Jesus Christ: Our Superior Savior and Intercessor

 

Summary

In the letter to the Hebrews, we are reminded of the ongoing work of our Lord Jesus Christ, who applies the benefits of His redemption to His people and intercedes for them before the throne of God. The letter was written to Christians facing severe trials, urging them to hold fast to the preeminent superiority of Jesus Christ, especially the perfect effectiveness of His sacrifice for sin and His present intercession at God's right hand. The writer emphasizes that in Christ, everything is better—substance replaces shadow, reality replaces type, and fulfillment replaces promise. Jesus' one-time sacrifice on Calvary's cross accomplished what the Old Covenant sacrifices could never achieve.

The letter highlights three appearings of Jesus: He has appeared, He now appears, and He will yet appear. Each of these establishes His infinite superiority and the need for believers to hold fast to Him. Jesus' intercession is not about persuading the Father to bless us; rather, His presence at the right hand of the Father is His intercession. His risen, sin-atoning presence contains every conceivable blessing for His people. As the Father beholds the atoning glory of His Son, He sees a life that has won everything good for His people.

In John 17, Jesus prays for His apostles and the church throughout history. He prays for their protection from the evil one, their sanctification in the truth, and their unity. Jesus' intercession ensures that believers are kept from the evil one, sanctified in the truth, and united as one body. His intercession is for those who draw near to God through Him, and it is through His intercession that believers are saved to the uttermost.

Ultimately, Jesus Christ Himself is the gospel. He is the good news, and all our hope lies outside of ourselves, focused on the cross, which is the test of everything. Jesus' substitutionary atonement on Calvary's cross has made an everlasting salvation for all who believe, for He is Himself the salvation of God.

Key Takeaways:

- The letter to the Hebrews emphasizes the superiority of Jesus Christ, urging believers to hold fast to Him amidst trials. Jesus' one-time sacrifice on the cross accomplished what the Old Covenant sacrifices could not, offering a better hope, covenant, possession, and country. In Christ, everything is better, and His sacrifice is perfect and effective. [05:01]

- Jesus' intercession is His presence at the right hand of the Father, containing every blessing for His people. His intercession is not vocal but is embodied in His risen, sin-atoning presence. As the Father beholds the atoning glory of His Son, He sees a life that has won everything good for His people. [18:27]

- In John 17, Jesus prays for His apostles and the church, asking for their protection from the evil one, sanctification in the truth, and unity. His intercession ensures that believers are kept from the evil one, sanctified in the truth, and united as one body. [24:28]

- Jesus' intercession is for those who draw near to God through Him. It is through His intercession that believers are saved to the uttermost. Our hope is not in our faith but in Jesus Christ, who is the gospel and the good news. [42:41]

- All our hope lies outside of ourselves, focused on the cross, which is the test of everything. Jesus' substitutionary atonement on Calvary's cross has made an everlasting salvation for all who believe, for He is Himself the salvation of God. [44:41]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:36] - Introduction to Hebrews
- [01:27] - Christ's Sacrifice and Intercession
- [03:08] - Trials and the Superiority of Christ
- [05:01] - The "Better" in Christ
- [06:01] - Substance Over Shadow
- [06:55] - Jesus' Three Appearings
- [07:58] - Hebrews as a Parakletic Epistle
- [09:35] - The One Perfect Sacrifice
- [10:25] - The Second Coming
- [12:05] - Jesus' Present Ministry
- [12:53] - Intercession Explained
- [15:35] - Nature of Intercession
- [18:27] - Intercession as Presence
- [20:10] - Calvin on Intercession
- [22:43] - Content of Intercession
- [24:28] - Jesus' High Priestly Prayer
- [26:09] - Protection from the Evil One
- [29:24] - Sanctification in Truth
- [31:15] - Living Distinctively
- [37:31] - Unity in Christ
- [42:41] - For Whom Jesus Intercedes
- [44:41] - Jesus as the Gospel

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Hebrews 9:23-28
- Hebrews 7:25
- John 17

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Observation Questions:

1. What does Hebrews 9:23-28 say about the nature of Jesus' sacrifice compared to the Old Covenant sacrifices? How is it described as superior? [01:27]

2. According to Hebrews 7:25, what is Jesus' ongoing role in heaven, and how does it relate to His ability to save? [12:05]

3. In John 17, what are the three main requests Jesus makes in His prayer for His apostles and the church? [24:28]

4. How does the sermon describe Jesus' intercession at the right hand of the Father? What is the significance of His presence there? [18:27]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of Jesus' one-time sacrifice challenge or reinforce the understanding of salvation in the context of the Old and New Covenants? [06:01]

2. What does it mean for believers that Jesus is able to "save to the uttermost"? How does this impact the assurance of salvation? [12:05]

3. In what ways does Jesus' prayer in John 17 for protection, sanctification, and unity reflect His ongoing intercession for believers today? [24:28]

4. How does the sermon explain the relationship between Jesus' intercession and the blessings believers receive? What does this imply about the nature of God's grace? [20:59]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you faced trials. How did your understanding of Jesus' superiority and His sacrifice help you hold fast to your faith? [03:08]

2. Jesus' intercession is described as His presence at the right hand of the Father. How can this understanding change the way you pray or seek God's blessings in your life? [18:27]

3. In John 17, Jesus prays for the unity of believers. How can you actively contribute to unity within your church community, especially when differences arise? [38:20]

4. Consider the idea that all our hope lies outside of ourselves, focused on the cross. What practical steps can you take to shift your focus from self-reliance to reliance on Jesus? [44:41]

5. Jesus prays for the sanctification of believers in the truth. What specific areas of your life need to be more aligned with God's truth, and how can you work towards that alignment this week? [29:24]

6. The sermon emphasizes that Jesus Himself is the gospel. How can this perspective influence the way you share your faith with others? [43:42]

7. Reflect on the statement that Jesus' intercession ensures believers are kept from the evil one. How can this assurance impact your daily spiritual battles and reliance on God's protection? [25:21]

Devotional

Day 1: The Superiority of Christ in Trials
In the letter to the Hebrews, believers are encouraged to hold fast to the superiority of Jesus Christ, especially during times of trial. The letter emphasizes that Jesus' one-time sacrifice on the cross accomplished what the Old Covenant sacrifices could not, offering a better hope, covenant, possession, and country. In Christ, everything is better, and His sacrifice is perfect and effective. This message is particularly relevant for Christians facing severe trials, as it reminds them that Jesus' sacrifice and intercession are sufficient for their salvation and perseverance. [05:01]

Hebrews 10:19-23 (ESV): "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, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful."

Reflection: In what specific area of your life are you currently facing trials? How can you hold fast to the superiority of Christ in this situation today?


Day 2: Intercession as Presence
Jesus' intercession is His presence at the right hand of the Father, containing every blessing for His people. His intercession is not vocal but is embodied in His risen, sin-atoning presence. As the Father beholds the atoning glory of His Son, He sees a life that has won everything good for His people. This understanding of intercession shifts the focus from words to the powerful presence of Christ, which continually advocates for believers before God. [18:27]

Romans 8:34 (ESV): "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."

Reflection: How does knowing that Jesus' presence is His intercession change the way you approach prayer and your relationship with God today?


Day 3: Jesus' High Priestly Prayer
In John 17, Jesus prays for His apostles and the church, asking for their protection from the evil one, sanctification in the truth, and unity. His intercession ensures that believers are kept from the evil one, sanctified in the truth, and united as one body. This prayer highlights the ongoing work of Christ in the lives of believers, emphasizing the importance of unity and sanctification in the truth. [24:28]

John 17:15-17 (ESV): "I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth."

Reflection: In what ways can you actively pursue unity and sanctification in your community of believers today?


Day 4: Saved to the Uttermost
Jesus' intercession is for those who draw near to God through Him. It is through His intercession that believers are saved to the uttermost. Our hope is not in our faith but in Jesus Christ, who is the gospel and the good news. This assurance of salvation emphasizes the completeness and sufficiency of Christ's work, encouraging believers to draw near to God with confidence. [42:41]

Hebrews 7:25 (ESV): "Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them."

Reflection: What steps can you take today to draw nearer to God, trusting in the complete salvation offered through Jesus Christ?


Day 5: The Cross as the Test of Everything
All our hope lies outside of ourselves, focused on the cross, which is the test of everything. Jesus' substitutionary atonement on Calvary's cross has made an everlasting salvation for all who believe, for He is Himself the salvation of God. This focus on the cross as the center of the gospel message calls believers to continually look to Jesus for their hope and salvation. [44:41]

1 Corinthians 1:18 (ESV): "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

Reflection: How can you keep the cross central in your daily life, allowing it to shape your thoughts, actions, and interactions with others today?

Quotes

"Consider," he says, "and grasp the preeminent superiority of the Lord Jesus Christ, especially the perfect effectiveness of His sacrifice for sin and the perfect effectiveness of His present intercession at God's right hand for the people given to Him by His Father." [00:04:15]

"In Christ," chapter 7 verse 19, "we have a better hope." Jesus Christ Himself, 7:22, is a better covenant. Chapter 10 verse 34, because of Christ we have a better possession. 11:16, in Christ we are heading for a better country. Because of Jesus Christ, 11:35, we have a better hope. [00:05:01]

He wants these hard-pressed, spiritually debilitated believers to understand that in Christ everything is better. Substance replaces shadow, reality replaces type or copy, fulfillment replaces promise. What the Old Covenant sacrifices could never accomplish and were never ever intended to accomplish, Jesus Christ has accomplished by His One self-offering oblation on Calvary's cross. [00:05:50]

He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. He wants to remind them, just as we need always to be reminded, that the Lord Jesus Christ has come and made the one perfect sacrifice for sin. To go back from Jesus is to turn away from the one, effective, perfect sacrifice for sin. [00:09:49]

He is interceding ceaselessly, unendingly before God for all whom the Father has given to Him. But what does that actually mean? What does it mean for Him, for Him to intercede before His Father for us? What does it mean for Him to be an intercessor at the right hand of the Heavenly Father? [00:12:43]

His intercession is His presence at the right hand of His Father. His intercession is not vocal at all. His risen, sin-atoning, sin-vanquishing, Satan-conquering presence at His Father's right hand contains every conceivable blessing that His people could ever ask for or ever need. [00:17:50]

In other words, as the Father beholds the atoning glory of His Son, He sees a life that has won everything good for all His people. He beholds His Son, and in His Son He beholds His elect people, believing sinners in all the ages of history, and He sees them united to the One who by His obedience unto death has won every conceivable blessing in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. [00:21:06]

And what is it that He prays? Well, in verses 1 through 5, he prays that the Father might glorify Him, that through Him being glorified, the Father Himself will be glorified. But then from verse 6 to the end of the chapter, He prays first for the apostles in their unique situation as His divinely inspired ambassadors. [00:23:49]

He first of all prays in verse 15 that His Father will keep these men, who are the chosen penmen of God, the divinely inspired apostles of Christ. He prays that the Father would keep them from the evil one, keep them from the evil one. "I do not ask you to take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one." [00:24:52]

And Jesus prays, "Father, sanctify them in the truth." He is praying that these men and those who will come to faith through the witness, the apostolic, inspired witness of these men, would live distinctively different lives from the world into which God had planted them. He does not pray they will be taken out of the world, verse 15, but equally he is not asking them to live like the world. [00:30:50]

What is my hope built on? My trembling, weak, inconstant faith? God forbid. "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness." My faith will at times fail me utterly, but Jesus Christ will never fail me. He saves to the uttermost all who come to God through Him. [00:43:57]

Jesus Christ is the gospel. He is the good news. It's not that God gives us salvation as a gift apart from His Son. He gives us His Son, who is our salvation. And that's why for every one look at yourself, you should take ten looks to Jesus Christ, because all our hope lies outside of ourselves. [00:44:41]

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