HIS WORK FOR YOU NEVER STOPS

Last time, in our journey through the letter to the Hebrews, we spoke of Jesus’ perfect, once for all sacrifice and how it is unrepeatable and irreversible. In the prophetic words of Isaiah 53 –penned 700 years before it happened, this Servant “makes himself an offering for sin“(Isa 53:10). This offering was complete, finished, but it was not the finish of Jesus’ work –he continually intercedes for us, is there for us in all our struggles. He knows what it is like to be human with all our limitations as we have noted here previously.

This teaching of Christ’s advocacy for us echoes that of Paul’s, for example in Romans 8:33-34, Paul writes,

Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died —more than that, who was raised to life —is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

In Jesus, we boldly appear before the Lord Himself! And this is a continual experience. We are invited to live an impossible life, a life above sense and reason, a supernatural life in the power of His Son, says Andrew Murray. These are not just nice words but reality for us in our daily life. This is our native environment—what we have been created for, having his love broadcast into our hearts continually.

Jesus spoke about this life to the woman of Samaria in John 4, stunning her, saying …

“…. whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.  ……. a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.  God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

His work for us is permanent. It never ceases. Like a surging spring of invigorating, life-giving water, our Lord works in our hearts his peace, his love, his joy and his hope. Now this is “worship” and here are the new worshippers in the Spirit. Now, Jesus continually, without a moment’s pause, lives and works in the heavenlies to keep us abiding in this joyous place. And we are summoned to be worshippers in truth –to do his will, to serve, to obey, to love, to care for one another. So simple really, and so profound.

We must see what God promises and then allow Him, wait on Him, to work His Son’s life in us as promised. We need to ask God to rid us of all defective, obsolete and unworthy views of what Jesus, our great high priest means for us. We need to abandon the weak and futile religious stuff that men have added down the centuries and contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to us (Jude 3).

Just look at what Paul reminds the Ephesian believers:

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ (Eph 1:7-9)

Paul then wrote about God’s incomparably great power for us who believe:

That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

Can we see how significant this is! Can we remain unmoved by such extravagance, such a solid plunge into reality, ultimate reality? God promises so much and wants to embrace us with His great love through Jesus. Here is our “Sabbath Rest”. Let’s leave behind the complicated subverted Christianity and choose the simple life together we see encouraged by the author of this unique letter.

You are weary of trying to stay the course? Listen to Jesus’ words to the disciple Peter “I have prayed for you that your faith does not fail …” (Luke 22:32) and also to the 12, as he prayed for them in John 17. What he did for his followers then he will continue to do so for us who are his servants, who long for his appearing.

What! You are not good enough? Who is? Look, you are immensely valuable, otherwise he would not have made the sacrifice, he would not be there as your constant advocate. All that fancy religious stuff that has subverted the simplicity of the first believers will soon disappear. Instead, Jesus is the “throned priest-king, asking what he will from a Father who always hears and grants his requests. Our Lord’s life in heaven is his prayer” says H. B. Swete (1912).   David Wilkerson wrote …

In this sad, weary, worn-out state, the Holy Spirit brings the man this word: “There is a way out for you. There is a place of victory, peace, joy, newness of life. Accept Christ’s call to run to Him and find rest.”

He has gone, out of sight in the heavenlies but is still with us enabling us in the Spirit, still there for us in our needs and suffering, “an advocate with the Father” (1 John 2:1). Time to be still, to know God, to be at rest, to be living now in his ‘household’. His work for you and for me never stops.

Run to him –it will be a vote of confidence in God’s great purpose for you, for us.