Our modern communication system is pretty mind-boggling when you think of how far we have advanced in the past 50-60 years.  In today’s world, we have nearly instant communication with anyone, anywhere—providing you can get cell service or internet access.  We happen to live in an area—northwest Montana—where our cell service is spotty. We often have to go outside to get our text messages to send or to visit with someone on the cellphone.  We still have a number of “dead zones” with no cell service at all.   And our internet service is also quite unpredictable.  

   When I was growing up, we had a big black corded wall phone, were on a party line and answered to two rings.  Calls came through a local switch-board operator, who would manually push and pull cable plugs to connect callers to the right receivers.  The operator was an important mediator, without whom communication would become impossible.     

What a blessing that, as Christians, we have immediate access to our Father in heaven (24-7) through our Lord Jesus Christ, who after dying for our sins and being buried, rose again and ascended to the right hand of the Father, there to act as our Intercessor and mediator. We read in the book of Hebrews: “By this will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time sat down at the right hand of God…For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified” (Heb. 10:10-14).  The Apostle Paul wrote: “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us” (Ro. 8:33,34).   

The priests of the Old Testament, who acted as intercessors on behalf of the people, had to continually make sacrifices and when one priest died, another had to take his place. Concerning this, the writer of Hebrews says, “And the former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers, because they were prevented by death from continuing, but He, on the other hand, because He abides forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Hence, also, He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:23-25).

Paul, in writing to his young understudy, Timothy, who was pastoring at Ephesus in Asia Minor, said, “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus who gave Himself as a ransom for all…” (I Tim. 2:5,6).  Paul reminded Timothy—and us—that Jesus acts as the (only) mediator between individuals and God. Our requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgivings go directly to the Father through Jesus. Hebrews tells us that since we have “a great high priest who has ascended into the heavens” (4:14), we can “draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (4:16). 

The great thing about our 24-7 access to God through our Mediator, is that there are no “dead zones,” no “busy signals,” no concern of time zones or getting “put on hold.”  (Have you ever been on hold so long on a call that you forget who you called and have to ask when you finally get a ‘live’ person to talk to?!).  We have access to God anywhere anytime. Sometimes we don’t quite know how to express what’s on our heart, or we are so emotionally distraught we don’t know what to say. Well, we have “Another Intercessor” living right within us that takes over to speak on our behalf—the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Triune Godhead. “The Spirit also helps our weaknesses; for we do not know how to pray as we should but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Ro. 8:26).  Praise God, He’s got us covered!     

In some faith traditions, people do not speak directly to God, they depend on the intercession of a human intercessor—someone thought to be holier than themselves who addresses God on their behalf. Today, celebrate the fact that Jesus is your Mediator, and you can speak to God anytime you’d like, even if all you can get out is “God, help!” or, “I can’t, You can. Please do!”          

Forever His            

Pastor Dave