Fact of and Nature of Christ's Intercession

Introduction and Framework from Previous Sermon

0:00 I'm quite certain that most, if not all of you, have been struck with the tremendous beauty of the day into which the Lord has brought us. Anyone who could get up, I don't care how slow your metabolism is, and do whatever was necessary to get prepared and come to this building at this hour, was either blind or so utterly insensitive to the world around you that it's pathetic. you could not help but in some way or another, to some degree or another, be struck with the unusual beauty of this day. Well, it's my prayer that before this hour is over, God the Spirit through the Word will

0:45 give us all such a sight of Christ that will make the beauty of this day seem dismal and dreary by comparison. In our Sunday morning expositions of the Word of God, we have been concentrating for many months on the subject of Christ himself. In working our way through some of the fundamental issues of the Word of God with respect to the salvation which the Scriptures set before us, in which we as a people seek both to receive and to proclaim, we have been considering the central figure in that salvation both with respect to the mystery of his person that is who is he and with respect to the majesty of his offices

1:33 that is how does he accomplish the work of redemption the answer of the word of God is that he accomplishes the work of redemption while functioning in his official capacities as a prophet, as a priest and as a king Within that general framework, for a number of weeks, we have been looking at our Lord Jesus as the great high priest of his people. And I suggested last Lord's Day that a more accurate way in which to organize the biblical materials with respect to his priestly functions is to think of them in the two categories of the earthly priestly functions and the heavenly priestly functions. The priestly functions which are to be identified with his period of humiliation,

2:24 the period of temptation, of suffering, and of death, contrasted with his functions associated with the period of exaltation, with life, and with power. Furthermore, that contrast is seen in that the functions of this sphere, the earthly, humiliated sphere of priestly activity, those functions were once and for all. Whereas the functions of the heavenly dimensions of his priestly activity are perpetual. They are continual.

2:59 Some of them began on earth and have been carried with him into the glory, but they are perpetual. And finally, we noted from the Scriptures that the activities of the heavenly high priest are based upon the activities of the earthly high priest. What he does in heaven now as the priest of his people is based upon what he did while he was here on earth as the priest of his people. The ongoing ministry rests down upon the validity of the once-for-all accomplishment of priestly activity.

3:38 Well, what we did last Lord's Day was simply go by, and I was corrected that I broke the speed limit. I said at 60 miles an hour we would pass by some of these things and then go back at a snail's pace. And someone said, Pastor, we should have gone by at 55. We broke the speed limit.

3:55 Well, I'm sorry for breaking the speed limit with you. No chance of doing that this morning. What we desire to do over the next few Lord's Day mornings is to go back over now that sweeping panoramic view of the five-fold activity of our Heavenly High Priest and concentrate our attention upon those activities in greater detail. And what I propose to do this morning is to take just one of them, and I don't know if we'll even cover that this morning.

Introduction to Intercession

4:25 we want to consider together the heavenly continuous ministry of intercession. That is, Jesus Christ as the priest of his people in his prevailing intercessory activity. In order to develop the subject, we shall first of all consider the fact of his intercession established, secondly, the nature of his intercession explained, and then thirdly the implications of his intercession enforced. First of all then the fact of his intercession established.

5:02 When I assert that in the accomplishment of the salvation of men, Jesus Christ as a priest carries on a work of continuous priestly intercession, what are the grounds of that assertion? For those of you visiting with us, I may say that something that we continually enforce upon our people in this place is this. I tell them continually, believe nothing but what you see with your own eyes in Holy Scripture. Believe nothing simply because a preacher says it.

5:35 Furthermore, don't believe it simply because he says it with authority and with conviction. Believe nothing until you see it with your own eyes in Holy Scripture. Should you believe that Jesus Christ carries on a continuous work of prevailing intercessory activity for you if you are a child of God? Well, on what grounds should you believe that?

5:58 Well, I hope it is not on the flimsy grounds that the preacher said it. Upon what grounds did he say it? What were the clear scriptural evidences leading to that assertion? Well, it is precisely that issue to which I direct your attention as we develop this theme this morning.

Fact Established One: Hebrews 7:25

6:17 The fact of this intercession established, and there are two portions of the Word of God which establish beyond question that Jesus Christ is engaged in His high priestly ministry, among other things, in a work of intercession. There is a third text which may assert it. I shall simply tack it on because it is not as certain as the first two. And the first one, of course, some of you no doubt have already thought of the reference, is Hebrews chapter 7 and verse 25.

6:50 The setting of this statement, Hebrews 7.25, is one in which the writer to the Hebrews has been establishing the imperfection of the old Levitical priesthood. Verse 11 is a key verse to the entire development of thought. Now if there was perfection through the Levitical priesthood, for under it hath the people received the law, what further need was there that another priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not to be reckoned after the order of Aaron?

7:35 God had established a priesthood in the old economy. God had chosen the successors of Aaron to constitute that priesthood. It was the tribe of Levi that was appointed as the priestly line. Now the argument of the writer is this.

7:53 If in the midst of a clearly established priesthood, which was to find its identity with the house of Aaron, why in the midst of that did God make a promise saying, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek? In the midst of all that, God gave a word of promise that Messiah would be a priest, not from the line of Aaron, not from the tribe of Levi, but that he would come out of the tribe of Judah. Now, the writer to Hebrews says, if the old priesthood was perfect, if it was complete, that there need be no alteration, no development, no extension into new dimensions, why in the midst of that would God have ever made such a promise,

8:38 there's a priest coming from another line. And the writer to the Hebrews is arguing, saying, that very promise was a declaration that that other priesthood was imperfect and something better was going to supersede it. Something better was going to follow from it. Then we read in verse 23 and following, this climactic statement concerning that perfect priest and that perfect priesthood.

9:05 They indeed, the old Levitical priests, have been made priests many in number, because by death they are hindered from continuing. But he, Jesus, because he abideth forever, hath his priesthood unchangeable. Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. And for such a high priest became us.

9:36 Now what have we established? We've established that whatever verse 25 says about Jesus Christ ever living to make intercession is put down in a context that is just full of emphasis upon the priesthood. Everything that proceeds is a contrast between the old priesthood that was imperfect and a new priesthood that will be perfect. Then after stating the perfection of that priesthood, he comes back to the whole theme in verse 26, such a high priest became us.

10:11 Now why have I done this? Because I want you to see with your own eyes, not simply hear the language of intercession and then have the preacher put his own meaning upon the whole connotation of intercession. I wanted you to see with your own eyeballs that when we say that verse 25 of Hebrews 7 establishes the fact that Jesus Christ carries on a continuous ministry of intercession and He carries it on as a priest, we are simply reflecting the whole teaching, or not the whole teaching, but the essential heart of the teaching of this portion of the Word of God. So you have this, an all-embracing salvation

10:57 He is able to save to the uttermost. And that salvation is rooted in an ever-living priest, seeing he ever liveth, who is engaged in an ever-active intercession, seeing he ever lives to make intercession. Bring the three things together. You have an all-embracing salvation that grows out of an ever-living priest involved in an ever-active intercession.

Fact Established Two: Romans 8:34

11:28 So when we assert that the priestly function of Jesus Christ is to be understood in terms of its heavenly continuous activity as a function of intercession, it is this text that forces such thinking upon us. Then there is a second text, Romans chapter 8.

11:52 Now the theme of priesthood is not here in the book of Romans. In fact, it is only suggested in one or two parts of the book of Romans. The whole setting is more the court of law rather than the temple or the tabernacle. Nonetheless, we have two pivotal questions that are raised by the Apostle Paul.

12:12 Romans 8 and verse 34. Who is he that condemneth? Then another pivotal question asked in verse 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

12:27 Who will condemn us? Who will separate us? And sandwiched in between those two questions are these assertions concerning the work of Christ. Verse 34.

12:38 It is Christ that died, yea, rather that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Notice, it is the intercession of Christ which is the climactic statement answering the first question, Who is he that condemneth? And it introduces the answer to the second question, Who shall separate us? And two of these activities are distinctly priestly activities It is Christ that died That the once for all earthly priestly activity that perfect non sacrifice It is Christ who continually makes intercession for us, and we are to find the answer to those two great questions.

Fact Established Three: Isaiah 53:12

13:25 Who will condemn? Who will separate us? The answer to that question is in great measure bound up in our understanding of the significance of this phrase, He intercedes for us. And so when we assert that one of the activities of our great high priest is that of continuous intercession for us, We do so because of the explicit statement, not only of Hebrews 7.25, but Romans 8.34, and the third possible text would be Isaiah 53.12.

14:01 Let's just look at it. I shall make no comment upon it and give you some of the for's and against's reasons for applying this in the same setting. I simply suggest that this could be another finger pointing in the same direction. Isaiah 53 and verse 12.

14:21 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoiled with the strong, because he poured out his soul unto death and was numbered with the transgressors. Yet he bare the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors. And here you have his sacrifice and his intercession brought into the closest proximity. Here, then, is the inescapable biblical evidence for the assertion that Christ intercedes for his people.

14:56 If we cannot be saved from our sins without the sacrifice of Christ, then surely every Christian ought to examine the nature of that which is essential to his salvation. If you find a professing Christian who is indifferent to pressing deeper in his understanding of the nature of Christ's sacrifice, I believe you are warranted in putting a question mark over the validity of his profession. If he says on the one hand, all of my salvation rests upon the sacrifice, however, I'm not concerned to investigate the nature and the richness of that sacrifice. It's a contradiction in terms and attitudes.

15:40 We have read that we are not only saved by the sacrifice of Christ, but that we are saved by his intercession. Wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost, seeing he ever liveth to intercede. What then do you say of the Christian who is indifferent to examining the nature, the richness, the implications of that which is essential to his salvation? It is just as accurate to say no man, woman, boy, or girl is saved without the intercession of Christ as it is to say no man, woman, boy, or girl is or ever shall be saved without the sacrifice of Christ.

16:19 Both are accurate biblical statements. And yet, by and large, if we're appalled at the general ignorance concerning the nature of his sacrifice, People just having vague, undefined notions that in some way or other what Jesus did upon the cross has some relation to God and to sin, but for the life of me I can't sort it all out. They have no fixed category of understanding of what propitiation and redemption and reconciliation are. If that grieves us, how much more should we be paid that in this area, in which our Lord carries on a work continually which is so vital to our salvation, There should be even greater ignorance.

17:01 You ask the average Christian, what does the intercession of Christ mean to you? And you can catch the next train if it's leaving in 32 seconds.

17:11 And this ignorance is inexcusable.

Nature of Intercession: Caution Against Over-Systematizing

17:16 Albeit, many times it points to the failure of those of us who stand in this awesome place to open up the Scriptures. So then, let us proceed to the heart of our study this morning, having established the fact of the intercession, some motivation to press on in one's understanding of it. Now, what is the nature of that intercession? The nature of his intercession explained.

17:44 And at this point, let me utter a word of caution. Whenever we try to bring into our little teacup brains that which touches the work of one who is both God and man, we're going to be in the realm of mystery. There will be things that perplex us, not because they are irrational, but they are supra-rational. They go beyond the power of little teacup brains to contain.

18:13 If you saw a little child down at the Jersey Shore this summer with a frown upon his face and biting his lip in frustration and a little cup in his hand, And he said, Sonny, what's wrong with you? And he said, I can't fit the ocean in my cup. You'd say, the poor child. Well, my friend, you may bite your lip and feel frustrated.

18:32 But remember, you can't fit the ocean in a cup. And you can take no dimension of the work of Christ who is God in man and so reduce it to little formulae that it all just neatly fits in your little teacup brain. It just won't work. But thank God we can contain enough to draw forth love and faith and confidence and a burning zeal to share the knowledge of the Savior with others.

18:58 And that's all I hope to do. I cannot give you some formula that has three or four little ingredients all neatly tied up. I can only attempt this morning, allowing the Scriptures to take us as far as they go, but under holy restraint, not going one centimeter beyond what Scripture says. I shall attempt to open up the nature of his intercession.

19:24 How will I attempt this? Well, by directing you, first of all, to the word that is used. Secondly, by the end that is secured. And if time permits, and I doubt it shall, I doubt it will, the examples given.

The Word Used: Interposing Between Parties

19:39 That will probably be next Lord's Day's message. First of all, the word that is used. When the Apostle Paul in Romans 8 was describing Christ's work by which we are preserved from condemnation on the one hand, and by which we are brought into an orbit of love from which we can never be wrenched on the other, and he said, He maketh intercession for us. What was the meaning of that word?

20:07 When the average Roman sitting in Rome would hear one of the elders read this epistle, what connotations would come upon hearing that word? When the writer to the Hebrews, whether it was the Apostle Paul or someone else, wrote, Christ ever lives to make intercession, what thoughts would come to the minds of those who sat in the various assemblies when that epistle was read? Well, the word that the Apostle chose is not used very frequently in Scripture. There are some words, they are used so often in Scripture that the meaning is almost airtight because usage determines meaning, and we have many examples of usage, and we can then sit down precisely upon the meaning. But it was a word that was a common word in the very atmosphere and

20:59 climate and society of that day, and the word basically meant to approach or to appeal to someone, generally with the idea of pleading for or against another. It always included the idea of a third party coming between two others and seeking to influence one of the parties for or against the other. So when Paul wrote, who intercedeth for us, he ever lives to make intercession, the concept of Jesus Christ being the third party, standing between God the Father as representative of the Godhead, and needy believing sinners on the other, that concept

21:44 was firmly embedded in the very word that he chose. Let's look at just a couple of examples of its usage that will underscore this. In the book of Acts chapter 25 and verse 24, We have the narrative of Paul's being brought before the Roman authorities.

22:07 And in Acts chapter 25 and verse 24 we read, And Festus saith, King Agrippa, and all men who are present with us, Ye behold this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews made, Here's the word. Intercession to me. Made suit to me. It's precisely the same word.

22:32 He says all the Jews have made intercession. Now what did they do? Well, the Jews came between Paul and this Roman ruler and sought to bring the Roman ruler into a posture of disaffection and judgment with respect to Paul. So you get the idea of the word?

22:51 to intercede meant to stand between the two parties seeking to influence the one with respect to the other. We have another usage of it in Romans chapter 11. Romans chapter 11 and verse 2. God did not cast off his people which he foreknew, or know ye not what the Scripture saith of Elijah, how he pleaded, here's the word, how he interceded with God against Israel.

23:18 Here's the nation of Israel, Going wholesale after Baal worship. And there is God. And there is the prophet in between. And he intercedes.

23:27 He pleads with God. He reminds God of the apostasy of the nation. And implicit in that is the idea that he is pleading that God would vindicate his name either in mercy or in judgment. But you get the idea of the word?

23:41 It is the third party standing between the other two seeking to influence the one with respect to the other. So whatever limitations, whatever refinements, whatever enlargements are placed upon any given usage of this word by the context and by larger considerations, the idea of Jesus Christ interposing with requests between the Father and His people is woven into the very fabric of this word. We cannot strip the concept of intercession from this necessary connotation of our Lord as a requester, as a pleader in the presence of the Father on behalf of His people.

24:30 Whatever limitations may be placed upon that by other considerations, whatever alterations may be placed upon it by the individual context of any passage, when we try to understand what is the precise nature of our Lord's intercession in heaven, the word used has bound up with it inseparably this concept of our Lord pleading with the Father on behalf of His people. Now, the history of interpretation is a long debate on whether or not his pleading is vocal. And if I wanted to appear learned, I would quote the Latin phrases that are used. But I have no desire to appear learned, and I probably wouldn't pronounce the Latin correctly anyway and simply show my ignorance to some who are learned, and I won't trouble you.

25:19 There is a great debate over this whole matter. Does he plead vocally? Does he plead silently? Well, may I say that I believe the Scriptures are absolutely silent on that point.

Pleading Consistent with Glory, Person, and Economy of Redemption

25:29 And therefore, to try to absolutize where Scripture is silent is simply to waste one's time. But one thing is clear. Whatever our Lord does as an intercessor, and it involves the concept of standing between His people and the Father and making pleas, everything about that posture and that work is consistent with His present state of glory and exaltation. He no longer pleads with strong cryings and tears as He did in the days of His flesh.

26:07 Hebrews 5, 7 and 8. In the days of His humiliation, there was brokenness, there were tears. Whatever the pleading is, it is consistent with the state of glory and exaltation Furthermore whatever the pleading is it is consistent with the mystery of his person He pleads with the knowledge of infinite Godhood and he pleads with the sympathy of true manhood What a wonderful pleader to have, who pleads with all of the omniscience of Godhood, but all of the felt sympathy of true manhood. So whatever we think about is pleading, never forget, it's pleading marked by glory and exaltation.

26:54 It's pleading marked by the mystery of Him who is truly God and truly man. And thirdly, it is pleading marked by consistency with the whole economy of redemption. What do we mean by that big phrase? Nothing but this.

27:09 In the working out of redemption, all three persons of the Godhead, though they concur with one will and purpose in redemption, not all have the same tasks in redemption. The Father sends the Son. The Son gives Himself. The Father and the Son send the Spirit.

27:29 And the work of intercession is part of the work of redemption. Therefore, that arrangement has not yet been altered. Jesus Christ is still the sent one, the servant of Jehovah, accomplishing redemptive purposes in obedience to the Father. Psalm 2 points in this direction.

27:49 I will tell of the decree the Lord said unto me, sit at my right hand, and then we read these words, ask of me. So though it is consistent with his state of glory and exaltation and everything the Bible says about our risen Lord, having all authority in heaven and earth given to Him, everything under His feet. It is a pleading, it is a requesting consistent with glory, consistent with the mystery of His person, but it is consistent with that economy of redemption. Was there anything disgraceful for the Father to send the Son for the once for all priestly work of sacrifice?

28:28 Was there anything disgraceful to the Son in that? You say no. then there is nothing disgraceful for the son to plead with the father to bring out of his bounty in the application of redemption all that he purchased. If he purchased redemption in that role of the submissive servant, then he carries on that work of redemption to some degree in that same framework.

28:53 Well, so much for the word used. If we think then of our Lord's work of intercession, He does plead. He does make requests. The Word demands that.

The End Secured: Salvation to the Uttermost

29:04 But it is pleading and requesting in the context of glory, the mystery of His person, and the economy of redemption. But now we can understand something of what the intercession is, not only by the word used, but by the end secured. In other words, we can understand something of what it is by what it accomplishes. Now turn back to Hebrews 7.25.

29:30 Hebrews 7 and verse 25.

29:40 What does the intercession accomplish? Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost, then that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

30:01 Here we are told that the end secured by the intercession of Christ is uttermost salvation. Now it doesn't say he is able to save from the uttermost. You will often hear people plead this verse in prayer before they go to preach at a rescue mission. Lord you are able to save from the uttermost You can save drunkards Well that is a wonderful truth No one, no one unless he has committed to sin against the Holy Ghost Has put himself outside the orbit of God's ability To save him from the uttermost For this is a faithful saying worthy of all acceptance Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners It doesn't say good sinners Sinners of short standing

30:49 Sinners of all stripes and kinds and lengths of standing. He saves sinners. That's a wonderful truth, but that's not what the verse is teaching. It is not teaching He can save from the uttermost.

31:02 It is teaching He is able to save to the uttermost. That is, completely, fully, holy. He is able to save to the consummation of everything that's bound up in salvation. And perhaps the best commentary on that is just to read the two verses from Ephesians 5 that describe that saving work.

31:30 Ephesians chapter 5, verse 25 and 6.

31:36 Three verses, 25 through 7. Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for it In order that he might sanctify it Having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word That he might present the church to himself a glorious church Not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing But that it should be holy and without blemish In other words, salvation to the uttermost is nothing less than that perfected product when the Lord Jesus has all of His redeemed ones made perfectly into His moral likeness. Every last stain of sin scoured from their souls.

32:21 They have been given resurrected bodies from which all infirmities and weakness and deformity are forever gone. And in the language of 1 John 3, We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Like Him, not that we are elevated to Godhood, but like Him in that our souls and spirits will be free from every taint of sin and endowed with every positive virtue to righteousness. Like Him, in that our bodies of weakness and humiliation shall be fashioned like unto His own glorious body of resurrection, life, and power.

33:02 That's the end, saved to the uttermost. Now this passage says that that end is secured by the intercession. Notice that relationship. He is able to save to the uttermost. Why?

33:20 Because he ever lives with a view to making intercession. That ultimate salvation is infallibly secured by the constant intercession. What does He do in the intercession? Well, this begins to point to the answer.

33:39 If the end secured is my ultimate salvation, and the intercession is the means that secures it, then the intercession must be the instrument by which every single thing needed to come to that point is provided. What do I need to come to ultimate salvation? Why, I need to persevere in faith, holiness, and obedience. I need to conquer over all the remaining sin within me that would drag me back into the world and to the flesh pots of my own Egypt.

34:15 I need grace to hold to the Christian faith against all the skepticism and unbelief and scientism of my own day. I need grace to persevere in holiness and obedience. Where can such grace come from? He is able to save to the uttermost seeing He ever lives to intercede.

34:35 It is the intercession that secures every needed grace for my perseverance and for my continuance. and then one day if I'm not alive when the Lord comes there's going to be that abnormal wrenching of soul and body and my soul my spirit shall leave this body as it were to be exposed to that very real spirit world with demon powers of darkness that would love to swallow it up and drag it to the pit what shall secure that my soul shall go into the very presence of Jesus and be made perfect in righteousness on the way. He ever liveth to make intercession. And that body goes into the grave.

35:23 And what shall see to it that that body, though it disintegrate and be consumed by beasts, shall yet be gathered together and raised up at the last day so that that glorified body joined to that perfected spirit will constitute my perfected salvation. What's going to secure that? He ever liveth to make intercession. Therefore, he is able to save to the uttermost.

35:47 Everything involved in that uttermost salvation is secured by the intercession. Now, that's not the only principle and factor operative in that full salvation. But that factor is operative at every single point. And you have the same reasoning with the apostle.

36:07 I shall just allude to it very quickly. He asks the two questions in Romans 8, 34. The two questions are, who is he that condemns? The next question, who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

36:23 And the answer of the apostle is that Christ intercedes for us. There is no condemnation. Christ intercedes. There is no separation.

36:32 Christ intercedes. What does this tell us then about the end secured by the intercession? The end secured is that I shall never come back under the condemnation of my sins if I truly believe in Christ. And I shall be preserved until all of his accomplishments, all of his purposes are accomplished in me.

36:56 Our present perseverance in faith, our being kept in the intermediate state, our being raised at the last day are all attributed. Not in some secondary or tertiary way, but attributed fundamentally to the intercession of Christ.

37:15 It is right then for us to say, as one servant of God has said, the evidence will demonstrate that every need of the believer and every grace requisite to complete his redemption are brought within the scope of Christ's intercession. Think of it. every need of the believer you think of what your needs are in just one day and every grace requisite to complete salvation think what that means every need, every grace are brought within the scope of Christ's intercession furthermore this particular servant of God goes on to say no grace bestowed no blessing enjoyed no benefit received can be removed from the scope of the intercession.

38:06 And the intercession is the guarantee that every difficulty will be met by its efficacy. The security of salvation is bound up with our Lord's intercession. And outside of that intercession, we may say, there is no salvation. What then is the nature of Christ's intercession?

Application One: God's Determination for Christ's Preeminence

38:28 It is determined by the use of the word which points fundamentally to the concept of interposing between two parties with requests. And then from the end secured we learn that his intercession is an activity which infallibly secures every needed grace to bring a believer to consummate redemption. and I must pass over now the third line of evidence, the examples given in John 17 and several other passages in order to bring this home with some application as we close. What are some practical implications of this teaching?

39:08 For some of you, I know you've been trying hard. I've seen your eyebrows all. You're saying, I'm trying to hang in there, but this is so new to me. I'm finding it's eluding me.

39:17 What's this all say to me? Well, let me encourage you this morning. First of all, by exhorting you to behold the determination of God that Christ shall have the preeminence in every phase of our salvation God is determined that Christ shall have the preeminence in every single phase of our salvation It is not true, as some say, that Christ is central in the work of sacrifice. Now that He has gone to heaven, the Holy Ghost is central in the work of application.

39:52 That is not to think biblically. God is determined that in all things his Son should have the preeminence And the Spirit's ministry is to testify of Christ And when he is most present There you will find Christ most central and most precious This text in Hebrews 7 makes it evident We have no dealings with God outside of Christ He is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God. How? Through Him.

40:28 They have no dealings with God outside of Christ, and their dealings with God in Christ do not stop at the cross.

40:39 They begin at the cross, and they go on to the throne. And He ever lives to make intercession, so that all of our approach to God should be in terms of a self-conscious awareness that as I pray to God, somewhere in the universe, there is actually a body of the glorified Christ. And whether vocally or non-vocally is not my business to know, but I know He's interceding. He is there interposing between this redeemed sinner who still sins and who still fails and stumbles, who is a mass of weakness and vacillation and double-mindedness, how can the Father look upon me with favor?

41:22 Because I have no dealings with Him outside of His Son. No dealings with Him outside of His Son. Well, if all of my approaches to God are in terms of Christ, then ought not Christ to be central in all of my dealings with the Father? The Father is determined, determined that Christ shall have the preeminence in every phase of our salvation.

41:46 And as I was praying and racking my brain for something to illustrate this, I felt so helpless, came up with nothing, and now I've come up with something. But it's poor, but it's the best I have. Imagine a man who's in great debt. I mean, this fellow's really in bad shape.

42:02 All of his creditors are about to pounce upon him back in the days when they had debtors' prisons. He can already feel the chains on him and hear the doors clanking behind him. he's in bad shape. And all the creditors are about to pounce upon him.

42:16 And someone out of benevolence and genuine selfless love hears of his plight and comes to the man and says, Look, I am bequeathing to you X number of dollars in order to meet your need. And as we considered in another illustration last week, several weeks ago, he gives the promise, There is no need that you will face but what you can draw upon this supply that I'm now making available. That's grace and mercy to bail a man out of his terrible position. Then he can either stash his money away, or if it was in the time when they had banks, he could put it in a bank, draw checks upon it.

42:51 But you know what this kind man says? He says, now look, I'm putting to your account X number of dollars. And when the creditors come and want their due, I don't want you to write out a check. I don't want you to go to the bank and draw out the money.

43:05 I want you to call me, and I will personally come and take out of the bank what I've put there, and I personally will answer to your creditors. You say, what in the world kind of love is that? Isn't it enough that he puts the credit there? Why does he have to personally go and draw from the benefits of that credit?

43:26 You say, well, I guess he wants to show the infinite measure of his love to this poor debtor. That's right. And you know, that's precisely what our Lord has done. Oh, it's grace beyond grace that the Son of God should come from heaven, come to the confines of the virgin's womb, subject himself to the jeering and the spittle and the unbelief and the mockery of a cruel world in order to pay our debt.

43:51 But now, he says, all the benefits of that once for all deposit of merit and virtue in my death is not to be parceled out separate from me. But as the great high priest, he himself parcels out to his people the benefits of that which he has procured. Why? That the whole Christian life should be understood in terms of living fellowship, living communion with a living Redeemer.

44:20 A Christian is not someone whose dealings with Christ are always determined by a 90 degree twist of the head looking back. Thank God he looks back But the primary direction is looking upward In present living actings of faith In a living Lord And being bound to him in bonds of love and affection Behold the determination of God That Christ shall have the preeminence in every phase of our salvation And then just briefly behold the infinite measure of the unwearying love of Christ. Isn't it enough that he should bleed and die? Now our text says he ever lives to do what?

Application Two: The Infinite Measure of Christ's Love

45:05 Not primarily to receive the praises of the angelic host and seraphim and cherubim, though there are indications in the book of the Revelation that he does receive that praise. But why does he ever live? He ever lives for the self-giving love of interceding. Did you ever really intercede for someone?

45:27 You know how demanding that is. When you've really taken upon yourself to do as we were exhorted in the previous hour, to weep with someone who was weeping, and to turn their tears into yours and then your tears into really pleading with God. Intercession. Intercession is a very demanding exercise of the soul.

45:52 Remember, though our Lord is in a state of glory, He is still the God-man. And though it has glorified humanity, it has glorified humanity. And it is in that capacity as the God-man that there is this continual selfless giving to His people. Behold what manner of love our blessed Lord not only had when He made His oblation, But the great high priest has a heart that beats with love, that causes him continually to intercede.

46:29 And then I remind you that this is not true of everyone. The text says, he ever lives to make intercession for all who come unto God by him. That's inclusive and it's exclusive. Thank God he intercedes for all.

46:49 The weakest of His people, the meanest, the most ignorant, the most unstable, He intercedes for them to secure their salvation. But if you do not come unto God through Him, He doesn't intercede for you, my friend. There's no salvation for you unless you come to God through Him. That is, until you've repented of your sin and chosen the living God as the end of your life, the one in whose fellowship you're determined to live, the one whose law you're determined to obey, if you do not come to God, you have no part in the intercession of Christ.

Application Three: The Exclusiveness — Come Unto God Through Him

47:27 If you do not come to God through Him, if you think you can have dealings with God on the basis of who you are and what you've done in your philosophy, and you bypass Christ and His work as a priest, you have no salvation. Oh, how this text is so broad in its inclusiveness, so narrow in its exclusiveness. I close with pressing the question upon your conscience this morning. Is Jesus Christ interceding for you?

47:53 Is Jesus Christ right now interceding for you?

47:59 Is Jesus Christ right now interceding for you?

48:05 If you come unto God, through Him He is. if you come to God through him he is interceding for you if you don't come to God through him he is not interceding for you and if he is not interceding for you my friend your sins are still upon your own head the judgment of God still hangs over you the wrath of God is gathering billows every day and it is only a matter of time before it will break upon your poor unprotected head unless Jesus Christ interposes. And He's willing and able to interpose for every needy sinner who will say, O God, I do

48:51 not dare approach You on my own, but I plead for an interest, a place in the work of Christ, the great High Priest. I turn from my own righteousness as well as my own unrighteousnesses. I turn from the business of praying God. I want to come to you to be God to me.

49:11 I take your ways, your law, your people, your glory as the end of my life. Oh Lord, I'm a weak, a helpless, a guilty sinner. Hide me in your beloved Son. May I be taken upon His heart as His concern to intercede that I may be given every needed grace to obey Him, to walk with Him, to be a holy man, a holy woman.

49:35 And God says, all who come unto God through Him are the subjects of His intercession, and they shall enjoy the blessing of a complete redemption. Oh, how wonderful to have the Lord Jesus as one's intercessor. To know that right now in the glory, somewhere in the universe, if I had the right rocket ship and God would steer it to the right place, I could actually be there and touch Him. Actually touch Him. There's a real Christ somewhere in this real universe making real pleas for this real sinner who's got real sins that demand real judgment.

50:15 My friend, if he's not pleading for you, for your real sins, you'll face a real judgment. My hands will be clean of your blood.

50:25 Because I've pleaded with you to consider my great high priest who receives the neediest of sinners. Oh, receive him. Bow before Him. Throw yourself upon His mercy.

Closing Prayer

50:40 And you too will find, as many of us have found, He is a Savior who is more than words could ever proclaim Him to be. Let us pray. Our Father, how grateful we are that there is one who so loves sinners as to take upon himself such demands, not only for his brief sojourn here upon the earth for some thirty-three years, but who has in a real sense taken upon himself concerns that will be with him through all eternity on behalf of his own people.

51:27 Oh God, some of us who have taken on the burdens of others for just a few weeks or months or years and have felt the weight and the wearing influence of those burdens, we marvel, oh how we marvel at the infinite measure of the love of our Savior. We know that none but one whose manhood was sustained by union with true and essential deity could ever bear such concerns for so many, for so long a period of time. How we thank you that he ever lives to make intercession for his people. O God, give us, we pray, that sight of His glory that will ravish our hearts, that will make every other object to which we would give our affection appear for what it really is.

52:22 O God, seal the word to our hearts as Your people and for those who have no interest, who are not within the orbit of the intercessory work of Christ. O strike fear to their hearts. May that fear be kindled into hope that there is yet mercy for the likes of them. And then, O Lord, lead them to repent and to believe the gospel.

52:49 Hear our prayer and be with us through the furtherance of this day. We ask in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.