Called To Be A Bridge Builder - Exodus Part 19 Series

INTRODUCTION

• The Bible is full of pictures of believers that define their destiny…chapter 19 in Exodus is one of those.

• How we see ourselves and our call in Him is crucial to living out our destiny.

• One of our callings is to touch others…with life and possibility.

• It’s not an action it is a lifestyle.

Read Exodus 19:1-2

Exodus 19:2-6, 3Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall…and tell the sons of Israel: 4‘…I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to myself. 5‘Now then, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession among all the peoples…and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”

I Peter 2:4-5,9-10, "And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in scripture:…But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."

I. THE PRIESTHOOD OF THE BELIEVER

• What is all that about…

• Two pictures here that are vitally important to all of us…one of Israel and one of us.

• Exodus 19 says God is going to call Israel as a nation to be priests.

• Now they are only three months into this journey and God is already transforming their destiny…if they will receive it.

• A kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

• I Peter 2:9-10 - We are also called priests in fact we are told we are what Israel wouldn’t become.

• The priesthood of the believer is this: at the Reformation the church had said it alone had priests and the reformation said “no we are all priests…we can all come to God on our own.”

• We don’t have to have another make a way, Jesus did that!

• In the Old Testament the high priest once a year went into the Holy of Holies and made a sacrifice. He alone got in God’s presence.

• Matthew 27:51, “And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.”

• When Jesus died we are told the veil into the Holy of Holies was torn from the top to the bottom exposing the inner place with God to all people.

• That was the message; we all have access to come to God in Jesus’ name.

• He will hear your heart, share in your life.

• This privilege of access, we all get that.

• What we don’t get is the exercise of authority that the priesthood provides.

• The kingdom of possibility Jesus ushered in is to come through His priests, His people of authority.

• This would push back the intrusion of darkness the enemy brings.

II. THE AUTHORITY TO RESTORE LIFE

• When the Lord said, “Israel would become a kingdom/nation of priests”

• He was imparting His directive for destiny not just for Israel but for all people.

• Exodus 19:6 - What God had in mind was not a tribe of priests but a nation.

• Those of you who remember the story know when Moses came down they were worshipping the golden calf and he told those who were with him to come to him and the tribe of Levi, Moses’ tribe came.

• For the rest of Israel’s history the tribe of Levi became the priests to the other eleven tribes.

• That was not God’s original plan; it was that they would all be priests.

• Well if they were all priests, who would they be priests to? To others - Gentiles, to the nations of the world.

• They would bring the message to nations, Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the world.

• But it didn’t happen.

• Now God says that nation of priests is us.

• The nation of His kingdom.

• We have the privilege of access to Him to help stem the plague of death.

• Numbers 16 - Aaron saving the people from death.

• You take from the Holy of Holies - intimate place with God and you do battle.