In Mark 1:9-13, we see Jesus presented as the perfect Son and Savior: In His Baptism, Jesus is affirmed by the Spirit and the Father to be the beloved Son of God In His Temptation, Jesus proves that He is sinless by triumphing over Satan in the wilderness

Mark is the quickest-moving, hardest-hitting of all of the Gospels. He doesn’t slow down to give a lot of detail most of the time. This book is what we are beginning to study this time in this week's episode. In this episode, we will see how this Gospel is about the good news of Jesus Christ. We will also see how John prepares the way by pointing to Jesus as far bigger and greater than him and anyone else.

 Hebrews 7:25 assures the believer by revealing that Jesus will save believers to the uttermost because of His present intercession.  Jesus’ intercession matters because He is a better priest. He is a better priest because He was ordained priest by God after the order of Melchizedek.

Jesus Christ is presently, actively interceding for His people. In the last two episodes, we looked generally at Christ's present intercession for us. But what does His intercession accomplish? Two Biblical texts (Romans 8:34 and Hebrews 7:25) detail what His intercession accomplishes. This week, we look at the first of those to see what Romans 8:34 teaches about Christ's intercession for us. Jesus silences every accusation and condemnation by pointing back to His death and resurrection through His intercession.

Jesus Christ is up to something right now by actively, presently interceding for believers. In this mini-series, we are examining a few various angles of this neglected, but life-giving reality of Christ’s intercession. This week, I want to wrap our arms around the big picture of this reality in a few parts:  We will define intercession  We will examine the way Christ intercedes  We will see why His intercession matters

How often do you hear about what Jesus is up to right now?  How many sermons have you heard on the present intercession of Christ? How many books have you seen on the intercession of Christ?  How many podcasts have you listened to on what He’s doing right now? Jesus is living, reigning, interceding, and building in heaven, but we don’t hear much of anything about it. Christ’s person and work are often presented totally in the past tense. We need to remember and delight in the present work of Christ's intercession because it is grounds for deep Gospel assurance!

The book of Haggai ends, not with a word to the nation, leaders, or group as a whole, but with a message to one man - Zerubbabel.  This message is about future triumph and future enthronement. God looks beyond the current temple construction project to the day when He will establish His throne and kingdom on the earth. To the day when He will rule and reign forever.

Sin contaminates everything we do. When we are not right with God, everything we do becomes contaminated and tinged by sin. There are consequences to our sin. The people were still working and sacrificing, but God couldn’t receive any of it because of their sins. If we live in known sin, the Lord cannot honor and bless even our acts of devotion. It does not matter how outwardly holy we appear if we live in sin before Him. We must see that we need to confess our sins and turn back to him, just as Judah did. Here’s the good news – He is always faithful, and just to forgive and cleanse us. But we must return.

About a month in rebuilding the temple, the people began comparing this new temple to Solomon’s temple. This new temple was not full of the beauty and splendor of Solomon’s temple. Their materials were less expensive. Their work was less glorious. They looked at the work of their hands and thought “What is the point? We cannot capture the glory of the past so why should we continue building this decrepit new temple?”       They could have easily stopped building.        They could have suspended the work again.       They could have given up for another 18 years.       Maybe they would have, but God would not let the work remain unfinished. He speaks through Haggai in 2:1-9 to implore them to keep working because He would display an even greater glory in this less glorious temple. He reminds His people that He is their glory, not the great or insignificant works of their hands. He implores them to press on in the work, not for the glory of the temple, but because of the glory and greatness of their God. He is a God who glorifies His name through the weak, small, and insignificant.

There are two ways we can live - in disobedience or in obedience. Haggai 1 shows how Israel was living in disobedience by not rebuilding the temple. By living this way, they discovered that life wasn't really satisfying. We will see in chapter one that to live in disobedience to God's Word is the most unsatisfying way to live and that to live in obedience to God's Word is most satisfying.