SERMON LXXV.(from Free
Church Pulpit)
THE INTERCESSION 0F CHRIST.
BY THE REV. HENRY DUNCAN, D.D.,
RUTHWELL
"Who also maketh intercession for us." - Rom. viii. 34.
THE apostle Paul, in the beginning of his first epistle to
the Colossians, after adverting to the divine nature of Christ, and descibing
the infinite power which he exercises in heaven and on earth, sums up the whole
display of his greatness by declaring, "it pleased the father that in him all
fulness should dwell" - a remarkable expression, which he explains and renders
still more emphatic by adding, that, through the blood of his cross, Christ has
reconciled all things to God, "whether they be things in earth, or things in
heaven." What mysterious power Jesus, in virtue of his death, exercises over
the inhabitants of heaven beyond the redeemed of the family of Adam, it is
impossible to tell, and it is not necessary to know. It is enough for us to be
assured, that through him alone, can any of the human family find access to the
throne of grace, and that none who desire to find that access shall be
excluded. Of this fulness do all believers receive, as the evangelist John
assures us, and grace for grace. They, like others, were in need of every
thing, but he supplies all their spiritual wants; they were spiritually dead,
but he died, that, through his death, they might obtain eternal life; they had
forfeited the enjoyments of heaven, but he rose again from the grave, and
ascended to the right hand of God that he might prepare for them mansions of
eternal blessedness in his Fathers house; they continue to sin, but he
never fails to present, before the throne of grace, the merits of his own
perfect obedience, and to obtain mercy to pardon and grace to help them. "Who,"
asks Paul, "shall lay any thing to the charg of Gods elect? It is God
that justifieth, 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."
It is the last of these blessings, thus emphatically
enumerated, which I am now to consider - " who also maketh intercession for
us."
An intercessor, in the original sense of the word, signifies simply
one who comes between two parties; it is generally however applied to a person
coming between an offended party and the offender to plead for a pardon. This
is the office exercised by Christ at the right hand of God, as is clearly
expressed by the apostle John, when he says," If any man sin, he has an
advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" 1 John 2:1.
The first
question which naturally ocurrs to anyone who turns his serious attention to
this interesting subject is, For whom does Christ intercede? I answer that he
intercedes only for the "elect." Christ never intercedes in vain; and therefore
all for whom he intercedes must be saved at last. By his death be offers pardon
and redemption to all; but those who refuse to accept of this free offer are
excluded from every spiritual blessing. By their own act they exclude
themselves. For them there is no intercession. In our Lords intercessory
prayer, this is distinctly indicated when he says, "I pray not for them which
thou has given me."
But theseare already pardoned. By the sacrifice of
atonement, they are already rescued from endless woe, and, through the imputed
merits of the righteous One, they are justified freely, and adopted into the
family of God. Why, then, is an intercessor necessary? If I be a child of God,
what is wanting to complete my happiness?
I ask you, my friends, does a
child never offend a kind and judicious parent? Does he never stand in need of
an affectionate friend to intercede for him? Although I say not that the cases
are parallel, yet there Is an analogy here which may help to remove the
difficulty. Why should we be surprised, that, after we have become new
creatures in Christ Jesus - why should we be surprised, whatever may be our
gifts and graces of the redeemed of Christ that a continual intercession is
needful for us? my believing brethren, you are not yet free from sin. Your
sanctification is not completed. There is still " a law in your members warring
against the law of your mind, and bringing you into subjection to the law of
sin." Day after day you rebel. Day after day you stand in need of forgiveness;
and therefore you stand in need of a continual intercessor.
This doctrine is
strikingly taught by our Lord in a symbolical transaction when he was just
about to institute the sacrament of the Supper. Immediately before presenting
his disciples with this typical representation of his vicarious sufferings, he
rose from table and washed their feet. When he came to Peter, that zealous
disciple, feeling himself unworthy of such extraordinary condescension, and not
understanding the emblematical meaning of the transaction, exclaimed, "Lord,
thou shalt never wash my feet." Christs answer was, " If I wash thee,
not, thou hast no part in me." Upon which Peter immediately retracted his rash
refusal, and, with his characteristic fervour, cried out, "Lord, not my feet
only, but also my hands and my head."
Now, observe the Saviours
significant remark on this warm-hearted reply, "He that is washed,", that is,
"he that has been bathing; needeth not, save to wash his feet, but is clean
every whit. As if he had said, "What I am now doing, besides affording
you an example of humility, is to be understood as a visible emblem of an
important part of the great salvation I am about to accomplish. By my sacrifice
on the cross, of which I am about to afford you a standing memorial, your sins
shall be forgiven" or rather they shall be washed away in my blood. But still,
so long as you live, you will not cease to be guilty of transgressions which
require the mercy and pardon of a holy God. These may be compared to the mire
of the shore by which the feet are defiled after the body has been washed by
bathing. For the removal of these pollutions also, a provision is made in my
love, of which I have now given you a representation. I shall obtain
forgiveness for them. I shall wash them away by my intercession, and then you
shall be clean every whit.
What a representation is here of the "fulness"
of Christ! No conceivable blessing is awanting. It is not enough that he should
give us the purest precepts, and set before us the most perfect example - it is
not enough that he should incite us to the performance of these precepts and
the imitation of that example by the most generous motives which can animate
the heart of man - it is not enough that he should address our very self-love
by the most glorious hopes and the most tremendous terrors - it is not enough
even that he should die to redeem us from the guilt of original sin, and of
those actual transgressions which we have committed in a state of alienation
from him, or that he should bestow upon us the gift of the Holy Spirit to
guard, to direct, and to bless us. He knows the perverseness of our nature,
and, in addition to all these, and to crown them all, he never ceases to appear
before the throne of his Father for us, that, in every new sin we commit, he
may be our advocate - from every new temptation to which we may be subjected,
he may intercede for our deliverance.
It may possibly be expected that I
should say something regarding the manner in which the intercession of Christ
is performed. But, on a subject so awfully mysterious, there is danger of
presumption in prying in the secret things of God. I cannot tell how it may be
with others, but for myself I do freely confess that, in approaching such a
subject as this, a reverential fear comes over my mind, which overpowers my
faculties and rebukes curiosity. While I feel the necessity of endeavouring to
be wise tothe full extent of what is written, I am deeply impressed with the
impiety of any attempt to be wise above what is written. The intercession of
Christ, like every other part of the great scheme of redemption, is a doctrine
of pure revelation, with regard to which reason has nothing more to do, after
ascertaining the inspiration of the record, than merely to discover what "the
Spirit saith to the churches." In such a search what is chiefly required is a
simple, candid, and child-like disposition. No untamed imagination - no
vain-glorious desire of applause - no pride of human learning, can safely be
employed in so sacred an enquiry. These may prove fatal snares to others as
well as to their possessors.
Scripture, on such a subject, is its own best
interpreter. Let us, therefore, bring together and examine some of the passages
of holy writ, in which the intercession is mentioned. In the verse which
obtains our text it is simply declared that Christ "makes intecession for us at
the right hand of God." In the Epistle to the Hebrews (ix. 24.) the same thing
is intimated, where it is said that as our Great High Priest "he has entered
into heaven to appear in the presence of God for us." The object of this
intercession is declared in the First Epistle of John (ii. 1), to which I have
already alluded, where we are told "If any man sin he has an advocate with the
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;" and the unceasing constancy and
irresistible power with which he performs this high office, as well as the
character of those who are the objects of it, are expressly stated in the
seventh chapter of Hebrews (25th verse) : "He is able to save them to the
uttermost that come to God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession
for them." Again, as to the feelings which he brings to this blessed work, it
is said in the same Epistle (Heb. iv. 15), "We have not a High Priest which
cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points
tempted like as we are, yet without sin ;" and again, (Heb. ii. 17), "In all
things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a
merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God; for in that he
himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are
tempted."
This I think is nearly the sum of what we learn from Scripture on
this mysterious, but most comfortable doctrine. And what can we desire more for
every practical object? It seems unnecessary at present to attempt any nice
distinctions as to the different parts assigned to the divine and human natures
of Christ in the office of intercession. These are not dwelt on in the revealed
word and it is enough to know that in the mysterious union of the two natures
of God and man, consists all the efficacy of this, as well as of every other
particular in the great scheme of redemption.
But it may be proper to
enquire for what our Advocate thus prevailingly pleads? Not that the Creator
should breathe into us the breath of natural life. This was breathed into our
first parent at his creation, and we inherit it because we are descended from
him. What our divine advocate pleads for is, that his heavenly Father should
bestow upon us that eternal life, with its unspeakable blessings, which he
purchased for his believing people by his death, Listen to a specimen of his
intercession on earth, by which you may judge of the nature of his advocacy in
heaven. "Holy Father! keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given
me, that they may be one as we are." "I in them and thou in me, that they may
be made perfect in one." And again, "Father, I will that those whom thou hast
given me may be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory which thou
hast given me." John xvii.
Amazing, unspeakable blessedness, to behold the
Redeemers glory to live with him for ever - to love him with his own
perfect love. Wonderful union - to be one with each other ! - one with Christ!
- one with God! For this our Advocate pleads; and he cannot plead in vain. And
this is life - the life which he has purchased for us by his death - the life
which he has gone to prepare for us in heaven,
But I must hasten from this
delightful theme, as I have another duty yet to perform. Let us now turn our
thoughts to the nature of the sentiments which the doctrine of Christs
intercession is calculated to cherish in the mind of a believer.
The first
and strongest of all is a sentiment of gratitude and affection. This, indeed,
is an emotion which every part of the gospel scheme tends powerfully to excite
in the renewed heart, but it seems tome that there is not one doctrine of
revelation that comes home with a warmer and more melting glow, than the
doctrine of the intercession. The act of the Son of Gods incarnation is
past - his life of sorrow is past - his atoning agony is past. The believer is
already pardoned - he already enjoys the privileges of a child of God; but on
this very day and at this very hour Christ appears at the right hand of God
interceding for us. The incarnation, the cross, and the atonement, indicate
love unspeakable, and the blessings of redemption demand praises which eternity
cannot exhaust; but when with the eye of faith we penetrate beyond the vail,
and behold what is even now transacting before the throne of the Father for us
- when, on the one hand, we see our sins arraigned continually, in all their
vileness and deformity, before the bar of eternal justice - those sins which we
are never ceasing to commit - the unholy thoughts we have been cherishing - the
idle words we have been uttering - the worldly works we have been doing - with
the long black catalogue of neglected duties, and heartless observances - of
scriptures read but not obeyed of prayers said but not felt - of ordinances
celebrated but not improved; and when, on the other hand, we behold our
advocate moved with unquenchable love, standing forward to plead for our
forgiveness stretching forth those hands in our cause, which were erewhile
nailed to the cross in atonement for our sins - exhibiting the very prints of
the nails, and claiming for us the reward of his own labours of love; and then,
when we see him taking our sins as they rise before the throne, and in the
folds of his spotless robe - the robe of his own righteousness covering them
from view for ever - when, by the exercise of strong faith, we realise all
this, the seatiments to which such amazing grace gives rise, are, I may truly
say, more ardent, more intense, more overpowering, than can spring from any
other source.
And this leads me to notice another sentiment which the
doctrine of the intercession is calculated to cherish - I mean that of
humility.
The very necessity of an intercessor indicates the depravity of
the human heart. If it be indeed tree, that, notwithstanding all the appeals
which the gospel makes to our conscience and aflections, to our hopes and
fears, to every generous and every selfish principle of the heart, we still
cherish low desires and worldly views, and walk unworthy of the high vocation
with which we are called - if it does not suffice that the Son of God for as
became man, and expiated our transgressions on the cross, and through the Holy
Spirit has opened our hearts to see the wonders of redeeming love - if, after
all this, we daily rebel, and require a continual intercessor before the throne
of a holy God, there cannot assuredly be a more striking proof not only of
Divine mercy, but of human guilt; and if for the one we have cause of
gratitude, for the other we have not less canse of humility and penitence. 0!
how ought we, under such views, to distrust ourselves, to scrutinize our
hearts, and to consider our ways. How strictly should we judge our character -
how cautiously should we examine, and how entirely should be cast ourselves on
the guidance and direction of him whose grace alone is sufficient for us, and
whose strength is made perfect in his peoples weakness. It does not
become that man to be vain of his attainments, or confident in his virtues, who
hourly sins, and hourly requires the all-prevailing intercession of the Son of
God to avert the just wrath of his heavenly Father. Here we are most
affectingly taught that pride was not made for man.
Again, if Christs
intercession reminds us that we are altogether insufficient of ourselves, it
also assures us that there is one to whom we may freely and confidently apply.
This doctrine the Apostle emphatically teaches in Hebrews iv. 15, 16. Having
assured us, that "We have not an High Priest who cannot be touched with a
feeling of our infirmities, but who was in all points tempted like as we are,
yet without sin," he adds emphatically, " Let us therefore come boldly unto the
throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of
need." We are weak of ourselves, but we are invited to be strong in him, and in
the power of his grace. it is not an angel who pleads for us; it is our own
flesh and blood - our elder brother. He has himself experienced the force of
temptation, and has a fellowfeeling of our infirmities. He remembers his own
sorrows and sufferings, and sympathises with ours. There is not a pang which he
suffered, nor a sigh which he heaved, nor a tear which he shed, but fills us
with encouragement. There is not an expression of pity or of kindness which
escaped him, that is not a ground of comfort. He who wept at the grave of
Lazarus, still compassionates the griefs of mortality - he, whose intense agony
caused the very blood to burst from his body, regards human misery with
commiseration - he who prayed for his murderers, will not fail, in his
intercession for his friends, to repeat with still more affectionate urgency
that ever memorable prayer, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what thay
do."
There is, then, a very peculiar confidence in the mercy of God,
inspired by Christs intercession. We cannot doubt of Gods
willingness to save us, when we think of the means of salvation which he has so
liberally bestowed upon us. Reflection on the incarnation and sufferings of
Christ induced an Apostle to say, "If God spared not his own Son, but delivered
him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things ;"
and what additional ground of trust and security do we derive from the
assurance, that "he ever liveth to make intercession for us." Or, to reason in
the words of the Apostle himself, "if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled
to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled shall we be saved by
his life."
Brethren ! the intercession of Christ can never fail. Not only
is he man to pity us - that man whom "the Father heareth always," but he is
also God to execute whatever his pity has planned. His Almighty power is
exerted to protect and to bless us. Speaking of his servants, he says, "I give
them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck
them out of my hand." And he adds, as an evidence of his power to do this, "I
and my Father are one." - - What undoubting confidence then may fill the heart
of the believer! Unerring power and wisdom unite with the tenderest compassion
and most unwearied love in effecting his salvation. if God be thus for us, who
can be against us. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect?
It is God that justifieth, 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."
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