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“Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” (Romans 8:34, ESV)

Pastor Abel’s sermon on this passage is titled, “Assurance Not Information”.

When God chose the nation of Israel to be his people, he established the Levitical Priesthood and set up Aaron, the brother of Moses, as the first high priest. He did this because man, sinful and unholy, could not have a relationship with God apart from a mediator, someone to go between God and man.

One of the duties of the priests was to bring the people before God in prayer, so that God would forgive their sins and bless them. Of course, the problem with having priests who were people is that they were imperfect. They sinned. They didn’t do their jobs perfectly all the time. And even if they did, they would die and another imperfect human would become the high priest in their place.

In the passage above, Paul briefly touches on one of the most remarkable things about Christ. He has become our high priest and ‘is interceding for us’ before God. Right now, in heaven, even as you sin each day, Jesus is praying to the Father on your behalf. How incredible is that?

In the Bible, we have records of the kinds of things Jesus prays for his people. Here are some examples:

  1. He prays that our faith will not fail in temptation. (Luke 22:31-34)
  2. He prays that we would be with him where he is. (John 17:24)
  3. He prays for our sanctification and protection from the devil. (John 17:15-19)
  4. He prays for our ultimate salvation. (Hebrews 7:25)

Knowing that Jesus is alive, in heaven, right now, praying for us should make us more assured of God’s unwavering love for us. He will never abandon us. Our high priest is perfect, and he is always working tirelessly to bring us home to be with him.

 

For Further Study

  • Reflect on the passages above where Jesus prays for his people.
  • Article: “Our Great High Priest” by R. Fowler White.

 

Questions

  • Have you ever doubted God’s love for you because of the sin in your life?
  • Why does the presence of sin in our lives have no real power to separate us from God’s love?
  • Is there a promise or statement from Romans 8:31-39 that speaks to you in a powerful way?
  • What are some strategic actions we can take this week to remember that our security comes from God, not us?