The Priestly Anointing Series

6/16/2013

Morning Worship

Text: 1 John 2:20-27

Subject: The Priesthood of Believers

Title: The Priestly Anointing

Happy Father’s Day!

I used to get together with Charlotte’s brothers and brothers-in-law and nephews once a year to play golf. None of us were very good – some of us just not as bad as others. The last year we played was about five years ago. I remember something very specific about that day. I had been targeted by Charlotte’s family as the one to beat. I have no idea where that came from, but I guess they thought that since I was a pastor that I must have a lot of time to play golf.

I remember one particular comment that Charlotte’s brother Ted made. I had asked him why he thought that he had to beat me. What made that so special? He told me that he noticed that I was one of those guys who did well at anything they tried. That’s how he saw me and not how I saw myself. And after thinking about it I saw that there was an element of truth to what he was saying. I was a late bloomer as far as athletics go. I didn’t get very good at anything until after I was out of school. Then I just started being pretty good at everything I tried. Whether it was softball, basketball, or horseshoes I began to take the extra time to get good at whatever I was doing. It didn’t stop with athletics. I worked harder at my guitar playing. I advanced in my factory job faster than anyone else. I learned the carpenter trade quickly. That was just the way I was wired. I was going to be good at anything I did.

I suppose that aspect of my personality transferred over to my spiritual life as well – or at least what I thought was spiritual. When Charlotte and I were married and I joined her church I worked hard a being a good church member. However, unlike my life in the material world, I eventually realized that my abilities really had no impact in the eyes of God. It wasn’t until that cold winter night in February of 1988 that everything changed and I also changed. It was on that night that I gave myself to Jesus that I saw myself in the same light that God saw me – a sinner in need of a Savior. When I made that decision I quickly began to take the same spiritual track that I had taken in my natural life. I wanted to be the best that I could be. If I’m going to be a Christian I’m going to do everything I can to be the best. The only difference between then and now is that I no longer am in charge, but the Spirit of the Living God has anointed me.

This is the beginning of a series on who you are as a Christian. I want to focus on 1 Peter 2:9-10, 9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God…

If you look in the Scriptures one of the first things you see about the priesthood is that they were anointed and set apart for the Lord.

1 John 2:20-27,

20But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.£ 21I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist—he denies the Father and the Son. 23No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

24See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25And this is what he promised us—even eternal life.

26I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.

I believe this is God's Word…

I believe it is for me…

I accept it as mine…

I appropriate it to my life today…

You have the anointing as the priesthood of God.