Intercede

Introduction

We are in the very last chapter that we are going to be covering in the gospel of John together. This has been a wile ride through the gospel of John and I hope that what you have ultimately taken away from all of this was the power of Jesus Christ in the life of a believer. The power that the true light has over the darkness and even in the darkest moments and places of the earth the light of the world that is Jesus Christ can shine brighter. He can reach farther with his light than anyone can slip into the darkness and his light can illuminate the darkest hearts. We learned that Jesus is life and that anytime he comes into contact with people who are dead they are raised to life and to a life that is abundant and full of truth and goodness. Jesus changes everything

Jesus prayer with the Father symbolizes the access we have

I want us to read through the prayer that Jesus directs at His Father in this portion of scripture.

John 17:1–5 NIV

1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

Jesus approaches God in prayer simply and plainly and He could because Jesus and God the Father shared a Father-Son relationship. He began His prayer with the word Father and he uses it 3 other times in this prayer in total. What does this imply for us? I believe Jesus is opening up in plain sight the access that we too can share with God the Father. An all access pass to come directly to Him.

The apostle Paul is very clear on this and I think Paul often times just couldn’t believe it because of the reckless life that he at one point had lived.

Romans 8:23 NIV

23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.

Galatians 4:5 NIV

5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.

Ephesians 1:5 NIV

5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—

Adoption and sonship to who? To the Father. The experience that Jesus shared in that direct access to the Father is the same experience that you and I as sons and daughters get to share in. Look how direct Jesus is. You can be direct with God. In fact he desires it because look at verse 3.

John 17:3 NIV

3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

The word that is used in the original language for know is often times used in the Septuagint and sometimes in the Greek New Testament to describe the intimacy of a sexual relationship. So a person who knows God has an intimate personal relationship with Him. Direct and one on one. You and Him.

Why does any of this matter? Because direct access to God changes everything. What I love about the gospel as a whole is that it doesn’t matter how messed up and broken you are or have been. It doesn’t matter how far away you are from being a “good” person. The Gospel is the only power to transform a life and give access to the Father and today God is honestly waiting for an intimate relationship with you.

Jesus Intercession gives us an example to intercede

Have you ever heard anyone say that prayer changes things? I really wonder what the life of the disciples, and believers across the earth would look like if Jesus had not prayed this prayer. In fact the intercession of Jesus doesn’t just stop there. Paul says that this is a continued process of Jesus over and over again in our lives. Look at this in

Romans 8:34 NIV

34 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.

Christ is at the right hand of God and interceding for us. Now I just find that absolutely amazing to think about. Here is the other interesting thing. If Christ is interceding for us at the right hand of God is he also condemning us? No you aren’t condemned any longer and Christ is constantly making this intercession for you before his father and then John writes this:

1 John 2:1 NIV

1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

So what does all of that mean for us. It means this

Hebrews 4:16 NIV

16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

I believe that through this prayer Christ set the example of a great intercessor for believers everywhere to follow and I believe that we as believers were called to continue this intercession for all people everywhere.

I want you to imagine this with me for a moment. Your prayer is effective and your prayer is powerful. But David I don’t feel that spiritual all the time I am not quite sure how effective my prayer really is. Well like we said earlier you have been adopted as sons and you have been adopted as daughters to God the Father. He values the thoughts and prayers of His children. Your prayer matters and is extremely powerful and as you boldly approach the throne of grace God is so excited to listen to what you have to say. With that you have been called to intercede for a world that does not know God. You have been called to intercede for your lost friends. You have been called to intercede for your lost coworkers and classmates. You have been called to intercede for your lost family. God has placed you where you are at for a reason and your prayer changes things. You have been called to intercede for your country for your city for you organizations.

Ephesians 6:18 NIV

18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Paul encourages this. Keep praying. Don’t think that your prayer is ineffective and if are thinking of stopping I want you to remember this that you may be the only person praying for the salvation of that specific person. You may be the only person praying over their life and if you don’t think that isn’t important then I don’t know how else to convince you.

Now we aren’t called to sit back and only pray, but we aren’t called to stop praying ever either. I want to encourage you if you aren’t seeing breakthrough in a specific area or person’s life don’t stop praying. Keep interceding. Keep pressing on. Keep approaching the throne of Grace boldly.