Human Resources for EnergyCAP, Inc. and is an ICF Certified Coach and Gallup Certified Strengths Coach. Chris enjoys coaching people, writing, and speaking on the topics of engagement, coaching, strengths, prayer, and the Christian life. He’s the author of the Made to Pray book and prayer assessment. Chris lives with his wife and three children in central Pennsylvania, where they play at their cabin-on-a-creek.
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Was at a Bible study 11/12 and the question was asked, “What do you say when someone asks about why you believe what you do?” The woman said, “their are many leaders with thousands of followers who believe something else. What is the truth? How do you prove it, just because the Bible says it?” A person’s testimony can’t be argued. We also must ask the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of our questioners! I learned you can’t take anything for granted. Just because a person is a member of a church and goes to a Bible study doesn’t necessarily mean they have come face to face with Jesus yet! WoW!
I used to believe but began having doubts when I stopped feeling his presence. Besides, I haven’t seen him in the churches which seem more like any other social club. I feel so uncomfortable there. And why do Christians disagree over so many contradictory ideas from the same book? I want Him to be real but in my experience but a living Jesus seems more having to do with wishful thinking than a moment to moment reality since he never seems to respond to my cries. I’ve tried praying but it doesn’t seem to help. If you really know he’s alive, could you tell him I would like him to reveal himself to me and my friend Sarah? It seems that topics about such things as hell and suffering make Christians uncomfortable. We just want to know Jesus is real.
Dave: I totally understand your longings and your search, and your perplexity. What I’ve learned over the years is that the “reality” of the presence and powr of Christ in my life is indirect proportion to the breadth and depth of my vision of the PERSON of Christ himself. Look at 2 Corinthians 4:6. This is what you’re searching for–this is the ultimate solution to your struggle. Which is why I wrote CHRIST IS NOW! Take a look at the http://www.DavidBryantBooks.com where you can read more about it and even look over the annotated Table of Contents to see some of the landscape I explore with you to help you get a whole new vision of who Jesus really is TODAY. Just a suggestion. As you asked, I will pray that the Father will open the eyes of your heart to encounter the living Lord Jesus in ways that are almost like meeting him face to face. I will pray the same for Sarah. Write again sometime. David
I love Jesus and always will no matter what anyone says what about him Hope and Faith is the best one can ever have.. To those who don’t believe in Jesus, God l feel sorry for them.. Because he does exist and when lt’s my time to go out of this Evil world we are living on l want to go with him.. He gave us a soul so we must return it back to him.. Remember this we are all here for a visit and when we die that’s it.. l believe that We decend to hell first and then to heaven also it depends on how good or bad the person has been during their lifetime
We will all be Judged on Judgment day.. l don’t and will never believe in the (D!!) To those who do lm sorry for yall as well.J Jesus is the light He is love and he is everything without him we are nothing.. And with him we are everything forever and ever.. Amen.
Just believe and don’t lose faith. Teach yourself the mind of God. Jesus tells his own disciples they have little faith, and they saw and lived w him. He’s says we’re blessed, for believing and not seeing. No where Have i ever read that’s says we have to understand it all to be saved. I don’t know if this is you but, constantly sinning against God can weaken and destroy our faith. Certain addictions can really hurt us over time. That may be why you don’t feel his presence any longer and now doubt what you believe. Even though we constantly fail, we’re still saved. Don’t give up. It’s hard to do the right thing when pleasure is waiting for us. We all battle in the mind. We have two natures at war with in us. Jesus comes to us in holy communion. That’s where you will find him.
Luke, you’re so right that our salvation does not rest on how much “gospel facts” we have stored away in our brains, or how many times we have turned from sin, or any good deeds that we do, or how keenly we can feel the presence of God is our lives. No, our salvation–and the fullness of life God has for us beginning right now–is TOTALLY about who JESUS is — to us, for us, over us, before us, within us, through us and pouring out his love and saving power upon us. When we give our lives to him–when we trust him for our identity and our destiny, then as Colossians 3:11 says, he becomes our “all in all”. He comes to us in all kinds of ways, including communion and worship and prayer and reading the Scriptures and walking with him in obedience. And the rest will follow, including a deeper sense of how the Father cares for us, how the Spirit is equipping us and how Jesus is transforming us. Thanks for writing your encouragements to Dave –AND to me!!! David Bryant
Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart, offering a free gift of eternal life if only you BELIEVE that he died for your sins, and the worlds. He died just to be with you! He is ready for your faith and trust to be in Him regardless of your circumstances. He has done everything, If you want to feel His presence, you give Him everything pray to Him. He answers when your ready to hear, the Bible is our guide and there is power that He will give you access to receiving if He has YOUR permission to live through you! He loves you and I know your going ti regret ever doubting His promises. He isn’t going to allow you to put him on a box while life is grand and going good for you, and then when life’s done playing nice and you have no other option then you deside to search for Him, He isn’t in that box where you left Him. He is waiting for you when your ready to worship Him even when you have nothing, if you have Him then you have everything. Your looking for His presents but He is the present. Jesus loves you so much, nothing can separate His love from us.
Thanks, Alex. As CS Lewis tells us in MERE CHRISTIANITY–“The humility of Christ is seen in this: When we come to him and tell him we’re tried everything else so now, as a last resort, we’re coming to him, he does not get offended but gladly welcomes us anyway!” David
I am so encouraged by this calm, sweet discussion that is taking place here! Jesus has promised us peace, joy, life. As we go to the Scripture and read God’s revelation to us, his creatures, He has said that will reveal Himself to those who seek Him. It is important to seek Him daily. A great way to do this is to read through The Songs of Jesus by Tim Keller. You will read through the Psalms in a year, and see Jesus revealed on every page:) I am praying for you and yours today.
Elyse–not only the Psalms abut all of Scripture exalts Jesus–as he is FORESHADOWED in so many ways in the Old Testament — and as all the prophecies and promises of God are powerfully FULFILLED in him in the New Testament. Praises and songs to Jesus and about Jesus should fill our hearts as we dig into every part of Scripture. Thank you for writing. David
why do Christians believe that there are “only” 3 beings in the Trinity when God in his limitless power could exist in countless forms – isn’t it about manifesting Himself throughout all nature & the universe, every atom in the entire Cosmos has its beginning in Him, so why just 3 ?
Good questions, Peter. Of course, some religions like Hinduism would agree with you. It is called “Pantheism” = God is in everything. But then we face the problem of evil. Is God engaged in the evil–like the “Force” in Star Wars that has a “dark side”? That’s another option. I guess. But the Bible is clear that the God of the Bible–the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ–is ONE God but consisting of three PERSONS that comprise who God is. This is hard for humans to grasp, just as a dog could never fully grasp what is means for a human being to be a PERSON and not a dog. Why 3? Well, because that is who God is. Since he is God, I would rather have him define himself to me than for me to try to figure him out on my own –which if I could would mean I was as competent as God. Not much to worship there. Bottom line: Jesus, alive from the dead and reigning on high at this hour–I’ll let HIM help me understand the true nature of God. Hope this helps. David
Hi there I’m having confusion about if Christ is reigning or not. And how much he reigns over. For example Hebrews 2:8 talks about everything being subjected to Jesus but at then it says ,”we do not yet see everything subjected to him.” Please help me because when the bible talks about Him reigning then I dont know if its talking about the future that’s still to come or happening now.
Excellent question. The answer is right there in Hebrews 2:8. “We do not yet SEE everything subjected to him.” In other words, everything IS subjected to him–by the Father’s decree to the Son (for example Psalm 2). The reign of Jesus is on the move in all kinds of ways we may not yet SEE (many things that are currently “invisible” are the things that are “eternal”–2 Corinthians 4). He has ascended and is right now FILLING the universe with his presence, with his sovereignty, with his power, with his activity (see Ephesians 4) — much of which, however, is waiting to be REVEALED at the Consummation when, as Philippians 2 tells us, EVERYONE will “see” who Jesus is and what he has been up to and how he has brought everything to his feet for final disposal–so that EVERY tongue in the universe will have no doubt but will be compelled to openly declare Jesus is LORD. Thanks for writing.
Why do I continue to pray everyday for nearly seven years that God cures my daughters MS disease but she still has it and it’s getting worse. Also, I pray that God will restore her eyesight in one of her eyes that was taken away with the MS
Everyday I pray for healing of my children but yet they still have these health issues.
Seven years and they still suffer. Should I stop praying for healing
Dean, these are such powerful and heart-stirring questions. I’ve asked similar ones in my own life many, many times. There are some answers, for sure. But there’s also lots of mystery about suffering that only will be fully revealed in the Consummation–when we will also finally fully understand the full extent of the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ and why he HAD to suffer the way he did for us. For now, here are two answers, from two mighty Christians who suffered greatly with no answer to their prayers for healing. One said (in their book about this): “Suffering creates in us a greater capacity for more of Christ in our lives.” The other said, suffering with cancer: “Seeking God’s face for answer to our prayers for suffering helps to draw us into a deep intimacy with Christ himself.” At least those are answers that carry a sense of “purpose” for prayers that are not, at the moment, answered regarding suffering. Thanks again for writing. DAVID
OK I have a question if god created everything in existence .then God must have created evil if God is love then why must a loving god create evil every thing comes from something right? And evil couldnt have existed without god created it cause hes the creator ..then whats the point of having a loving god ? Oh and also where did god come from and the whole idea that he wasnt created hes just there or hes time less or whatever makes no sense ..where did he come from and what was he doing befor he decided to create everything whatvhe just floating in emptynes and nothing before time and randomly decided oneday to create everything i have so many questions and no answers the ones I have gotten make no sense so please help me figure out this. Problem
Shane: These are all important questions. Thanks for sharing a little bit of your spiritual journey with me. Countless volumes have been written by Christian scholars much smarter than I am, wrestling with (and to my mind doing a good job of answering) such fundamental issues.
My starting point for all things related to God and eternity, to good and evil, to the purpose and meaning of life, is with the ONE PERSON in the entire universe who has thoroughly CONQUERED death and evil by his rising from the dead — and then for me he stepped into the place of supreme honor and authority regarding all things related to life and to eternal life.
So I start with HIM. And work out from HIM toward answers for the great questions you have raised.
We ALL have to start with some “presuppositions”–Christian or otherwise–to even be able to even ask such questions let alone secure the answers. What are yours? My life starts and ends with a PERSON in whom (COoossians 2:3) “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” I have thousands of friends all over the world who have made the same decision. Think about it. Maybe a next step for you might be to at least be open minded enough to explroe more about who this Jesus really is. That’s why ChristNow.com exists. Thanks, Shane, for writing and sharing. David