It doesn’t take long to figure out that having a title isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It’s lonely at the top, even though you may have a name plaque that says something before or after your name. Really, it would be easier not to wear a title sometimes:
Stinky diapers mean more when your title is Mom or Dad
Court cases take on a different feeling if your title is “Juror #4”
Terrorist attacks have a different significance if your title is “Mr. President.”
You have to remember that church staff positions are something we create, not that we find in the Bible. So, what we call them can’t be found in the Bible either.
One day, someone called the church office in Hillsboro, OH. This person was trying to get to me, so she said, “I want to speak to the main minister, the preacher, you know, the Prime Minister!”
Titles means responsibility, not just privilege. That’s probably why, in the Church, we have allowed some titles to be dropped and forgotten through the years.
There’s this title, priest, that has shown up and fallen off through the years. Today, I want to talk about the way it really ought to be applied to all Christians, young and old, man and woman.
Wait a minute…”priest”? First of all, that’s those other guys, not us Christian church guys, and besides that, “priest,” that’s just for certain people in the church, isn’t it?
Those are fair questions. Please, go ahead and ask them with me:
• Should only certain people be allowed to baptize a person?
• Should only certain people be allowed to collect an offering, and to bring around the Lord’s Supper?
• Should only certain people be around to help or encourage those who are hurting, or sick, or injured?
• Should we send our friends, or our children, to a certain person on a church staff when it comes to telling them about Jesus?
• Should we leave studying the Bible up to certain people?
Some of you have wondered about some of these questions, and others like them. They really do matter, but the answer to them is bigger than just yes or know. What we’re looking at today is really a very foundational question for the way every one of us relates to the church. It keeps coming back to this concept that every believer is a “priest” in God’s Church.
Revelation 5:9-10
And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth."
Look around the throne in Heaven, and the creatures and elders there are saying that Jesus has made men from every tribe and language and people and nation to serve God as priests. So, for forever, we’re going to be serving as priests. That’s not too hard to accept, is it? A lot of things are going to change when Heaven is completed and we finally receive our home there. What does that have to do with now?
There’s another bit of Scripture we really need to look at. Peter writes it to God’s elect – the people who are members of the Church, right now. Pay attention to the verb tenses, because this has to do with now, not just some future scene…
1 Peter 2:4-10
As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him-- 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. 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." Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone," and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message--which is also what they were destined for. 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. 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.
These verses call us a lot of things – living stones, spiritual house, chosen people, holy nation, people belonging to God. What I really want to especially catch today are the words that talk about the way every believer is a “priest” right now.
It wasn’t always that way. This wasn’t something you applied for. It was appointed to you because you were born in the tribe of Levi. You had to be without physical defect. You couldn’t own land – you didn't need it. Didn’t need to work a field or a vineyard - everything was provided. You ate the showbread from inside the temple, and the meat from sacrifices. Only you had the privilege of handling the sacred things like the incense and anointing oil. Your work uniform was provided – and it was a really nice one. You never had to go to fight in the army, while the men from the other tribes all had to. “4F – priest.” There was a lot of work and responsibility, but it was also a pretty good deal! - better than "clergy" parking!
That was then. This is now. God changed it. Like Peter writes, God chose to let us all have special status, and you, by your choice to be a follower of Jesus are a spiritual household, a royal [priesthood].
Welcome to the priesthood!
That’s important, because the priesthood and especially the High Priest was the correct way for everyone to approach God. In other words, this title that you wear really tells something about your relationship with God.
I. Necessary to approach God
The OT way of approaching God required a 3rd party. Not just anyone could waltz on in to the Holy Place or offer a sacrifice. That was the job of the priests. In fact, only the high priest could enter into the center of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and he did that on only one day of the year, on behalf of the whole nation!
Priests were mediators. Part of their job was to approach God on behalf of the people. When someone sinned, it was the priest's job to offer a guilt offering for them. When someone was declared unclean, it was up to the priest to pronounce when they were considered clean again. When you wanted to approach God, you went through the priest. They were mediators. That was then. This is now. Now, there's a better way to approach God!
Look at these verses with me…
I Timothy 2:5 "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus"
Ephesians 3:12 - "In Him, and through faith in Him, we may approach God with freedom and confidence."
Hebrews 4:16 - "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
Ill - Imagine for a moment that every contact you have with your children or grandchildren is through a 3rd party. You want to give him a present, you have to go through someone else. You want to know how he responded to the gift, you have to ask someone else. He wants to tell you he loves you, that message has to be sent through someone else. You know about him. You know he’s there, but when it comes to actually being with him and speaking with him, there’s always someone else in-between. While it’s nice to have someone be there to do that, that in-between also means you don’t have direct contact.
Rather than being down on people we know who are in the Catholic church, why not share this bit of good news from God's word with them? Tell them that we've been given a privilege to approach God's throne directly, not through a human; that we have a High Priest before God through Whom we approach God with confidence; that there's a better way to approach God today; that, in fact, we have been given the privilege of an intimate, personal relationship with Him! How about sharing with them that we all, through Jesus, can personally approach God with confidence?
"You are... to be a holy priesthood (v5)...(v9) you are a royal priesthood..." That's a wonderful message to all Christians - one we need to understand and speak about! It’s because we’re all members of the priesthood.
Priesthood is also…
II. A Status That Gives Us Work to Do
There are many people who like the benefits that come with a title who don’t want to accept the responsibility of it too – titles like “husband,” “wife,” “Dad,” “Mom,” “manager,” “captain,” “owner.” The thing about titles is that they contain responsibility.
Like any other title of power, the title “Priest” comes with some work to do…
1. Intercede for men before God
The work of the priests was representative. They were to represent God to the people, and to represent the people before God. Once each year, the high priest would lay his hands on the head of a goat and confess over it the sins of the nation, then it would be released into the desert – symbolically, their sins from the past year would wander away. Every day it was the priests' job to intercede for the people before God - to offer the sacrifices brought for their sins and uncleanness. That was then.
But there's still a need for the people of God to be pleading on the behalf of lost people before God. When was the last time that you came before God, with a heart burdened for someone who needs Jesus, and pled with God for that person’s salvation?
There's still a need for people who are concerned and convinced enough about the lostness of others that they commit some serious and sincere time before the Father, pleading for the opportunity to reach them, pleading for their souls to be saved before it's too late. Being priests means we do some interceding for men before God.
Let me tell you, when that’s what you do – when you’re talking to God about someone regularly, by name – you’ll find yourself also looking for how you can help those prayers be answered. You’ll be checking up on that person. You’ll be looking for opportunities to help that person. You’ll be looking for the right words to say.
2. Offer Sacrifices – of thanks and praise
No one but priests were ever to offer sacrifices in Israel. But now, as a holy priesthood, all Christians have the duty to make sacrifices - spiritual sacrifices.
When Jesus died on the cross, it as a once-for-all-time sacrifice. Sacrifices don’t happen anymore; at least, not the same kind. Now, there are other kinds of sacrifices we can offer, for a different reason…
Our bodies –
Romans 12:1
"Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship."
Money –
Paul said, concerning the gifts of money they sent him,
Philippians 4:18
"...They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God."
Praise & good deeds –
Hebrews 13:15-16
"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise -- the fruit of lips that confess His name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased."
As it turns out, not only are we priests in the Church, but there are sacrifices that need to be offered on a regular basis by the Church. They just tend to be much less messy than slaughtering bulls and goats!
3. Keep worship alive and real
It’s on us to keep worship alive and real in the world where we live!
The OT priests were responsible for the upkeep of the temple worship. Any time they neglected their duties in the temple, the result was a nation of people who failed to worship God. Do you see a connection here?
Who's responsible for worship when we gather together on Sundays? Not just the person who stands up here and says, “Let’s all do this!” That’s only one person.
Who’s responsible? We all are - and not only on Sundays, but through the whole week as well. It's up to us, fellow priests of God, to make sure that God is worshiped in our homes, at work, at school, and on the streets of Rockford. It's up to all of us to keep worship of the Father alive and real.
So, let’s take these last couple minutes and talk about worship. What is this thing called worship that we’re supposed to be keeping alive and real?
1. Worship Comes From Me
By its definition, worship is active: it’s something you do, not something that's done to you. If you think you've worshiped, but you haven't involved yourself in giving something, you haven’t worshiped. It's genuine only when we have an active role. Having something happen around us doesn't mean it affects us.
Just being here this morning doesn't mean that you've experienced "real worship." It has to come from you. Real worship is active, not passive. It's what comes from you.
2. Worship Is In Spirit & In Truth
John 4:22-24 …a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.
No matter how "worshipful" a church might seem to be, if their teaching is wrong their worship's a counterfeit. Worship without truth is a phony. At the same time, worship must include our hearts. No matter how "right" a church might seem to be, if their worship doesn't include a heart-based response to what they know, their worship's a counterfeit. Worship without spirit is a phony.
When either spirit or truth is left out, worship is a counterfeit.
One more feature of worship has to do with where it happens…
3. Worship is Personal First, Then Corporate
You have to practice on your own if you’re going to sing in the choir!
You have to train on your own before you run in the race!
It’s so easy to create the idea that worship is a thing we do here for 1 hour once each week; that worship is what happens when a group of Christians get together and sing. We even call this a "worship service." And when a certain time rolls around, "worship is over" until next time.
As I scan through the Bible, I see that worship, especially in the NT, isn’t just a group event.
Worship is much more than what happens when the Church is gathered together.
Listen to some words of worship from the Psalms, and pay attention to how these are just between David and God:
Psalm 5:1-3
Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
Psalm 16:7-11
I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
These Psalms are first of all just David and God. Then, they're written to be read! That’s a great example of real worship: It's 1st personal, then it's public! But it all started as an individual and God. It has to be the center of our personal lives and go out from there. Worship is a whole-life feature.
Conclusion:
One of the neat things about being a Christian is that you can follow Jesus for years, read the Bible through several times, and one day, you’re listening or reading something and suddenly a light bulb comes on that never flickered before. You can be brand new at this, or you can be older than dirt at this, and there’s something new to learn every day – not because God changed, but because you and I have this wonderful capacity to learn something we never really thought about before. That may be what you’re hearing today!
Welcome to the priesthood! When you sign up with Jesus, you sign up to serve as a priest in His Kingdom.
Now, you can look at that and say is sounds like a lot of work – or, you can look at all the privileges it includes and you can say, “We get to do this!” Where do I sign up?
