The Good Of the Father (The Many Travels Of Jesus) # 1976

 Who say also, "Men! Galileans!  Why do you stand, looking into heaven?  This Jesus Who is being taken up from you into heaven shall come thus, in the manner in which you gaze at Him going into heaven

Acts of the Apostles 1: 11, Concordant New Testament 

How many times have you heard believers and those within the church proclaim, 'When Jesus comes again?"  Indeed, there are those who base their entire life living for that moment.  I have a Gym Rat buddy who is always speaking to the joy the world will experience once Jesus returns.  I get it.  For their part, those in the mainstream church have stoked this belief over the years.  We're told in the book of Acts that Christ Jesus will come in the same way that we have seen Him depart {Acts of the Apostles 1:11}.  Of course, this was just after Jesus was "Lifted up, and a cloud took Him up from their eyes" {Acts of the Apostles 1:9}.  Taken literally, we can assume that Jesus will return again in the same fashion.  At least this is what the church theology will tell us.  But wait, what if they got it wrong?  What if Jesus has already returned?  What if Jesus never left in the first place?  Is Jesus limited to where He can go?  I would assume that if the grave could not contain Him that Jesus can definitely go anywhere.  Too many of our contemporary praise and worship hymns give the invitation "Come, Lord Jesus!"  Even in our prayer life, we often invite Jesus into our presence believing that He will add power to our prayer requests {Johns Account 14:13-14, Johns Account 16:24}.  Yet Jesus Himself has assured us that wherever two or more are gathered in His name, He is there among them {Matthews Account 18:20}.  So, do we really need to invite Jesus into our presence?  I would say no, and here's why.  One of the core beliefs in Christianity is that we have been created by God in His likeness {Genesis 1:27}.  How is it that something created can be separated from its creator?  We're also told through the scriptures that all came into being through Christ Jesus {Johns Account 1:3}.  Christ has always been the source of who it is that we are.  Knowing this, it's an error to believe that we need to invite Him into our life.  Growing up in the church I heard the same mantra, invite Jesus into your life and you will be saved!  Well, the truth is, He's always been here among us.  

To whom God wills to make known what are the glorious riches of this secret among the nations, which is: Christ among you, the expectation of glory

Paul to the Colossians 1: 27, Concordant New Testament 

The apostle Paul himself speaks to the presence of Christ Jesus among us in his Pros Kolossaeis "To the Colossians" letter {Paul to the Colossians 1:27}.  It is here that Paul proclaims that this "Secret among the nations" will be revealed to whom God will to make known.  That secret?  Christ among you, the expectation of glory.  I can honestly say that this has never been an easy concept for me to grasp onto, perhaps this is why Paul deemed it the secret among the nations.  It's definitely something which I never heard preached within the mainstream church.  Back then we never rejoiced in His presence, but prayed that He would come once again.  It's worth mentioning here that Jesus Himself has proclaimed that we live our life in union with He and the Father {Johns Account 14:20}.  Knowing this, do we really need to invite Jesus anywhere we might be?  He's already here!  He's been here.  It's just that this truth of our life in the Father does not fit into the narrative of the separation theology of the mainstream church.  In this false teaching, it is our own sin which has separated us from Gods presence.  Through his evangel, Paul lays waste to this line of incorrect thinking.  Paul speaks to Jesus dying to sin "Once for all time" {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.  As He died on the cross, Jesus proclaimed "It is accomplished!" {Johns Account 19:28}.  For Jesus, it is a one and done, which includes our sin past, present and future.  Again, this does not fit the theology of the church.  For instead of inviting Jesus into our presence, we should be glorying IN His presence. 

~Scott~