福音的重要信息：基督的代求
希伯来书七章23节至八章1节
23那些成为祭司的，数目本来多，是因为有死阻隔，不能长久。
24这位既是永远常存的，他祭司的职任就长久不更换。
25凡靠着他进到神面前的人，他都能拯救到底；因为他是长远活着，替他们祈求。
26像这样圣洁、无邪恶、无玷污、远离罪人、高过诸天的大祭司，原是与我们合宜的。
27他不像那些大祭司，每日必须先为自己的罪，后为百姓的罪献祭；因为他只一次将自己献上，就把这事成全了。
28律法本是立软弱的人为大祭司；但在律法以后起誓的话，是立儿子为大祭司，乃是成全到永远的。
1我们所讲的事，其中第一要紧的，就是我们有这样的大祭司，已经坐在天上至大者宝座的右边，
信息分享
其次，我们有基督在天上为我们代求。罗马书五章10节指出，我们「借着神儿子的死，得与神和好」。但保罗接着说：「既已和好，就更要因祂（基督）的生得救了。」
这里的「生」，不是指祂曾在地上活着，而是祂复活、升天之后，如今仍在天上活着。
说基督已完成了工作，并没有错；但说祂仍然在工作，也同样正确。某人可以完成了一天的工作，回到家后，又发现有另一件工作等着他去做。
基督如今正为我们做甚么呢？
祂正为我们做着大祭司的工作。降生的时候，祂是以先知的身份来传递神的信息；如今，祂已经作王，而且终有一天，必从天上再来统管全地。
如今，祂在天上以大祭司的身份为我们代求。祭司的拉丁文是'pontifex'，可解作「筑桥者」。基督就是我们与父神中间的桥梁；祂可以随时进到神的面前，不住为我们代求。我们只要翻阅约翰福音十七章，就可看到这位大祭司怎样为我们代求。
信心让我们回望，看见基督为我们受死。信心也让我们向上看，看见基督为我们代求。信心更让我们向前看，盼望基督的再来。
GREAT WORDS OF THE GOSPEL: CHRIST’S INTERCESSION
Hebrews 7:23-8:1
23 Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing.
24 But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.
25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens;
27 who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
28 For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.
1 Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,
Message
What help has God given us as we face temptation and the world around us? He has given us two tremendous advantages. First, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. He also has come to give us power to live for and witness to Christ.
But there is more. We have the present ministry of Christ in heaven on our behalf. Romans 5:10 speaks of our being reconciled to God through the death of His Son. Then Paul goes on to ask, 'How much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His (Christ's) life?'
What life is that? Not His earthly life, but His present life in heaven, which began with His resurrection and ascension.
It is quite right to talk about Christ's 'finished work'. But it is just as correct to speak of His 'unfinished (continuing) work'. A man can finish his day's work or complete the gardening job he has undertaken, then find when he enters his home, there is other work for him to do.
What is Christ doing for us now?
Christ is working for us as our Great High Priest. As God's prophet, He came with a message from God. As God's king, He is ruling now and will one day rule the whole world even more completely.
As High Priest, He is interceding for us. He has unlimited access to God. (So do we of course.) The word priest in Latin is 'pontifex', the bridge builder. Christ has built a bridge for us to the Father and is continually praying for us. Read John 17 again for a glimpse of His wonderful intercessory prayer for us.
FAITH looks back and sees Christ dying for us. FAITH looks up and sees Christ pleading for us. FAITH looks on and sees Christ coming for us.