A few weeks ago I wrote a post entitled He Sat Down. The message of that post was this: After Jesus ascended to heaven, He sat down at the Father’s right side, because the work of salvation was finished.
A few days ago, I watched a sermon on YouTube. This was from a Pastor that I have never known. He is part of a denomination that I would not attend - I believe they are wrong on some important theology. But that didn’t matter to God. In that sermon, God spoke so clearly to me. I have been basking in the truth of the Word of God that was preached ever since.
In the first part of the message, this Pastor basically preached what I had written in He Sat Down. It was so similar to what I wrote that I was getting goosebumps. Then, he spoke about some of the problems going on in his church - broken families - adult children that reject Jesus, their Christian upbringing, and their parents. This hit so close to home that this Pastor - no - the Holy Spirit - had my complete attention. I was in tears.
He then spoke about the first Christian martyr - Stephen. In Acts chapter 7, Stephen decimates the Scribes and Pharisees with a speech that leads to his death. Here is the end of the story:
51 “You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you! 52 Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One—the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered. 53 You deliberately disobeyed God’s law, even though you received it from the hands of angels.”
54 The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 56 And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!”
57 Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him 58 and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.
Do you see it? Jesus is not seated. He is standing, watching one of His followers love Him to death!
What is Jesus’s main activity now? Did you know that He is praying for you? Do you know that Jesus is talking to His Father about you?
31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
Romans 8:31-34
Jesus is pleading for us! Jesus is praying - talking to His Father - about you - I believe by name. He was there at Stephen’s worst predicament - his impending murder. And he was standing up, ready to receive His child for whom He died. The Pastor took the liberty to say that Jesus was telling His Father, “Look! Stephen is being like me, not loving his life more than he loves You, Father”. Jesus rejoices and brags about us when we endure suffering.
He is there right now, at God’s right hand. And He is seeing everything you are going through. He is not missing one bit of what is going on. And He is talking to His Father about you, pleading for you.
He stands ready to comfort and help. If we can see Him, like Stephen did, then we can endure anything, because we are never without Him. We are never alone.
Jesus is not examining the lives of Christians, frustrated about how we are not living up. Jesus is not disappointed in us. Jesus never is disappointed in a Christian. I know that sounds shocking. But it is true. Read more about that here. Instead, He is declaring that we are righteous, because we wear HIS righteousness.
And He is pleading for us. We need no other mediator. We need no saint, angel, sinner, nor anyone else to mediate. The One who lives in us loves us perfectly. And the Father hears and answers His prayers.
And He is praying for you.
I had an opportunity to glorify the Lord and spread the Good News before listeners to my interview on a podcast. I failed. When asked what things I credit with the optimal management of my disease, I answered: "my faith", among other things. I wish I had taken the opportunity to credit Jesus Christ directly. And to briefly explain his myriad blessings and miracles in my life and health. I wish I had told listeners that this gift was also theirs for the asking. Later I repented and asked for forgiveness. Then I read your post. Now I understand. Thank you.