Introduction

Marcia tells the story of our daughter being scared in her bedroom one night.  Joëlle reported that she was afraid of monsters, even though she couldn't see any.  Marcia informed Joëlle that she couldn't see them because they didn't exist, to which Joëlle asked, "Does Jesus exist then, since we can't see him?"

While we may chuckle at such a childish question, it is a question asked also by well-meaning adults, both in our time and in the time of Jesus.  The apostle Thomas, for instance, refused to believe that Jesus was risen until he himself saw Jesus in the flesh (John 20:24-25). 

Surprisingly, Jesus did not deride Thomas for his unwillingness to believe.  Where a modern apologist would snidely tell Thomas to just accept the biblical witness, Jesus instead invited Thomas to deepen his faith: “Put your finger here and see my hands.  Reach out your hand and put it in my side.  Do not doubt but believe.” (Jn 20:27) Jesus recognised that Thomas' question did not indicate a lack of faith, but an immature faith, much like the father who sought healing for his son: “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)

We would do well to seek the discernment of the Spirit in such matters as trying to help another person come to or grow into faith in Jesus.

Let us remember that Jesus commends childlike faith to his disciples: "Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it” (Mk 10:15).  So, let us admit that the question, "Where is Jesus?", is actually an important question, and that the answer is very much a part of our journey of faith. 

Exegesis

To begin answering the question, "Where is Jesus?", let us together consider the story of Jesus' ascension, found in The Gospel of Luke (Luke 24:44-53).

The scene described is this: Jesus has just miraculously appeared in the midst of the apostles (Lk:24:36), who were meeting together and discussing the reported appearances of Jesus, following his crucifixion and burial (Lk 24:33). It is not at all normal that a person buried should be spotted walking about as if nothing has happened. So, of course, the apostles were a little concerned by these reports and met together, in hiding, to discuss them.

Note also that Jesus did not knock on the door and say, "May I come in?", but appeared in their midst. So, we should not be surprised when verse 37 reports that "they were startled and terrified" (Lk 24:37).

Having shocking them senseless, Jesus made sure that they understood that he was not a ghost by inviting them to touch him and ate food in their presence (Lk 24:38-43). From this, we can deduce that Jesus' resurrected body was a supernatural expression of the same body with which he was crucified — a point worthy of a sermon in itself!

Jesus then began to explain to them what was happening — as such extraordinary circumstances would require an explanation. Jesus pointed out to the apostles that he had spoken of his resurrection while he was previously with them, and that the witness of the whole of the Bible points to his resurrection (Lk 24:44). Jesus' resurrection was a fulfilment of the promises of God for the purposes of their, and our, reconciliation with God (Lk 24:46-48).

As familiar as the apostles were with their Bible (we must remember that they did not have all of the books that we have in our Bible — these guys had not yet written our extra books!), they still did not fully appreciate the message of the Bible. Thus, Jesus had to open their minds to understand the Bible and the supernatural events occuring around about them (Lk 24:45).

This is a problem because the modern conviction is that our mind, and our ability to reason, is sufficient to understand and solve all problems with which we are confronted. Whatever we do not yet know, about the world around us, has only to be discovered — and it will be discovered soon enough! We cannot conceive that anything exists that we are unable to understand in our own power.

But what if not everything about the world is inherently discoverable? What if there are aspects of reality that must be explained to us in order for us to perceive them?

Take, for instance, the examples of love or of morality. While we have an inherent disposition to both give and receive love, and to discern when a behaviour is appropriate or inappropriate (Romans 2:12-16), the exact nature of love and the rules of morality must still be taught to us so that we understand them fully and can be fully accountable for them (Deuteronomy 11:18-21).

After Jesus explained to the apostles why he had risen from the dead, he then proceeded to tell them that the Holy Spirit was about to come to them (Lk 24:49). You may remember how, in previous sermons, I explained to you that the Holy Spirit had not been present among the ancient Israelites since their exile. With Jesus' birth, the Holy Spirit had returned in him; now, Jesus said to them, the Holy Spirit would return in full and be poured out on them.

This is significant because the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in a person enabled them to speak the words of God to the people — in other words, to prophesy (Numbers 11:25, 29; 1 Samuel 10:6; Joel 2:28; Lk 1:67; etc). Thus, Matthew includes, in his description of Jesus' ascension, the great commission (Matthew 28:18-20). Luke, too, alludes to this, although not to the same extent, when he recorded Jesus' words: "You are witnesses of these things" (Lk 24:48).

Finally, Jesus took the disciples to a special place, blessed them, and ascended into heaven (Lk 24:50-51). At this point, the apostles cannot doubt any longer, as Jesus has been revealed to them fully: his eternal power and divine nature are completely revealed (Rom 1:20). This revelation caused them to worship God (Lk 24:52-53).

Exposition

So, where is Jesus? From The Gospel of Luke we discover that Jesus is in heaven. Seems simple enough, doesn't it? Yet, Christians talk so often as if Jesus is still on earth.

This is an important issue because, talking incorrectly of Jesus and his whereabouts, we misrepresent the Holy Spirit. The fact is that Jesus has ascended into heaven, where he will remain until his second coming and the final judgment (Jn 14:3). His ascension confirms his power and authority, but his place now is in heaven:

God put this power to work 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 age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the Church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all (Ephesians 1:20-23).

Yet, he has not left us without a witness. We are not alone; God has not abandoned us. Now is the time for the Holy Spirit:

I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you (Eph 1:17-18).

Where once Jesus opened the minds of his apostles to understand the Bible and God's plan of salvation, now the Spirit is at work in you accomplishing exactly the same thing!

Now, it is true, and probably quite reasonable, that the human Jesus is a little easier to relate to than God the Father and God the Spirit. Indeed, Jesus has endured the fullness of the human experience (Hebrews 4:15). But, in our desire for nostalgia, let us not bring him down; rather, let us remember that "we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens [...] he is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted through better promises" (Heb 8:1-6).

For those who already love God, being reminded of Jesus' life, resurrection, and ministry lifts our hearts to worship, yet it does very little for those who are asking tough questions: Where is this Jesus who is supposed to reveal God to me?

This is where the Spirit comes in, who has been provided to us as a "guarantee" (2 Corinthians 5:5), who "abides with us" (Jn 14:15-17), who "teaches us everything, and reminds us of all that Jesus said" (Jn 14:26), and who "will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment" (Jn 16:7-15). Let us not belittle this ministry by neglecting to teach others about this Spirit of God.

Conclusion

Those who are brave enough to ask after Jesus' whereabouts are beginning a journey of faith and quite likely have a seed of faith that has been planted within them. Their intrigue is a sign of the Spirit working in them.

Of course, there are also those who are simply trying to trick us into saying something about Jesus that is untrue. So let's be honest. Let us not be afraid to "give a reason for the hope that we have" (1 Peter 3:15-16). Let us never shrink back from describing the source of our "assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Heb 11:1).

What is the source of my faith? I know that the Spirit of God is a real and powerful influence in my life, that transcends my thoughts about God and my feelings for God because the Spirit does not originate in me, even though the Spirit dwells in me.

What is the source of your faith? What causes your heart to worship God when your mind and feelings are not truly in it? If your worship does not come from your heart, but simply arises out of a sense of duty, then that is not enough — neither for you, nor he. Jesus invites all of us into a deeper faith and relationship with him.

What did Jesus say about this?

Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Mt 7:7-11).

What is one good thing that I know for certain God wants to give you? The presence and power of his Holy Spirit. Why? So that you may know that God is real and that he loves you and that wants to help you realise the potential that he created into you — in other words, that you "may have life, and have it abundantly " (Jn 10:10).

While it may be true that we cannot see Jesus now, we can, without a doubt, know him, by his Spirit!