Jesus is Advocating
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 advocating - 1 John 2:1-2
I’ve only once had to testify in court, as a witness on behalf of someone else. It was a slightly unnerving experience - partly because it’s not what I normally do and partly because the stakes were high. If I was ever charged and on trial in a court, I’d want the most competent defence acting for me, advocating for my cause.
An advocate stands alongside to help. The word used in 1 John 2:1 - parakletos - is the same word used four times in John 14, 15 & 16 to refer to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is ‘one who comes alongside to help’ and the reference to Jesus here is of an advocate who stands alongside us to plead our case, as one might do in a law court.
John’s point in writing is, “so that you will not sin.” His next comment, “But if anybody does sin” is not defeatist, but simply a recognition of what he has already said: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1:8). The comfort for the Christian who does sin is that we have the greatest advocate / defence we could possibly imagine - “Jesus Christ, the Righteous One” who is, “the atoning sacrifice for our sins.” He has already suffered and paid for our sins - past, present and future - so we can be confident that our righteous standing before the Father is intact.
We all know what it’s like to sin and suffer from our own and Satan’s accusations. And all Christians have, at least sometimes, adopted strange tactics when they sin: denial, deflection, despair, determination. But John’s point is that in precisely those moments God is, “is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins” - not because of our ability to pay back, but because it has all been already paid. Thus, in the words of Charitie Lees Bancroft, “When Satan tempts me to despair, and tells me of the wrong within, upward I look and see him there, who made an end of all my sin. Because the sinless Saviour died, my sinful soul is counted free. For God the Just is satisfied to look on Him and pardon me.”
Those who trust in Jesus have been acquitted once and for all; wonderfully forgiven, slate wiped clean, no longer defined by their sin and welcomed into the family of the one they stood guilty before. It’s utterly extraordinary. Christ’s work is finished; there is nothing left to accomplish; no more sin to pay for.
So if we’ve been declared no longer guilty, why do we still need an advocate? Is God still angry with us, needing Jesus to step in and mediate for us, even calm him down? Is God forgetful and in need of Jesus to remind him that we are, in fact, forgiven? Is our salvation in doubt every future time we sin?
Not at all. The truth that Jesus is our advocate with the Father is meant to help us - that every time we sin Jesus is still our righteous defence; every time we displease God, the death of Jesus is still enough to cover our sin; every time, “If we confess our sins (anger, lust, impatience, seeking joy outside God, etc), he still is the basis on which God can be faithful and just in forgiving our sins. So the truth that Jesus, the Righteous One, is our advocate with the Father is a reminder to us that his sacrifice is permanently effective; that the one who mediated for us is still our mediator; that he is the one we still run to for safety when we sin, the Saviour who is always the only ground of our forgiveness.
Rom 8 vs 1,34: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…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.”
Audio only
