Prayer and the Priesthood of Jesus

 

Sunday, July 8

Pastor Oliver R. Blosser, M.Div., Ph.D.

 

Faith Community Church

Pipestone, MN

 

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.

 

I.  The Intercessory Priesthood Of Jesus, Hebrews 7:15-28

       The priesthood is not a human institution, but a divine vocation. No priest takes the honor upon himself, but he was called by God. So our Lord did not call Himself to be made a High Priest, but in accordance with His calling, Jesus was appointed by the Father. The calling of our Lord had been prophetically proclaimed by an important passage in the Psalms;

Psalm 110:4   The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

       Melchizedek was a priest of God at the time of Abraham, Genesis 14:18-20. His priesthood was special in God’s plan. It predates the priestly ministry of the tribe of Levi which was established in the Law by Moses. In Psalm 110:4, the Messiah, Jesus, is called a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.  In this prophecy, the priesthood of Melchizedek is fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ. The introduction of the order of Melchizedek means the disappearance of the temporal order of Levi. The reality foreshadowed by Melchizedek is Christ, the One who is for ever, first, because He is the eternal Son, Psalm 2:7, and second, because by His incarnation and sacrifice of Himself. He has become mankind’s High Priest, who by the power of His Resurrection from the dead and the glory of His exaltation to the right hand of the Majesty on high, has redeemed and raised up with Himself our fallen nature. He, who died once for us, now lives, never again to die, Romans 1:4; 6:9; I Corinthians 15:20. The crown has followed the cross, and it is this power of an indestructible life, which guarantees that He is indeed our High Priest forever.

       One primary duty of a priest is to make sacrifices before God to atone for the sins of the people. Jesus Christ made an eternal sacrifice of Himself, the Perfect Lamb of God, to atone through His blood once and for all times the sins of humankind.

       Another primary duty of a priest is to bring sinful humans before God in intercession. Under Old Testament Law, the high priest came once a year to plead for the forgiveness of sins for the people of God. He made intercession for the people. Our great High Priest, Jesus, makes intercession for us, but because He is of the order of Melchizedek, His priesthood is eternal! He ever lives to make intercession for us, Romans 8:34.

       From the Book of Hebrews, we learn seven wonderful things about the intercessory priesthood of Christ in Hebrews 7:15-28;

1.    It is eternal, because He lives forever.

2.    It provides a better hope through a new Covenant.

3.    It is unchangeable, established by God with an oath.

4.    It is the surety of a better covenant, which is eternal.

5.    It delivers (saves) those who draw near to God through Christ.

6.    It offers a High Priest who is holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, immune from all sin, and separate from the company of other priests who are sinners; and He is now exalted above the heavens.

7.    It provides a once for all time sacrifice for all people.

II.  The Intercessory Prayer Ministry Of Jesus, Hebrews 5:5-10.

       Jesus’ prayer life, as our great High Priest, is unique. The Bible reminds us that Jesus Christ, who is even at the right hand of God, ... also maketh intercession for us, Romans 8:34. Yes, that is the High Priestly ministry of our Lord that He ever makes intercession for us according to the will of God.

What does it mean to intercede?

       Intercession is the act of petitioning God or praying on the behalf of another person or group. The sinful nature of this world separates human beings from God. It has always been necessary, therefore, for righteous individuals to go before God to seek reconciliation between Him and His fallen creation.

       One of the earliest and best examples of intercession of this type occurs in Genesis 18, where Abraham speaks to God on behalf of Sodom. His plea is compassionate; it is concerned with the well-being of others rather than with his own needs. Such selfless concern is the mark of all true intercession.

What were the intercessory prayers of Jesus like?

       In the Book of Hebrews, we learn about the intercessory prayer ministry of Jesus, and we find out what His intercessory prayers were like, Hebrews 5:5-10. The historical reference in this text is to our Lord’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. His agony in the Garden was occasioned by something deeper than the fear of physical death; for what He faced was not simply a painful death but also judgment; the judgment of a holy God against sin, our sin, which is the experience of the ‘second death,’ Revelation 20:14; cf., 9:27, the horrible experience of separation from God.

       Notice how Jesus prayed His intercessory prayer in our behalf;

       1.         Jesus prayed with cries and tears.

       2.         Jesus prayed in the fear (awe) of God.

       3.         Jesus prayed with obedience to the Father’s will.

Here is intercession for us and it provides a model for us as we pray for others through intercessory prayer. It was, because the prayer of Christ in Gethsemane was a prayer of total submission to the will of His Father, Philippians 2:8, that it was heard and answered; namely, that the Father raised Christ from the dead, Romans 5:19; 6:9.

How does Christ pray for us, today?

       The sacrifices and prayers of Old Testament priests, Exodus 29:42; 30:7, were acts of intercession, which pointed forward to the work of Christ. Christ is, of course, the greatest Intercessor. He prayed on behalf of Peter, Luke 22:32, and His disciples, John 17. Then in the most selfless intercession of all, He petitioned God on behalf of those who crucified Him, Luke 23:34.

       But Christ’s intercessory work did not cease when He returned to Heaven. In Heaven, He intercedes for His Church, Hebrews 7:25. His Holy Spirit pleads on behalf of the individual Christian, Romans 8:26-27.

       Jesus Christ is praying for you! What an amazing concept! He is even now pleading your cause in the courts of Heaven; our great High Priest! He is carrying our concerns, needs and prayers before the throne of God, making intercession for us!

How can we intercede for others according to Christ’s model?

       Finally, because of their unique relationship to God through Christ, Christians are urged to intercede for all people, I Timothy 2:1. Jesus extends His prayer ministry through us as we intercede for others for His sake and in His Name.

       When you pray for others, with genuine compassion and concern, your prayers are powerful. Consider these suggestions for your prayer time:

-      Pray for those you know and love who are lost and need salvation. Ask God to soften their hearts and to provide strong Christian witnesses in their lives.

-      Ask God to meet the needs of those who are ill and suffering. Ask Him to guide their doctors in wisdom and to send healing and strength, so that He will be glorified in the healing. Ask Him to give them patience and hope.

-      Pray for those who need to grow spiritually. Ask God to help them find counsel and Godly wisdom. Ask Him to use His Word to speak to them.

-      Pray for your church family. Ask God to guide our church leaders and to provide us with clear direction and wise decisions.

-      Pray for your children and the children of other families in the church. Ask God to inspire the teachers and youth workers, and to guide the young people in the difficulties of life. Ask God to help them develop strong Christian friendships and pray for wisdom for the parents.

       There are so many needs all around us, we can never find time to pray for all of them. But we can pray for some of them! And we can rejoice that Jesus Christ is our Intercessor, taking every need before the Father in Heaven!