A Call to the Royal Priesthood
How to Fulfill God’s Purpose for Your Life
Rev. Sean Lester
May 4, 2003
Text: Hebrews 5:1-10
Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. [2] He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. [3] This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.
[4] No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was. [5] So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him,
"You are my Son;
today I have become your Father."
[6] And he says in another place,
"You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek."
[7] During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. [8] Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered [9] and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him [10] and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
Introduction
A. The need for a priesthood
1. God instituted the priesthood because no matter how hard people try, they still sin against God. They can’t help it. All sin and fall short of God’s expectations.
2. Because of their sin, people need someone to go to God on their behalf. People tend to be scared of a holy God. They think, incorrectly, that His anger will flare up because of their failures and kill them on the spot.
3. The advantage of the High Priest was in that he was human and frail. People were not afraid to go to him because he understood their frailties.
B. God needed to institute a new priesthood that would last forever and end the need for blood.
1. A human high priest could go bad, as in Caiphas.
2. God didn’t like the practice of killing animals.
3. A priesthood of blood relatives was inferior to one related through the spirit.
C. Jesus was called to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek, not Aaron.
1. Aaron’s descendants were priests because of birth, but Melchizedek was a priest because he practiced intercession for his people.
2. Jesus was called to be a priest who would die once, and then live forever as the High Priest of a new order, a priesthood established by belief in Jesus and obedience to His commands.
Theme: You are called to a priesthood of believers that intercede for all who will come to salvation through Christ Jesus. That calling comes from God and comes to fulfillment in your life through obedience to Jesus Christ.
I. God called you to enter a priesthood.
A. It is the purpose for your life.
1. [I Pet. 2:4] As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chose by God and precious to Him—[5] you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. [6] For in scripture it says:
“See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”
2. The scripture also says: [1 Pet. 2:9] But 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. [10] Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
B. It is the example that Jesus gave us.
1. God called Him to be the eternal high priest:
[5] So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.”
Hebrews 5:6 And he says in another place, “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”
C. It is received by all who hear the message and respond with humility and with reverence.
1. Humility required. The acknowledgement of one’s own inability to save oneself.
Lk 18:13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
Lk. 18:14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
2. Reverence required.
a. Knelt before (Matt. 8:2) A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
b. Confess undeserved ness (8:8) The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”
c. Use of the name Lord
d. Begging (8:30) Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. [31] The demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”
e. Knelt again [9:18] While he was saying this, a ruler came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.”
f. Calling out for mercy [9:27] As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”
g. Knelt [15:25 Canaanite woman] The woman came and knelt before him, “Lord, help me!” she said.
h. Knelt again [17:14 Demon possessed boy] When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. [15] “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly.”
i. Kneeling [20:20] Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
j. Calling out for mercy [20:31] The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
3. None who wanted salvation from the Lord, for themselves or others, stood in His presence, spoke familiarly to Him, and demanded something of him. They were reverent.
D. God responds by giving His Spirit so that the one who accepts the call may carry it out.
1. Parents, insist that your children approach you appropriately. They need to understand this concept in order to know how to come to God.
2. Cornelius’ household heard, were reverent, and received the Holy Spirit [Acts 10:44-48] While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy spirit came on all who heard the message. [45] The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. [46] For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.
3. The command Jesus gave to those who followed him was to wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit. [Acts 1:4,5] On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. [5] For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Transition: When you responded to the call of God to become a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, you accepted a call to a priesthood and therefore committed yourself to be set apart to serve God.
II. You must give yourself for the purpose of the priesthood by being sanctified.
A. Two qualities make it possible for you to be a priest to intercede between God and man, the first is your separation from sin.
1. Jesus Christ learned obedience through suffering temptation, just as we do. {Mt. 4:1] Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. [2] After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. [3] The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
2. It is the requirement of being a priest. [1 Pet. 2:11] Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. [12] Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
B. Being set apart to serve God.
1. Every priest had a duty to perform as assigned by the High Priest. Every duty requires careful training in order to properly carry out their duties. The book of Leviticus makes it clear that God is very particular in how worship was to be carried out.
2. The process of becoming a priest must begin in your home. Fathers, you are the priest in your home. Every night, read some scripture, even if it is one verse. Teach them how to live by the truth of the verse or verses. Tell stories, perform skits, reward them for learning. However you do it, do it every day. That is where you learn to be a priest outside the home as well. It not only sets you apart as a priest of God, but sets your whole family apart as well.
3. The Lord will open the door for you to minister in the church. It may not be your ultimate calling, but every ministry is preparation for another one. You learn by experience, continual and long-term, how to be a priest of God in the world.
Transition: Priest must be sanctified just as the Old Testament priests had to wash thoroughly before performing their duties. So, as you are sanctified, you may become a true intercessor in this world.
III. God designates you to be a priest so that you may fulfill your calling. You were already called, but that calling doesn’t come to fulfillment until you start to produce results in the kingdom.
A. The process of suffering and persevering perfects you.
1. God crowns you with authority to give life. [James 1:12] Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
2. The process gives you character and hope. [Rom. 5:3,4] Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; [4] perseverance, character; and character, hope. [5] And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
3. My grandfather retired as an engineer who worked at the mines near Marquette, MI. He described to me, earlier this week, how the iron comes out of the mine in pellets the size of a marble “shooter.” Those pellets are useless for making anything until they have spent time in the smelting fire, being perfected and refined so that the iron will have use.
B. Once perfected, you become a source of life for others.
1. Jesus Christ is the source of eternal life, but you are a source of the Spirit that gives life. [John 4:14] but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
2. Jesus said to the woman, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” The believer who has perfected the ability to communicate the gospel through experience and perseverance has the confidence to say the same, if you knew why I am blessed, you would be asking me from whom I received the blessing.
Conclusion:
A. Jesus was designated by God to be the last and eternal high priest between God and man. This designation came after he had suffered obediently while on earth. Out of obedience to the call, Jesus became the source of salvation for all people. Likewise, through obedience to Jesus Christ, we receive salvation. That call is to the priesthood of believers, a call of high and holy obedience to our High Priest.
B. You have heard the call this morning to the priesthood of believers. Whether you have ever asked Jesus to be your Lord or not, the call still beckons to you. “Come, said Jesus, follow me.” Like those who heard him, will you leave all and follow Him?
