The Christian good news is not that Jesus was Lord — in the past, some two thousand years ago, during his earthly life, or even through his death, resurrection and ascension into heaven; though all of that is claimed to be the case.
Nor is it that Jesus will be Lord — at some future point, when he returns to bring history to its close, raise the dead, pronounce final judgment and renew the whole creation in perfection; though that too is said to be certain.
Rather, the Christian gospel declares that ‘Jesus is Lord’ — that he is Lord now, today, at this very moment, this morning, this afternoon, this evening; and equally tomorrow, and always into the everlasting future.
‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever’ (Heb 13:8).1See Benjamin Dean, Great Truths – The Gospel of Jesus Christ, ‘Preface’ and ‘Five Words’; available at https://www.greattruthsglobal.org/the-gospel-of-jesus-christ/
‘Session’ is a technical word for the judge or ruler who is seated to exercise official prerogatives.
What Does He Look Like?
But where is this Lord now, and what does his present rule look like?
The written Gospels offer no description of Jesus’ physical appearance during his earthly life. In John’s vision of the exalted Christ, however, we are given a glimpse of his appearance in heaven:
‘clothed with a long robe and with a gold sash around his chest. The hairs of his head … white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes … like a flame of fire, his feet … like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice … like the roar of many waters. In his hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not …”’ (Rev 1:13-17).
Commentators differ on how far the various elements of this description — body, clothing, hair, eyes, feet, voice — are literal or symbolic, but are united in reading the whole as a portrait of utmost glory and power:2The passage contains eight Old Testament images. (1) Long robe and golden sash (Exod 28:4; 29:5; 39:29; Ezek 9:2). (2) White head and hair (Dan 7:9). (3) Blazing eyes (Dan 10:6; repeated Rev 2:18; 19:2). (4) Bronze feet (Dan 10:6; Ezek 1:7; repeated Rev 2:18). (5) Powerful voice (Ezek 1:24; 43:2; repeated Rev 14:2); (6) Stars in his right hand (Psa 110:1; Job 38:7; cf. Matt 26:64; Rev 9:1). (7) Sword from his mouth (Isa 11:4; 49:2; repeated 1:16; 2:12, 16; 6:8; 19:15, 21; cf. Luke 2:25; also, Rev 9:17-19l 11:5; 12:15-16; 16:13; 19:15, 21). (8) Radiant face (Exod 34:29; Psa 84:11; Isa 13:10; 60:19; Ezek 32:7; Joel 2:10). awesomeness, dignity, majesty, purity, truth, strength, radiance, fearsomeness, absolute sovereignty. Ruler, Judge, and Lord of all.
Notice John’s reaction, and then Christ’s. The seer falls down as though dead — and the response is a hand on the shoulder and two words: Fear not.
The glorified Lord Jesus bears total and universal authority, directing and governing our ‘inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God’ (Eph 5:5). This is the manner in which God has opted to reign ‘in the present age’ (Titus 2:12).
A Word From the Courtroom
That being so, certain questions arise. Where is the Lord Jesus now? What is he doing? And why?
We begin with the word ‘session’ itself, since it names the doctrine at stake. ‘“Session” is a technical word for the judge or ruler who is seated to exercise his or her official prerogatives. Even today, we may speak of a court or parliament as being “seated” or “in session.”’3Jensen, Life of Faith, 203.
Nine Things He Is Doing Right Now
Since his ascension, then, the Lord Jesus Christ has been — and currently is:
- Seated on God’s throne in heaven at the Father’s right hand
- Pouring out his Spirit
- Directing a worldwide mission to gather his church
- Building a community which will one day possess the universe
- Interceding for, protecting, and preparing a place for his people
- Restraining enemies
- Maintaining the lives of countless others
- Governing the nations
- Driving history to its appointed goal4The paragraphs in this section roughly track the citation above, repeated here: ‘The simple formula, “Jesus is Lord” carries a heavy payload. Aside from his earthly career, death, resurrection, ascension, and coming again, we have a King on the throne in heaven, who is building a community which will one day possess the universe. He is also directing a world-wide mission, pouring out his Spirit, restraining enemies, interceding for and protecting his people, maintaining the lives of countless others, governing the nations, and driving all history to its appointed goal. All this is implicit in the gospel of the Kingdom, though of course it is more than can ever be served up in one helping’ (Seccombe, The Gospel of the Kingdom, 233).
That’s not a list of things he will do. It’s a description of this afternoon.
Present in Heaven, Present With Us
At all points, the New Testament proceeds ‘from the idea that Christ according to his human nature, in body and soul, is in heaven.’5Bavinck, Our Reasonable Faith, 372.
But this does not mean that the Person of Christ is absent from the earth. According to his Divine nature, and in the Holy Spirit’s power, the Lord Jesus Christ remains present with us — personally, spiritually, ‘always, to the end of the age’ (Matt 28:20).
Yet the one who is ever-present with his people ‘also possesses a human nature. A Person is therefore with us who at the same time is human, but he is not with us according to his humanity.’6Vos, Reformed Dogmatics, 596. For careful detailed Biblical exegesis concerning the location of Christ, see Orr, Exalted Above the Heavens, 77-97, 115-132, 133-154.
Read that sentence twice, because the precision matters. The Person who is with us is human. But he is not with us according to his humanity — for after his ascension, Christ’s human body was no longer on earth. From that moment it was, and now is, located in heaven.
And it’s worth pausing on that word. In Scripture, heaven is the place (1) where God himself dwells, (2) where his will is perfectly done, and (3) which is the destined home of his people.
Seated, Standing, Walking, Riding
A few passages picture the ascended Lord Jesus standing (Acts 7:55-56; Rev 5:6; 14:1), walking (Rev 2:1), or riding a horse (Rev 19:11, 21).
But the dominant posture in descriptions of his current heavenly position is one of being seated (Matt 26:64; Eph 1:20; 2:6; Col 3:1; Heb 8:1; 12:2; Rev 4:2, 9, 10; 5:1; 6:16; 14:14; 19:4; 20:11; 21:5).
We are told explicitly that, following his bodily ascension into heaven, Jesus sat down (Mark 16:19; Heb 1:3; 10:12; Rev 3:21).
There is no conflict between these different postures. Each carries its own significance — and taken together they say something a single image could not.
Seated: the work is finished, the authority is settled, the throne is occupied. Standing: as when Stephen, dying under a hail of stones, looks up and sees the Son of Man risen from his seat to receive him. Walking: among the lampstands, which is to say among the churches. Riding: as one who will come out to make war on evil and end it.
A judge who is seated, a friend who stands, a Lord who walks among his people, a King who rides to war. All of it true at once, and all of it now.
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- 1See Benjamin Dean, Great Truths – The Gospel of Jesus Christ, ‘Preface’ and ‘Five Words’; available at https://www.greattruthsglobal.org/the-gospel-of-jesus-christ/ ↩︎
- 2The passage contains eight Old Testament images. (1) Long robe and golden sash (Exod 28:4; 29:5; 39:29; Ezek 9:2). (2) White head and hair (Dan 7:9). (3) Blazing eyes (Dan 10:6; repeated Rev 2:18; 19:2). (4) Bronze feet (Dan 10:6; Ezek 1:7; repeated Rev 2:18). (5) Powerful voice (Ezek 1:24; 43:2; repeated Rev 14:2); (6) Stars in his right hand (Psa 110:1; Job 38:7; cf. Matt 26:64; Rev 9:1). (7) Sword from his mouth (Isa 11:4; 49:2; repeated 1:16; 2:12, 16; 6:8; 19:15, 21; cf. Luke 2:25; also, Rev 9:17-19l 11:5; 12:15-16; 16:13; 19:15, 21). (8) Radiant face (Exod 34:29; Psa 84:11; Isa 13:10; 60:19; Ezek 32:7; Joel 2:10). ↩︎
- 3Jensen, Life of Faith, 203. ↩︎
- 4The paragraphs in this section roughly track the citation above, repeated here: ‘The simple formula, “Jesus is Lord” carries a heavy payload. Aside from his earthly career, death, resurrection, ascension, and coming again, we have a King on the throne in heaven, who is building a community which will one day possess the universe. He is also directing a world-wide mission, pouring out his Spirit, restraining enemies, interceding for and protecting his people, maintaining the lives of countless others, governing the nations, and driving all history to its appointed goal. All this is implicit in the gospel of the Kingdom, though of course it is more than can ever be served up in one helping’ (Seccombe, The Gospel of the Kingdom, 233). ↩︎
- 5Bavinck, Our Reasonable Faith, 372. ↩︎
- 6Vos, Reformed Dogmatics, 596. For careful detailed Biblical exegesis concerning the location of Christ, see Orr, Exalted Above the Heavens, 77-97, 115-132, 133-154. ↩︎