What is Jesus doing right now? Does the Bible provide an answer to that question? I think so. According to the Scriptures, this is what Jesus is doing right now.
Jesus is building his church.
He said that. “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Jesus is sending you and me into the world to proclaim the gospel so that people will repent, believe in it, and become disciples who in turn share the truth with those who are perishing. The end result is that the body of Christ continues to grow, both spiritually and numerically, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus is praying for his church.
He said that. “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world, but for those you gave me, because they are yours” (John 17:9). And also Paul. “Christ Jesus is the one who died, moreover, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed makes intercession for us” (Romans 8:34).
This is an amazing fact: Every day, the Creator of the universe prays for me and for you. Doesn’t that take your breath away?
When Jesus prays for us, do you have any idea what he prays specifically for? Once again, the Scriptures give us the answer.
On the night he was betrayed, Jesus prayed this prayer to the Father: “Sanctify them in truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).
“Sanctify” means to make holy, or to make us more like Jesus. And we are sanctified “in” or “by” the truth of God’s Word. No one becomes like Jesus without the teaching and transforming power of God’s Word. Without the Word, we cannot be transformed into the likeness of Christ. With him, God can and does change us from the inside out to be a “little Christ” (the meaning of the word “Christian”).
Therefore, for the genuine Christian, reading, studying and understanding the Bible is not optional. It is essential to our sanctification.
I hope you see the wonder of these two truths: Jesus is building his church and Jesus is praying for your sanctification. And we become a part of this supernatural work of God, the greatest construction project the world has ever known.
It’s amazing to me, just amazing. Thinking about it overwhelms me. I get caught up in the wonder of God’s greatness and I get so excited I almost don’t know what to do with myself.
So I sit at the computer and tell you. That, too, is a blessing beyond my comprehension. I am very happy to be here to see how it happens. Seeing Jesus building his church and sanctifying his people is just amazing to me. And you?
