0999. Christ's Present Abode
Christ's Present Abode
"Whom the Heaven must receive" (Act_3:21)
1. The rejection of Jesus Christ was complete. He had come into the world and the world was made by Him, but the world knew Him not; He had come unto His own but His own had received Him not.
There was no place for Christ in Bethlehem: "And she * * laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn" (Luk_2:7).
There was no room for Christ in His home city of Nazareth: They "thrust Him out of the city, and led Him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast Him down headlong" (Luk_4:29).
There was no room for Him in His Father's House; Christ said, "It is written, My Father's House shall be a House of prayer; but ye have made it a den of robbers" (Luk_19:46).
There was no room for Him upon the whole earth: "And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him" (Luk_23:33).
2. The Lord's rejection of the world followed. From the day of the crucifixion Jesus Christ never manifested Himself to men; He never walked again among the publicans and sinners; He never again showed Himself unto the scribes and Pharisees.
Christ, after His resurrection, did manifest Himself to His own. Paul sums up these varied appearances thus: "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; "And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures:
"And that He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
"After that, He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
"After that, He was seen of James; then of all the Apostles.
"And last of all He was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time" (1Co_15:3-8).
3. The Lord was received up into Heaven. Christ spoke very definitely of His return to His Father. On the day before He was crucified, while He was yet in the upper room, Christ lifted up His eyes to Heaven and said: "I came forth from Thee * * and now I come to Thee" (Joh_17:8,Joh_17:13).
Thus, the One Whom the world rejected, was "received up into Glory" (1Ti_3:16).
Stephen saw Him there, standing at God's right hand. Saul of Tarsus heard Him speak from there, saying: "I am Jesus, Whom thou persecutest." Yes, bless God, He Who was exiled from earth, cast off by Jew and Gentile, was welcomed up into Glory and proclaimed a Prince and a Saviour.
4. The Lord is in Heaven only UNTIL. This is a word used by Peter, but not by Peter alone. It suggests that Christ is not forever to be away from the world of men. He is to come back again. He is to be admired in all them who believe. He is to return as King of kings and Lord of lords. The whole earth will yet acknowledge His Lordship and the whole earth will be filled with His glory.
Jerusalem is only to be trodden down until (see Luk_21:24).
"Ye shall not see Me henceforth till" (Mat_23:39).
"Blindness, in part, is happened to Israel until" (Rom_11:25).
The Church is to show forth the Lord's death only till (see 1Co_11:26).
So we can rejoice in the anticipation of the Lord's return. He is now in Heaven, but He is there until. He is now a risen and a seated Lord, our Great High Priest; but He is there expecting until His enemies be made His footstool (see Heb_10:13; comp. Heb_1:13).
Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR