We have remembered Good Friday and celebrated the resurrection and that's the end of it. Or is it? Jesus walked among men for thirty-three years on earth and now He's gone. Where is He? What's He doing? We have all heard that He is returning some day, but while we are awaiting His arrival, what then? One group believes He never left that he is in the Himalayas biding His time before He presents Himself.
The Christian public, because deprived of the knowledge of Christ's present ministry, are unaware of its vast realities, though they are able from childhood itself to relate the mere historical facts and activities of Christ during His three and one-half years of service on earth. Christians now do not recognize the reality that Christ is doing anything generally and for this a part-truth kind of teaching is wholly responsible. It yet remains true, whether neglected by one or the other kind of theologian, that Christ is now engaged in a ministry which determines the service and destiny of all those who have put their trust in Him.
Chafer lists seven things that Jesus Christ is doing now in His session. They are listed below.
1. THE EXERCISE OF UNIVERSAL AUTHORITY-
All authority is committed from the Father to the Son. (Matt. 28:18)...It is, therefore, essential that when drawing a picture of the exalted Christ and in contemplating His Person and present activity He should be seen as the One who, under the Father, is above and over all things in the universe in the sense that they owe their very existence to Him, are held together by Him, and are governed by Him.
2. HEAD OVER ALL THINGS TO THE CHURCH- In John 16:13 it is recorded that complete instruction is ever being given to each yielded believer by the indwelling Spirit...The One to whom the Spirit listens and whose message the Spirit transmits is none other than Christ, who stated "I have yet many things to say unto you."
3. THE BESTOWER OF GIFTS- to each believer some gift is given. (Phil. 2:13) The Lord did not leave this work to the uncertain and insufficient judgment of men. The bestowment of gifts is but another instance in which the personal and individual supervision of the exalted Christ over each member of His Body is disclosed
4. THE INTERCESSOR- Heb. 7:25 reminds us that "seeing he, Christ, ever liveth to make intercession for us." The effectiveness of the intercession of Christ in the preservation of each believer is declared to be absolute. "Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." (Heb. 7:25.)
5. THE ADVOCATE- Through the present priestly advocacy of Christ in heaven there is absolute safety and security for the Father's child even while he is sinning. An advocate is one who espouses and pleads the cause of another in the open courts. It may be a secret sin on earth, but it is open scandal in heaven. Jesus intercedes for us.
6. THE BUILDER- Jesus said, "I go to prepare a place for you-" (John 14: 1-3) Jesus is the architect of each of our heavenly homes. He is not leaving it up to the angels but will personally carry out the plans..."Too low they build who build beneath the stars."
7. CHRIST EXPECTING- Important, indeed, is the revelation which discloses the fact that Christ is now in the attitude of expectation toward the oncoming day when, returning on the clouds of heaven, He will vanquish every foe. "From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool." This will be realized in connection with His return to the earth in power and great glory.
Reference: Systematic Theology by Lewis Sperry Chafer.
