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I. THIS COMING TO GOD BEGINS IN REPENTANCE. The pinch of hunger makes the prodigal cry out, "I am perishing with hunger." This leads him to reflect on the past, and lays on his conscience the sense of guilt. "I will arise and go unto my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned." That is his errand. Thus, want creates desire; desire expresses itself in prayer; faith sustains prayer; God's promises and perfections sustain faith. Hence the universal law, "He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." But though, in the Word, and through His works, God is revealed infinite in wisdom and in power, "able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask, or even think," though He is here revealed as condescending to our lowliness, pitying our weakness, merciful to our transgression; yet He is the Infinite Spirituality. Our senses cannot reach Him. No thought of ours can grasp His greatness. He is ineffably exalted, infinitely glorious, eternally true, inflexibly just, spotlessly pure — a moral glory, the blaze of which would entirely consume us if we got directly confronted with it. The reflecting man then asks, "How can I think of Him, of approaching Him, of speaking to Him?" You hope to be accepted. There is an intercessor — Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. That intercessor has revealed His Father's love, inviting us to go on. He has met every claim; He pleads our cause. Believing it, the mind enters into rest; the heart grows calm; there is a conscious approach to the Most High.

II. But, secondly, WE WILL GLANCE AT THE WORK OF CHRIST. "He ever liveth to make intercession." An intercessor is a third person coming betwixt two others. He stands related to both, and is accepted by both. Thus it is said that the Holy Spirit intercedes. On the other hand, and God-ward, we say, "He that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." The Divine Spirit dwells in the Divine mind, and all His impulses must be in perfect harmony with the Divine will. And, on the other hand, and in view of man, we say, "We know not what to pray for as we ought." "The Spirit helpeth our infirmities, and maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered." We are sometimes so ignorant or so troubled that we can only groan out our desires; but as He prompts them, He fills them with meaning and secures their acceptance. Thus, too, the Divine Redeemer exalted in heaven is said to intercede, and to intercede on behalf of all those who offer prayer to God.

III. In the third place, we glance AT THE PRACTICAL RESULT OF THIS ABIDING INTERCESSION. By virtue thereof He saves. He is "able to save." He is "able to save to the uttermost." Oh, priceless words? Is there one sinburdened, beclouded mind, one needing a Saviour and conscious of it, one who feels that God is supreme good — that away from Him happiness and rest will be impossible, yet conscious of much to keep Him away — afraid? Oh I think of the Intercessor and the result of His intercession. He can save. "His name shall be called Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins." This is the brief and yet full exposition of the message of the great and blessed Saviour, for concerning Him it is, to the end of time, "a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners," even the very chief. All the divinely illuminated have seen that Saviour. Their language is, "Mine eyes have seen Thy salvation." They have welcomed Jesus, and they have Him in their hearts, and they have heard the words, "This day has salvation come to his house." There is nothing of the kind anywhere else. I have read of all the systems of philosophy and religion, from the earliest days, and all over the world until now; but I know of nothing that pretends to bring this salvation but the glorious gospel. "Neither is there salvation in any other. There is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we can be saved." But this is enough. "He is able to save to the uttermost all them that come unto God by Him." Now, He not only saves, but He has power distinctively, for He is " able to save." The old predictions and invitations proclaim this. "Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none else." This, therefore, is the position in which the whole thing is presented to our minds in the New Testament. "Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think." This, therefore, is our Lord's special claim. Doubting, troubled soul, weary with the burden of thy sin, and anxious for rest, this is our Lord's special claim. What He said to the blind man He says to you — "Believe ye that I am able to do this?" He honours faith, faith honours Him. "Be it unto you according to your faith." One of the most familiar similitudes to represent the salvation of the soul is the deliverance of captives — men who have been made prisoners in war; These are lost men — lost to country, to kindred, to liberty, to honour, to hope; bound in chains, cast into dungeons, to suffer without pity, to toil without recompense, to weep, to groan, to die — no friend but death, no shelter but the grave. One comes to deliver. With strong hand He smites down the captor, and sets the captive free. In doing that He lost His life. He knew that He should, but He did it, notwithstanding- nay, with that very end in view. As the captives move away, gladly they say, "He died for me! He died for me!" "He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." "Ever liveth," and therefore "able to save to the uttermost." In the margin the word is "for evermore." "To the uttermost" perfectly, in every sense, and for every object. "To the uttermost." Oh, sinking soul, the hand is strong; the hand is loving. Take hold of it.

(John Aldis.)

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KJV: Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

WEB: Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, seeing that he lives forever to make intercession for them.