The Go-Between Series

Introduction: My family often enjoyed visits to the boyhood home of George Washington Carver, just 15 minutes outside of Joplin in Diamond, MO. There’s a beautiful national memorial park there, and Carrie and I had gone there one late afternoon for a visit. As it turned out, there was a special event happening that evening. We sat down on a bench, disappointed that we wouldn’t be able to go inside the visitors center that day. A nicely-dressed gentleman came over and spoke to us. We told him how we had often come to the park, but that tonight we’d be unable to go in because of the event going on. Only members were allowed in. The man said, “How would you like to attend?” “We aren’t dressed up.” “Don’t worry about it. You’ll be my guests. Come with me.” On the way in, he told the people at the door, “They’re with me.” We went in, had some refreshments, and had a seat. A few people spoke about the park, but the main speaker of the evening was a historian and professor who had written about Carver and who was going to speak about him. Up stepped our host, the man who had brought us inside. That night we went from being uninformed nobodies who were shut out to special guests of the main speaker! We didn’t get in because of what we knew or what we had done. It was because of who we knew!

All we needed was someone as our go-between. That’s the 4th baby picture of Jesus that we’re looking into today – the view of Jesus as a Go-between, a mediator – we might call such a person the arbitrator, or umpire, or the middleman. We’ve considered the picture of Him as a snake handler, the rock, and the Lion and Lamb. Today, we’re looking at Jesus the go-between. He meets our need for a mediator with God.

The carpet outlet store tells me to buy direct from them – they’ll eliminate the middleman and save me money. Buy direct! Who needs a middle man?

That’s fine when it comes to buying carpet, or a car, or dog food, but what about when it comes to my relationship with God? Do I need a go-between or not? Well, it turns out…

We Need a Mediator with God

How many of you have ever met in-person someone famous?

If you want to get an autograph from one members of the Chicago Cubs, you have to know someone.

If you want to get backstage at a Wynton Marsallis concert, you have to know someone.

If you want to get in to see the President of the United States, you have to know someone.

Why? Because they’re out of our reach. They’re too important. They’re too famous.

So when I talk about approaching God, it’s not too wild to think I might need some help? We need a mediator…

1. Because God is beyond us

If God seems far off, it’s because He is!! And He’s not just far off, He’s also very close up, and He’s more than we can take, or understand.

Israel got a taste of this once God began to speak with them directly…

Deuteronomy 5:24-27

"The LORD our God has shown us his glory and his majesty, and we have heard his voice from the fire. Today we have seen that a man can live even if God speaks with him. But now, why should we die? This great fire will consume us, and we will die if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any longer. For what mortal man has ever heard the voice of the living God speaking out of fire, as we have, and survived? Go near and listen to all that the LORD our God says. Then tell us whatever the LORD our God tells you. We will listen and obey."

“Go on, Moses, you talk with God and then talk to us. We think it would be good if someone could go between, kind of soften the blow of dealing directly with God.”

The word we’re looking for here is…

Transcendence – “to climb over, to go beyond”

God is “transcendent,” beyond creation. He’s completely holy and powerful in a way that is far beyond us. It’s the reason Paul describes Him as the One “Who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light.” It’s the reason that Isaiah falls down before Him and says, “I am undone!” It’s the reason that in Revelation the creatures around His throne in Heaven cry out “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty!”

I’m pretty sure God realizes all this about Himself. He’s the One Who’s told us about it!

Isaiah 66:1-2

Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?"