If we started with Jesus as the ultimate word of God to humankind, the Word incarnate, we now see him in his exaltation as the ultimate word of humankind to God. His resurrection has shown that he is the perfectly acceptable advocate for us sinners. His very presence with the Father pleads our cause, but pleads it from the God who loves to give his true children what they ask. Since this role of Jesus is from start to finish on our account, it gives us confidence to ‘draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith’ (Heb. 10:22). The intercession of Christ is the perpetual guarantee that we do not speak to thin air or to the ceiling when we pray through him. We have access to the Father through him who is the true image of God. Both Paul and the author of Hebrews assure us that there can be no ceiling to stop our prayers since we are accounted as being with Christ in the very presence of the Father.
Graeme Goldsworthy