36. Ever-Present Jesus

God's Eternal Nature

God's Name in Hebrew The almighty and eternal God describes himself in Exodus 3.14 as "I AM WHO I AM," which also means, "I was what I was" and "I will be what I will be." God's eternal nature expresses itself. As Jesus ascends to Heaven before his disciples, he calls out in Matthew 28.20, "Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." "Always" encompasses the very first past acts, the present, and the very last future act. ✞

Promised Peace

Christians were encouraged by the ever-present Jesus even when faced with persecution and fierce lions in Roman arenas. Jesus gives us unwavering love, grace, and peace in all circumstances. He promises nothing less than that he will be with us forever. As a historical person, Jesus identifies himself by the first and the last letters of the Greek alphabet spoken by the glorified Christ in Revelation 22.3-14. Jesus says, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." Jesus' persecutors see him pierced on the cross and think this is the end, but it is the beginning of a new era. Jesus says, "I am with you always." What does his eternal presence mean to us today, even at this moment? ✞

Jesus In Control

Blue Bird Jesus' eternal nature and his huge collective memory from his omniscience ensure the past, present, and future of the Body of Christ are under his complete control in Heaven. The past, present, and future tenses stress the Lord's eternal nature and Jesus' important place in history. People carry around memories of their past in their minds like Russian Dolls with layer upon layer of skirts and petticoats. On the outside, we may be 35, 55, or 75 years old, but the baby still resided within. We are never free and not far from our memories. Because of Jesus' eternal nature, he is the one unchanging element in the Heavenly Body. Jesus remains in control of the past, present, and future of all God's faithful people. He links together as one mind the past, present, and future of our existence and every other mystical body member. Jesus' huge collective memory is like some massive computer cloud that binds one to all God's people in the Mystical Body. ✞

The Divine Name

The past, present, and future tenses stress the Lord's eternal nature and Jesus' important place in history. Revelation 1.4 calls Jesus, "He who is, and who was, and who is to come." It is a paraphrase of the divine name in Exodus 3.14-15, "God said to Moses, 'I am who I am.' It is what you are to say to the Israelites: "I am sent me to you." God also said to Moses, 'Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers — the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob — sent me to you.' It is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation." The Hebrew for LORD sounds like and may be related to the Hebrew for "I am" in verse 14. Hebrews 13.8 reminds us, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." ✞

Jesus' Historical Resurrection

Keys The Christian's eternal future in Heaven is dependant upon the fact of Jesus' historical resurrection. This fact is both an example and an encouragement to the Apostles and Early Church disciples. Jesus is, according to Colossians 1.18, the "firstborn among the dead." In Revelation 22.3-14, we hear Jesus also say, " I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." His historical resurrection is part of his future, as it was part of his past. ✞

Knowing God's Presence

Mark Twain (1835-1910 AD), the famous American writer and humorist, once wrote, "I am greatly interested in the future. I expect to spend the rest of my life there." Jesus has a future because of his present and also his past. For now, we know only his presence in our lives, but the mystery unfolds! In "God's Love: Minute Meditations," Patricia Emme presents a lovely poem about God's eternal presence with us.
"I know that God is with me,
He warms me with His love,
I know that God is with me,
He whispers in my ear,
'Be not afraid, my little one,
I am always near!'" ✞

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