Christ Stands in the Gap for You

Opening

In the climactic moment of Avengers: Endgame, Tony Stark, fueled by sheer determination, dons all six of the powerful Infinity Stones upon his uniform. As he clenches his fist, a surge of cosmic energy courses through him, illuminating his suit with a dazzling glow. The air crackles with the raw power as Tony defiantly snaps his fingers, unleashing a cataclysmic wave of energy.

That same energy ripples outward, disintegrating all of Thanos’ menacing army into a swirling cloud of cosmic dust, leaving Thanos standing, watching his mighty army fall, with him last to succumb to the inevitable end. But the cost of wielding such unimaginable might, for Tony Stark, though resolute in his victory, becomes apparent as he, too, begins to succumb to the overwhelming force.

In this poignant moment, Tony Stark, the genius billionaire, sacrifices himself for the greater good. His body gradually shuts down due to the overwhelming power, too great for a mere mortal, leaving behind a legacy of Thanos’ tyranny. The battleground falls silent, echoing the sacrifice of a superhero who became something more — a hero.

Stan Lee, God rest his soul, sure knew how to write a good story. And while much of this moment echoes our understanding of the gospel, it also stands with, forgive the pun, stark differences from Christ’s sacrifice. As Tony Stark dies in the fiction of comic books, Christ lives as we speak, in victory, in heaven. As Tony Stark fell to a tragic hero’s end, Christ rose from his tomb to spark a new beginning. Comparatively, just as Thanos’ grip on power is loosed by Tony’s final courageous and selfless act, we can no longer be clutched by the grip of sin and death through the blood, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And as he appeared to upwards of 500 witnesses following his death, he also ascended as his disciples watched him depart from this world. And scripture tells us he is now seated at the right hand of the Father, currently and actively interceding on your and my behalf. In this short series, Resurrection Power, I invite you to think with me on what the resurrection of Christ means for us. Today we will tackle the subject of Christ’s current work in heaven, actively interceding for you and for me. Next week we will focus on the work of the Holy Spirit, as He indwells you and me, and guides us as we are given power by Him to usher in the Kingdom of God wherever we go. Then, in the final part of this series, we will look at both now, and the future, as we share in the priesthood of all believers, being sealed in the Spirit as coheirs with Him, and our reign with Christ upon His return here on earth.

Brothers and sisters, everything…literally everything in our faith hinges upon Christ’s resurrection. Without the resurrection, there would be no evidence of eternal life, no confirmation of Christ’s authority beyond his earthly existence, and no assurance of our salvation through His name; but the fact that he walked the earth, lost his life, but walked the earth again in his bodily form, is why you and I are in this very room and not on the golf course, the tennis court, the farmer’s market or anywhere else this morning. So for me, this series is so, so important. Because on Easter we sung songs like, “Up from the Grave He Arose,” or “Christ the Lord is Risen Today,” but the fact is this isn’t just a back then, over there truth, this is a right here, right now truth. His resurrection power is not just for him rising from the dead 2000 years ago, but for you and me to enjoy and share with others today. He is still investing in His Kingdom, both through His interceding power on the earth, and in His interceding work ongoing for you and for me at the right hand of the Father. Once and for all, his sacrifice has covered us, but His mediation for us is ongoing at this very moment.

Richard Watson explains a mediator like this: A mediator is one who stands in a middle office or capacity between two differing parties, and has a power of transacting every thing between them, and of reconciling them to each other. Hence a mediator between God and man is one whose office properly is to mediate and transact affairs between them relating to the favour of — almighty God — and — the duty and happiness of man. No sooner had Adam transgressed the law of God in paradise, and become a sinful creature, than the Almighty was pleased in mercy to appoint a Mediator, a Redeemer, who, in due time, should be born into the world, to make an atonement both for Adam’s transgression, and for all the sins of men…it became a necessary part of faith…to worship God through hope in this Mediator. This hope was observed in sacrifices and through all succeeding generations, till the Redeemer himself should come, who was to make the true and only proper satisfaction and atonement.

In our text today, Paul encourages the Roman church with these words (Romans 8:33-34): 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.

Hebrews 9:22 reminds us that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin. All the high priests and all the temple sacrifices were just placeholders for Christ and His defining work as both High Priest and atoning sacrifice. The author of Hebrews tells us Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant. There have been many priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. In fact, He is a high priest who truly meets our need — one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

We understand in the Old Testament that one of the great mediators between God and Israel was Moses. He led the people out of captivity and slavery, provided the 10 Commandments by way of communing with God on Mount Sinai, and brought them to the shores of the land God had promised. Often Moses can be found grumbling about the peoples’ complaints but when they needed him most, he advocated for them. We see in Exodus 32:7-14 when:

7 The Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. 8 They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’

9 “I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people. 10 Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”

11 But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. “Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’” 14 Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

Moses defended the Israelites from destruction by defending their position before God as His chosen people. Now, some of us in our worldly perspective might think: how is this God worthy to be followed? Why would He want to wipe His own chosen people off the earth? But here’s the thing: our very own perspective has been corrupted. The very way in which you and I view right and wrong is in relation to the fallen nature of this very world we inhabit. No matter how we see things, it is always by way of relationship to systems and structures, people and patterns that have all been subjected to the fall in Genesis 3. It is very easy for you and I in our intellect to judge God. I say this because Isaiah 55:8-9 tells us 8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

You see, brothers and sisters, God is holy. The term holiness, by definition, means God is “set apart.” He’s beyond our plane of understanding. Perfection is not something we can understand perfectly because of our problematic perspective. We know Christ died because of our sin. Just as the Jewish people celebrate Passover to remember God passing over their homes because the lamb’s blood marked their doorposts, Christ’s bloodshed allows God to no longer see our sin. The one true Passover Lamb makes himself into the greatest defense lawyer the world has ever known.

Weird question, but I’m going to ask it anyway: have any of you needed to stand before a judge in court? I had to do it once. I had gotten a parking ticket for parking in a handicapped spot at church. At 9:30 pm. On a Tuesday night. For a worship planning meeting with 2 other volunteers. My car was one of 3 in the whole parking lot. Now, I’m not justifying myself here. But I am. I am justifying myself here. But with parking in a handicapped spot, there was a mandatory court appearance. Now, I don’t know about you. But for me, just driving into the courthouse parking lot, I just felt this weight. The feeling of inevitability was palpable, and I was more quiet than a church mouse entering that building that night. Just for parking in the wrong location. But they set it up so that you can talk to someone for a plea bargain or something before you register your plea to the judge. Even then, I began to shake and just sitting there, I start bouncing my knee, just feeling this same weight. And it’s finally my name that gets called into the courtroom and as I walk up through the aisle, my knees are practically buckling, shaking all the way up. They pronounce the ticket number and case, and one of them, I can’t even remember if it was the judge or not, asks, “how do you plead?” So, of course, at that moment, my voice quivered like an 11-year old boy, “guilty.” And just like that, it was all over…and to this day, there could be absolutely no parking spaces and even if I’m just running in for something quick, I’d rather put my hazards on in the middle of the road than park in a handicapped parking spot.

Now, here’s the thing, let’s reframe this: Almighty God stands to judge every one of us. The one who is holy, who knows no sin, stands to judge you and me. When Isaiah tells us that he saw the Lord in his sixth chapter, what does he say? He says, “Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” All of us, upon seeing this King of Glory, the royal judge on His throne, will wilt like grass in a summer heatwave. As much fear I may have experienced standing before a man in a black robe over a mere parking ticket, when you and I stand before a holy and righteous judge like the Ancient of Days, one can only imagine how the fear we would encounter. As much guilt I may have felt from a parking ticket, imagine standing before a judge who sees all your sin and knows your thoughts, and yet He Himself is holy and blameless.

There is only one defense for you and I. 1 Timothy 2:5-6 says 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. Hebrews 7:25 says this is why he can completely save those who are approaching God through Him, because he always lives to speak with God for them.

Christ is actively mediating and interceding for us. Even as you and I struggle with sin and temptation, Christ pleads our case before a holy, perfect, and righteous judge. The Father sees us through Him. Even as we succumb to sin and temptation, the Father smacks the gavel on the bench and proclaims, “not guilty! Not guilty!” You have been forgiven. You have been set free. You have been redeemed.

—slow down— Jesus, here and now, stands in the gap for you and for me. He stood in the gap for you while He lived His days on earth, being tempted and tested as every person has, and yet did not sin. He stood in the gap for you while being brought up to Pontius Pilate and given every opportunity to absolve Himself, and yet, as Isaiah foretold, stood silent as a lamb prepared for slaughter. He stood in the gap for you as His arms were outstretched on the cross; the One taking on your and my sin, though He had none, to absorb the weight of our failings. He stood in the gap for you as He waged war against death itself, crushing the enemy in just 3 days. He stands in the gap for you even now, risen and ascended, seated at the right hand of the Father, covering you with His love and compassion. We enjoy this blessed assurance because of Christ’s active work of mercy.

Friends, this is grace. Christ’s resurrection makes this possible. He loves wholly, completely, and without ceasing. Psalm 103 says for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. 15 The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; 16 the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— 18 with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. 19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.

Praise God that today He sees you through the righteousness fulfilled in His Son. Praise God that as we come to the table, and remember what Christ has done, that the table you and I eat and drink from is only in remembrance. We have a Savior who is actively advocating for us and presenting us, holy and blameless, before the Father. —pause— Let us pray.