Does it not fill you with awe, and humble you—to realize that the Lord Jesus Christ prays for you?
He prays for you. And prays for me.
I know how you feel—this seems backward; isn’t it you and I who do the praying to Him?
But remember, Jesus told Peter He had prayed for him, that his faith fail not. We are not told just when this happened, but it appears Jesus often prayed for His disciples while He was here on earth. I think of the time when His disciples were struggling to cross the sea of Galilee against contrary winds in the darkness of night. Jesus, we are told, had had gone “into a mountain apart to pray” (Mt. 14.23). No doubt it was His disciples He was praying for. “He saw them toiling in rowing” (Mk. 6.48). That’s pretty good vision Jesus had, isn’t it, to be able to see His disciples in the darkness of the night across the stormy waters. And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them “walking on the sea” (Mt. 14.25).
He still has the same good sight. He sees us even now in our toils and struggles. Even now He continues praying for us from the heavenly Mountain He has ascended into. He makes intercession for us, as He did those disciples of old. He tells us as much in John 17, which is the record of a prayer Jesus prayed during the Last Supper, praying as though He were already ascended to the right hand of His Father in Heaven.
I pray for them (Jn. 17.9).
He is speaking of His disciples back then. But He adds:
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word… (Jn. 17.20).
And the writer of Hebrews tells us:
Wherefore He is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by Him seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them (Heb. 7.25).
And in Romans we read:
Who is he that condemneth? (Since) it is Christ that died, yea rather, is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us (Rom. 8.34).
And so it’s very encouraging—that the main ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ at the right hand of the throne of the Father in Heaven is as our great and powerful Intercessor.
It could be said that there are two main ministries in this universe. One is the ministry of the Accuser of the brethren. The other is the ministry of the Intercessor of the brethren.
Beloved, one of these two ministries we want no part of—either on the giving or the receiving end. But when we do find ourselves on the receiving end of the Accuser of the brethren, oh, how wonderful to know that we have One who ever liveth to make intercession for us.
It’s very encouraging the way Paul brings in the fact that Christ’s intercession for us is as One who is seated at the right hand of God—the place of the greatest power in the universe. In other words, He is not making intercession for us as One who pleads with great love and desire, but has no power. He intercedes as One whose intercession is filled with the power of the Throne of God, and is therefore effectual.
It is a wonderful thing to know that Our Lord Jesus Christ at the right hand of power is there as our great high priest and intercessor. He is my great High Priest—who laid down His life for me on the Altar of the Cross of Calvary. But my great High Priest is also the great King. He is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. He has all power in Heaven and earth. He is able to “save to the uttermost them that come unto God by Him.” How so? His intercession on our behalf—on your behalf, and mine—has the power of the throne of God in it.
Now… maybe you already see where this truth is going to take us… which I will get into next time.
…But wait a minute. How can I resist closing here with the wonderful words of one of my favourite hymns? I’m singing it right now as I listen to it on Cyberhymnal.
http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/a/r/i/arisemys.htm
And I’m rejoicing! How can we not rejoice, brother, sister, to have so great a Salvation, and so loving a Saviour and Intercessor before the Throne of Grace! Let us rejoice!
Here is the hymn, one of Charles Wesley’s finest:
Arise, my soul, arise,
Shake off thy guilty fears;
The bleeding sacrifice
In my behalf appears;
Before the throne my Surety stands,
Before the throne my Surety stands,
My name is written on His hands.
He ever lives above,
For me to intercede;
His all redeeming love,
His precious blood, to plead;
His blood atoned for all our race,
His blood atoned for all our race,
And sprinkles now the throne of grace.
Five bleeding wounds He bears;
Received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers;
they strongly plead for me:
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Nor let that ransomed sinner die!”
The Father hears Him pray,
His dear anointed One;
He cannot turn away
the presence of His Son;
The Spirit answers to the blood,
The Spirit answers to the blood
And tells me I am born of God.
My God is reconciled;
His pardoning voice I hear;
He owns me for His child;
I can no longer fear.
With confidence I now draw nigh,
With confidence I now draw nigh,
And “Father, Abba, Father,” cry.
A Mending Feast 