Jesus INTERCEDES for us! Sunday Morning Sermon with Pastor Josiah Shipley

If you would please, open your Bibles, I don't care if it's on your phone, I don't care if it's a paper

Bible, whatever it is, to Isaiah chapter 53. That's going to be our launching point, Isaiah chapter 53.

And we're going to talk about the intercession of Christ. The intercession of Christ.

What does intercession mean? Well, intercession means to intervene on someone else's behalf.

And today we're going to talk about how Christ interceded for you, how right now

He is interceding for you, and how He will always intercede for you. Starting in Isaiah 53, verse 11.

Out of the anguish of His soul He will see and be satisfied, and by His knowledge shall the righteous one my servant make many to be accounted righteous.

He will bear their iniquities, therefore I will divide him a portion with the many and divide the spoiled with the strong, because He poured out

His soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors. He bore the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressors.

The high priest in the Old Testament law, when it was time to make intercession for the people of Israel, for God's people, would first cleanse himself of any sin he was dealing with before entering the

Holy of Holies to make intercession for the people of Israel of sins that they may not have even known they committed.

The New Testament calls Jesus our high priest. I want you to listen to the beauty of that verse one more time.

He bore the sins of many. That's past tense. Yet the book of Isaiah was written 700 years before Jesus was ever born.

Church, you've been taught before, when were you saved? Before the foundation of the world.

He bore your sin on the tree. Galatians says, quoting from the

Old Testament, that anyone who hung on a tree is cursed and He became a curse for us.

When we say Jesus interceded for you, it means though you were guilty,

He said, yes, He is, but He is mine and I have stepped in for Him. We're going to talk about how

God has interceded, how He's interceding now and how He will intercede. But I just want to make sure that we understand our need for intercession first.

We're going to go a bunch of different places. I hope you can keep up. That's why I made this little thing for you. Go to Romans chapter five for me.

Romans chapter five. So if intercession means to intervene on someone else's behalf, what that tells us and every person in this room is this, that you needed somebody else to step in, that you couldn't do it alone and you needed somebody else to step in for you.

Read with me. I'm in Romans five, starting in verse six. For while we were still weak, at the right time,

Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely will one die for a righteous person, though perhaps for a good person one may dare to die.

But God shows His love toward us and that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Since therefore we have now been justified by His blood, how much more will we be saved from Him, the wrath of God?

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more now that we are reconciled shall we be saved by His life.

More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ through whom we have received reconciliation.

I'm speaking to a group in this room that maybe has yet to realize their need for a

Savior. You see, ladies and gentlemen, no one has ever been saved that didn't first realize their need for a

Savior. When we use the term saved, you need to understand what you needed saving from.

And no, it was not simply the devil, it was yourself. Jeremiah 17 9 says the heart is desperately wicked and incurable.

What does desperate mean? Means without hope. The heart, if you ever have someone tell you follow their heart, show them this verse again.

Jeremiah 17 9, the heart is desperately wicked and incurable. That's why the

Bible tells us to lean not on our own understanding because our own understanding will always lead us to destruction.

What separates Christianity from all other would -be religions is this, that every other religion is how man tries to ascend to God.

Christianity is the story where God came down to man. Read verse 6 again.

Christ died for the ungodly. I've said it before, but we will repeat it again.

Christianity is not the story, is not the story where God saves us, the damsel in distress in the high tower from the dragon.

Christianity is a story where the hero dies for the villain. We are the bad guys. He only died for the ungodly.

He intercedes for the transgressors, the rebellious, the

God -haters, the proud, and what I want you to understand is at one point that was every single person in this room, myself included.

Every one of us. We all like sheep have gone astray and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Do you know Romans 5 says he died for the weak to help us, the ungodly.

In Luke chapter 5, Jesus says he didn't come for those who are well, but for the sick and the sinner to repent.

Maybe you're in this room and you've never realized that you are one of those sick. You are one of the sinners.

So is everyone else in this room. If you don't come to a place where you realize how desperate you are without God, then you don't really realize what you need saving from.

He saved us from ourselves. He died for the ungodly and the transgressors.

The beauty of salvation is that you and I were, and in some sense still are, all of these things, transgressors, ungodly, sick.

That's why we need mercy and grace. The question is, what are you doing with it? But it's not just that he interceded for you.

You may say, Pastor, I know that. I've heard the story. He died on the cross. I get he interceded for me. But it's even more gracious than that.

Is that right now, at this very moment, if you are a believer in this room, he is interceding for you right now.

Turn with me to Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8. It will not be a sermon from Josiah if we did not include

Romans chapter 8 somewhere in there, starting in verse 26.

Likewise, the spirit helps us in our weakness, for we don't even know how to pray as we ought to, but the spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

Brother Jeremiah and Brother Brandon were making a point about prayer earlier. And how in the eternal sense, prayer doesn't change

God, it changes us. That's all the more powerful when you realize that we can't even do that right without God.

Did you see that in verse 26? The spirit intercedes with us because we don't even know how to pray as we should.

Without God, we can't even do that part right, can we? The triune

God is interceding for believers in this room right now.

But not just in prayer, not just in prayer, it is true that sometimes

I go to pray with God and I say, pray to God, God, I don't even know how I'm supposed to pray. The spirit intercedes for us in prayer, but it goes beyond that.

Verse 28, we know that all things work together for the good of those that love God and are called according to his purpose.

For those he foreknew, he predestined to be conformed to the image of his son in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Those he predestined, he also called those he called, he also justified those he justified, also glorified.

I will pause only for a moment for you to note that every one of those in the past tense for in the mind of God, you already seated with him in heaven.

Verse 31, what will we say to these things if God is for us, who can be against us?

For he did not even spare his own son, but gave him up for us all. How will he also not graciously with him give us all things who will bring a charge against God's elect?

It is God who justifies. And then here it is, verse 34. Who is to condemn

Christ, Jesus is the one who died more than that, who was raised and is at the right hand of God and is interceding for us present tense right now.

I can remember a time in my life where I had legitimate stress and anxiety about this subject.

I knew God had interceded for me. At Calvary, but I would do something like this, and I've shared this with some of you before,

I may be the only one that can relate to this, but I hope not. I would think something like this, OK, I'm a

Christian, but I just sinned. So I need to make sure to pray for forgiveness now so that if I die in the next five minutes,

I won't go to hell. Right. And so you you pray for forgiveness for that sin, and then you ask yourself this,

OK, well, did I really mean it? And you have anxiety over whether you really meant it.

So you do it again and you're like, OK, did I really mean it that time? And I still got to ask for forgiveness for the first time. And it goes in toil and toil for hours and hours and days and days.

And you go to sleep and you don't want to go to sleep until you're sure that you really meant it that time. Right. He's at the right hand of God interceding for us right now.

See, the high priest every year on the Day of Atonement would walk in, purify himself and then ask

God for forgiveness and make a sacrifice for the sins of the people of God. And it had to be done every year.

Why? Because the sin would continue. But our

God is so gracious that not only did he intercede for you, but if you are a believer in this room right now, he is sitting at the right hand of God interceding for you.

In the courtroom of God, Revelation 12 says Satan, the accuser, accuses us day and night.

Day and night. And sometimes he doesn't have to slander and make stuff up, his accusations are spot on.

Right. And in that courtroom, you can read about this, I wrote in your paper, in Zechariah chapter three, our

God is interceding for us right now. Yes, Josiah is guilty for that, but I didn't just pay for sins on Calvary.

I prayed for sins past, present and future. And right now your Lord is interceding for you at the right hand of God so that first John two one can say this.

First John chapter two, verse one. My little children, I write these things to you so you may not sin, but if anyone does sin, we have an advocate for the father,

Jesus Christ, the righteous Jesus Christ, the righteous. You know why it emphasizes that he is righteous?

Because we are not. Jesus Christ, the righteous, and when the

Lord looks at our sin, he sees the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Do we have an update on our brother, Shane? OK, let me know when we do, OK? Taking him back,

OK, I would challenge all of you this week at some point.

I wrote it down on your little paper, John 17, if you want to see what it looks like for Jesus to pray for you.

Yes, you heard me say that correctly, for Jesus to pray for you. I want you to read John chapter 17 this week.

It will do your heart well. And just when you think the grace can't get any better, it does.

Not only did he intercede for us, not only is he interceding for us now. But he forever intercedes for us.

Remember, intercede means to step in on someone else's behalf, right? To step in on someone else's behalf.

Well, let's look at how he does this forever. Go to the book of Hebrews chapter seven, Hebrews chapter seven.

Let this bring you peace this morning. If you're in this room and you know that, hey,

I really am a Christian, I really am. I know I am. But you don't know the peace of God, please hear the word of the

Lord today. Hebrews seven, starting in verse 22. This makes

Jesus the guarantee of a better covenant. The former priests were many in number because they were prevented by death from continuing in office.

Right? Obviously, when a priest dies, we need a new high priest. And then when he died, we need a new high priest. And when he died, we need a new high priest.

Verse 24, but he being Jesus holds the priesthood permanently because he continues forever.

Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him because he always lives to make intercession for them.

Verse 26, for it is indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens.

He has no need like those other high priests to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of others.

Since he did this once for all when he offered up himself here, verse 25, one more time in case you missed it.

He is able to save to the utmost completely and forever is what that word means completely and forever.

He is able to save to the utmost those who draw near to God through him because he always lives to make intercession for them.

Always, what does always mean? He always lives to make intercession for them.

Skip over to chapter nine. Chapter nine, starting in verse 11, but when

Christ appeared as a high priest of good things that have come, then he went to the greater and more perfect tent, not made with hands that is not of creation.

He entered once for all into the holy place. So remember, like I told you earlier, keep this in mind, the high priest make a purification for himself.

Then he went into the holy of holies in the tabernacle, in the temple one time a year on the day of atonement to make a sacrifice for the sins of the people of God.

Verse 12, Jesus entered that holy place, not by the means of blood of the blood of goats and calves, but by the means of his own blood.

Listen to this next part, Christian, thus securing an eternal redemption, thus securing an eternal redemption.

See, redeem means to be bought back. But if it simply was that, if it was simply a buying back of you for now until you mess it up again, our salvation would last not but 30 seconds.

But listen again, he has secured an eternal redemption.

You are eternally deemed if you're a Christian in this room right now. I don't care where you are in your walk.

I don't care if you are trying to walk away. It doesn't matter at this moment where you fall on that scale.

You are eternally redeemed for a purpose. I've said this before.

I think the most overused word in the Christian language is the word struggle. Some of you have heard me say this before, what does struggle mean?

Struggle means to fight back. That's what a struggle is. It is a wrestling between two parties, right?

That's what a struggle is. How often do we say, yeah, I struggle with this, but there's really no fight being put back.

That's not a struggle, that's a massacre. When the word of God calls us to struggle, that doesn't mean to be perfect.

That means to fight back. And some of us haven't started that yet. And we need to start.

That's what a church family is for. If you're here, if someone asks you, why are you at church?

And you say to learn about God, you have but touched the surface of why you should be here.

You should be here for the person to your right and your left. That's why you're here. You're here to serve others, to build up the body of Christ.

And that body is a lot bigger than you. You're here to build up the body of Christ. I want to show you an example in scripture of God having a bigger purpose for your life.

Would you turn with me to Luke chapter 22, Luke chapter 22? Just a few more minutes, guys, and we'll be done.

You are eternally redeemed for a purpose on this earth. You have a purpose on this planet, not just in heaven, on this planet.

You have a purpose ordained by God. Luke 22, starting in verse 31.

This is Jesus speaking to Peter. Simon, Simon, behold,

Satan demanded to have you that he may sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.

And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers. We all know what

Peter is about to do. You remember. He's about to deny his

Lord, he is going to take an oath before God that he doesn't know who Jesus is.

If you remember, in another chapter in Luke, the third time that Peter denied

Jesus from afar, Jesus, standing at the steps of the courthouse, just turns and looks at Peter.

And the Bible says Peter ran away and wept bitterly, because he remembered the words his Lord had said. But read what

Jesus said again before any of that ever happened. Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you that he may sift you like wheat.

But I have prayed for you that your strength may not fail. And when you return, strengthen your brothers.

The way I like to teach this is this. There was always going to be a first and second

Peter of the New Testament. Peter wrote two books, did you know that? First and second

Peter, he wrote them 30 years after this event. There was always going to be a first and second

Peter, always. God has a purpose for you on this earth that you may not see now.

You may not and you may never see it. You may never see it.

It may be for a generation after you. It may be for a generation after you.

Psalm 102, verse 18 says, let us write this down and learn this now for a generation that has yet to be created, may praise the

Lord. But I can promise you this. He has a purpose for you on this planet right now.

He is interceding for you right now for a purpose that is to be filled right now.

Ephesians 2 says you were saved by grace through faith. This is not of yourselves. It's a gift of God, not of works and no man can boast.

For we are his creation created in Christ Jesus for good works that God planned ahead of time that we should walk in them.

Oh, that everyone in here would be walking in the works God had prepared ahead of time for them. And you may say,

Josiah. How do I start? I don't even know where to begin.

I see my sin, I see my failures, I don't even know where to start. The Bible says all the law and the prophets hangs on this to love the

Lord your God with all your heart, your soul, your mind and strength and love each other as yourself. How did

Jesus say the world will know you're really his disciples? You know, the world can spot a fake

Christian very easily. It's not hard. It's not hard. I was talking with somebody last week about how one of the beautiful things about Witten, though we're not perfect.

Is that everyone realizes they are in need of a savior. Pastor says we all have exhaust fans in our bathroom.

So that is much easier to put down the front and be real.

You see here, if someone is putting up the facade, it's very easy to see because most of the people have already opened up, have already laid out before them their failures.

Here's how you start. By serving each other. By realizing that you are here in this room right now, not for yourself.

Let me say that again. You are not in this room for yourself. If that is what you have been taught, if that is how you've always viewed it, change that.

I beg you today, you are in this room for somebody else. Last passage,

Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10. You want to know where to start?

Here we go. Verse 24.

And let us consider how to stir one another up to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together as the habit of some, but encouraging each other and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Now that was written 2000 years ago. You think that day is a little closer now than it was then? Did you see why you're gathered together?

Did you read that? Not to come learn about Jesus. Not to come in, get a spiritual high, not to feel better, not to get some emotional feelings inside so that you can leave and say, hey,

God, I did good today. I went to church for an hour and a half. Why are you here?

Read that again. And let us consider how to stir one another up to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another.

Did you notice none of those actions had to do with yourself? None of them. The primary passage in the

Bible about, quote, unquote, going to church has nothing to do with attending church, has to do with encouraging each other to promote love and good works.

If that is not your mentality of why you're here, I beg you to change that. I don't chide you,

I encourage you to change that because there is somebody else in this room that God has ordained for you to minister to.

And that will probably not be in a sermon or a Sunday school lesson. Two weeks ago, we did a

D now, a discipleship now with the sister church in Mississippi, a great commission church, awesome church.

And I was one of the speakers. There was probably 100 people there. It was fun, it was great, taught great lessons from the word of God.

Let me tell you the best ministry that happened that week. There was a little boy sitting off in the corner by himself.

Every time they played games or sang songs, he went and sat in the corner by himself, put his little hood up and just sat there.

And brother Christian tore us, got up from whatever he was doing, walked over and sat down on the gym floor with him.

Didn't even talk for a few minutes, waited for him to get comfortable. That's ministry.

You do not have to know what lapsarian theology is. You don't have to know who St. Augustine is.

You don't have to be able to recite the Westminster Confession to do ministry. You just have to serve.

And service involves not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.

Let the motto of every Christian in this place be what John the Baptist said in John chapter three, that he must increase and I must decrease.

Let me read this passage in totality and we'll be done. Brother David, brother Andrew, whoever's coming up here, you can come up now.

Let me read this passage in totality. Hebrews 10, starting in verse 11.

If you've heard nothing else, I beg you, hear the word of God right now, because it's more important than anything I had to say. Focus here on the word of God for two more minutes.

Hebrews 2 verse 11. And every high priest stands day after day at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sin.

But this Christ has offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins and has sat down at the right hand of God, waiting for the time that his enemies should be made his footstool.

By one single offering, he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

And the Holy Spirit bears witness to us, saying, This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, declares the

Lord. I'll put my laws on their hearts and write them on their minds. He adds, I will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more.

Let me read that part again. Verse 17. I will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more.

Where there is forgiveness of these, there's no longer an offering for sin. Verse 19. Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain that is his flesh.

And since we have such a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart of full assurance.

Christ interceded for you. And there's no sentence you can say after that. But I did this or I thought this or I did this.

He's interceding for you right now. And he's the guarantee of eternal redemption, not simply so you can go to heaven, but you can fulfill his purpose on this planet right now.

If you don't know where to start with that purpose, look around this place. Ask the

Holy Spirit, find one person, one person to minister to, which could simply be talking to them.

Find one person. Get out of yourself, find someone else to serve and see if the

Lord doesn't show you what you should be doing. Last comment. Josiah, what if I don't even know if I'm a

Christian? Here's your litmus test. You ready? The New Testament uses the word

Lord of Jesus over 600 times. It uses the word

Savior of him 20 times. And that's not a category of saying Jesus isn't your

Savior. Just listen to me for a minute. The emphasis is on the Lordship of Jesus. If he's not your

Lord, then he is not your Savior. Let me say that again. If he's not your Lord, he's not your Savior. Lord means master.

To gauge your spiritual life, ask a question that I have to ask myself all the time. Who is the

Lord of my life today? Who's in charge? Is it Josiah or is it Jesus? Often I have to reverse the order to get it right.