Where is Jesus today?

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Therefore, since we have all around us a host of witnesses, let’s lay aside any encumberance and sin that clings so closely, and let’s run a marathon while looking to Jesus. He is the author of our faith. He completes it. Afterall, he endured the cross because of the joy that was before him by setting aside the shame and he’s now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

The Hebrews writer is transitioning to the close of his letter after having chronicled all of the great people of faith that have gone before. They are the great “cloud of witnesses.”

This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.

We [apostles] are all witnesses to the fact that God raised Jesus up. He has been glorifed to the right hand of God, and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he has poured it out [on us] and it’s what you are seeing and hearing.

Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost after he witnessed Jesus ascending into heaven. The apostles had been baptized in the Holy Spirit, able to speak in foreign tongues and having what appeared to be “tongues of fire” resting on them (vss 3-4).

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

Examine yourself to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourself. You should know that Jesus Christ is in you unless of course, you fail to meet the test!

Paul’s closing and final instructions to the Christians at Corinth. He is sternly warning those practicing sin to repent. Specifically, he is concerned he will find on his return those still engaging in jealousy, gossip, impurity, and sexual immorality among other things (12:20-21).

But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.

[Stephen], full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God [the Father] and Jesus [the Son] standing at the right hand. And he said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

Stephen has been brought before the Jewish High Priest and council on charges of blasphemy against God and Moses (6:11). The entire chapter seven is his public defense before he is ultimately stoned to death.

The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.

You [High Priest and Jewish Council] killed Jesus by hanging Him on a cross, but the God of our ancestors raised Him and exalted him at His right hand as Leader and Savior, thereby bringing Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. We [apostles], together with the Holy Spirit – who God, the Father, has given to all that obey Him – are witnesses to these things.

In the early days of the Christian movement and God’s establishment of His “new covenant,” the apostles are carrying the message of the gospel across Jerusalem and Judea. Being confronted by the Jewish leadership (vs 27), as often they were, Peter tells them, “We must obey God rather than men” (vs 29) and witnesses to them about the things he and the others have seen with their eyes. In this case, Peter may be specifically referring back to witnessing the transfiguration of Jesus documented in Acts 1.

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

Who can condemn [us]? Jesus is the one that died, and more than that was raised, who is now at the right hand of God advocating for us. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ including tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger or sword.

Directly on the heels of Paul’s oft-quoted (out of context) statements in vss 28-30, Paul is drawing a conclusion about the Christian’s justification process before God.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ [in/through baptism] you must keep striving for the heavenly things, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Paul is encouraging the Colossians to “keep seeking the things above” (vs 1) and imploring them to “put off” (vs 8) the sins of the world. He continues to give specific “in the Lord” behavioral instructions for wives (vs 18), husbands (vs 19), children (vs 20), fathers (vs 21), and slaves (vs 22).

that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

that by the abundance of his [Jesus] glory he enables your strengthening with power by the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, whereby Christ will dwell in your hearts by faith in him — so that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians continues with a prayer that Paul says he prays. He prays it to the Father (vs 15), asking Him to give them “strength to comprehend” the vast greatness of “the love of Christ” (vss 18-19). The prayer continues through verse 21.

This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

This [persecution] is evidence of God’s righteous judgment, deeming you worthy of God’s kingdom for which you are suffering. It’s a truth that God considers it just to repay tribulation on those persecutors, and to give you relief together with us in Jesus’ return from heaven together with His mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting repayment on all those who do not know God, not obeying the gospel of Christ.

Paul’s second letter to the church in Thessalonica, encouraging them regarding their present “persecution and afflictions” (vs 2).

Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

Baptism, like Noah being saved through the water, isn’t a bath in the physical sense of bathing. It “saves you” and is your commitment to God for a good conscience by Jesus’ resurrection, the same Jesus that ascended to heaven and is at God’s right hand, with all angels, authorities, and powers made in subjection to Him.

Peter is comparing the way in which Noah and his family were saved (through water) to the way baptism now saves (also through water). Importantly, he’s not discounting or negating the gift of God’s son and His sacrifice which makes it all possible. Those elements that make salvation possible at all are alluded to, it’s just not his main point right here.

For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.

Christ has not entered into holy places made by man which are a mere shadow of the true things, but into heaven itself where he is appearing to God on our behalf.

The Hebrews writer is in the midst of his argument about why Jesus and the new covenant are better than the old – here specifically arguing about His superiority as a High Priest.

And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba! Father! So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

Because you’re His sons, God the Father has sent the Holy Spirit into your hearts to cry out to Him. And being sons, He has made you an heir and no longer in bondage.

Paul’s letter to the churches of Galatia (1:2) in which he warns of “quickly deserting” (1:6) their call to Christ. He continues this theme through chapter 2 and begins in chapter 3 to the end to connect the promise that God made to Abraham (3:8) with their present freedom in Christ (5:1). His audience is all who “were baptized into Christ” – both Jews and Greeks (3:27).

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist.

Jesus knew that God, the Father, had given Him all authority and that He had come from heaven and was going back there. He rose from the table, laid aside His outer garments, took a towel, and tied it around His waist.

This entire section of Scripture (John 13-17) is Jesus in the upper room with the twelve apostles. He is speaking to them directly and giving them instructions about his coming death and what will follow. Jesus will begin to wash their feet.

So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.

After speaking with them [the apostles], Jesus was taken up to heaven, sitting at the right hand of God. And they went out preaching the good news while performing miracles through the Holy Spirit (“the Lord”) in order to confirm their message.

The closing statement of the gospel of Mark following a summary of final events after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension into Heaven (and why “the Lord” here would have to be the Holy Spirit).

For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

For they [other Christians abroad] tell us about the reception from you, and how you have turned from serving idols to now serve the only true and living God while we all wait for His Son, who He raised from the dead, to return from heaven to deliver us from the wrath that is to come.

Paul’s introduction to the “church of the Thessalonians” (1:1), he recalls the events around their first hearing Paul bring them the gospel (Acts 17 during his second missionary journey) and the subsequent word he has received about them from other “believers in Macedonia and Achaia” (vs 7).

Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.

Therefore repent (e.g. turn) in order that your sins are removed completely, so that you may be refreshed being in God’s presence. This will prepare you for His sending of Jesus Christ after heaven has recieved Him and the restoration of all things occurs as God promised through the prophets of old.

A sermon from Peter to the crowd gathered in Solomon’s portico.

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we await our Savior, Jesus Christ, who will change our physical bodies to be like His glorious body with the same power that allows Him to subject all things to Himself. Because of this brethren – you who I love and long for and are my joy and crown – stand firm in Christ.

Paul is urging them to “rejoice in the Lord” (vs 1) in spite of the false teachers among them. He has just expressed his own striving to attain “the resurrection from the dead” (vs 11). This is what he has “not yet obtained” (vs 12) but continues to “press on toward.”

The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.

I [Jesus, the Son] will grant anyone that remains faithful a seat on His throne, just as I conquered and sat with my Father on his throne.

In the opening of John’s vision (the entire book of Revelation), Jesus is addressing the seven churches of Asia with personal messages. At the end of each letter, Jesus makes a “To the one that conquers…” statement. As a result, there are seven “To the one that conquers…” statements, but each with a different ending…

1. “…I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” (2:7)
2. “…will not be hurt by the second death.” (2:11)
3. “…I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.” (2:17)
4. “…and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star.” (2:26-28)
5. “…will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.” (3:5)
6. “…I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.” (3:12)
7. “…I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.” (3:21)

Gathering all of these statements together, we get a complete picture of what awaits “the one that conquers.”

and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

[and that they would know] God's amazing power that is beyond calculation and available to all believers. The same power that He worked in raising Christ from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens. The power that's beyond any rule, authority, power, or dominion and above every named thing in this age and the age to come.

Paul’s opening to the church in Ephesus. This sentence, and His prayer, starts in verse 15. Specifically, he has already shared two other things (“what”) for which he is asking God to help them know about, or as he puts it, “having the eyes of your hearts enlightened” (vs 18).