David Capes
Yeah, that’s how I look at it, too. Because Jesus continues to have appearances in John’s gospel, doesn’t he? It’s not like, okay, don’t touch me. Or, actually, the Greek there described it as, quit clinging to me. Not so much touching, as if asking, are you real? But quit clinging to me, because I’ve not yet ascended, which is itself a cryptic statement.
Ross Hastings
Yes. It’s a bit of a stretch, but some people believe that he perhaps but all of those resurrection appearances are Jesus coming back down from heaven to make the appearances. I do think it’s a stretch. I think Luke is very historical, and we can trust that text. So, one of the most wonderful passages, in the New Testament is in Acts chapter one, when Jesus ascends on high. The disciples are gazing. I think they see a glimpse of the glory of the Ascended Christ. And they keep gazing while angels say, actually, you know His ascension is your signal for mission, his is to assume kingship. He puts the kingdom in its fullness, on hold, while the church engages in mission to the world, led by our great king in heaven and empowering the Holy Spirit here on earth.
David Capes
Yes. I describe the book of Acts as not the acts of the disciples, but the acts of Jesus through the disciples or the apostles. It’s clear that Jesus continues to act because he’s appearing to Paul. He’s directing the mission journeys, through the Spirit.
One of the things that I was really interested in as I read your book is the connection between our ability to pray and Jesus being seated at the right hand of God. Tell us a little bit about that.
Ross Hastings
Yes, it’s one of the loveliest themes. I think most Christians don’t realize that the high priesthood of Christ is vital to our prayer life, and the high priesthood of Christ is not taught very much in churches. One of the great wonders of His great high priestly ministry is that He ever lives to make intercession for us. One of the themes of Hebrews is that He is the great high priest. And Hebrews in 8:1, he has a priestly ministry. But chapter 9:14, tells us that we have a priestly ministry. He offered Himself without spot to God, in order that we might be cleansed and that we might engage, and then the writer of Hebrews uses a word which has to do with our priestly ministry.
Our access to the high ministry of Christ and our priestly ministry are linked powerfully. We don’t have a priestly ministry apart from his. One of the signs of that is what Hebrews says about prayer. It encourages us to draw near. We can only draw near because he’s making intercession for us. David, I think most Christians struggle with their prayer life. If you ask Christians who struggles with their prayer life, and all the hands will go up.
David Capes
Ninety nine percent, probably.
Ross Hastings
The truth is we all do. But the wonder of grace is that we have a high priest who intercedes for us. So, let’s begin at the beginning. We have a Holy Spirit who intercedes with our spirit and translates that to the Son, the Son who intercedes on our behalf and presents our prayers to the Father in an amazing, grace-filled way.
I used to sing a hymn in my early days in the Brethren that went like this. To all our prayers and praises, He adds his sweet perfume and love’s censer raises their odor to consume. I’m so grateful that I don’t have to always feel guilty about my poor prayer life. Rather, we begin our prayers, inviting the Spirit to intercede, praying through the Son to the Father. He takes our feeble efforts and presents them to the Father. It’s amazing grace, and I really love that.
David Capes
It really is a beautiful thing. And you know, Luther was so instrumental in this doctrine that we sometimes describe as the priesthood of all believers. I learned early from my tradition, the idea that now that we’re a priest, we don’t need a priest. But in fact, what I think Luther meant is that every baptized believer is a priest and can be a priest for one another.
Ross Hastings
Absolutely, yeah, we’re all priests. In that sense, there are no conditions on who you are. The writer to the Hebrew says, “in light of the death of Christ, His body and His blood, draw near to the throne of grace”. We are able to cover the throne of grace, irrespective of who we are, and know that we are heard, know that we are seen. To use the popular word, we are seen and we are heard by a high priest who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities.
Here’s another thing David, that we don’t very frequently tell people who are suffering, about the high priesthood of Christ. We say generally, I want you to know that God is with you in the midst of the suffering. That’s true. But how about being more specific about the great high priest who suffered incalculably more than we could ever imagine, and he bears the scars, and he comes alongside us. As I said to you earlier, I lost my wife 16 years ago. How I got through it is a sign of the grace of God and the high priestly ministry of Christ. Not that I was conscious of that all the time, but I’m sure he was carrying me. So for people who go through loss and deep suffering, which is so prevalent in our day, to know that Jesus cares and he’s with you and he’s upholding you and holding you to the Father, those are encouraging things.
David Capes
For certain, there is great suffering. I was speaking at a church last night. And I mentioned in my talk that my wife and I lost our middle son, six years ago. He died of a very wicked, terrible cancer. And then right there, in that small group of people, probably 30-40, people, another couple came up and said, our son committed suicide eight years ago. So, there are stories that we don’t know. A lot of people are walking around with a lot of pain, a lot of hardship. Perhaps helping them to be focused in upon this high priestly role of Christ, his ability to intercede and to carry us when we can’t carry ourselves.
Ross Hastings
Yes, there’s a community of loss. I have written a book on the loss of my wife called Where Do Broken Hearts Go? And often, when I share about that book, or I share that theme, you do find people in congregations listening to you who relate. It’s almost as if there’s a community of cancer, there’s a community of loss where people come together. But the center of that community, of course, it’s not just a community for sharing loss and grief. It’s a community for finding hope and comfort in the midst of our fellowship with Jesus, our Great High Priest.
David Capes
Yes, exactly. Dr. Ross Hasting, it’s been a great conversation. I hope people will go out and buy your book, because I think it is a lost doctrine. I know in certain denominations, the ascension is hardly ever mentioned. It’s always about Jesus crucified and buried and raised from the dead, but we forget the next part of the story, which was crucial. I think it was crucial for Jesus too, because he was the one who began us on this journey of looking at Psalm 110:1 as a prophetic text. The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet. And then later on, it continues with the Melchizedekian, the priestly king. King and priest together.
Ross Hastings
Yes, absolutely. Psalm 110:1, I believe, is the most quoted Old Testament passage in the New Testament.
David Capes
Yeah, it is quoted 20 plus times.
Ross Hastings
Yes, and then verse 4, “you are a priest according to the order of Melchizedek”. It’s deep stuff, but it’s good stuff that’s worth probing.
David Capes
Yes, it is. And you’ve done a great job. And your book is entitled The Glory of the Ascension: Celebrating a Doctrine for the Life of the Church. Dr. Ross Hastings, thanks for being with us today on “The Stone Chapel Podcast.”
Ross Hastings
Thank you so much David for having me.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
