The Present Ministry of Jesus Christ

Today, Jesus Christ continues to minister on behalf of His people. The Bible reveals several of His roles, among which the following are the most significant.

1. Jesus Christ, Our Priest

Jesus Christ is our High Priest. Because He lived on earth, suffered, and was tempted without ever sinning, He fully understands our weaknesses and is able to help those who are tempted.

Hebrews 2:18
” For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.”

Hebrews 4:15
” For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

Unlike the priests of the Old Covenant, Jesus did not need to offer sacrifices repeatedly. He offered Himself once and for all, accomplishing a perfect and complete sacrifice.

Hebrews 7:27-28
²⁷ who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. ²⁸ For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.

His priesthood is eternal and according to the order of Melchizedek.

Psalm 110:4
The Lord has sworn And will not relent,
“You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”

Melchizedek first appears in Genesis as the king of Salem and priest of the Most High God.

Genesis 14:18
Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High.

2. Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church

The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is the supreme Head of His Church. He leads, governs, and cares for His body.

Ephesians 1:22-23
²² And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, ²³ which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

The body of Christ is referred to in Scripture by several expressions, including:

• – The Assembly of the Saints;
• – The Assembly of the Elect;
• – The Assembly of the Children of God;
• – The Assembly of the Firstborn;
• – A Purchased People;
• – A Holy Nation;
• – A Royal Priesthood;
• – The Israel of God (Galatians 6:16).

To equip and build up His Church, Jesus established various ministries.

Ephesians 4:11-12
¹¹ And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

Some Definitions

Apostle – Greek apostolos: one who is sent with a mission. The apostles form the foundation of the Church.

Disciple – Greek mathētēs: learner or student.

Prophet – Greek prophētēs: one who speaks on behalf of another, an interpreter or spokesperson.

Evangelist – Greek euangelistēs: one who proclaims the Good News, a bearer of the Gospel.

Pastor – Greek poimēn: shepherd; one who cares for, protects, guides, and feeds the flock. He watches over the well-being of the Church.

Teacher – Greek didaskalos: instructor; one who teaches, explains the Scriptures, and trains believers.

The Church is built upon the foundation laid by the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ Himself being the cornerstone.

Ephesians 2:20
Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,

Today, believers continue the ministry entrusted to them by Christ by proclaiming the message of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:18-20
¹⁸ Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

²⁰ Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

Jesus Christ remains the Head of His Church and possesses all authority.

Colossians 1:17-19

¹⁷ And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. ¹⁸ And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

3. Jesus Christ, the Foundation of the Church

Jesus Christ is also the foundation upon which the Church is built. No other foundation can be laid.

Acts 4:11
This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’

1 Corinthians 3:11
For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Note: The Church is a living organism of which Jesus Christ is both the foundation and the head.