CHRIST- THE MEDIATOR

I Timothy 2:5

Introduction:

I have a friend whose business it is to mediate disputes between couples with the goal of negotiating a settlement between them rather than have the matter brought to court. He is qualified and endued with the authority of the Law to do so. There are others who arbitrate other types of conflicts between differing parties, individual, business or corporate, in order to arrive at some agreement of minds.

The Bible reveals the Lord Jesus Christ as THE MEDIATOR between God and men. Note that it does not say “between God and man,” otherwise it could be said that He actually does intercede for the entire human race, every son of Adam. No! The more generic term ‘men’ is used to show simply that He is the mediator of “man-kind,” sinners of different social levels, cultures, languages, and nations, for whom God the Father established him as the go-between, to be the Mediator of RECONCILIATION by way of SATISFACTION unto God the Father FOR them.

What then does it mean for a sinner to have Christ as their Mediator?

I. A mediator implies a conflict between two parties-

1. All men are sinners by birth, nature and practice- Romans 3:23

2. Their many iniquities render them offensive in the eyes of God, even those He loves with an eternal love in Christ, Ephesians 2:3. This offensiveness must surely be removed, and removed in a way that will clearly meet God’s full approval and every requirement of His exacting justice, Micah 7:18-20.

3. The difference between God and men as sinners arises from Adam having broken God’s covenant, Romans 5:12, Isaiah 24:5. Before the fall, men were in peace and accord with God in Adam their representative, while he stood in that state of innocence. However, when he fell, it required another to come and make up that breach, Hebrews 8:8.

II. A mediator must not only be able but willing to intercede-

1. Jesus Christ was willing to undertake the work of a Mediator, to make peace between God, the Offended Creator, and men, the offending creatures, Hebrews 10:7.

2. In this work, the Lord Jesus is no respecter of persons, and acts impartially toward all, as should any true mediator. His one objective is the satisfaction of all the legal requirements that would otherwise condemn those that His Father has purposed to save. He is the only one who can act without prejudice, being sinless Himself, and therefore approved of God the Father, Isaiah 59:16,17; Acts 2:22,23, Revelation 5:4,5.

III. A mediator is made sole judge in those matters for which he is chosen to decide-

1. As mediator, the Lord Jesus is knowledgeable of the law and thereby has the wisdom necessary to make righteous decisions, and to give a definitive sentence in the end.

2. God the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son, John 5:22,27.

3. For the sinner, there can be no greater and more able Mediator than the Lord Jesus Christ, who makes strong and powerful arguments to bring the adverse party to terms of peace and friendship with a Holy God.

a. His arguments are in accord with the Law- He fulfilled it in every jot- Matt. 5:17.

b. His perfect obedience and sacrificial death answer to both the precept and penalty of the Law, so that God is just and justifies all whom He represents, Rom. 3:24-26.

CONCLUSION:

Those who ignore their need of Christ as Mediator, and do not come to Him, will find themselves open to the severity of God’s Holy Law! Better the Mediator than the Law itself! Rom. 9:22; Heb. 10:26,27, John 3:36.