Jesus, the mediator

“There is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus. “1 Tim 2:5

“Mommy, sissy won’t share her snack”, my son complained.  “Okay, I’m coming”, rising from my seat with a sigh.  As I approached her, how do we resolve this conflict?  Do I negotiate, offer another option to appease him or pull rank with the removal of the snack all together?  As I rounded the corner, she pleaded, “but he did and said and I was gonna”.  Sounds familiar, maybe something I heard in Genesis.  “The woman made me do it but the snake tricked me”.  Same story. Different day as goes the life of kids and motherhood!  We develop a knack for solving the seemingly unsolvable, for resolving those things that cannot be otherwise reconciled so peace reigns again.  This scripture talks about Jesus as our mediator, the one who came to reconcile our relationship with God.  This important role comes by way of the work he did at calvary.  We will continue to explore this.

Mediator has various definitions. In biologic processes, it causes a process to occur. In legal scenarios, it acts as a middle agent to bring about agreement between two parties.  For our sakes, Jesus plays both roles.  Because of our sins, we are subject to be separated from God (Micah 3:4,  Is 59:2, Ps 5:4).  Because of Jesus, we are reconciled with God.  With every sin, he stands in the gap advocating for us saying I know what they did but I already have that covered (Rom 6:23).  As a mediator, he intercedes on our behalf.  He stands between the wrath of God and our sin. Rom 8:32 “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died more than that, who raised who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us”.

God demonstrated the access we gain as a sign upon Jesus’s death on the cross (Matt 27:51).  The veil was designed to separate the Holy Place from the most holy place in the tabernacle built while the Israelites were in the wilderness (Ex 26:33).  The Most Holy Place is where God resided.  No one except the High priest was allowed to enter the most holy place and this opportunity was limited to once a year. The torn veil symbolizes our direct access to God without limitation mediated by Jesus.  “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Jesus is our mediator.  He resolves the disconnect that would stand between us and God because of our sins.  He stands in the middle washing us with his blood so that we can stand righteous and blameless before the Father.  There is no other way.  No other provision has been made for us to see His face and stand in His presence.  Jesus is the way, the mediator, the intercessor who reconciles us to God.

Sow the seed: 

Nurture the seed:  Jesus stands in the gap.