Jesus is Praying
About this series:
Throughout 2023 our Sunday teaching series has been on The Kingdom Of God. During the five summer Sundays we’ll take a break from that series as we ask, “What is Jesus doing now?”
Christians tend to focus, understandably, on what Jesus has done - in his life, death and resurrection - and on what he will do - return. But the Christian faith has always understood Jesus to have a current ministry too, as the New Testament explains that he ascended not only because his work was done but also to continue his work (though now from his exalted, ascended, victorious position at his Father’s right hand). So we’ll do well to spend these weeks considering this often-neglected facet of the Bible’s teaching, helping us discover the implications of Jesus’ ascension. One writer goes so far as to say, ‘The continuing reign and life of the enthroned Christ is the theological core and narrative heart of Acts and the basis for the rest of the New Testament’ (Patrick Schreiner).
So, having ascended, what is Jesus doing now? He is reigning, praying, advocating, sending and waiting (this is not an exhaustive list). ‘He leads not in heaven a life of mere glory, majesty and blessedness, but a life of office, love and care also’ (John Owen).
Jesus is reigning: he sat down to reign, ruling all things according to his word and his will.
Jesus is praying: from his position as conquering king he is interceding for us.
Jesus is advocating: his presence in heaven witnesses to the eternal effectiveness of his death and resurrection for us.
Jesus is sending: sending the promised Holy Spirit to empower his people with his presence.
Jesus is waiting: he is awaiting the day of his return, the defeat of his enemies and the celebration of being united with his bride in the new creation.
About this talk:
Jesus is praying - Hebrews 7:23-28
The gospels record instances of Jesus praying, including praying for his disciples - Matthew 14:23; Luke 3:21; 11:1; 22:31-32; 22:41-45; John 17:1-26. From his exalted position as the reigning, victorious Lord and Saviour, Jesus continues to pray for us - interceding for us, petitioning the Father on our behalf.
In chs 7 - 10 of the letter we know as Hebrews, the author is speaking about the high priestly ministry of Jesus and how his eternal mediatorial ministry is so far superior to the temporary ministry of the OT priests - how Jesus provided a one-time, fully effective sacrifice (himself) for us. And as such, 7 v 25, “he always lives to intercede for them (us).”
It has been argued Jesus’ intercession refers only to the act of being in the Father’s presence as a continual reminder of his sacrifice for our sins. But that does not seem to fit the way the word is used throughout the New Testament, where it clearly means to petition on behalf of someone - for example Acts 25:24 and Romans 11:2.
What might he be praying for? No doubt for our needs, our witness, our unity, our challenges, our walk with him. What could be more encouraging? And surely he is interceding for things we know nothing of yet which, by God’s grace, are constantly being worked for our good and God’s glory. The Saviour has finished his saving work, but not so he can switch off or sleep until he returns.
Paul writes to the Romans of the same remarkable truth. He’s been talking of God’s work for us in Christ, concluding that, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (v 31). But not only is God for us, not only is there no one to condemn us now (v 34), “Christ Jesus who died…is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” And he says the Spirit is interceding for us too (v 26). All of which is absolutely mind-blowing. The one who loved us and gave himself for us, now always lives to intercede for each one who follows him. Wow!
Dane Ortlund writes, ‘Our prayer life stinks most of the time. But what if you heard Jesus praying aloud for you in the next room? Few things would calm us more deeply.’ ‘It is a consoling thought that Christ is praying for us, even when we are negligent in our prayer life; that He is presenting to the Father those spiritual needs which were not present to our minds and which we often neglect to include in our prayers; and that He prays for our protection against the dangers of which we are not even conscious, and against the enemies which threaten us, though we do not notice it. He is praying that our faith may not cease, and that we may come out victoriously in the end’ (Louis Berkhof).
However, we must be careful to understand Jesus’ intercession carefully, lest we equate it exactly with our experience of prayer or unbiblical ideas of prayer:
He certainly does not make requests to a reluctant Father (not that we do either).
He is not informing the Father of anything in his prayers (not that we are either).
He is not wrestling to determine the will of the Trinity as he prays.
He is not perplexed by the mystery of seemingly unanswered prayer.
Rather, Christ’s intercession is part of his continuing work for his people because he continues to be, fully man and fully God, our mediator (1 Timothy 2:5). Peter Lewis: ‘Jesus Christ in his mediation does not operate as a third party, moving between God and believers, as though God would always be approachable; rather, he operates as one with God and his people.’
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