A Concord Minute: Our advocate, Jesus Christ

“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation of our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. - 1 John 2:1-2 ESV

A blessed Advent to you! Christ has delayed His return another church year. So, the church continues onwards recounting the story of everything once again. The church year begins with Advent. Advent means “coming” but more concretely the coming of Christ. As homes and businesses are decorated for the Christmas holiday, so, too, the church prepares herself for Christ’s first and second coming (His birth and His return to judge the living and the dead). May your holiday preparations include some advent prep too; Jesus is coming!

Enough Advent greetings; onwards to telling you about your Advocate, Jesus Christ.

Just before this passage, St. John wrote about our invitation to confess our sins and receive God’s forgiveness. If we say we have no sin to confess, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we say we are not sinners, we make God a liar (for He tells us we are sinners) and His Word is not in us. Yet, God is faithful and just to forgive sins and cleanse from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:8-10 out of order, in paraphrase). Chapter 2:1-2 finishes up John’s proclamation to the church about her sins and God’s forgiveness.

If anyone does sin, we have THE advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ. This word “advocate” has a legal sense to it. Literally, the word “advocate” from the Greek means “to come to one’s side.” Again, in a legal sense, to plead for someone. Think of a defense attorney or something similar to that. Jesus stands beside you pleading to His Father to exonerate you of all sin because of what Jesus has done for you.

Allow me to paint you a picture: there is the Divine Courtroom at the end of days. God the Father sits on His throne. The devil is standing in the plaintiff’s spot. You are the defendant, being held accountable for your sins. The devil accuses you of every single sin that you have EVER committed to the Father. The Father agrees with the devil’s accusations. “Guilty” says the Father. Yet, for those who are in Christ, there stands Jesus beside you — nay, in front of you — advocating for you. The Father sees His own Son crucified and risen for you and announces that you are “innocent”; your sins are covered by Jesus.

That Last Day event “breaks into” reality today. You are guilty of every trespass, every debt, every sin you have committed. God hates the sinner as much as He hates the sin. Yet, there stands Jesus before you to His Father advocating for you by His blood shed for you. Thanks be to God for our Lord’s advocacy for us poor miserable sinners. May Christ, your advocate, be your joy!

The Rev. Matthew Berry is pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church in Sikeston, Missouri. Based in Sikeston’s Historic North End, Concordia is a member congregation of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), a theologically conservative, biblically sound, Christ-centered church.