The Purpose
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The Priestly Role
The Priestly Role
“The purpose of my covenant with the Levites was to bring life and peace, and that is what I gave them. This required reverence from them, and they greatly revered me and stood in awe of my name.
They passed on to the people the truth of the instructions they received from me. They did not lie or cheat; they walked with me, living good and righteous lives, and they turned many from lives of sin.
As we consider the arriving of the Savior of the world, we should always remember that with a valuable gift comes great responsibility! The word of God to the prophet is of great import to the church today.
It started with a call to the nation to holiness and service to God
Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me.
And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.”
God’s plan was for the “all” the nation to be of service to Him!
This side of the cross we see the call restored to God’s people
And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.
Notice now that it is “through the mediation of Christ” that we offer spiritual sacrifices that please God
The word medication infers that there is someone or something between the receiver and the giver!
The word used here is literally “from hand to hand”
This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
You see sinful man is still sinful man so how then can he come before the Sovereign Lord of creation?
Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
You see that Jesus now stands between us and the presence of God!
Now in exchange for this privilege the Levite gave up his physical inheritance for the presence of God!
“Remember that the Levitical priests—that is, the whole of the tribe of Levi—will receive no allotment of land among the other tribes in Israel. Instead, the priests and Levites will eat from the special gifts given to the Lord, for that is their share.
We should all be thinking about the call of Christ to the disciple
But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
The priest was to trust God that the people would provide as long as they were fulfilling their role
They passed on to the people the truth of the instructions they received from me. They did not lie or cheat; they walked with me, living good and righteous lives, and they turned many from lives of sin.
The disciple is called to lead a life wholly focused on the goal and the Savior
Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.
Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.
So a new covenant has been established with the believer
and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world. All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us.
He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.
Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.
The one thing I ask of the Lord— the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.
It is in His presence that we are transformed and conformed to the image of Christ in our lives!
“The purpose of my covenant with the Levites was to bring life and peace, and that is what I gave them. This required reverence from them, and they greatly revered me and stood in awe of my name.
As you take the bread and drink from the cup of His suffering, is your life filled with life and peace?
Yes we are blessed by the “things” of life be are we satisfied with the “thing” of life…Jesus?
It is great to enjoy and show the new gifts that we receive but there comes a moment when we need to put them to work! The gift was given to us without condition but to fully experience its power we must go forth and proclaim the good news! What an honor it is to be drafted into priestly service for our King! The book of Revelations reminds us that,
Is the song of redemption sounding loudly from you life? Have you taken you priestly role seriously enough to pursue Him with all your strength?
Remember that on a quiet night in a little town, redemption descended upon mankind a foreshadowing of a coming day
And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.