I invite you to take your Bibles and turn with me to James chapter 5. James chapter 5. This morning, while you're turning there, I'll just make a few opening remarks about our message or study this morning. We recently finished our series of studies on the one another passages of the New Testament, and our final text is the same one that we will read this morning in James chapter 5 and verse 16, where we consider the final exhortation to pray for one another. I mentioned briefly in that study that this idea of mutual prayer Praying for one another is also known as intercessory prayer, and it is that subject that I want to elaborate on both this morning and next Lord's Day. Before we read our passage, I want to read the words of Charles Haddon Spurgeon on the subject of intercessory prayer. He had these words to say. Brethren, I have to exhort you to pray for others. Before I do it, I will ask you a personal question. Do you always pray for others? Guilty or not guilty here? Do you think that you have taken the case of your children, your church, your neighborhood, and the ungodly world before God as you ought to have done? If you have, I have not. For I stand here a chief culprit before the master to make confession of the sin. And while I shall exhort you to practice what is undoubtedly a noble privilege, I shall be most of all exhorting myself." I say in full agreement with Spurgeon there of my own case as I bring this study here today that there is in no way that I have achieved this work and ministry of intercessory prayer in a way that I would be pleased with. Yet in studying this again and being reminded of it, I trust that it will renew your mind and your spirit in regards to this great ministry and work that we are all called to as believers in praying for one another or praying for others. Follow along with me as I read James chapter five, verses 13 through 18. Is anyone among you suffering that he must pray? Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain, and the earth produced its fruit. As I mentioned, verse 16, especially the second half, will be our focus. But that will be our focus next week. This morning, I want to open up this subject of intercessory prayer by looking at the practice or pattern of intercessory prayer from the scriptures. The Old and New Testament command to us for the holy calling and immeasurable privilege that every believer has in praying and pleading to God for others and their greatest needs is one that is incumbent upon all of us. It is my earnest hope that we will grow in this grace and discipline of this ministry and behold how God has specifically invested his power and glory in intercessory prayer for believers in the church today. intercessory prayer. What is it? Let me begin first by defining prayer. What is prayer? Biblically speaking, prayer is the believer's fervent communication with God. There are three main elements in prayer, God, the believer, and then communication. Listen to the words of Psalm 54 in verse 2. Oh God, the psalmist prays, hear my prayer. Give ear to the words of my mouth. A prayer is communication addressed first to God that comes from his own heart and his own spirit in the form of words or expression. The words that are commonly used in the scriptures for prayer, because in the New Testament and the Old, we have the same English word, pray, or prayer. But in the Hebrew of the Old Testament and the Greek of the New Testament, there is much difference in regards to the words that are used that tell us much about what prayer is. In the Old Testament, the word that we have used for prayer often The Hebrew word is from the verb to show favor or to be gracious. When used for prayer, it means to entreat or appeal to God for grace or mercy. That corresponding word from the Hebrew into the New Testament Greek always has rendered supplication, pleading, petitions, but heartfelt petitions or pleas and are always rendered to God. And it stresses the sense of need that we have in bringing that need in petition before God. The general word for prayer in the Old Testament is what is the most frequent word used, found 72 times throughout the Old Testament scriptures. And it is derived from the verb, which means to intervene or to intercede. It was used to express words offered to God that were sung or spoken in supplication, in praise, or in intercession. The word that we have in the New Testament, I think, opens up and reveals to us about the ministry and work of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and the life of believers in the sense that when Old Testament saints brought pleas and petitions before God. They did so with this fear and reverence to who God is and was. But in the New Testament, we have this word. which is used, which is a profound word, which is prosuke. Prosuke my, sukomai, is the word that we have oftentimes in the New Testament, and it has that prefix pros there, which means face to face with, which means intimacy with, which means coming before, and we have those allusions or descriptions in scripture of drawing near or coming close to God in prayer, where we read of the Lord Jesus Christ because of his person and work and his ministry, his finished work, that veil has been torn in two. And now we have access into the throne of God, and we are to come boldly and confidently and draw near to the throne of grace. The words for prayer in both the Old and New Testament all point to the believer's conscious sense of dependence upon God, going to him in faith, in reverence and urgency with a specific need or request for such things that he has promised to his people or are according to his will. Having to find what prayer is and what is intercessory prayer. An intercessor is one who takes the place of another or pleads another's case. So intercessory prayer then is the act of praying in behalf of another or others. In other words, it is when a believer pleads or prays to God on behalf of another who desperately needs God's intervention. I want to briefly survey this practice and pattern of intercessory prayer in the Old and New Testament, this ministry of intercession or intercessory prayer. It is a practice rooted in the Old Testament and seen in the lives of many Old Testament saints. Consider Abraham, the father of the faithful. He was one of the first great intercessors. Consider how he passionately pleaded to God on behalf of Ishmael. He cries out to God, oh, that Ishmael would live before you. Consider how he interceded for righteous lot in the city of Sodom in Genesis chapter 18. Consider how he interceded even for Abimelech. Even in the midst of his own lying sin, God commands Abraham to pray for Abimelech in Genesis chapter 20 and verse 7. Abraham was seen as an intercessor for various individuals in the Old Testament. What about Moses? He was another great intercessor in the Old Testament. Consider how earnestly he implored the Lord to stay his hand of judgment upon the nation and people of Israel after they corrupted themselves by making and worshiping the golden calf in Exodus 32. even when God told Moses that he would make a great nation out of him, that he would destroy these people for they have corrupted themselves. And he tells Moses that I will make a great nation out of you. In that context, Moses pleaded for Israel according to the covenant God made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, changing the course of God's action, we read in Exodus 32 in verse 14. Moses interceded with such great intensity to the Lord to spare them saying these words in verse 32 of the same chapter. And if not, please blot me out of your book which you have written for the sake of these people. Think of the account in Numbers 21 when God sent venomous or poisonous serpents among the people for speaking against God and Moses. We find Moses again interceding for the people and God, providing the cure for the people in lifting up the bronze serpent. Moses was an intercessor for a nation. Consider Samuel. The prophet Samuel, he too interceded for the people of Israel when they forsook God and sinned against him by worshiping false gods and were enslaved by their enemies. In 1 Samuel chapter 12, we read about God's judgment coming upon them in thunder and lightning, the people recognizing that they had sinned against God in worshiping the false idols, worship in the fact and the reality of why they had asked God for a king. They're aware and convicted of their sin against God. So they entreated Samuel to pray for them whom they had slighted. They had also looked upon Samuel as the prophet of God and had looked upon him in derision. Do you remember Samuel's response to the people of Israel at this time? In 1 Samuel chapter 12 and verse 23, he says these words, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you. But I will instruct you in the good and right way." Do you see how this ministry of interceding for people in prayer was so serious to Samuel's life? He said that it would be a sin to the Lord if he would cease praying for them because of what they have done, even in slighting him and deriding him as a prophet. Consider Jeremiah. His ministry as a prophet was one long, unrelenting ministry of intercession as he wept. He is known as the weeping prophet. He wept in tears and prayers for the all but ruined nation of Israel. Consider Job and his intercession in that book that we are all familiar with in those trials and troubles of Job when he lost everything that he had, his family, his health, his possessions, as he sits there in distress. We come to the end of that book in Job chapter 42, after Job's confession and repentance to the Lord and bringing him to that idea and understanding of where he stood before God and even his weakness and failures in the midst of all of this. And the Lord's anger is expressed even towards Job's friends, his three companions, We read these remarkable words in Job chapter 42 in verse 10. After Job confesses to God, after God's anger is directed towards Job's friends for giving him terrible advice, we read these words. The Lord restored the fortunes to Job when he prayed for his friends. And the Lord increased all that Job had twofold. It wasn't until Job interceded for his friends, those friends who really weren't good friends at all, but miserable companions to him, that he intercedes even for them, that we read the Lord reversed his misfortune. and increased all that Job had twofold. Job was an intercessor for his friends. This practice of intercession did not cease in the Old Testament, but is carried over into the New Testament. Consider those in the early church in the book of Acts. Stephen in Acts chapter 7 and verse 60, as he was being stoned to death, cries out an intercessory prayer. We read these words, then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice that is in prayer, Lord, do not hold this sin, the sin of those that are putting him to death, do not hold this sin against them. Or consider. The early church interceding in prayer for Peter to be delivered from prison. In Acts chapter 12 and verse 5, we read these words. So Peter was kept in prison for preaching the gospel. He is arrested and put into prison. And we read these words in Acts chapter 12. But prayer for him was being made, was continually being made. The early church was devoted to prayer and meeting together whenever there was this trouble and trial, and they lived in a constant state of this, of persecution, of opposition. And they were a people continually in prayer, so that when Peter was arrested, where do we find them? Prayer was continually being made fervently by the church to God. We even see in that story there their little faith, even, because they interceded for Peter to God in prayer, believing that God would answer his prayer. But they didn't believe how quickly God would answer their prayer, because Peter would come knocking at the door, and there would be an amazement and an astonishment and bewilderment that Peter was there, even though they spent the time before pouring themselves out in prayer. Or how about the Apostle Paul? of whom his very character and habit, it could be said that he never ceased to remember believers in his prayers. In Ephesians 1, verse 16, we read these words, I do not cease giving thanks for you while making mention of you in my prayers. And again, in the middle of this epistle in Ephesians chapter 3, as he is unfolding the riches and glories of the gospel, he cannot help but stop and say these words. For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father for you, for the churches in Ephesus. He was so given to this intercessory prayer, not only thinking about himself and his own life and the various troubles and circumstances of his own life, but his mind was so bent towards the various people that God had put into his life and the various churches even that he had founded. Now, these are some individual examples of intercession. These are by no means all of them, but ones that I think that we are all familiar with that I call to your attention. But I want to call to your attention now one group from the Old Testament that I purposefully left out. There was a group in the Old Testament that was specifically given to the work of prayer and intercession that is detailed in Leviticus and Numbers. They are the priests. The priests represented the people before God. They were ordained by God and ministered unto the people through the sacrificial system and through intercession. The only way to have access to God was, and the only way to be accepted by God, the only way that sins could be atoned for was through the intercessory work and ministry of the priests. Now, the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophets, the fulfillment of the Old Testament kings and priests, those who interceded for the people of God, The one who intercedes like no one other, who is the fulfillment of all of these, is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is the great high priest and intercessor. He is pictured in the New Testament as the ultimate intercessor between holy God and sinful man, just as the Old Testament priests did. We read in 1 Timothy 2 and verse 5, for there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. It is only by or through Christ's intercessory work on behalf of sinners that we can have access to God in prayer, let alone be saved. In his redemptive work, the Lord Jesus Christ was both priest and sacrifice, what no Levitical priest could do. They had to find the spotless, lamb to bring before God upon the altar to sacrifice and atone for the sins of the people. But the Lord Jesus Christ is the great high priest, and he was also sacrificed at the same time. As priest, he offered up to the Father his own lifeblood as the once for all sinless lamb of God, who blood was shed for the remission of sins. As the God-man being true deity, In his person, the Son of God, and being truly man in his being, his sacrifice was of infinite value. And he accomplished that full atonement for sins of everyone that would believe upon him by faith. as a result of his redemptive work as mediator, his incarnation, his perfect life, his sacrificial death, his resurrection, his ascension, his salvation to all that would believe in him, even with the gift of the Holy Spirit to believers, the scriptures affirm that believers now, in this gospel age, have been made what? kings and priests unto God by the Lord Jesus Christ. We read this in Ephesians chapter 2 in verse 13 through 22, in Revelation chapter 1 in verse 6, and Revelation chapter 20 in verse 6. Scripture, especially from the words of the Apostle Peter, speaks of believers as a royal priesthood, a kingdom of priests. We need now, in this gospel age, because of the finished work of Christ, no earthly priests. But by faith, we can now go directly to God. on the basis of Christ's righteousness alone, and now enter into that throne room of God, the Holy of Holies, not only with our own petitions, our own needs, beginning at salvation, that we would cry out unto God to save us by the blood of Christ, but we are invited, even commanded, by the Lord Jesus Christ to intercede for others. This is what the priesthood of all believers is about. We have been given this special task and ministry of interceding now on behalf of others as our Lord Jesus Christ does, not in a saving way, for the Lord Jesus Christ is the only great high priest in sacrifice, but in a way that we intercede for the needs of others, bringing it to the Father through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ who intercedes for us, and it is a ministry that every believer has. Now by the guidance and the intercessory work of the Holy Spirit who resides within us, we have one advocate, one intercessor in heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ at the right hand of the Father. And we have that intercessor in the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer. We are enabled now and permitted to intercede in behalf of others. commanded to intercede in prayer on behalf of our fellow believers. Is this not how our Lord taught us to pray in the model prayer? He said, our father, when teaching his disciples. And the expressions which follow are not in the singular, but in the second person plural. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts. lead us not into temptation. You see, the Lord Jesus Christ knew that for believers that the tendency that we have in prayer when we are overwhelmed by the needs that we have both physically and spiritually is to pray in the first person singular. God help me for what I need. But he is teaching his disciples and us by extension that we are always to pray and keep in mind for the needs of others. The Holy Spirit which indwells us and the fruit of the Spirit which comes forth from our lives and the love that has been shed abroad in our hearts as believers is a love that is given towards the needs of others. He expressly taught his disciples that none of us are to pray for ourselves alone. We see this in The life of the Apostle Paul in 2 Thessalonians chapter 3 and 1, he cries out in that letter for the believers in Thessalonica to pray for him. We read this here in James, the text that we read this morning in chapter 16, that we are to pray for one another, coming in the form of a command to us. But our intercessory prayer does not stop with our fellow believers in the context of the church even. We are to intercede in prayer even for our nation in which we live. Remember what the Apostle Paul told Timothy and the church at Ephesus in 1 Timothy chapter 1? First of all, then, I urge that in treaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men, for kings, and all who are in authority so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. When we see a nation that is wrecked by sin and wickedness, sure, we may complain. Sure, it may cause us internal distress. But we are not to stop with just complaining. We are to bring our complaints to God in prayer, interceding even for those in power, in government, in our nation. Paul goes on in explaining there in 1 Timothy 2 that not only are we to pray for our nation, but even for the lost. Paul includes sinners, those who are lost in sin and misery. In 1 Timothy 2, verses 3 and 4, he says this, speaking of intercessory prayer, is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior. who desires all men, that is all men and women without exception, to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. What truth? The truth of the gospel, the truth of the gospel in the Lord Jesus Christ. Why? Paul says in verse 5, for there is one God and one mediator also between God and men, the man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. What is the means that God has ordained in saving sinners? It is the preaching of the gospel, the proclamation of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom he has called to save sinners from themselves, from the power of sin, consequences of sin, but he also here tells us through the Apostle Paul that he has ordained the means of prayer to intercede for those that we proclaim the gospel to, that they would be saved by this one mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ. But even in the midst of all of the examples of the Old and New Testament May the Lord Jesus Christ be our utmost model of intercessory prayer. The example that he left to his disciples and by extension to every believer and local church is our ultimate standard. Turn with me quickly to John chapter 17. John chapter 17, I want to consider as we draw this message to a close how Our Lord Jesus Christ prayed in his great high priestly prayer. A very familiar passage here in John chapter 17. What a remarkable, God-glorifying prayer that was. He seems to have thought of all of the wants, anticipated all of the needs, all of the weaknesses, vulnerabilities of His disciples, and in one long stream of prayer and intercession, He pours out, this is the Lord Jesus Christ, pours out His heart before His Father's throne. And what did He pray for there in John chapter 17? Look at verse 13, Father, I pray for spiritual joy, for the fullness, their fullness of joy. This is what was preeminent upon his mind for his people, to have joy. In verse 15, Father, I pray for protection that you would keep them from the evil one. In verse 17, he would pray to the Father for sanctification, that they may be made holy and set apart unto God on his service in the gospel. But he prayed not only for his own people at that time, his own disciples before him. The Lord Jesus Christ, in his high priestly prayer, prayed for future believers. He prayed for everyone sitting in this room this morning, that is. trusting in the finished work of Christ. Chapter 17 and verse 20, we read, Father, I pray for those also who believe in me through their word. We were on Christ's mind as he was preparing to go to Calvary, to go to the cross. He did not stop there. He goes beyond this. He prays for Christian unity among believers, both his disciples and the church then and the church now. Father, I pray, chapter 17, verse 21, that they may all be one, even as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that, listen, the world may believe that you sent me. You see how important Christian unity and love is in the midst of the church. The Lord Jesus Christ prayed this as he prepared to go to the cross, knowing that the unity of Christians in a hostile world, in a world opposed to the gospel, will be a means to show that Jesus is who he said he was, and that the Father is who he said he is, and sending his son for the specific purpose of saving sinners. Well, may we not forget also the Lord Jesus Christ and his intercessory prayers and ministry, prayed even for his enemies. Even in his agonizing crucifixion, he did not forget that he was still an intercessor for sinful men. In Luke chapter 23 and verse 34, we read these words, Father, forgive them, forgive them, those who have just blasphemed Those who have just put to death the Son of God, forgive them, for they know not what they do. A few final thoughts. Dear Christian, let me encourage you to remember your Savior's example to you today. Remember that he does not cease in praying for you as he sits enthroned in heaven at the Father's right hand. Turn with me to Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8 and verse 34. I'll have you turn to a few passages as we close here. Romans chapter 8 and verse 34. Read these remarkable words again by the Apostle Paul. Romans chapter 8 and verse 34. picking up right there in the middle with the words Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus is he who died, yes, rather, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, read those words, who also intercedes for us. The words in the original read, he is continually interceding on behalf of his people. This means, dear Christian, that your Lord Your Savior, Jesus Christ, pleads your case. Whatever you may be going through in your Christian life, whatever extremity, whatever trial, the Lord right now is pleading your case. He aids and assists us. He presents our concerns before the mercy seat in the heavens, even when we can't lift up our own voice in prayer He is interceding for us in heaven. It was for this purpose that he ascended into heaven, as you remember. Listen to the words of Robert Murray McShane. 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. This is the truth and reality for every believer. Listen to the words of Hebrews chapter 7 and verse 25, if you would turn there with me. Hebrews chapter 7 and verse 25, and I found it, again, by God's providence and the way that he works in mysterious ways that unannounced to Brother Jeremy to sing what hymn this morning that we sang the hymn that we did in Arise My Soul Arise, which if you saw the scripture reference there in that hymn is this very passage Hebrews chapter 7 verse 25. We read the words here. Therefore, And in the context here of this chapter, it is speaking about the Lord Jesus Christ, about him being an everlasting priest. Therefore, he is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. What this is telling us here, in the simplest of terms, is that He, that is the Lord Jesus Christ, can and will carry out our salvation under all circumstances until its completion. Matthew Henry writes, This is the believer's safety and happiness, that this everlasting high priest is able to save to the uttermost in all times, in all cases. He knew before he saved us what our life would be, the various trials, the various sins that we would commit for Jesus Christ paid for our sins, past, present, and future. As we sing in the hymn, he ever lives above for me to intercede, his all-redeeming love, his precious blood to plead, his blood atoned for every race, his blood atoned for every race, and sprinkles now the throne of grace. This is what the Lord Jesus Christ, as the great high priest in heaven above, is doing now for every believer. And turn with me to the final passage in 1 John chapter 2. Reading verse 1, 1 John chapter 2, verse 1. The apostle John writes in his epistle, my little children, I am writing these things so that you may not sin. He's not talking about sinless perfectionism here in the believer. He is talking about the believer committing acts of sin, indulging themselves or yielding themselves to that remaining sin and corruption within them. And if anyone sins, that's every believer. If anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. He is not only the righteous one and our advocate at salvation, as sinners, but this speaks of his continual intercession on behalf of those whom he saves. He knows those times that we will sin and commit those acts of sin to act out of character as believers. And we are told that the Lord Jesus Christ is our advocate with the Father, so that in verse nine, when we do sin, we are to confess our sins before him, knowing that he will cleanse us from all our unrighteousness. What glorious truth there is in this matter of intercessory prayer, especially in the intercessory work and the model that we have in our Lord Jesus Christ. What a glorious reality. What a loving savior he is. What a mighty king he is. What a great high priest he is. May his continual intercession on behalf of us stir us up to intercede for others. May we be like our Lord and master in this regard. especially for those who will believe on him through our word and witness. A final word to those that are unsaved. This intercessor, the Lord Jesus Christ, that has been exalted this morning in your hearing for believers, is mighty to save and intercede even for you this day. He, in his work and his person, is the atoning sacrifice, not only for our sins as believers, but we read in 1 John 2 and verse 2 that he is an intercessor and a great high priest even for all of the world, all of those who will come to him by faith, trusting in who he is as the only savior for sinners. considering and trusting in what he has done and paying the price for your sins to be forgiven. Do not harden your hearts. Do not reject this great sacrifice. Today is the day of salvation. Turn from your sin and trust in the only mediator between God and sinful man, the man Christ Jesus. And if you do come humbly and honestly before him, confessing your sin, broken over your sin, you will find in the Lord Jesus Christ a savior, mighty to save, to transform your life, and you will ever live the rest of your days upon this earth having that great high priest as an intercessor for you, praying for you. helping you in all of your days. Our gracious Heavenly Father, we thank you again for your Word, for this doctrine and truth of intercessory prayer. We pray that as we look at this subject here in Scripture this morning and, Lord willing, next week, that we will consider the great work of intercession that every believer is called to. And may we look to the scriptures to see our standard, especially in our Lord Jesus Christ, how he has taught us. May we be servants first and foremost to him. And then may our love to our Savior be shown in our love to one another and how we intercede on behalf of our fellow believers here in this congregation. I thank you that we are a church, O God, given to prayer. that we commit ourselves weekly to pray and throughout the week to pray for one another. I pray that we would excel in this still yet more. Give us more faith, give us that strength and give us much grace to pursue and to persevere in this work of intercessory prayer. That it would bring you glory and that it would even be seen in the salvation of sinners in our lives and even brought into the midst of our congregation. May you be glorified to the preaching and teaching of your word this hour and in the next hour is our prayer. In Christ's name, amen.