Three Appearances

Now that Easter week has passed by many will forget about the significance of the resurrection until next year. However Jesus continually offers his presence on our behalf. He has promised us (as he did Jacob in Genesis 28:15, the nation Israel in Deuteronomy 31:6-8 and Joshua in Joshua 1:5 ) that He "will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). We can count on the presence of Jesus at all times.

In Hebrews 9:24-28 we read of three appearances of Jesus. First, "He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." That appearance we have just celebrated this past resurrection Sunday. However, we also read that He has entered into heaven "to appear in the presence of God for us." During every moment of every day we can be assured that Jesus represents us before his Father. When our enemy accuses us, Jesus is there to defend us. He is referred to in I John as our advocate or attorney. It is the payment of his blood at the first appearance that is the basis of that daily defense. Finally, we are told that "He will appear (on earth) a second time, apart from sin, for salvation." How exciting it is to know the end of the story. No matter what troubles and disappointments life may hold, we are assured that Jesus is coming again to remove us from sin and all its accompanying problems.

The key to experiencing Jesus' appearance on our behalf before the Father and his appearance for us again on earth is to have received the free gift of his first appearance. Only those who "eagerly wait for him" will enjoy his final appearance. If you have accepted the gospel, the good news of Jesus death, burial and resurrection, then praise God for the continued presence of Jesus on your behalf. If you haven't place your faith in Jesus, then do so today.