Tuesday, May 10, 2005
John 14:1-4 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."
GOING . . . TO COME BACK
On Sunday afternoon after church, I usually sit down in my chair at home, put my feet up and take a nap. I'm not usually very productive on Sunday afternoons. It feels good to sit down after a stressful morning of standing and preaching.
When we are told that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God, we may get the idea that He isn't doing anything, but rather lounging about like I do on Sunday afternoon. This is simply not the case. In the first place, Jesus is the Son of God and as God He doesn't need a rest, He doesn't need to regain His energies because they never run out. Jesus didn't ascend into heaven to take time off or to leave us to fend for ourselves. Jesus is still working for us. In fact, Jesus tells us exactly what He's doing for us.
Jesus wants us to know that He's gone ahead of us to prepare a place for us, a permanent place for us in Heaven. He has promised us that we will be received to Him and will live with Him. Jesus ascended for us and will come back again for us.
So Jesus' ascension should comfort us, because Jesus has not left us forever but has only gone away for a time. He will come again to take us with Him according to His promise, "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you" (John 14:18).
