Christ our Advocate

July 16, 2017

Partial outline: FULL PDF HERE

1 John 2:1-2

Good news—God desires our fellowship (1:3).
Bad news—God is Holy and cannot fellowship with sin (1:5-6). Sin breaks fellowship (2:1 a).
Good news—Jesus Christ restores fellowship through being an Advocate (2:1 b).

“Advocate” only occurs one time in a KJV.

WHAT IS AN ADVOCATE? One who pleads the cause or case of another—A defense attorney/ lawyer.

Our text suggests a scene in the courtroom of heaven:

God is the Judge
We are the Defendant / the Accused (presupposes our transgression).
Satan is the Prosecutor (Accuser).
Jesus Christ is our “Advocate”—Defense Attorney. Jesus stands before God on our behalf to plead our case.

I. An advocate must be AUTHORIZED.

(Not just anybody can come before the court to plead a case. The advocate must be qualified—A Lawyer must pass a “bar exam” regarding the law).

Jesus Christ is the ACCEPTED One in God’s courtroom. He is the APPOINTED One to defend us. Therefore, He is the AUTHORIZED One. In legal terms, He has been “called to the bar.”

A. What gives Jesus Christ the right to plead the case of the believer? Note what the verse says: “Jesus Christ the righteous.”

God is perfect, and only one who is perfect can stand in God’s presence. Jesus Christ alone is perfect. He alone has the right to stand in God’s court as the Advocate to represent man.
This means, God will never turn down a person who has Jesus Christ as his Advocate.

B. Jesus is qualified on the basis of His two-fold nature—The God / man.

C. “If any man sin we have an ADVOCATE with the Father, Jesus Christ the RIGHTEOUS…” “If any man sin…” what then?

II. An advocate must be ASTUTE. (Wise; discerning).

To properly represent a client, an Advocate must know the Law.
He must know the rules of the Court.
He must be aware of the strategies of the prosecuting attorney.
He must understand the case at hand and the implications of that case.
He must be sensitive to the position and needs of his client.

A. Jesus knows the Law—He is the Lawgiver!

B. Jesus is acquainted with the Judge—He is the Son of the Judge! One legal phrase used to describe an advocate is “a friend of the court.”

C. Jesus knows the tricks of the devil. He’s been dealing with the devil for over 6,000 years.

D. Jesus understands our situation! He is not only “a Friend of the Court” He is also “a Friend sinners.” He understands our human frame. Therefore He has a basis upon which to make His plea.