A Better Covenant – Part 9

What Has Jesus Been Up to Since the Resurrection?

When Jesus was resurrected from the dead, it was not the end of His ministry. It was a beginning of a new phase of ministry for Him.

Some think that once Jesus ascended into Heaven, that He simply sat down and is waiting for the Father to lean over and say that it is time for the end of all things. That simply is not the case.

Hebrews 1:3 NKJV who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Jesus’ new phase of ministry began.

We are going to look at the different ministries that Jesus has been doing:

1. Jesus, Our Mediator
2. Jesus, Our Advocate
3. Jesus, Our Heavenly Intercessor
4. Jesus, Our Great High Priest

1. Jesus, Our Mediator

Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (2) looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

When Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven, He went and sat down on the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus is in Heaven right now.

1 Timothy 2:5 NKJV For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,

Jesus came to earth to represent God to us. He came to earth to tell us all about God. Now He has gone to Heaven to represent us before God.

1 Timothy 2:5 GNB For there is one God, and there is one who brings God and human beings together, the man Christ Jesus,

2. Jesus, Our Advocate

Job 1:6-12 NKJV Now there was a day when the sons of God (angels) came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. (7) And the LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” (8) Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” (9) So Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? (10) Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. (11) But now, stretch out (retract) Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” (12) And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

Satan DOES have access to heaven and will until the halfway point in the tribulation period.

Revelation 12:10 NKJV Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.

Satan is not the accuser of the SINNER. He is the accuser of the BRETHREN.

Sinners are already accused and judged because of sin.

There are some things that we need to understand about Satan.

• • • He is a fallen angel.
    • He is not omniscient.
    • He is not omnipresent.
    • Satan asks questions because he does not know the answer.
    • God asks questions because He knows the answer and wants you to know you don’t.

God asked Satan those questions because there was something that Satan did not see and that was there was a hole in the hedge of protection around Job.

When you are walking with God and doing your best to live sin-free, God will protect you, your family, your possessions and He will bless you and cause you to succeed.

What caused the hole in Job’s hedge of protection?

Fear – (Job 3:25 NKJV) For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, And what I dreaded has happened to me.

Job was not offering sacrifices to God out of worship and thanksgiving. He was offering those sacrifices out of fear.

Unforgiveness towards his friends – (Job 42:10 NKJV) And the LORD restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

God was able to bring restoration once Job forgave his friends for misleading him about God.

This is why we should never underestimate the damage that seemingly small sins will cause in our lives!

The Mediator ministry of Jesus is for sinners. The three other ministries of Jesus (Advocate, Intercessor and High Priest) in heaven are centered around Christians.

Jesus was our means to the Father when we got Born Again and Jesus is still our means to the Father now.

Jesus Christ is our advocate. He fights for us.

Advocate (Dictionary) – One who speaks or writes in support or defense of a person; a person who pleads for or in behalf of another person; counsel for the defense.

1 John 2:1 NKJV My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

When we sin, Satan tries to bring it before God and accuse us but we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ. He is our defense attorney and pleads our case before God.

In Heaven there is praise and worship going on but in God’s presence, in His throne room, it is more like a courtroom situation.

Satan comes into the presence of God with a handful of notes. He is constantly collecting information on us.

Let’s notice something about this courtroom situation. The Judge is your Dad and the defense attorney is your elder Brother, Jesus. Satan, the prosecuting attorney is no relation to any of us and in fact is an outsider.

If you have confessed your sins before the Father (1 John 1:9) when Satan comes into the courtroom to accuse you, the Father immediately informs him that the sin has already been paid for, cleansed from your record and the case is thrown out. All of the work that he did to gather that information is for nothing!

3. Jesus is our Intercessor!

Hebrews 7:24-25 NKJV But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. (25) Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

In the Old Testament, there was a ministry of mediator in a man. There was a ministry of advocate in a man. There was the ministry of the intercessor in a man. And lastly there was the ministry of the High Priest in a man.

But they all could die in their roles. They also were not God and man in one.

The scripture says that He ever lives to make intercession for us.

Intercede (Definition)

1. 1. 1. to act or interpose in behalf of someone in difficulty or trouble, as by pleading or petition: to intercede with the governor for a condemned man.
      2. to attempt to reconcile differences between two people or groups; mediate.

What is He praying for you?

1. 1. 1. He is praying that you are not sifted (separated) like wheat. (Luke 22:31)
      2. He is praying that you withstand the onslaughts of the devil. (Luke 22:32 – prayed for you that your faith does not fail)
      3. He is praying that you will be sanctified through and by the Word. (John 17:17 – purify, consecrate, separate them)
      4. He is praying that you are not overtaken by the evil one.

4. Jesus is our High Priest!

Hebrews 3:1 NKJV Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,

Hebrews 4:14-16 NKJV  Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  (15)  For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.  (16)  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 

Hebrews 8:1-2 NKJV  Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,  (2)  a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.

Hebrews 8:6 NKJV  But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

Notice this verse also says that He is the Apostle and High Priest of our confession.

This is the only place where it is mentioned that Jesus is our Apostle.

There is no mention in the New Testament how He performs that ministry but the ministry of High Priest is mentioned many times especially in Hebrews.

His intercessory ministry on our behalf is mentioned many times as is His advocate ministry and mediator ministry.

The reason that this is this way is because in the Greek language, “Apostle” is actually attached to “High Priest.” It is actually a reference to the same thing.

Jesus Christ is the Apostle – High Priest of our confession.

Apostle means “sent one.” That means that this person is designated by someone in authority to go to a place. They are sent by those in authority.

This verse in Hebrews is simply saying that Jesus Christ was sent out by God, the One in authority to be the High Priest to the Church.

A better translation would be, “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the One called and sent to be the High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus.”

There are three types of confession:

1. 1. 1. Confession of the Lordship of Jesus to be Born Again.
      2. Confession of one’s sins to the Father as a believer.
      3. Confession of the Word of God in faith.

Confession means anything that we say to God the Father out of our mouths.

• • • Your prayers are the confession of your mouth.
    • Your praise is the confession of your mouth.
    • Speaking and confession of the Word of God is obviously the confession of your mouth.

God loves to hear His Word quoted back to Him.

Isaiah 43:26 NKJV Put Me in remembrance; Let us contend together; State your case, that you may be acquitted.

Isaiah 55:11 NKJV So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Jesus is the High Priest over the confession of our mouths.

You cannot have a high priest unless there are priests under Him.

1 Peter 2:9 NKJV But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Revelation 1:5-6 NKJV and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, (6) and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

God’s original intention was that even under the Old Testament that the people would be able to have access to Him but the sin of worshipping the golden calf caused God to change His plans.

When it came down to decision time, the Levites were the only ones that crossed the line and were on the Lord’s side.

Exodus 32:26 NKJV then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on the LORD’s side–come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.

Some have come out of a denomination that says that you have to go to an earthly priest to confess your sins and have access to God.

This scripture is saying that we all are priests before God and all have equal access to God.

As believers there are things that we want to say to God in prayer, praise and worship, or simple confession of the Word.

Jesus (our High Priest) takes our words and carries them to the Father and then anything that the Father says back to us or does as a result of our prayers comes back to us through the Lord Jesus.

Notice that in the New Covenant we are to pray to the Father. This is what the scripture says in the following verses:

Matthew 6:9 NKJV In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

This verse shows us that as believers we do not have to refer to God as Elohim but as Father.

• • • Our worship goes to the Father and/or Jesus.

John 4:23 NKJV But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.

• • • We give thanks unto the Father and/or Jesus.

Colossians 1:3 NKJV We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

• • • Our prayers go to the Father.

Ephesians 3:14-15 NKJV For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, (15) from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

• • • We pray to the Father in Jesus’ Name.

John 15:16 NKJV You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

John 16:23 NKJV “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.

John 16:26 NKJV In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you;

(Jesus will not do your praying for you.)

Hebrews 3:1 NKJV Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,

Confession: ὁμολογία homología; gen. homologías, fem. noun from homologéō (G3670), to agree, confess, say the same. A confession, profession, or recognition.

Revelation 5:6-8 NKJV And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. (7) Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. (8) Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

Revelation 8:3-5 NKJV Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. (4) And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. (5) Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.