PRIESTHOOD OF BELEIVERS
1 PETER 2:9, Leviticus 8: 1-14
INTRODUCTION
As we continue this morning as a church with our value series, I’m excited to speak to you about the PRIESTHOOD OF BELEIVERS
This is a topic that is really close to my heart and to see how God instituted the entire process
Who is a PRIEST here this morning?
Whenever the word priest is used is almost always associated with the Roman Catholic priest
When i personally think of the word, that’s what comes to mind first and i see a man dressed with black outfit and having a white collar around his neck
Personally i think that is a wrong view and a wrong portrait of a priest
I say that because it is not only the Roman Catholic minister who is the priest
It is not only the pastors or leaders who are priests
Every single person who has been saved through Jesus Christ is a priest – man and women
There is no division or exclusion, if you are saved this morning, then you are a priest in the kingdom of God
You’re just a child of God, but a priest
But in order for us this morning to fully understand this priesthood, we have to go back to the Old Testament
You see the Old Testament is a shadow of the New Testament
Most of the things spoken about in the New Testament bear reference to things that happened in the old
So getting an understanding of the Old Testament is vital in the life of the believer
If we speak as we speaking this morning about priests, what better place to go but to the Old Testament where it was first instituted by God
In the book of Leviticus provides a clear description of a priest and all that went into the process
This morning i want to touch on those things and hopefully provide a picture of who we are in Christ
• Chosen by God
• Cleansing
• Clothed
• Anointed
1. CHOSEN BY GOD
What’s important to see upfront that the priest was chosen by God
God told Moses to get Aaron and his sons
We don’t see Moses going amongst the people and trying to look for a suitable candidate
Moses doesn’t go and see who is the most intelligent amongst the people, or the most gifted
God chooses who will be priests, and he ordains the way their consecration shall proceed.
The selection and consecration of the priests is God's work, through the agency of Moses, from beginning to end
According to 1Peter 2: 9, “But you are a chosen people”.
You and i have been chosen by God
We didn’t wake up one morning and think to ourselves, well i need the Lord now
Maybe that happened, but it was not your own works as Ephesians 2:8 says, “it is by grace you have been saved, and this is not of yourselves, it is a gift of God so no-one can boast”.
Salvation belongs to our God
He drew us unto himself by His spirit
Even before the creation of this world, God chose you as he son or daughter
We are all chosen by God
You are here this morning by the Holy Spirit who led you here
Amongst the million/billion people in this world, amongst your family and friends – God chose you
WOW
2. CLEANSING
Verse 6 speaks of one cleansing which is by water, but later in the chapter we see also the cleansing of by blood
Aaron and his sons had be cleansed before assuming the role as priests unto God
According to verse 14-19, Aaron and his sons placed their hands on the head of the bull and ram as they confessed their sins
Then the ram was killed and the blood sprinkled on the altar, sanctuary and also Aaron and his sons
This shows us today, that when God calls us or saves us, he then takes us through a process of cleansing
No person wills ever the kingdom or presence of God without being cleansed by the blood of Jesus
We lay our hand upon Christ, accept Him as our Substitute, trusting in that bloodshed for the remission of sins
Jesus is our answer and our only help
He is the way, truth and life, there is no other way into the kingdom of God except through Christ
This morning I’m not sure where you are, but have your sins been forgiven
Have you been cleansed in the blood of Christ?
3. CLOTHED
According to verse 7 they were then clothed with special clothing
So after the cleansing they were clothed
These are not just any garments that Moses brings, God is very specific about what to bring (tunic,sash,ephod and robe)
Not anyone could just wear this clothing
If someone had this clothing on it identified to others what position he had
It’s almost like a farmer its easy to identify him (wear short cheeky shorts with boots and normally a hat)
Likewise the children of God are clothed with something special
The day we are saved through Christ, we are clothed with His righteousness
The righteousness of God covers you from top to bottom
The bible says that we are the righteousness of Christ
As a believer you don’t lose that righteousness, you can’t lose it, because it doesn’t belong to you it belongs to Christ
Jesus Christ is the only sinless person, and that sinlessness is given to us
So God the Father looks at you, he looks at you as a perfect person, because of Jesus
This morning are you clothed with that righteousness?
Is the robe of Christ covering you?
4. ANOINTING
The Lord commands Moses in verse 12 to anoint Aaron and his sons with oil
When he does this we see the oil dripping from their heads all the way down to their garments
Oil is often a description of the Holy Spirit in scripture
In order them to start serving as priests they had to be anointed
They couldn’t just try and do it in their strength or ability
They needed the anointing of God upon them
Matthew 3:16-17, we see Jesus being anointed with Holy Spirit just before the start of his ministry
And you and I, if we have been both washed and clothed, must yet be anointed
We have to recognise the need of this anointing, because if we’re trying to live the Christian life in our strength you will become frustrated
If i or anyone else try to preach to you without the anointing, i labour in vain
This anointing is the Christian’s supreme need!
We all need it, Sunday school teacher, you are a priest and this is your great need anointing
You who preach in the streets. You who are intercessors in private for Christ. You who seek to show God in your daily life—you all need the anointing!
What can we not do when the Spirit is in us?
As God’s priests we may—we must have a daily unction—anointing—from the Holy Spirit
5. CONCLUSION
As i close this morning, i wonder where you are.
Is Christ making his call upon your life now, declaring in your heart that He has chosen you for his glory? Is Christ ministering to your heart now and telling you to come so that he can help you and save you.
Have you been washed in the blood of Christ? Is his blood covering you this morning, as it did the children of Israel when God came and killed the Egyptians? Are you protected by the blood of Christ?
Are you living and walking in the righteousness of Christ, or are you walking around with condemnation over your life. Is the enemy accusing you falsely? Know who you are this morning. A priest in the kingdom.
Are you anointed this morning to serve as a priest in the kingdom? Priests are called to serve not to be served. Where are you serving Christ? As a priest are you offering prayers for your family and friends and the nation, or are you just praying for yourself. As a priest are you sharing your faith with others, to reveal Christ to them.
As priests we have all been called and chosen, washed and clothed and anointed to serve our Lord and God
Don’t wait to be served, be a servant of Christ.
