Fact of and Nature of Christ's Intercession

The point: Press deeper into the nature and richness of Christ's intercession — indifference to what is essential to your salvation calls the reality of your profession into question.

Ask the average Christian what Christ's intercession means to them, and you can catch the next train if it's leaving in 32 seconds — a wry comment on widespread ignorance.

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.

17:01 - 17:09 Read in full sermon

A frustrated child at the Jersey Shore biting his lip because he cannot fit the ocean into his teacup — picturing the believer trying to contain the mysteries of the God-man's priestly work.

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.

18:13 - 18:32 Read in full sermon

The point: Pray with self-conscious awareness that as you approach God, a real glorified Christ is in the universe interposing for you.

A benefactor bails out a debtor but insists on personally appearing to pay each creditor rather than letting the debtor draw checks himself — picturing how Christ personally dispenses the benefits of His sacrifice.

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.

41:46 - 42:02 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not make the Christian life a backward-looking exercise — direct your primary gaze upward to the living Lord for present living communion.

A Christian is not someone whose dealings with Christ are always a 90-degree twist of the head looking back — the primary direction is looking upward in present living actings of faith.

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?

44:20 - 45:05 Read in full sermon

The point: Plead for a place in the work of Christ the High Priest — turn from your own righteousness as well as your own unrighteousness and ask to be hidden in Him.

If you had the right rocket ship and God would steer it to the right place, you could actually touch the real Christ making real pleas — underscoring the concrete reality of Christ's present intercession.

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.

49:35 - 50:13 Read in full sermon