Many, many people have reported seeing Jesus in near-death experiences and he is often the first contact personality that they encounter. This has happened to many folks who, while knowing of Jesus, professed not to have any faith in his actual existence. The encounters are consistent in portraying him as overwhelmingly kind, loving, gentle, patient, and non-judgmental. Often he will assume the role of coach and mentor and will try and help the departing soul figure out who they are, where they are, and what options they have, such as returning or staying. When did Jesus assume this role of greeting and coaching the dying? Was it immediately following his death and resurrection? Some have suggested that he exists in a voluntary form of limbo in order to take up the role of gatekeeper to heaven, and that taking up such residence in limbo REQUIRED his traumatic death so that he himself could get stuck in limbo, voluntarily. Something perhaps that would otherwise have been impossible given his normal vibrational levels, that this, in essence, is his sacrifice for our sake. Bottom line, is there any connection between his death and his current ongoing role of heavenly gatekeeper? What can Creator tell us?

Here again is the human distortion in seeing suffering as currency that has a certain sacred place in things, and thus is something to be emulated, sought for, and even indulged in by misguided attempts to be more worthy. We would say that this scenario of the meaning of Christ's experiences is being turned on its head. It was not his death that led to him being an ambassador for the light, to greet ascending souls, but his life, the fact that he was exalted, revered, and worshiped by all who knew him, and the fact that he was a symbol of divinity through his very makeup and existence and how he conducted his life, as a life of enlightenment for many, many others, bringing divine wisdom to the masses and many personal healings as a demonstration that suffering is not inevitable but can be countered through divine grace. This is as powerful a demonstration of love as one could want. The experience of a blind man having his vision restored after years of deprivation is a blessing impossible to appreciate fully by the sighted, but those miracles illustrate a fundamental truth that is of great significance for everyone. Your suffering has meaning, too, it has a purpose, too, and it can be the gateway to your expansion and growth in better understanding what is at stake, the reason you are alive to begin with, and represent a challenge as well as valuable feedback in how you are dealing with life and making your way. Is your journey one of growth and learning, bringing joy your way, or is it an uphill battle, or even a downward spiral of increasing despair, dishevelment, and degradation? Christ's suffering was the price he paid for becoming human himself. It was not a consequence of inhumanity of others except for the interlopers and their influence on society. That continues today and, in a sense, all are living a life like Christ did under difficult circumstances. Many people's lives are shortened from similar circumstances where they stood out in some way and were cut down in their prime by jealous and depraved overseers wanting to crush the human spirit and meting out punishments of all kinds to sideline people, diminish their happiness, and sometimes end their lives. What Christ is doing to greet those returning to the light is simply a continuation of that life, not the suffering he endured with his ending in the physical but the inspiration he brought to humanity that lives on, the joy in the idea of Jesus Christ and what he stood for as an example to others and a promise of the divine—that God is real, God is just, and God is loving—all were important truths and Christ is living his truth in choosing to be there for those in need to overcome their last hurdle of physical existence to make it back to heaven safe and sound. It is a reality for him that so many believe in him, and thus need his help because they call out in his name again and again, pray to him, and have devoted themselves to him, and thus turned to him in their hour of need. So that mission life created a great responsibility he continues to meet in being available to the true believers, and he does minister to all in need, not just the Christians who know about his life and have adopted the human-created churches honoring his mission and contributions.