I leave the time of the Second Coming to God. It's not something that really concerns me. BTW, as a Catholic, I am an amillillenialist.

Is that like "mind"? "Consciousness"? "Awareness"?

I see the resurrection as an event in Jesus' life, and an important element in Jesus' promises to his followers. But I see the resurrection as a lesson - before accepting Jesus as our savior we are dead in sin. We have no hope of an eternal life, nor of the blessings of God nor of heaven. Jesus became sin and died in sin. Three days later he was risen from the dead, pure and without sin. He was then taken to heaven and seated at the right hand of God. This story is important to me as it is a promise by example: If we accept Jesus as our savior, and live by the teachings of Jesus, then our past sins are absolved; we are able to ascend into heaven after leaving earth.

Jesus as a "living" being is different from the resurrection. I see Jesus as a counselor and confidant. While he's not a tangible person, you can still talk to him, tell him of your problems and worries, and also pray for blessings on others. Sometimes you get answers, sometimes you have to wait. But you have to be listening. I experience Jesus as a "living" person often.

Now for a little witnessing.

About a month ago, I was let go from my job. This brought about a few emotions. Panic and worry were among the highest ones, but relief and joy were in there as well. Worry was natural, as we worry in situations like that, but I knew and my wife said, "I know God will take care of us." About 5 days after getting let go, I had some work and some income thanks to people I know. However I kept praying to Jesus, praising him and God for getting me out of the unfavorable situation, for the work I had, and that God and Jesus would come through for us.

Two Sundays ago, things were heating up for me. I picked up some more work as a contractor, but it still wasn't enough to cover what I was making. I kept praying for guidance on what to do, resolution on the job situation, and praise for the blessings I had received. I also prayed that I just know when I'd get the answer to my job situation. "It's in your hands, Lord, but you know we humans aren't good at waiting and fret at uncertainty." I got an answer to that prayer right after I prayed it. Jesus didn't speak directly to me, but I felt and knew that it would get resolved that week. That Friday, I had a job that was really excellent, contract work. I agreed to it, but also had potentially 2 full time job offers coming in soon. I was conflicted. So I prayed and sought the guidance of Jesus.

Do I go on my own as a contractor, which is a big risk with big rewards, or do I play it safe with a full time position with some down sides and might make me slightly less happy? I prayed for a week on this: What do I do?

The answer I got came in the form of two sermons and a missionary. Jesus was telling me what I needed to hear, but I still had doubt. Finally, Jesus shut down the doubt with the missionary. The missionary talked about risk and faith. The missionary said if you take a look at some of the writings of Paul, and how he talks of faith. Take faith and replace it with the word risk. The passages read the same. The missionary then said that you cannot show your strength in faith, without great risk. That solidified it for me. I needed to take this risk, because I knew that God will take care of me. I knew I had to take that risk, and so I took it.

That was Sunday. Since then, I turned down one full time job offer, which turned into a possible contract. Another job offer came in and is still pending as a contract. A contract I had been working on became longer term, and the Big Contract I was given is going extremely well, and has the ability for a long-term relationship. I am blessed with too much work now.

So when people ask if Jesus is "living," I say he is very much alive and influencing lives today. He is a mentor and friend. You can speak with him, and he will speak back. You can praise him for blessings, and honor him by following his teachings, and he will bless you and guide you through life. Jesus will speak back to you as well. Not always directly, so you have to be listening, and be willing to listen.

because of a strong personal interest in the claimed power being attributed to the scriptures and the apocalyptic narrative. For some time I enjoyed the acceptance of the group and the topics of discussion but didn't understand what all the personal zeal was about nor where it came from.
One Sunday I made a decision to ask Christ to be a part of my life upon invitation of the pastor. I received a sudden understanding of some of the scriptures during the sermon in which it was actually like having my eyes opened. I know this sounds weird but I found myself suddenly outside of my body in a place of total peace but I didn't see anything specific. There was like a diffused light and an intense feeling of security and peace. This lasted but a few minutes at the most. Immediately after this experience my interest in the end days completely left me.
In the years following I saw how the ideas of Christ's imminent return and end times obsession led people into foolish ways of thinking that led more and more toward an irrational approach to every aspect of their life. They could no longer rely upon their own wishes and desires and were always deferring toward what they thought God was telling them to do or what God was doing in their life.
To answer your question I experienced Christ as a living person during that conversion period. After that one moment there were no other encounters. Everything I came to know about Christ, who he supposedly was and how he interacts with the world came to me through church teaching and reading the Bible and various Christian books.
The church itself changed a lot over the next 20 years. It became more and more political in nature and less and less compassionate for people in general. I eventually left the church entirely in about 2001 as it was actually interfering with my ability to live out my "walk with God". I also found that what I had been promised for so many years, an "abundant life" and a "joyous life" were not only absent for me but also for most people around me. So many people were miserable with a big smile on their face and they didn't even know it.
I continue to be a Christian and am quite secure and dedicated to what I see as Christ's directives and cause. Expecting the end of the world is entirely counter-productive to working for the betterment of the world. "thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven" are the words we are given. This speaks to the idea of being Christ's hands and feet on earth now and not looking for someone else to do the work we have been given. Care for the poor, feed the hungry, walk in humility.
Christ's resurrection isn't anything I draw from or rely upon past the moment of my conversion. It is a display of God's unconditional love and his gift to all men. Once received I no longer go back again and again to take what has already become mine.