This afternoon let’s meditate for a few minutes on the Lord Jesus Christ as our Mediator and Intercessor. His intercession takes place in at least two major areas. For example, several scriptures stress that intercession in relationship to our salvation. To whom was He speaking while hanging on the cross and saying “It is finished?” Christ might have been speaking to the crowd, to Himself, to us or to God the Father. He might have been saying, “Father, I have accomplished that for which I became incarnate. Other than a few necessary steps, the salvation of your elect has been finished.” Jesus’ statement might be considered as somewhat intercessionary.
Whether that interpretation is accurate or not, it is true that the Lord has been interceding for us and our salvation ever since. Even Christians forget the hideousness of sin before the eyes of the holy God. Here we go again puffing up with pride at our great spirituality – while at the same time condemning the lack of spirituality in that other person. We are jealous once again, or we’ve lost our composure and gotten unjustly angry once again. Logically speaking, there is no Christian who deserves to stand before God – because of his ongoing sin. Our sins deserve God’s judgmental wrath, even more than others, since we have tasted that the Lord is gracious. But there is our Saviour, metaphorically reminding the Father that He has paid for these new transgressions when died for our past transgressions.
There are great scriptures which speak of this intercession – some of which we overlook. Isaiah 53, for example, contain some great thoughts about salvation. “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him… He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.” And then there is verse 12 – “Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” There is Romans 8:34 – “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” And consider Hebrews 7:25 – “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”
There are many other statements and examples of Christ’s intercession, even including some for lost. A notable example was as Jesus hung cross, praying the soldiers who had crucified Him, and for those who were laughing and mocking Him. How faithful are we at praying for our enemies – terrorists, criminals and criminal politicians? If our salvation was based upon our ability to duplicate the characteristics of Christ in our lives, would any of us be saved?
I have chosen Luke 22 as our text, because it clearly goes beyond salvation. I sincerely hope that it is settled in your mind that our salvation is maintained by the power of Christ. The security of the believer is one of the most wonderful thoughts on which we can ever meditate. But what I want you to consider this afternoon is this: Christ is today interceding on your behalf about lesser things than salvation. He loves you despite your warts, zits, wrinkles, stammering, fretting and worrying. Sure, it is to His glory if you “fail not,” but His glory is not His only thought. He thinks about you; He loves you!
This is a fascinating couple of verses: They demand a lot more attention than we shall give it today. There are things about Peter here which we need to understand in order to understand ourselves. But what it reveals about Christ, is something with you and I need even more.
Christ’s intercession begins with His omniscience.
Bro. Fred Nimmo has had a stroke, and we are in prayer for him as he is at home recovering. But the truth is, we know next to nothing about that stroke or about God’s plans for that man’s future. Maybe I am responsible for that attack, causing him stress last Monday and Tuesday morning. We may pray, and in a sense intercede for him before God’s throne of grace, but we don’t know exactly how we ought to pray. But how entirely different is the intercession of Christ.
Isn’t it true that most of us live 95% of each day in the moment? Of the 1,440 minutes which God gives to us each day, 1,425 of those minutes are concerned with what takes place during each of those minutes. We only rarely do we think about the future. There are obvious reasons for this: We have problems to solve right now, & we have joys to relish now. We don’t know what is in the future, and if we did know, there is usually little we can do about it.
But Jesus Christ, the Son of God, knows everything about me, including my needs, temptations and future. He is more intimately aware of my tomorrow than I am of what took place in my life an hour ago. In Peter’s case, among other things, Christ was referring to that man’s upcoming betrayal. Jesus knew, as if it were history, that Peter would soon be at the fire in courtyard of the high priest. He knew of the maid who would ask those questions. He knew the number eyes watching Peter and the number of ears awaiting his answer. Christ also knew that despite Peter’s blustering, he was a coward at heart. Jesus knew all the events and he knew all the players.
And that includes His knowledge of Satan. If Satan has a heart, Christ knows that heart, as well as all his past and future actions. Christ knows the plans, the purposes, the patterns and the preparations of Satan. Paul said he was not ignorant of Satan’s devices, but I’m not as observant and spiritual as the Apostle. But if we are ignorant of those devices, remember that your Divine Intercessor is not. I’m sure the common private soldier in the midst of the battle may not know the generals’ plans. But he knows what direction to move and at whom to point his rifle, because he has been told what do. In the war against Satan, our Magnificent Commander has all that knowledge and more. He is also familiar with eternal plan of God-head – His own intentions.
So what does that mean? It means victory! When the Saviour intercedes about anything that intercession is effectual. When Christ prays that Peter’s faith fail not, His faith will not fail. When He prays for you, it should be a thrill to know that Christ’s prayer is never tabled. Oh, pity those who ask for Mary’s intercession, or St. Bernard’s, Jerome’s, or St. Francis. Intercede for us, Lord Jesus! Scripture teaches us that He does.
But why does our Saviour intercede for us?
Because, first of all, there is a tremendous need for His intercession. What was it that Satan wanted from Peter? He wanted him and to sift him as wheat. Can we say that he might want the same sort of things from us? It’s not just “might” – not only can we be sure that he does, and this might be a good thing because it involves the Lord’s intercession for us.
Ultimately, Satan’s desire is to “sit upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north.” That is, he desires the throne of God for himself. Among the many things which stand in his way – some of the lesser things – are the saints of God. You and I stand in Satan’s way, if we are serving saints. Despite our near uselessness, Satan wants us removed from the battle and away from the battlefield. It doesn’t matter to the wicked one how we are removed. If it is surrender, or death, or cowardism – it is all the same to him.
Notice the words Jesus used: “Satan hath desired to have you.” That is scary language! And yet, then again it has a very bright side to it. His “desire” is not the same as “achievement.” I remind you that the Devil is tethered by a long and unbreakable leash. Satan must ask permission to even allow his shadow to fall across your path. Praise the Lord! But please note: Satan DOES ask and is sometimes granted permission to sift us. So why does our Saviour intercede for us, if Satan has to ask permission anyway? I’m not exactly sure, but I do acknowledge the will of the Lord.
Does the Saviour pray as we so often pray – in generalities? No sir, Peter’s full name and Eternal Security Number, came up in Christ’s intercession. “I have prayed for THEE, that THY faith fail not: and when THOU art converted….” There is only one reason why Christ might not be interceding for you at this moment – it is because there is no need. And it appears to me that there is more often need than no need. If there is NEVER any need for the intercession of Christ, it is because you are not a child of God. I conclude that if you are a child of God, our great High Priest is bearing your name on His shoulder and on His breastplate.
Again, why does Christ intercede for Peter and us?
This potentially gloomy and somber passage has been tinted iridescent by the love of Christ. The aroma of His eternal and superlative affection has flavored every word of the text. Why had He been telling the disciples of His upcoming crucifixion? It was because of His love. Why does He thank them for their faithfulness and constancy in verse 28? Why does make the promise of verse 29? It is because of love.
When I hear Jesus repeating Peter’s name: “Simon, Simon,” I hear a crack in His voice; a tear. Who or what shall separate us from the Love of Christ? “Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Will the sifting of Satan separate us from the Love of Christ? Will the sifting of Satan separate the love of Christ from His intercession for us? In no way!
Well then, why doesn’t Jesus’ intercession stop Satan from sifting Peter?
This is important to understand: Peter needed to be sifted, or Lord would not have permitted it. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but Christ is faithful, who will not cease to intercede for you, that ye may be able to bear it. Job needed to be stripped of everything he possessed, or it wouldn’t have occurred. Peter needed this sifting, and so do you and I.
Consider the process of sifting or threshing wheat – at least in the old fashioned way. It was to take whole grains, beating them so that hull might be separated kernel. And then they were thrown up into the air, so that the wind might carry the useless hulls away. Then the important grain came crashing down to earth again. It was a jarring, brutal, painful process – for the wheat.
In looking at Peter, we see proud, obstinate, opinionated, bigoted, headstrong, self-willed man. But he was infinitely superior to me – and he may have been a better saint than you. The point is – chaff is a very natural thing, and sifting is a necessary work of preparation. The only way Peter was going to be of further use to Saviour involved separation from his chaff. He need to be bounced around, pummeled, kicked and emptied. It was all preparatory to Pentecost and the great future that lay ahead. When Satan sifted Peter, it was his hope to separate him from his faith and future service. But in really when Satan sifted Peter, it was the Lord sifting Peter. Ignorant Satan was a pawn in the hand of Jehovah. And Christ’s intercession was a part of the process.
Once again we learn that when disaster strikes we must not glare at God and accuse Him wrong-doing. In the midst of our sifting, there is the Great Intercessor, calling our name. If you choose to be angry with the Lord for permitting Satan sift you, then don’t forget to be angry with the Saviour for praying for you. The two things go hand in hand.
One thing further: The Lord was victorious in His interceding – He always is.
Would Peter have successfully passed through this sifting if Christ had not interceded? The implication is: The wind would have been too strong, and Peter would have been blown away. But the Lord did intercede, and that prayer guaranteed victory and the restoration of the Apostle.
The lesson is this – the Lord is interceding on your behalf at this very moment. How can we do anything wicked, weak, or wasteful with our lives – even with our moments – under the realization of that thought? How can we go for an other minute without worshiping our Great High Priest and Saviour?