Canon Paul Hardingham from Parish Pump considers where Jesus is now. The Ascension This month at Ascension Day, we remember Jesus ascending to ‘God’s right hand’ (1 Peter 3:22). It’s a somewhat neglected Christian festival, taking place on a Thursday, 40 days after Easter. However, this phrase is used in three different contexts in the New Testament. Sitting at God’s right hand Jesus occupies a position of power and authority at the centre of the universe, ‘exalted to the right hand of God’ (Acts 2:33). This position was secured by His death and resurrection, enabling us to experience the life of heaven, including eternal life, forgiveness, healing and the power to transform lives and communities. Is this our expectation and experience? Standing at God’s right hand Our experience of heaven is only partial because of the presence of suffering and disappointment in our lives. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, saw Jesus ‘standing at the right hand of God’ (Acts 7:56), when being stoned to death. Do we see that Jesus is on the throne and has a purpose for our lives, even when we are going through setbacks and difficulties? As a result of Stephen’s death, the church grew and the apostle Paul was impacted. Where do we see the fruit of the suffering in our lives? Praying at God’s right hand Finally, we are told that Jesus is ‘interceding for us’ at God’s right hand (Romans 8:34 & Hebrews 7:25). Jesus is on our side at the heart of the universe and fully knows our needs when praying for us. He is for us, even when we feel defeated by the wrong things in our lives. How does this help us now? So where has Jesus gone? Because He is in heaven, the Ascension opens up the possibility that we can experience the life of heaven, both now and in eternity. 5
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