Where is Jesus now? Is Jesus in heaven?

Still He did not stay with them. As He stood in the midst of them upon the brow of Olivet He was parted from them and a cloud received Him out of their sight, and yet, though He had gone from them, they had not lost Him, they were united to Him by the Holy Ghost who came down from Him, and their hopes were centred in Him now, not as the lowly Nazarene treading the rough road to the cross, but as death's Conqueror, exalted to the right hand of the Majesty on high. Their hopes and affections, their very life, were transferred from earth to heaven, for He is not here, but He is there. He was here, but He is no longer here, He has gone over to the other side, and those who love Him will pass over with Him; actually and bodily they cannot do this yet, but in heart and spirit they will do it, like the Ethiopian eunuch, to whom Philip preached Jesus, who when he learned that His life had been taken from the earth, immediately responded, saying, “See here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized?” Jesus, who had been here, had won his heart, and he desired to part company with the place in which Jesus died and the race that crucified Him, that he might have part with Him in the place where He lives.

In Acts 2:33 Peter speaks of Jesus, "being by the right hand of God exalted," and in Acts 5:29-31 the "other apostles" join in the same blessed theme — "Him hath God exalted." Our affections are truly touched, and touched deeply, when we realize that this word "exalted" used by Peter as describing the Lord's present position is the word also used in John chapters 3, 8 and 12, to describe the "lifting up" of the Son of Man! He who endured the cross with all its shame and ignominy has been "highly exalted" by God, and we understand that the expression "highly exalted" is used in this one place only, the Holy Spirit of God thus using a word which is unique to express God's appreciation of His blessed Son. How great a tribute to the One who so rightly claims the supreme place as Lord in our hearts now.

God not only raised up Jesus from the dead, but gave Him glory, and that as seated at His right hand, the place connected with power and administration. This reference is particularly connected with the present moment. It defines Christ's present position while waiting for the kingdom in power when Jehovah will send the rod of His strength out of Zion, and He will rule in the midst of His enemies, exalted by His willing people.

We now see Him in heaven, having accomplished the work which the Father gave Him to do; we see Him at God's right hand, our sins abolished, waiting until His enemies shall be made His footstool.

After appearing to His disciples in resurrection, the Lord Jesus ascended into heaven, and sat down on the right hand of the throne of God. There, He is engaged with all that the Father has given into His hand; communicating eternal life to those that the Father has given to Him; ministering to them as Great High Priest, and as Advocate; cleansing the church, which He loves, with the washing of water by the word to present it to Himself a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.

This Jesus has been exalted to the right hand of God (v.33). Luke describes this in his gospel and also in the Acts. It is a wonderful scene. Our Saviour went out to Bethany with His disciples and then He lifted up His hands and blessed them and was taken up into heaven. God put Him into the place of honour. It is a very important fact in Christianity that now there is a man in heaven. This makes clear that Christians have a heavenly character, but it shows something else, namely, that the end of every Christian is heaven.

Vl. Once more we say, "Behold the Man!" And now we look up. He has ascended upon high. He passed through the Heavens. The power of God lifted up the Man, and carried higher and higher; carried Him into the third Heaven, into the highest part of all the Heavens. And now we look up and see "Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and with honour." He sits down at the right hand of God. Far above all principalities and powers, and every name that is named, is the Man, the Man who lived, who died, was buried, and rose again. Oh! glorious vision for faith to see Him in that highest glory, the Divine assurance that we, redeemed by Him, one with Him, shall share with Him the glories above. 'Behold the Man!" Your great High Priest, your loving Advocate with the Father. "Behold the Man!" The Head of the Body, the coming Bridegroom.

He is now sitting on His Father's throne, waiting, but soon He will come and receive all true believers unto Himself, that where He is, there they may be also.

Having made God known in manhood, and having glorified God in life and death, the risen Saviour was “received up into glory,” where now we see Him, by faith and in the Spirit’s power, sitting at the right hand of God. In glory He is the object of His saints, and He waits there until the time of His coming to receive His own to be forever with Himself, and to be like Him, sharing His glory.

We would say one to another, as Joshua said to Israel, "Come hither," look at Christ, see what He has done, and where He is. He went down into death, and God raised Him from the dead, and has set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places. He is now above every principality, power, and dominion, all things being put under His feet. For who is He that ascended but He that descended first into the lower parts of the earth? And He that descended is the same as He that ascended up far above all heavens that He might fill all things. (See Eph. 1:20, 22, and Eph. 4:9-10.)