Our Advocate

As our great high priest, Jesus also acts as our advocate. This means that He is our defense attorney—or lawyer—who represents us and pleads our case. Sitting at the highest place in heaven, Christ is His people’s defense attorney, not their prosecutor.

He is a representative of God, totally acceptable to the Father. As such, He makes the resources of heaven—including divine grace, power, and mercy—freely available to His people (Eph. 1:3).

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. (1 John 2:1–2)

John wrote so that we won’t sin. However, if we do sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, who is the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Jesus isn’t pleading your case before an angry God who wants to judge you for your sin. Instead, Christ stands alongside you as your advocate, removing the barriers that stand in the way of your fellowship with your Creator. He defends your case against “the accuser of our brethren,” the Devil (Rev. 12:10).

Notice that John said, “We have an Advocate with the Father.” This is a family matter.

Righteousness means right standing with God. It is the ability to stand in God’s presence without shame. When you sin, your conscience lets you know. This is good and healthy. However, God’s Enemy—who is called “the accuser of the brethren”—condemns you in your conscience “day and night” (Rev. 12:10). That’s where the problem lies.

But thank God, there is One who moves on your behalf to defend you. What is more, He doesn’t charge for His work, and He’s never lost a case!

As our advocate, Jesus defends us. Not on the basis of our own works or worthiness, but on the basis of His work on our behalf.

Because of the blood of Christ, we can come to God’s throne boldly and with confidence. Jesus is a sympathetic high priest who understands our weaknesses, for He was tempted in all points as we are.

In other words, the high priestly ministry of Jesus Christ enables Him to identify with our struggles and temptations. We often think of Jesus as being unable to relate to us and our weaknesses because He was perfect and never sinned.

Yes, Jesus was perfect, and He never sinned. But He was subject to all the weaknesses and temptations to which we are subject. So much so that He personally relates to us in our struggles.

Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. (Heb. 2:17–18)

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb. 4:15–16)

In ourselves, we are not worthy to approach the holy presence of God. But we aren’t in ourselves. We are in Christ.

Consequently, the high priestly ministry of Jesus Christ gives us perpetual access to God the Father. Because of the cleansing of the blood (sprinkled on the mercy seat of God’s throne) and “the washing of water with the word” (Eph. 5:26), we can come into God’s holy presence with boldness.

Therefore, brothers, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way He has opened for us through the curtain (that is, His flesh), and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. (Heb. 10:19–22 HCSB)

Paul echoed this thought, saying:

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor. 5:21)

Our Intercessor

The high priestly ministry of Jesus Christ also guarantees His constant intercession for us.

But Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. (Heb. 7:24–25)

Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. (Rom. 8:33–34)

While Jesus was on earth, He prayed for Peter (Luke 22:31–32). He also prayed for His disciples, including His future disciples—which includes you and me (John 17).

However, I’m not sure Jesus is kneeling at the right hand of God and praying for every single child of God on earth.

Rather, Jesus intercedes for us continually by virtue of the wounds in His hands and feet, bearing our humanity before the Father, and persistently cleansing us of our sins and mediating the new covenant to us (1 John 1:7–9).

For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all. (1 Tim. 2:5–6)

As our mediating high priest, Jesus saves sinners (1 Tim. 1:15); He delivers them from the wrath to come (1 Thess. 1:10); He atones for their sins (Heb. 2:17); He is the guarantee and mediator of a new and better covenant (Heb. 7:22; 8:6; 9:15; 12:24); and He is our peace, giving us unclouded access to God the Father, peace with ourselves, and peace in our consciences (Eph. 2:14).

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. (Heb. 7:25 ESV)

If we have an uttermost need, Jesus is the uttermost Savior to meet it. His ministry at the right hand of God is tireless and unceasing. He ever lives to make intercession for us.

Since the sixteenth century, Christians have called John 17 “the Lord’s high priestly prayer.” Because He is the sinless, perfect Son of God, the prayers of Jesus—which includes the prayer in John 17—are always answered. That’s good news for every child of God.

These are excerpts from Frank Viola author’s book Jesus Now.

Several years ago, Michael Hyatt (former CEO of Thomas Nelson) responded to a rumor on his blog. In the post, Michael wrote,

“According to the most recent rumor—which I’ve now heard twice—we [Thomas Nelson] are planning a layoff for June 19th … We are scheduled to close the transaction on June 12th, so, supposedly, this will happen the week following. I want to assure you that this is indeed a baseless rumor. There is absolutely no truth to it … If you hear this rumor, I would be grateful if you would help me short-circuit it. You can tell ’em it’s not true, and you heard it directly from me.”

I recall when this rumor was circulating and was saddened (and surprised) at how many Christians believed it without going straight to Michael to see if it was true or false.

Another example that’s much more national. [Read more…]

Hebrews exhorts us to come boldly to the “throne of grace” (4:16). Where God’s people are concerned, Jesus Christ sits on a throne of grace, not a throne of judgment.

His throne is one of judgment to those who refuse to trust and follow Him. But if you have trusted Christ, His throne emits grace and mercy.

That said, if you are struggling with condemnation and guilt, I suggest you do two things:

1. Repent of all known sin. That means turn away from it. If you’ve sinned against someone directly, confess your sin to him or her.

2. Accept the fact that the blood of Jesus was enough to satisfy God and it looms larger than your sin in His eyes. So receive the Lord’s forgiveness by faith.

Consider this thought: When you feel condemned for something you’ve done wrong, you are essentially making yourself an idol. Why? Because you’re setting your opinion over God’s opinion.

There are many uncertainties in life. But there is one thing that is not uncertain: God’s acceptance because of the blood of Jesus shed on your behalf. So arm your conscience with the reality of what the blood has done for you, and be set free from guilt and condemnation.

Thank God for the “precious” blood of Christ (1 Pet. 1:19), the “sprinkled” blood of Christ (Heb. 12:24), the blood of “the new covenant” (Luke 22:20), the blood of “the eternal covenant” shed for us (Heb. 13:20).

This article is from JESUS NOW by Frank Viola, author.

“The life … is in the blood” (Lev. 17:11).

The following article is an excerpt from the book Jesus Now by Frank Viola Author

Rest

He makes me lie down in green pastures …

Sheep will not lie down if they are afraid. Neither can they find rest if they are bothered by other sheep or insects or if they are hungry. Sheep must be completely at peace before they can sleep.

It is the shepherd’s job to ensure that a sheep is content enough to relax. Sheep are easily startled. This makes them one of the most timid animals on the planet.

The main thing that causes a sheep to feel safe and secure is to spot the shepherd. Seeing the shepherd relieves the sheep’s anxiety and puts it at ease. It also causes a sheep to be at peace with other sheep.

In the same way, being conscious of the presence of Jesus relieves our fears and causes us to rest. The presence of Christ causes us to forget about our squabbles with others, which are often rooted in selfish ambition and pride.

It is the present-day ministry of Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, that gives us calm in the midst of life’s storms. It is His presence that relieves us from parasites and other pests that disturb our peace. And it is His nearness that causes us to lose all sense of rivalry and competition with others.

The shepherd’s job is to clear the ground of roots, stumps, and weeds and to ensure that there is fresh grass for the sheep to find rest. Again, hungry sheep can only stand.

Jesus, our good shepherd, provides us with spiritual food so that we can rest contented. This is available to all of God’s children, if we only avail ourselves of it.

Refreshment

He leads me beside quiet waters …

Typically, sheep rise before dawn and begin to eat. If there is heavy dew on the grass, sheep can go for months without actually drinking. One of the jobs of the shepherd, then, is to provide water for the sheep.

In the Gospels, Jesus had a lot to say about thirst and drinking.

Go to the well that never runs dry. You don’t ever need to thirst again. On the other hand, substitutes like drugs, fame, possessions, sex, etc., will all eventually run dry.

Jesus gives us water to drink. Just like the real food we are given to eat, the real water is Himself.

“If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water” … Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” (John 4:10, 13–14)

As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. (John 6:57 KJV)

The following article is an excerpt from the book Jesus Now by Frank Viola Author

A friend of mine tells the story of traveling through the steppes of Afghanistan and northern regions of Iran, being struck by the pastoral style of life present there.

It’s a simple life, relatively the same as it was two thousand years ago when peasants moved from site to site, herding their livestock. One day my friend, through a translator, asked an older herdsman what the greatest challenge of being a shepherd was. His response, given in a measured chuckle was: “Getting the sheep to know that I’m the shepherd, and they’re not!” This about sums up the Christian life, doesn’t it?

While He was on earth, Jesus described Himself as the good shepherd, and one of His foremost disciples calls him “the chief shepherd.”:

I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. (John 10:11–15)

Since His resurrection, He is also called “the great Shepherd of the sheep.”

Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord. (Heb. 13:20)

And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. (1 Peter 5:4)

What exactly is the Lord’s role as chief shepherd? And what does it mean when He calls himself “the good shepherd?” These are questions I’ve wondered about for quite some time. Perhaps the best text in the entire Bible that answers them is Psalm 23. Let’s look at it with an eye to understanding the present-day ministry of Jesus Christ.

On Shepherds and Sheep

Sheep are the most frequently mentioned animal in all of Scripture. God’s people are often depicted in the Bible as sheep.

David, who wrote Psalm 23, was a shepherd by trade. He had an intimate knowledge of shepherding and of sheep. I’ve always thought that was interesting. David was perhaps the greatest king in all of Israelite history, and certainly the founder of an entire dynasty of rulers.

Usually when a king or a ruler in ancient cultures came to power, what he did was re-write his backstory. Think of Octavian, the nephew of Julius Caesar, rising to power—what did he do? He changed his name to Augustus (which means “one worthy of worship”) and had several new biographies commissioned, each one linking him to the gods and and heroes of Roman mythology.

But with David we see something different. It seems that when people remembered him, they proudly recalled his humble beginnings. I wonder why? Part of my own belief is that being a shepherd–being attached to sheep–was not only a valid way of living, it was also recognized to being deeply connected with God’s own heart.

Shepherding is fit for a king because it reflects the occupation of the Creator of all things. From a Christian worldview many of David’s songs all point to Christ. This is no more true than with several of his “shepherd’s songs.” Interestingly, Psalm 22, 23, and 24 all foreshadow different aspects of Christ’s ministry.

Psalm 22 points to Christ’s crucifixion (past).

Psalm 24 points to His second coming (future).

And right in the middle, Psalm 23 points to the Lord’s present-day ministry. Thus it is a text that firmly belongs to us.

The LORD is my shepherd,

I shall not want;

He makes me lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside quiet waters.

He restores my soul;

He guides me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I fear no evil, for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You have anointed my head with oil;

My cup overflows.

Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,

And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Ps. 23)

Let’s break down each part of this passage with an eye toward understanding the present-day ministry of Christ as our great shepherd.