Heavenly Roles (Ministry) Of Jesus

[Albert Finch]

In Hebrews 2:17 - Jesus is called the merciful and faithful High Priest in the things pertaining unto God in making propitiation for the sins of the people.

The First Ministry - His first ministry at the right hand of the Father was to: Satisfy the claims of justice against humanity. Romans 4:25 - "Who was delivered up on account of our trespasses and was raised when we were justified."

 

The Second Ministry - Savior. Acts 4:12 - "And in none other is their salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved." He is the sinners only Savior.

Hebrews 7:24,25 - "But He, because He abideth forever, hath his priesthood unchangeable. Wherefore also He is able to save completely them that draw near unto God through Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them."

 

 He is able to "save completely" because there is never a single moment in which His priestly action, His watchful care of us, His loving sympathy and succour, His working in us in the power of our endless life, is not in full operation, that is, there need never be a moment in which the experience of His saving power is intermitted, in which the salvation He has wrought does not save.

 

The Third Ministry - Mediator. Hebrews 8:6 - "But now hath he obtaines a ministry the more excellent, by so much as he is also the Mediator of a better covenant, which hath been enacted upon better promises."
No man can approach God except through the Mediator.

1 Timothy 2:5 - " For there is one God, one Mediator also between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus."

Jesus, the Minister of the true sanctuary and the Mediator of the new covenant, engages so to reveal the power of His blood and the boldness of access it gives us, so to put God's law into our heart in that power of an endless life in which He does all His priestly work, so to fit us to know the Lord, that we shall indeed know that as Minister of the heavenly sanctuary He does in very truth secure us entrance and our abiding there. The work done by Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary must have its counterpart in the heart that is to enter that sanctuary. And because it is one Jesus who is both Minister of the new sanctuary and Mediator of the new covenant, we may be confident that He will do His work in our heart as effectually as He does it in heaven.

 

The Fourth Ministry - Intercessor. Man not only needs a Mediator, but after he becomes a Christian, he is living in a world dominated by Satan and needs and Intercessor, someone who will pray for him, whose prayers are always heard. Whenever we sin and our fellowship is broken, we have Someone it the right hand of the Father Who ever remains faithful.

Hebrews 7:25 - "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."

 

The Fifth Ministry - Advocate. 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

When we lose our sense of righteousness, and the adversary has gained the ascendancy: then we repent of our sins and we cry for mercy -- Jesus takes up our case. He is the Righteous One. He can stand for us. When we lose our sense of Righteousness (our ability to stand in the father's presence without a sense of guilt or inferiority), He can restore us again to our fellowship.

1 John 2:1 - "My little children, these things write I unto you that you may not sin. And if any man sin, we hasve an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous."
Jesus is our family lawyer. He ever lives to watch over those for whom He died and suffered.
Hebrews 9:24 - "For Christ entered not into a holy place made with hands, like in pattern to the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us."

 

The Sixth Ministry - High Priest. Hebrews 4:14-26 - "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 unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need."
We hold fast our confession. Our confession has been of our position in Christ, of our legal rights as a child of God, of what He is to us now.
Romans 8:37 - "In all these things we are more the conquerors."

 

The Seventh Ministry - Surety. Hebrews 7:22 - "By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better covenant."
Jesus is the Surety (guarantor) of every word from Matthew 1 to Revelation 22. If any scripture shoud go by default, Jesus becomes responsible. He said, "Heaven and earth can pass away; but not one word that I have spoken can ever pass away" (Mark 13:31).
Luke 1:37 - "For no word from God shall be void of power."

 

The Eighth Ministry - The Head of the Church. Colossians 1:18 - "And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from thd dead; that is all things he might have the preeminence."

Ephesians 1:22 - "And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all."

He is our heavenly Head. We are a part of His body. He loves us.The Ninth Ministry - The Leader of Our Salvation. Hebrews 2:10 - "It was only right that God, who creates and preserves all things, should make Jesus perfect through suffering, in order to bring many sons to share His glory. For Jesus is the One who leads them to salvation."

In suffering, His will was perfected, His character fashioned, His dependence on God and delight in His will was confirmed and made manifest. In suffering, His obedience unto death opened up the living way in which alone man can reach the Creator -- the deepest humility and entire surrender. As Leader He opened up the path of life, a mode of living and acting, in which we are to follow.
The work of a leader supposes three things.
1. He must Himself lead the way, passing through all its difficulties and dangers, knowing and showing it to those who follow.
2. Those who follow must yield themselves wholly to His guidance, walking even as He walked.
3. He must take charge of His followers, seeing that all hindrances are removed, and providing for all their needs.

 

Questions to Ask Myself

1. Do I believe that Jesus will do His work in my heart as effectively as he does it in the heavenly sanctuary?

2. Do I believe that Jesus will save me to uttermost regardless of my "washed-out" circumstances?

3. Do I desire to yield myself to His guidance, and walk as Jesus walked?

4. Am I willing to depend on the Holy Spirit to help me with my prayer life?

5. Am I verbally confessing my position in Christ and my legal rights as a child of God?