Day 18: Jesus Is The Mediator Between God And Man

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

»  Jesus now sits at the right hand of the Father, continuing to advocate for us through prayer. (Romans 8:34) How might Jesus be praying for you today?

»  Jesus asks us to join in His suffering - the just suffering for the unjust, or the mature suffering for the immature. What is one way you could do that this week?

»  Close your eyes and hear the judge’s gavel slam with the announcement of your guilt. Then hear Jesus offer to take your punishment for you. Give thanks.

»  Practice the memory verse.

QUOTE

“He (God) is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court. If only there were someone to mediate between us, someone to bring us together, someone to remove God’s rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more.”

- Job SCRIPTURE

“ For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.”
- 1 Timothy 2:5-6

DEVOTIONAL

A mediator is someone who helps two parties reach an agreement, especially when they are at odds; one who acts as an intermediary to work with opposing sides in order to bring about a settlement. Another word for that is an advocate - one who speaks in favor of, or argues on behalf of, another. Ever since man sinned and rebelled against God, we have been separated from Him, for God had a dispute with us because of sin.

Sin is described in the Bible as transgression of the law of God and rebellion against God. God hates sin, and sin stands between all of us and Him. “There is no one righteous, not even one.” (Romans 3:10) All human beings are sinners by virtue of both the sin we have inherited from Adam, as well as the sin we commit on a daily basis. The only just penalty for this sin is death (Romans 6:23): not only physical death, but eternal death.

Nothing we could do on our own would be sufficient to mediate between ourselves and God. No amount of good works or law- keeping makes us righteous enough to stand before a holy God (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16). Without a mediator, we are destined to spend eternity apart from God, for by ourselves, salvation from our sin is impossible.

Yet there is hope!

Jesus officially represents those who have placed their trust in Him before God’s throne of judgement. He mediates for us, much like a defense attorney mediates for his client, telling the judge, “Your honor, my client is innocent of all charges against him.” But in our case, the defense attorney confesses that we are guilty as charged. Rather than arguing our innocence, He instead asks to receive the punishment on our behalf. Someday we will face God, but we will do so as totally forgiven sinners because of Jesus’ death for us.

Verdict delivered. Sentence served. Penalty over. Forever.