He is risen. He is risen indeed. You may be seated. Have you ever stopped and wondered why we proclaim that glorious truth the way that we do? Did you notice He is risen? He is risen indeed. Why not He has risen? Or He did rise? You know, it seems like a small little nuance, but I think it's significant. The emphasis on He is risen. He is risen indeed. You know, at this time of year, we regularly look back on what Christ has done, right? We look back on all that he has accomplished. This great plan of redemption that the triune God from before the foundation of the world planned and now has been acted out and actually accomplished in time and in space. Something that's been done, right? So Jesus came to earth. He put on flesh. We celebrate that at Christmas, the incarnation. He was born. And then He lived. He grew. He lived a life of perfect obedience to the Father. He completed and accomplished, fulfilled all righteousness. He submitted perfectly to the will of the Father in all things, even humbling Himself to the point of death. death on a cross, he willingly laid down his life for his own, the Son of God died, he was buried, and three days later he rose from the dead. These are all historic events that took place on certain days, right? Certain times, specific places, the life death, burial, resurrection of Christ. These aren't moralistic stories that we just get some kind of good thought from. These are historic events that took place. I mean, this is Paul's emphasis in 1 Corinthians 15, right? I mean, when he starts 1 Corinthians 15, he highlights all the eyewitnesses. These things took place. They happened in real life time and space. All historical realities that Christ accomplished So things that Christ has done, right? But what about right now? Right now, what is Christ doing right now? Where is Christ? Well, to answer these questions, let me invite you to, you can either look with me on your bulletins or turn with me to the book of Hebrews. We're gonna look at Hebrews chapter seven, verses 23 through 25. Hebrews seven, 23 through 25. Verse 23, the former priests were many in number because they were prevented by death from continuing in office. But he holds his priesthood permanently because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him since he always lives to make intercession for them. So what's Christ doing right now? What's He doing this very moment? Well, according to this verse, He's doing three very specific things. Christ is living. That's why we say He's risen. He is risen. He is living now. He is living, He's interceding, and He's saving. this very moment. All three of those things. Christ is living, interceding, and saving this very moment. So first, He's living. And this may seem obvious, this is why we've gathered here this morning, but it's absolutely essential for the other two actions. For Him to be able to intercede for us now, for Him to be able to save us now, He has to be living. He's not in the grave. He has to be alive. If he's not alive, he's not able to intercede for you. And if he's not able to intercede for you, he's not able to save you. But he is alive. He is risen. He is risen indeed. What a glorious truth this is. This is precisely why we emphasize the word is. It's the proclamation that He is risen. He's living now because although He was raised from the dead at a specific point 2,000 years ago, that action has very specific consequences for us today. The fact He is living today means He can intercede for us and He can save us to the uttermost. And didn't you notice when we read the big contrast? What was the big contrast between the former priests and Christ, our high priest? What's the big contrast? Isn't it that they all died? but Christ lives. The author of Hebrews highlights this in a few different ways. Verse 23, look at the beginning. He says, the former priests were many in number. And that's really a pretty big understatement, because if we were to do a roll call this morning of all the priests that came through the Levitical line, we would be here till a sundown service. We would do name after name after name. The former priests were many in number. And why was this the case? Because they all died. They all lived for a time, and served, and then they died. And then another one would replace that one, and he would live for a time, and he would serve, and then he would die. And then the next would live for a time, and he would serve, and he would die, and so on, and so on, and so on. All the former priests, these many priests had temporary services. But what does it say about Christ? A permanent service. Their office and their service lasted for however long they lived, however long they were on this earth. But without fail, they all died, because they all had fleeting lives, just like every single one of us, like the grass of the field. I mean, these lilies are beautiful, right? But within a day or two, they're going to wilt. The flowers of the field, they last for a moment, and then they're gone. Every former priest. A moment, gone. A moment, gone. And that's true of every single one of us as well. Here today, gone tomorrow. But, that was the former priest. Contrast the many former priests with the one most holy high priest, Jesus Christ. Whereas there were many former priests who came and served temporary offices, look at verse 24. But he holds his priesthood permanently. Why? Because he continues forever. He lives. Christ is risen. We have a savior and a high priest who's defeated death once and for all. Death no longer has any power over him. And death no longer has any power over those united to him in faith. Listen to how Paul ends the book of 1 Corinthians, verses 54 through 57. He says, when the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. One of my favorite movies is Cinderella Man. Has anyone seen Cinderella Man? There's enough of you out there? Well, it's this story, this great underdog story of this boxer, James J. Braddock. It's at the height of the Great Depression, and he's making this Cinderella comeback. I won't spoil everything, but as he's doing so, he's matched up with one of the top title contenders at the time. His name's Art Lasky, and most would say Art Lasky was just gonna wipe the mat with him. But in this iconic scene in the fight, Lasky lands this devastating blow to Braddock's face. It actually sends his mouthpiece flying out of his mouth. And so you see the mouthpiece kind of flying and hitting the mat, and then Braddock kind of staggers back a little bit. I mean, he just took a tremendous shot. And he starts walking over to pick up his mouthpiece, and the floods of scenes come into his mind of why he's fighting. And he's fighting because he's got a family, his children. This is the Great Depression. His children are without food, clothing, milk. So you see these scenes going through his mind. And so he staggers, he walks over and picks up his mouthpiece. And he smiles at Art Lasky, the guy who just landed this tremendous blow. He smiles at him and just puts it back in. And the announcer says, Braddock just took Lasky's best blow and it didn't even phase him. And when he puts it in his mouth, you see Lasky, the blood drains from his face. Because he's just looking at him thinking, that was the best that I had. I just gave him my best punch, the biggest blow I had, and he smiled at me. And Braddock proceeds to put it in and go in and win the fight. I think about that and I think about Christ-looking death. Death just gave Christ his greatest blow, all that it could give him. The greatest blow. Christ is dead and buried, and yet... It has no victory over him. He looks death in the eye, and you see this taunt. Where is your victory? Is that the best you've got? Where's your sting? Because the sting of death is sin. But Christ was perfect. There was no sin. He lived a perfect life before the Father. So when he laid down his life, the Father raised him victoriously because death had no power over him. and it has no power over those united to him in faith. You see, just like, very different than all the former high priests, all the former high priests stood before God, Christ stood before God, and then Christ was both the high priest and the sacrifice. very different than any of the former high priests. He swallowed up death in victory. He lives today, and the same is true for all who trust in him. And how does he do this? How does he save his own? How does he defeat death for us? He intercedes for us. Because Christ ever lives, he's able to intercede for his people. What does it mean for Christ to intercede for his own? What does that word mean? Well, how did the former priests intercede for the people? They represented the people before God, right? They went in. Only qualified priests from the line of Levi could enter the temple on behalf of the people, and only the high priest on one day of the year, the Day of Atonement, could enter into the most holy place to stand before the people, before God. One man on one specific day, one time a year, that's it. And he would do so to intercede for the people, to stand between God and the people, to offer this sacrifice on their behalf. With this substitutionary sacrifice, he would plead on their behalf. God, look at this sacrifice, not them. Appease your wrath on this animal, not your people. Though they have sinned, look at the sacrifice. He would plead on their behalf. This is what the former high priest would do. Do you realize this is what our Savior's doing right now for every single one of us who are united to him in faith? This very moment, what is Christ doing? He's pleading on your behalf. He's standing between you and the Father. Or perhaps, maybe better yet, He's sitting between you and the Father, because it tells us when He completed His work, unlike the former priests, He sat down. He completed it. But He's between you and the Father, pleading on your behalf. Father, look at my righteousness. My righteousness is perfect. Look at mine. He or she is united to me in faith. When you look at them, look at me. Isn't that beautiful? Isn't that beautiful that we have a Savior who, because he lives, he's pleading for you this very moment? Look at my righteousness. Don't look at him. See me when you look at him. But what if this isn't enough? You might think to yourself, maybe that works for normal sinners or for pretty good people, but you have no idea what my life looks like. You have no idea what I've done. You don't know my sin. Is Christ's intercession enough for me? Is it really enough? Will he really plead for me? Look with me again at verse 25. It says, consequently, Because Christ continues forever, from the previous verse, because He continues forever, because He is risen, consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost. To the uttermost. I love this particular Greek phrase. Because it can actually refer to both degree, meaning the degree to which Christ can save. He can save completely. And it can also refer to time, the duration. He can save eternally, for all time. And actually, most commentators would lean with, it does both. He can save completely, and He can save for all time. So that's why the ESV says, to the uttermost. He can save to the uttermost, completely and for all time. I love, Pastor Dana Ortlund said this, he commented on this verse, he said, we are to the uttermost sinners. We need a to the uttermost Savior. Isn't that true? We are to the uttermost sinners. We need a to the uttermost Savior. One who can save us completely and for all time. And this is exactly what Christ does. Because He lives, He can intercede for us. And because He can ever intercede for us, He can and will save us to the uttermost. Many of you are familiar with the Apostle Peter. I love Peter because I can relate to him in a lot of ways. In the Gospel of Luke, when Jesus foretells Peter's denial, do you remember that conversation that Jesus has with Peter? He tells Peter, Peter, he says, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded to sift you like wheat. But, do you remember what comes next? I've prayed for you. that your faith may not fail. Jesus interceding for Peter. I've pled for you, Peter. I've gone to the Father for you, Peter. And how successful was Christ's intercession for Peter? How successful was it? What happened to Peter? Yes, he denied Christ. He did it three times, which was awful. He denied Christ, but what happened? His faith did not fail. Why? Because of his resolve? Because of his passion? Because he was able to pick himself back up when he fell and he willed it? No, I think of all people, Peter did show passion. And I think he meant it. When he told Jesus, I will go with you to death, I think he meant it. He wanted to go with Christ to death. But was that why his faith didn't fail? No. His faith didn't fail because he had a great intercessor. Jesus interceding, his Savior interceding on his behalf and pleading before the Father for him. Peter's faith did not fail because Peter had a to the uttermost Savior. And so do we. All of us here this morning have a Savior to the uttermost. Verse 25, consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost. And who's he able to save to the uttermost? Did you catch that? Those who draw near to God through him, through Christ alone. So as we conclude, what's left for us to do this morning? What's left for us to do? Draw near to Christ. Draw near to the Savior. If you've never repented of your sin and trusted in Christ, let today be the day. Not tomorrow. Don't wait till next week. Let today be the day of salvation. Come to Christ now. He saves to the uttermost those who draw near to him. So come near to Him, cling to Him. Don't trust in your own strength, your own resolve, your own works, your own efforts. They will not get you there. Peter had strong resolve as a man. He was a pretty impetuous man. I mean, he cut off the servant's ear, and yet within a day he was denying Christ. He had passion. But what saved Peter? Christ. Christ interceding, standing between Peter and the Father and pleading for His own. That's available when you come to Christ. Come to the uttermost Savior. Come to Him. If you know Christ, God has been gracious to draw you to him. You've known Christ for a year, perhaps you're celebrating, this is your 30th year of celebrating the resurrection as a believer. What's there for you to do? Come to Christ. It's very simple. Keep coming to Christ. Though we look at Christ and say what he's done, he saved me at this point in time, he is saving you now. That's the beauty of having a Savior who ever lives to intercede, who ever lives to save you to the uttermost, because yes, there was a time where you turned to Christ, and yet, sanctification is still going on. You're still in need of saving. Keep coming to Christ. Keep coming to him. Cling to him. I love this quote by Robert Murray McShane. He said this, he said, if I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, so think about Christ's intercession. We're talking about the fact he ever lives to intercede. If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. Yet, distance makes no difference. He is praying for me. You have a Savior right this moment who is pleading and interceding before the Father. And why? How's he doing that? Because he lives. He is risen. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day. Oh Lord, what a wonderful, glorious day to celebrate. If Christ is not raised from the dead, we are still dead in our sins. We are grateful for the Lord Jesus. We are grateful that even now we have a Savior who lives, who is interceding for us, who is saving us even now. Thank you, Lord. Thank you for the Lord Jesus. Thank you for his perfect life, his sacrificial death, his victorious resurrection. Lord, I pray for any here this morning who are not united to Christ in faith, that you would draw them. Lord, we do see in John 6, you draw all men to the Son. Lord, we pray that you would draw those to the Lord Jesus, that they may come to know this Savior who saves to the uttermost. Help us to love him more dearly, we pray, in Christ's name, amen.