Tonight, as I've already mentioned, we consider the intercession of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we considered with the Belgic Confession, Article 26, found in page 81 and 82 in the back of the Psalter hymnal. Article 26. We read together from that familiar passage, most comforting passage, Romans 8, verses 28 to 39. Romans 8, 28, beginning at verse 28 through the end of the chapter. This is the word of the Lord. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called. Those He called, He also justified. Those He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is He that condemns? 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. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written, for your sake we face death all day long. We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. Knowing all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therein ends the reading of God's Word. May He add His blessing to it and the preaching of it tonight. And turn with me to Article 26. It's a bit of a lengthy article, and we're going to read it at this time and refer to it a little bit throughout the sermon. Article 26, beginning at the bottom of page 81. We believe that we have no access unto God, but alone through the only mediator and advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous, who therefore became man, having united in one person the divine and human natures, that we men might have access to the divine majesty, which access would otherwise be barred against us. But this mediator whom the Father has appointed between him and us ought in no wise to affright us by his majesty or cause us to seek another according to our fancy. For there is no creature either in heaven or on earth who loves us more than Jesus Christ, who though existing in the form of God yet emptied himself, being made in the likeness of men and of a servant for us and in all things was made like unto his brethren. If then we should seek for another mediator, who would be favorably inclined towards us? Whom could we find who loved us more than He who laid down His life for us, even while we were His enemies? And if we seek for one who has power and majesty, who is there that has so much of both, as He who sits at the right hand of God, and to whom hath been given all authority in heaven and on earth? And who will sooner be heard than the own well-beloved Son of God. Therefore, it was only through distrust that this practice of dishonoring instead of honoring the saints was introduced, doing that which they never have done nor required, but have on the contrary steadfastly rejected according to their bounden duty as appears by their writings. Neither must we plead here our unworthiness, for the meaning is not that we should offer our prayers to God on the ground of our own worthiness, but only on the ground of the excellency and worthiness of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose righteousness is become ours by faith. Therefore the apostle, to remove this foolish fear, or rather distrust from us, rightly says that Jesus Christ in all things was made like unto his brethren, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest to make propitiation for the sins of the people, For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted, and further to encourage us to go to him. He says, Having then a great high priest who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one that hath been in all points tempted, like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with boldness under the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help us in time of need. The same apostle says, Having boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, let us draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, etc. Likewise, Christ hath his priesthood unchangeable, wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. What more can be required since Christ Himself says, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one cometh unto the Father but by Me. To what purpose should we then seek another advocate, since it has pleased God to give us His own Son as an advocate? Let us not forsake Him to take another, or rather to seek after another, without ever being able to find Him. For God well knew when He gave Him to us that we were sinners. Therefore, according to the command of Christ, we call upon the Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ, our only mediator, as we are taught in the Lord's Prayer, being assured that whatever we ask of the Father in His name will be granted us. Beloved of our Lord Jesus Christ, as you can tell from reading this lengthy article, The truth of Scripture being confessed there has to do with the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. But not His work of ministering on this earth for three years, or His work of going to the cross, at least not directly, but the work He is doing, even today, at this moment, on our behalf. Yes, this work is a continuation of His saving sacrifice in the sense of the application of His saving work. But this is a beautiful reminder and promise to us that just because He is out of our sight, we, that as believers, are not out of His mind. This comforting truth of Scripture is of Christ's intercession for us. Now, you may remember that Article 21 talked about Christ as our only high priest, satisfying the wrath of God the Father that was against our sin. And as our only high priest, Jesus gave Himself as the one final sacrifice for sin. Now, we know, even many of the boys and girls here know that whereas a prophet represented God before the people, A prophet came to the people from God, as it were, and brought the Word of God to the people. A priest represented the people before God. A priest was to bring the people, as it were, to God, to bring their sacrifices to God. Now, we stand, as believers, we stand before God as justified, forgiven of all of our sins, clothed in Christ's robe of righteousness. we stand before God as justified only in Christ. And we are being sanctified, cleansed, and made actually righteous by the Holy Spirit. We've considered all of this so far in the Belgic Confession. And you know, there must be progress in sanctification. There has to be progress in sanctification. If you are enjoying sanctification, there will be. You see, because without progress in sanctification, that means there is no sanctifying going on. And if there's no sanctifying going on, that is a sign that one is not justified before the sight of God. There must be progress in sanctification. We still sin. We still struggle with sin in this life. If there's no progress in us, there will be no heaven for us. And that progress comes indeed because of the Spirit's work in us, but also because of Christ's work for us. Article 26, we might say, is a continuation, at least in a sense, to Article 21, as it deals with Christ's ongoing high priestly work of intercession, representing us before God. And what a comfort to know of our Lord's unceasing work on our behalf. Hebrews 7, verse 25 says, Therefore, He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them. Indeed, our inheritance, as we were reminded this morning, is kept safe in heaven, and we kept safe for it. But Christ saves completely, bringing us through this life that's all part of that complete saving. All through His intercession. Since He is our only high priest who sacrificed Himself for us on the cross, He is also the only one who in heaven intercedes for us. Beloved, we know that God made man in the beginning to enjoy fellowship with Him, with God. This life is meaningless and there is no blessedness in life apart from God. Boys and girls, just as water is the natural habitat or environment for a fish, a fish needs water or it will die. God's presence is the natural habitat, environment for man. Acts 17 verse 28 says, For in Him we live and move and have our being. And this means, of course, that there is only misery and death being outside of God's presence and favor. And sin keeps man out of communion with God. But Jesus Christ is the one way. The one way to have access to God. Indeed, He is the only way. As Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. In His mercy and grace, God provided a way for sinful man to be reconciled with Him. But only one way. That way is the only one. Through Christ's sacrifice, the curtain that at one time said, Keep out! No admittance has now been torn in two. And the way into God's presence is now open to those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. But not only has Jesus opened that way initially through His complete sacrifice for our sins, but He provides continual access to God. Again, the article begins, We believe that we have no access unto God, but alone through the only mediator and advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous, who therefore became man, having united in one person the divine and human natures that we men might have access to the divine majesty, which access would otherwise be barred against us. Now when we think of interceding for another, we think of praying for, praying on behalf of that one. And indeed, as brothers and sisters in Christ, we exercise that intercession, don't we? We pray on behalf of each other, those who are mourning the loss of loved ones, those who are going through difficult times of sickness and disease, those who will be moving away from us. We've promised to pray for them, to intercede on their behalf. But you see, our intercession for each other is meaningless, is without effect, apart from Christ's intercession on our behalf, on behalf of our prayers. And Christ intercedes for His people as our mediator and advocate. As our mediator or go-between. He has reconciled us, united us with God. And Paul says of Jesus in 1 Timothy 2 that He is the one mediator between God and man. There's only one. And as our advocate, our defense attorney, Jesus is at our side. We who are helpless and unworthy, and He pleads our case with God. And the Bible gives us examples of Christ interceding for, praying for His people even before He was crucified. John 17 is a record of Christ's high priestly prayer, as we call it, in which Jesus prayed for His disciples of that very day, as well for all who would believe in Him. He prayed for you and me 2,000 years ago. Jesus told Peter in Luke 22 that Satan had asked to sift him as wheat. But Jesus prayed for Peter that his faith may not fail. And beloved, Jesus continues to intercede for His justified people. Not only those yet to be brought to faith, but those who have already been brought to faith. He continues even at this moment to work on behalf of those who already stand before God as righteous. In 1 John 2, we read, My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense. Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. And then he says why. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins. In other words, His intercession is a continual application of His death for our salvation. We are saved only once. That's all we need. But Christ appears before God the Father to exercise towards us on our behalf. the power and the effectiveness of His sacrifice for our daily sins, as well as against those who would accuse us before God. That's what Paul is talking about there in Romans chapter 8. Who will bring a charge against us? Who can bring a credible charge against God's people? Christ Jesus, he says, is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Jesus keeps us in union and in favor with God. We don't do that on our own, you see, day by day. We might think we do. But it's our Lord Jesus Christ who keeps us in union and in favor with God and we enjoy access to and communion with God through prayer. Christians are praying people. To live without prayer, very simply, is to live without God. And there is no other access to God for our prayers, again, than through that one way, through Jesus. Boys and girls, you are taught by your moms and dads at a very young age to close your prayers for Jesus' sake. Amen. For Jesus' sake. That's not just a simple way of notifying anybody around you that you're almost done. It's not a convenient way of simply getting out of the praying mode. It's a very, very important phrase because everything you have prayed before that means nothing apart from Jesus' saying. Now, one of the reasons this article is so long is because in the day that this confession was written, one of the main issues the Reformers were protesting against was the place given to the saints and to Mary by Rome. I mean saints here in the sense that the Roman Church considered saints, not saints as the Bible considers. For you and I, as believers, we are all saints, not only those who have died and gone before us, but the saints as Rome considered them to be, that they determine, even in our day, As we were reminded recently with the death of Pope John Paul, some think he ought to be canonized as a saint right away because of all the good things he had done, and they're trying to figure out the miracles that he is responsible for. And so therefore, that's what the Reformers were protesting against, the saints as the Roman Church called them to be, and, of course, Mary. And Article 26 says the practice of elevating the saints and Mary to a place of interceding for believers who are still in this life is really dishonoring to them. Dishonoring them. In Jeremiah 17, verse 5, the Lord says, Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength, and whose heart turns away from the Lord. The Church of Rome taught that the exalted Christ was too awesome and too powerful and therefore too frightening for man to come to directly. Instead, the dead saints and Mary were the ones believers were to turn to for help and to intercede for us, to pray for us. It's only with their help that we can get through to this life and even get to heaven. And although Rome considered this to be a way of honoring the saints, our confession rightly says this dishonors them doing that which they never have done. They never did it, nor required, but have on the contrary steadfastly rejected. Peter and Paul did not pray to Abraham and Isaac and David for help. And they didn't ask us to pray to them either for help one day. Instead, it's very different in Acts 10 when Peter came to the home of Cornelius. Cornelius, we read, fell to his feet in reverence. But Peter made him get up, the Bible says, stand up, he said, I am only a man myself. In Lystra, after healing the crippled man when the people began to call Paul Hermes and Barnabas Zeus and say, the gods have come down to us. Paul and Barnabas, we read, tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd shouting, men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human, like you. And even the angels are not to be worshipped and looked to for aid. Oh God, we read in Scripture, sends His angels at times to help His people. But we don't look to the angels for aid. We look to God. In Revelation 19, when John fell at the angels' feet to worship Him, the angels said, Do not do it. I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God. Jesus Christ alone is the one way to the Father. He alone is the one that we need to intercede for us on our behalf before God's throne in heaven. And only He, then, in the second place, is the sufficient source. He's the only one. And He's the sufficient one. Article 26 says, And if we seek for one who has power and majesty, who is there that has so much of both as he who sits at the right hand of God and to whom hath been given all authority in heaven and earth? And who will sooner be heard than the own well-beloved Son of God? Who will God hear sooner than His own Son? You see, the practice of praying to the saints and to Mary the very practice of it says that Jesus isn't enough He's not sufficient we need something more and it is to show a lack of trust in Him you see only Jesus has earned the right to be heard of God for you and me He became man to do what man had to do but sinful man couldn't Only He as the sinless man could live that perfectly righteous life that we couldn't live. And as God, only He could bear the burden of God's wrath against sin that we couldn't bear. And therefore, only He has been exalted to the highest place and given the name that is above every name. Only He has been given supreme authority over all and only His prayers are effective for you and me. You see, we have the greatest One Himself on our side. The Supreme One Himself is for us. In Him alone, we have all that we need for this life and the next. He is sufficient. His work is sufficient. And His intercession on our behalf is sufficient and God will hear it. Only He can guarantee that indeed in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. And as we bring our prayers and petitions to God, we do so only in Jesus' name because it's only for His sake that we have a leg to stand on as the saying goes. In John 14, verse 14, Jesus says, You may ask Me for anything in My name and I will do it. We can only plead with God and expect to be heard because of Jesus who has earned forever access, not temporary, but forever access with God for us. And God will hear our prayers because of that permanent robe of righteousness our Lord has clothed us in. Now, Article 26 gives us two powerful reasons that encourage us to draw nigh to God. On page 82, if you have your soldier hymnals open yet, about halfway down that first column, halfway in the middle of that full paragraph, it says, Neither must we plead here our unworthiness, for the meaning is not that we should offer our prayers to God on the ground of our own worthiness, but only on the ground of the excellency and worthiness of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose righteousness is become ours by faith. You see, beloved, we don't pray because we are worthy to pray. I think that's clear for us. But neither is our unworthiness to be the focus of our prayers. The point is, it's not us who are the focus, not our worthiness, not our unworthiness. Indeed, we acknowledge that in and of ourselves, we are not worthy to come to God's throne of grace, but we must quickly plead for the sake of the supreme worthiness and excellence of our Savior. Both His love and His power guarantees help in our time of need. He is that merciful and faithful high priest who understands us and our needs perfectly, having been tempted like us. You see, Christ's worthiness guarantees me the ear of God. That God will hear me. That He will answer me according to my need. That's our first encouragement. The second reason which is to encourage us to pray has to do with His finished work. His finished work, which is the reason He is worthy. The Confession quotes extensively from the book of Hebrews. Passages that call us to boldly draw near to the throne of grace and to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus. Why is this possible? Because Jesus Christ has brought the sacrifice of Himself behind the veil of heaven into the very presence of His Father. And God the Father has accepted the Son's sacrifice for your sins and mine. Nothing more can be added to it. Nothing more needs to be added. Nothing can make it more complete or more perfect or more effective than it already is. It is sufficient. It is enough. The question of our salvation and our standing before God has been settled once for all. And beloved, all of this means that our unworthiness, listen closely, Our unworthiness is no longer a barrier between God and us. Now, if that doesn't give you comfort, then I don't think anything else will. As Calvin says, Christ as intermediary changes the throne of dreadful glory into the throne of grace. That means that we don't bow in prayer before God with fear and dread in our hearts. But we come before Him as those who have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. And our comfort, beloved, is that Christ, through His intercession, as our mediator and advocate, is then the preserving power who keeps us in union and communion with God the Father. You see, Paul could confidently say, if God is for us, who can be against us? And that's one of those questions in Scripture that expects a resounding answer, no one, nothing. And that's what he says. Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Instead, in Jesus Christ, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us, and beloved, we ever shall remain more than conquerors through Him who loved us all because of our Lord's intercession. Article 26 concludes the last little paragraph, Therefore, according to the command of Christ, we call upon the Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ, our only mediator, as we are taught in the Lord's Prayer, being assured that whatever we ask of the Father in His name will be granted to us. God, through His Holy Spirit, who applies God's Word to our hearts and lives, keeps us in communion with Himself by speaking to us through His Word and calling us to faithful prayer. What is faithful prayer? Prayer prayed in Jesus' name. As we have already said, prayer prayed on account of Christ's worthiness. Beloved, we are worthy to be heard of God. all and only because of Jesus Christ. And that means that all prayer... If you're sitting here tonight and sometimes you go through periods where you think, I don't know what to pray. I'm not a very good prayer. I'm lousy at it. There's no way that my prayers can be heard. This means that all prayer, no matter how inarticulate, no matter how stained with sin, no matter how pitiful, yet prayed in Jesus' name by true faith, it is heard of God. And it is answered according to our needs, according to His will. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the one who takes our imperfect prayers, which is all of them, and makes them acceptable to God. Again, only through Christ's intercession do we have access to God and we need that access always. And that access is always there because God is always well-pleased with His Son, our Savior. You see, Christ's intercession on our behalf is the foundation. It is necessary for our sanctification and our living as redeemed believers. His intercession ensures the security of God's people. His intercession proves that our Savior is constantly concerned with the conflicts and the trials and the difficulties that we face, as well as the joys that we experience. His intercession keeps the door of God's mercy, that door which He opened by His perfect sacrifice. His intercession keeps the door of God's mercy open moment by moment. By His intercession, beloved, the sins that we commit daily do not cancel out the forgiveness we receive in justification. Instead, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God that was slain, is constantly before His Father's throne as a constant reminder that He has paid for all of our sins. By His intercession, our prayers are answered daily and we are given the assurance of forgiveness. All the blessings that we enjoy come to us through our Lord's intercession. By His intercession, we are protected day by day from the flaming arrows that Satan never ceases to shoot at us. Arrows of temptation, arrows of hurt, arrows of sorrow, arrows of confusion. By His intercession alone, our hearts do not rise up in rebellion against God. And by His enabling grace, we do not constantly disgrace our profession of faith in our daily walk. By His intercession, beloved, our enemies do not overwhelm us and instead we are made able to stand in the heat of the day. By His intercession, we are comforted in our sorrow and in our mourning and we are given strength in our weakness and we are able to praise God. even in the midst of the most difficult of circumstances. Beloved, by the intercession of Christ alone, we are able to live and walk every day in the joy of salvation, filled with the peace of God that passes understanding. By His intercession, we are kept in the way everlasting. Again, it's not our doing. It's the intercession of our Savior. It's only by the intercession of Christ that we are not destroyed but that we live in communion and fellowship with God and we are given all that we stand in need of whether forgiveness or encouragement or admonition, even discipline, contentment, strength, wisdom. Whatever we need comes by way of our Lord's intercession. It is only by His intercession that we make progress in sanctification. through our Lord's never-ending intercession. That work which He has begun in us will be brought to completion. And that's why Paul can confidently say that those God foreknew, He will bring all the way through to glory. So then how do we respond to all of this? What can we say? We are to be humbled and we are to say with Paul in chapter 13, Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments and His paths beyond tracing out! For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen? And how do we make sense of this? After all, we didn't deserve any of this, did we? Well, I think the Confession says it best when it says, For there is no creature, either in heaven or on earth, Who loves us more than Jesus Christ. Who gave Himself for us when we were still His enemies. Nothing and no one loves us more than Jesus. No one has our best interest more in mind than Jesus. Because no one loves us more than Him. You see, it makes all the difference in the world what we believe and who we believe in. Many pray. We know that there are many who pray, but not in Jesus' name. God hears their words because God knows all things, He hears all things, but those prayers are not pleasing to Him because they are not cleansed by Christ. And those who reject Jesus Christ live without His intercession, and that means that they live apart from God. And as the hymn says, to live apart from God is death. But, beloved, the guarantee for those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ is, as Scripture says, they shall be saved. And they shall be preserved by the intercession of the Lord of glory. Beloved, did you know that Jesus ever lives to make intercession for you? Each one of you, individually. Did you know that He is constantly working on your behalf and He will until He takes you home to be with Him in glory? And may the Holy Spirit use this wonderful truth to give us a new outlook on this life and our daily walk. Indeed, Jesus Christ is the friend who sticks closer than a brother. We never walk alone, But we live clothed in the comfort of Christ's intercession for us. Amen. Shall we pray? Father, we pray only in Jesus' name for His sake. We thank You that in Him we are worthy to come before You and we have the confidence and the assurance that You will hear us. Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for the blessed teaching of Your Word that Jesus Christ ever lives to make intercession for us. Even us, who are so weak, who are so nothing compared to the greatness of Your world. Yet our Lord Jesus Christ thinks on each one of us individually as believers. And He prays for us. He cares for us. each and every moment of our lives. Father, may that blessed assurance warm our hearts and give us greater confidence to walk with boldness day by day and to live for You. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.