'anointed For Service'

SERMON OUTLINE:

WASHING: sinful people need cleansing (vs 6)

CLOTHING: inadequate people need equipping (vs 7-9)

ANOINTING: ordinary people need consecrating (vs 10-12&23-24)

SACRIFICING: pardoned people need fellowship (vs 14-30)

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• You all know Britain’s longest-reigning monarch - Queen Elizabeth II.

• On 9 September 2015 she became the longest-reigning monarch in British history,

• When she surpassed the reign of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria.

• (Reigning for 70 years and 214 days)

• Question: Do you know who had the shortest reign in British history?

• Clue: If it helps it was a lady and she reigned for just 9 days.

• Answer: Lady Jane Grey (also called Lady Jane Dudley).

• She was the great-granddaughter of King Henry VII)

• She claimed the throne of England and Ireland from 10 July until 19 July 1553.

• Sadly, at the age of 15 reluctantly against her wishes,

• Unscrupulous politicians placed her on the throne,

• And Queen Mary (aka “Bloody Mary”) signed her cousin Jane’s death warrant.

• She was imprisoned and on February 7th, 1554,

• Mary signed the death warrant that would lead Jane to the scaffold just five days later.

• She had a strong Christian faith,

• And on the inside of her Greek New Testament,

• She wrote to her younger sister, Katharine,

“This is the book, dear sister, of the Law of the Lord. It is his testament and last will, which he bequeathed unto us wretches, which shall lead you to the path of eternal joy. . . . And as touching my death, rejoice as I do, good sister, that I shall be delivered of this corruption, and put on incorruption. For I am assured that I shall for losing of a mortal life, win an immortal life.”

• If you want to know the full story,

• Let me suggest the book, ‘Nine Day Queen of England: Lady Jane Grey’ by Faith Cook.

• TRANSITION: King Charles III’s coronation on Saturday 6 May 2023.

• It will be a ‘glorious’ spectacle of pomp and pageantry.

• During a service which has remained relatively unchanged for more than 1000 years.

• Charles will be seated in the Coronation Chair – known as Edward’s Chair,

• He will hold the sovereign’s sceptre and rod, to represent control of the nation,

• And also, the sovereign’s orb, to represent the Christian world.

• Charles will then be anointed, blessed and consecrated by the Archbishop,

• This is thought to be most sacred part of any coronation!

• And after this the crown of St Edward will be placed on Charles’s head.

• It all finds its roots in the Bible.

• Three groups of people were anointed in the Bible.

• Prophets, Priests and of course Kings!

• These people were ‘marked out’ from everyone else,

• And this was done by pouring oil onto their heads.

• Int Old Testament and the Old Covenant,

• Priests were chosen from the Levitical tribe (Aaron and his sons),

• And they were separate from the rest of Israel.

• (Exodus chapters 28-29 & Leviticus chapter 8,

• Describe the main priestly duties for the Levites to perform).

Note:

Question: Did you know that all Christians are called priests in the New Testament?

e.g., The apostle Peter said, (1 Peter chapter 2 verse 5).

"...You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

e.g., The apostle John wrote, (Revelation chapter 1 verses 5-6).

"To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever."

The New Testament clearly teaches that...

• The death of Jesus ended the Old Testament priesthood,

• His sacrifice for sin replacing the endless animal sacrifices.

• His perfect life as the Son of God,

• Could do what animal sacrifices were unable to do – pay the price of sin!

Ill:

• If you put body spray or perfume on a sweaty person,

• It may cover up the smell up, but it does not remove the smell,

• The smell will remain!

• That is what Animal sacrifices did, they covered up a person’s sin for a short time.

• That is why they were constantly repeated.

• A sweaty person needs a shower or a bath, a cleansing.

• And that is how the Bible describes the sacrifice of Jesus.

• His perfect life (of greater value than an animal) made forgiveness possible.

• That is the gospel message - the good news,

• That forgiveness is offered freely to all who believe in the risen Lord Jesus Christ.