---

I. First, let us look at THE OBJECT OF THE REDEEMER'S WORK. It is "to save." What is it "to save"? To save implies much. It implies that it was the design of God that poor fallen man should be raised higher in felicity than he had sunk low in misery: "Who hath saved us, and called us, not according to our works, but according to His purpose and grace, which were in Christ Jesus, before the world began." Then it implies that there is a Saviour; and who is that Saviour? And what is His name? And where does He dwell? If I turn to fallen man, he say, "Oh! He is not among us; I have not even righteousness enough to save myself." If I turn to angels, they say, "He is not amongst us; we have no righteousness to spare." If I turn to the sea, it says, "It is not in me." If I turn to the earth, it brings me nothing but shame, and poverty, and want. And while I am musing and turning hither and thither, lo, a voice from the heavenly world arrests my attention, and says, "Behold My servant whom I uphold, Mine elect in whom My soul delighteth; I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He shall show salvation unto the Gentiles, His name shall be called Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins." And it includes, as well as implies, mark you, what it is to save. To save is to deliver an individual from the curse and condemnation of sin, from the rule and slavery of sin "from the consequences and dismal end of sin.

II. But you say to me, "Yes, it is true that this is the salvation that I should desire to enjoy; BUT NOW CAN I BE SURE THAT CHRIST WILL SAVE ME?" Well, that matter is quite settled; but, just to bring it before you a little, let me illustrate it. There are three things that make this sure in the ability which He has to secure this object. First, it is ensured by the dignity of Hi- person; secondly, it is ensured by the perfection, of His work; thirdly, it is ensured by His never-failing success.

III. Then here are THE PEOPLE WHOM HE WILL SAW: "them that come unto God by Him." Mark the phraseology, for it is peculiar. "Them that come to God." Ah! here is a change; all the man's life was going from God; now he is coming to God. Here is the prodigal coming home; here is the criminal coming to God for mercy. But how can a poor, wretched, lost, guilty, undone criminal expect to find mercy of God? "Coming to God by Him." Ah! that explains the difficulty, and removes it out of the way. O Lord! I have no name to come in, but I come in the name of Thy Son; I have no righteousness to offer before Thee, but I come in the robe of Thy Son; I have no merit, but I come in the merit of Him who hung upon the tree.

IV. Finally, here is THE REASON WHY THIS SALVATION IS TO BE EXERCISED UPON THESE PERSONS. "Seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." And an important reason this is. The comparison is drawn here between the priests under the law and Himself. They died; and they had to make atonement for themselves, as well as for the people. He had none to make for Himself; and He "ever liveth." Oh! what. a mercy for me that I have a living Saviour; that He is not dead, but that He lives, and lives to plead tot me; that His voice is heard in heaven — "whom the Father heareth always!" — and heard for me! What an encouragement it is to know that you have some one who will introduce you into the presence of the King, who will speak well for you, and is not accustomed to be refused! And here is one that "ever lives to make intercession"! You recollect that about the throne of glory there are certain vials, and these are the "praters of the saints." So precious are these prayers, poor and imperfect as you think them, that they are put into vials to keep them; and so high is the estimation of them that they are put into golden vials, and God Himself says they are used as odours in the heavenly world. And if the prayers of my father, and my mother, and my sister, and my brother are so precious in God's estimation, what must my Saviour's intercession be?

(James Sherman.)

---

---

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.