PRISETHOOD !!!

1 Peter 2:1–12 NKJV

1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 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. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” 7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,” 8 and “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. 11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

The Glory of God created shinning forth .The main Process of creating Glory , the technology of creating Glory .

It is a Process of Priesthood any Chuch and individual that undersatnd the order of preisthood will always bring and carrier of the God’s Glory.

In Ephesians 3: 18 God tells us that He wants each of us to fully comprehend the scope of our salvation.

To understand just how “being saved” has transformed us, blessed us and equipped us.

He says:

Ephesians 3:18 CSB18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love,

Within that huge scope of blessings lies one of the most important biblical truths for the Christian.

A truth so vital, that thousands of believers throught history have been killed to stop this truth getting out.

Lets begin by asking a few questions:

1: How many of you are older than 50?

2: How many of you are Christians?

3: How many of you are Apostels?

4: How many of you are Priests?

Right There!

The fact not all of you did not raise your hand is all the evidence that you need to see how hard Satan, to this day, is trying to keep this truth hidden - even from the church itself.

Here is what the bible says about each of us as Christians:

1 Peter 2:9 CSB9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Each Christan is also a priest.

Under the old covenant, God’s people had a priesthood; but in the new covenant, God’s people are a priesthood.

“The priesthood of the believer” is a precious article of the Christian faith, the defense of which has cost many a life.

It means that all believers have the same acceptance before God and enjoy equal access to God through Jesus Christ, the Great High Priest.

“Therefore all Christians are priests,” said Martin Luther, “and accursed be the statement that a priest is something different from a Christian.”

His point is simply that all believers are priests, and no Christian should allow any other Christian to come between him and his Lord.

All Christians are invited to come boldly into God’s presence to worship him and present their needs.

Jesus Christ today is our High Priest in heaven, and there he represents us and intercedes for us before the Father.

As amazing as this is, we have only scratched the surface of this blessing.

Because God says, not only are we a priesthood, but we are a Royal Priesthood.

1 Peter 2:9 CSB9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Thats why scripture says again:

Revelation 1:6 CSB6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father—to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Each and every Chriostian is a Christian, a King and a Priest unto God almighty.

Not knowing this, not believing this, not living this is like having the world best 4x4 off road vehical and just driving slowly down the lane.

There is all this incredible potential, but its never being used.

What does it mean that YOU are both a king and a priest unto God?

Lets start with the Priesthood

In the OT the Piests were only allowed from the tribe of Levi.

They were chosen by God to to the mediator between a Holy God and a sinful people.

The people could not go straight to God because of their sin, so they took their troubles to the priests, and then the priests went before God on their behalf.

At the same time, God could not go straight to the sinful people as his glory would simply analiate them all, o God went to the priests, and then the priests relayed the message to the people.

A single word can define the OT Priest that made him different from everyone else.

ACCESS

The Priest, by virtue simply of his calling, had access to God.

To call on him, to request of him, to offer unto him, to commune with him.

But when Jesus came, He usherout out the Old Covenenat and brought in the New Covenenat.

And this radically changed everything.

The Levitical priesthood ended and a nerw kind of priesthood was introduced.

Hebrews 7:11 CSB11 Now if perfection came through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the law), what further need was there for another priest to appear, said to be according to the order of Melchizedek and not according to the order of Aaron?

This new priesthood was not Levitical order, but Melchisedec order.

And Arron, the hight priest of the levitical was replaced with Jesus Christ:

Hebrews 6:20 CSB20 Jesus has entered there on our behalf as a forerunner, because he has become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

When Jesus made the final and ultimate sin sacrifice by dying for us on the cross, that sacrifice was so sufficient, so perfect that:

Mark 15:38 CSB38 Then the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

That veil was the access point. Behind the veil was what the priest had access to.

But since the veil has been torn, each of us have the same access.

Hebrews 10:19 CSB19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus—

look cearfull at:

Ephesians 3:12 CSB12 In him we have boldness and confident access through faith in him.

What we have? ACCESS.

Not just ACCESS - Equal ACCESS to the Father as Jesus Christ.

Let me put this as plainly as possible:

Each and every born again Christian is a priest who has equall access to the Father as both eachother AND Jesus Christ.

Royal

As amazing as this is, its not the end. For we are not only a priesthood but scripture tells us we are a Royal Priesthood.

This alone is a miracle.

Priests in the OT were only from those born of Levi

Numbers 3:10 CSB10 You are to appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out their priestly responsibilities, but any unauthorized person who comes near the sanctuary is to be put to death.”

Only Levi’s could be priests.

And according to Scripture:

Only those of Juda could be kings:

Genesis 49:10 CSB10 The scepter will not depart from Judah or the staff from between his feet until he whose right it is comes and the obedience of the peoples belongs to him.

This way no priest could ever be king and no king could ever be priest.

But under the new covenant we are BOTH KINGS and PRIETS in the service of God.

Our priesthood grants us ACCESS, but what does our Royalty grant us?

Well what is the OT kings have?

Well look here

Revelation 3:7 CSB7 “Write to the angel of the church in Philadelphia: Thus says the Holy One, the true one, the one who has the key of David, who opens and no one will close, and who closes and no one opens:

The King has key.

That why Jesus hold the greatest of all keys because Jesus is the King of Kings.

Jesus hold the key

Revelation 1:18 CSB18 and the Living One. I was dead, but look—I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades.

But what is the key of king david?

The answer is in:

Isaiah 22:22 CSB22 I will place the key of the house of David on his shoulder; what he opens, no one can close; what he closes, no one can open.

A king has the authority to open and to shut.

This is exacally what Jesus said we have authority to do in His name:

Matthew 18:18 CSB18 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.

Priests have ACCESS

Kings have AUTHORITY.

what authority do we therefore have as kings? What is it we can loose and what it is we can bind?

Loose:

We have authority to speak the truth, preach the gospel, exhort the church and rebuke sinners.

Titus 2:15 CSB15 Proclaim these things; encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Bind:

We have authority to bind Satanic attempts in our lives.

Luke 9:1 CSB1 Summoning the Twelve, he gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases.

Ephesians 4:27 CSB27 and don’t give the devil an opportunity.

James 4:7 CSB7 Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Conclusion:

Access and Authority.

Access by the blood of Jesus for each us to eneter into the holy of holies to come before the almighty with our praise, prayers and petitions.

Authority by the ressurection of Jesus to speak the word in season and out of season, to resist the Devil and deny him access into our lives and families.

Are you living as a royal priest or just a regular person?