Priesthood for Dummies

So just so I know where we’re starting from: how many of you have read through the entire book of Leviticus? How many of you enjoyed reading through the entire book of Leviticus? Be honest: How many of you felt like you gained some useful knowledge or wisdom from Leviticus that has brought you closer to God.

Leviticus isn’t an easy read.

It’s not full of inspirational quotes that we hang on our walls like these. We think of Philippians 4:13 or Joshua 24:15 or one of my favorites Lamentations 3:22-23.

But if we tried to make wall art from Leviticus here’s what we might find:

Leviticus 19:19

Leviticus 11:12

In all fairness there are some really great quotes from Leviticus that are definitely wall art worthy. But it’s certainly not the go to.

It’s not our go to manual for how to be a Christian or how to worship God. All the practices of worship outlined in Leviticus are outdated. They have been fulfilled in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and so we no longer have to live by the laws of Leviticus. So we typically look to Paul’s letters and the other New Testament writers, and Jesus’ own words. Pastor Dusty has been preaching the sermon series Jesus’ Masterclass from Matthew. That’s where we look for guidance on how to live.

So… why study it at all? It turns out Leviticus is crucial to our understanding of what it is to be a Christian. Crazy right? So let me explain before we dive in to Leviticus.

Let’s look at this passage in 1 Peter describing who we are.

1 Peter 2:9 ESV

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

This is pretty straight forward: Who are we, and why are we here. This language isn’t unfamiliar.

We’ve read throughout scripture that the Israelites are God’s chosen people, beginning when God spoke to Abraham.

And the Israelites are called to be holy, as God is holy

And we also know from Romans when Paul describes how gentiles, you and me, are grafted into God’s chosen people, that all believers are part of this statement.

But what I really want to focus in on today in the idea of priesthood.

We can see this in the list and just think it’s more of the same. It just means we’re set apart. Again, a chosen people, holy. But I don’t think that word is there just as another description of the same thing. It comes up in Revelation too:

Revelation 1:5–6 ESV

5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

So this morning we are going to dig into this idea of Priesthood, and that you and I even now are priests to God. This is where the book of Leviticus comes in. I said earlier it’s not our go to as Christians. But for the Israelite priests, that’s another matter.

You can think of it as a user manual for priestly duties. It contains detailed instructions for the Israelite priesthood. It outlines their responsibilities to God and to the people of Israel.

We aren’t going through verse by verse in the book of Leviticus, you’re welcome, but we want to have a general understanding of what it meant to be a priest in the days of the ancient Israelites to help us understand what it means to be a priest today.

The book of Leviticus itself really has an amazing structure. It is a chiasmus, which is a literary design used here to highlight the central message. You see that the book is structured around this extremely important ritual, the Day of Atonement in Chapter 16. I would love to spend time talking about Jesus’ fulfillment of this very important day for the Israelites, but we don’t have time today. On either side, before and after the Day of Atonement, there are purity laws: what to eat, dealing with skin diseases, mold, bodily fluids, etc, purity with regard to sex, interactions with one another, daily life. Jesus references Leviticus chapter 19 when he says love your neighbor as yourself.

Then before and after the purity laws are descriptions of the priest’s first ordination, failure, and qualifications.

Then before and after that are the descriptions of rituals. The sacrifices and the feasts.

The closing two chapters of Leviticus are a call to covenant faithfulness.

Now the description of what the priests do isn’t just found in the these two sections, it’s all over the book of Leviticus.

In fact the Hebrew word for priest occurs 191 times in the book of Leviticus.

So from all these instances, we discover what a priest is. There are several resources that outline what a priest is, or what their responsibilities are. Some list 5 basic principles, some 4 or 3. After looking into many of them I really like one that Pastor Dusty recommended to me from BEMA Discipleship. This is a Bible study Podcast series. I found it really helpful and would recommend it to you. They list the fourfold role of priesthood.

The Role of a Priest #1

Put God on display

Here is a picture of what the High Priest wears. Other priests wear something similar though not as extravagant.

Now remember where this takes place. We’re in the desert, wandering around. Living in tents. The priests are ministering in a big tent, the Tabernacle, dealing with animal sacrifices, blood, determining if someone has a skin disease, etc. The garments are a bit out of place. This is what a high priest would wear, while the “regular” priests don’t have quite so many pieces. But both priests and high priests would wear to white tunic. Amid desert sand and dirt. There aren’t going to be any other people that have white garments. And one of the reasons is to be a reminder to the people. God is different. God is set apart. God is not like anything else you see on the regular. The first putting on of the garments is described in Leviticus, but the actual construction of the garments is described in Exodus 28:2.

Exodus 28:2 ESV

2 And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.

It’s a constant reminder to the people of Israel of who God is and what He is like. His glory and beauty. And just as the priests are different from the rest of Israel, the people of Israel are called to be different from the rest of the nations.

The Role of a Priest #2

Number two: The priests are there to help the people work out their atonement.

Imagine you are an Israelite not of the priesthood. And you’re doing your best to be in right relationship with God. You also work and have family to take care of, maybe have animals to take care of land to work. It’s unlikely you have every rule and regulation that is written in the book of Leviticus memorized. There are 613. You don’t have a written user manual. The priests were there to help. The priests were there to tell a worshipper bringing a sacrifice, "okay, you need male goat, but you brought a female one.” “It’s supposed to be a year old for this kind of offering.” “Ah you brought a grain offering. Here’s what we can use this for.” For many offerings, such as peace or fellowship offerings, the priest would burn a portion of the offering to the Lord, but then the priest and the worshipper would eat the rest of it together.

I think we can have (or at least I have) a picture in my mind of some kind of gruesome factory. People are in the assembly line with the offerings. When it’s there turn they hand it off to a priest who operates the torture device that kills the sacrifices. The blood is gathered in vials, the fat in petri dishes, the meat is placed on a conveyor belt where it is then transported to the fire … okay, too much? Was it gruesome? Maybe. But also it must have been more interactive. The priests were there to help the people understand the process of what they were doing, help them understand how what they were doing made them right with God or with others. God says to Aaron and his sons, the very first Levitical priests, in Leviticus 10:11

Leviticus 10:11 ESV

11 and you are to teach the people of Israel all the statutes that the Lord has spoken to them by Moses.”

They didn’t just do it for them. They taught them.

The Role of a Priest #3

Okay number 3: The priests were there to intercede on behalf of the people. Going back to the priestly garments. The priest wore garments to represent God to the people. Well it worked both ways. The garments also represented the people to God.

Look at this illustration again. The High Priest wore a breastplate with 12 stones. Any guess what the 12 stones represent? That’s right. The stones were engraved with the names of the 12 tribes of Israel.

The onyx stones on the shoulder were surrounded by gold pouches that again contained the names of the tribes of Israel, six in each pouch. The stones were called “Stones of Remembrance.” The turban represented humility and submission before God.

The ultimate example of intercession was the Day of Atonement. The High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies as a representative of the people of Israel. Leviticus 16:32-34

Leviticus 16:32–34 ESV

32 And the priest who is anointed and consecrated as priest in his father’s place shall make atonement, wearing the holy linen garments. 33 He shall make atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. 34 And this shall be a statute forever for you, that atonement may be made for the people of Israel once in the year because of all their sins.” And Aaron did as the Lord commanded Moses.

In the same way the priests would perform the sacrifices for the people of Israel to intercede on behalf of the people to God. Over and over in Leviticus it says, “… and the priest shall make atonement for him.”

The priest stands in the gap between God and the people of Israel.

The Role of a Priest #4

Lastly, the priest was responsible for making sure the people had what they need in a very practical sense. Priests were responsible for collecting the tithe. They would set some aside for themselves as they weren’t allowed to own property. But every third year a tithe was collected specifically for the poor and vulnerable, widows and sojourners, and priests were responsible for collecting and distributing it. They were also responsible for administering the Year of Jubilee, which would return land to the original owners and freed slaves.

How Am I a Priest

Okay. So we have these 4 roles of a priest and the natural next step is to translate that into what does that mean today. But before we do that I want to get us in the right frame of mind.

It’s a very easy, natural translation to look at the ancient Israelite priesthood and notice they are in charge of the worship, in charge of the care of the tabernacle, they taught the people, there were the spiritual head and so translating that to today, they are the pastors, the deacons and trustees and elders.

And then the next step in that translation is then we are like the people. And we go to the spiritual leaders to do the things for us.

And this is wrong.

You and I, our church, the big C Church are called to be the priesthood, each of us priests to God. The New Testament helps us with laying out church structure with teachers and elders, etc. But that does not take away from you and I being priests.

So when we look at these 4 roles of a priest, we are not putting these roles on “that guy.” We are not in the mindset of someone else is in charge of these things. We are looking at how each of us are priests to God. And how we collectively are a kingdom of priests.

#1: Put God on Display

Okay. I had a really hard time finding ones for adults, but I did find some kid sizes on amazon and we’re just going to have to make this work. I’ll order one for each of us. We’ll use church funds so don’t worry about that. I just need to grab your size.

Just kidding! But what does it mean for us today to put God on display. Do we dress and act different from everyone around us? I don’t think there’s a specific, set way of doing this. Paul tells us in Romans 12:2

Romans 12:2 ESV

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Some translations say “Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world. It reminds me of these worksheets my kids would have to do when they were really little, like preschool age.

There’s a series of pictures and you have to identify which is different. Which does not conform. It’s outside the pattern. It’s super simple and obvious. Now if you have to write a sentence on why it doesn’t conform that requires a little more complex thought and analysis. This flower has six pointed petals while the others have five bumpy petals. Etc.

When the world around you, your co-workers, or friends, teachers, neighbors, family members, grocery store cashiers, look at you, is it obvious that you don’t fit. Can they tell that you don’t conform to the pattern of this world. I’m not saying everything you do should be contrary to everything everyone else does just so you can look different. No, that would be foolish. There is kindness and love and good deeds in this world and we don’t necessarily want to stand out because we choose to be the opposite. But when we’re talking about the pattern of this world, a world corrupted by sin, ruled for a time by the prince of darkness, is it obvious that we are different?

Notice I didn’t ask, are we different. I asked, is it obvious that we are different. Do we love even when it’s hard? Do people see a contentment in us that is not present in a world keeping up with the Joneses? Do we have peace and a trust in God that transcends anything the world can understand in the midst of uncertainty and chaos? The priests garments were obvious. We should be obvious too. So that when someone looks at us with a little more complex thought and analysis to figure out how and why we are different, we have an opportunity to share: Here’s why: Jesus changed my life. (etc)

#2: Help People Work Out Their Atonement

This is one that can be really intimidating. The priests knew all the sacrifices and requirements inside and out, right? Can I get a show of hands, who knows the answer to every question that might be asked from someone walking with or seeking Jesus. I know I don’t. And knowing there’s so much I don’t know can keep my mouth shut altogether.

I have a sister who is wicked smart. And not just smart but articulate. And not just articulate but opinionated. And not just opinionated but passionate. And… you get it. She’s probably the most intimidating person I know and she’s an atheist. But there are hints, every now and then she’ll express appreciation of how the big C church does something, or gratitude for how we’re raising our kids, or something that makes me think she’s seeking. Even just the tiniest bit. And I get scared. I don’t look at it as an opportunity. I look at it as a test I’m going to fail. Because I know I don’t have all the answers. And having all the answers is her jam. So if we get into a discussion about Jesus, I’m going to lose. And you can see by how I just said that, that I look at it as an argument. And the only way she will come to Jesus is if I win the argument.

This is such wrong headed thinking. I don’t have the answer key to her test question. I am not responsible for her salvation. The Holy Spirit can choose to use me or not, but if I shut it down because I’m scared, there’s no chance of being used at all.

We don’t have to have all the answers when someone has questions. I think the humility of saying “I don’t know” can be more appreciated by someone seeking than if we try to come up with the answer to every question on the spot. Instead we can say, “I don’t know, but why don’t you come to church with me this week. My Pastor’s a somewhat smart dude ;)

Even if we only know one thing, it’s the most important of all, and maybe the only thing needed at the time: “I was lost, but now I’m found.”

#3: Intercede on Behalf of People

This one is pretty straight forward. Pray. Wrestle with God on behalf of others. Be earnest in your prayers. Pray for impossible things. Healing for this person, strength for your family, direction in a time of uncertainty, salvation for my sister. Be persistent in your prayers. We don’t need to limit our prayers to just those who we think deserve to have their prayers answered either. First of all, that’s gross to make that judgement. Second, are we going to anger God for asking?

What if Moses hadn’t prayed for the people of Israel on top of Mt. Sinai when they were down there worshipping a golden calf. God was ready to “consume” them it says in verse 10. But then Moses prayed:

Exodus 32:11–13 ESV

11 But Moses implored the Lord his God ... Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants ... ”

I love that word implore. It doesn’t just mean ask, it means beg earnestly or desperately. And what happens?

Exodus 32:14 ESV

14 And the Lord relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.

Pray for others. Boldly and desperately.

#4: Distribute Resources to the Needy

The first three roles of a priest we talked about translate easily into how we, as individuals, can be priests to God. I think this fourth role translates most naturally to the priesthood has a whole, and at Next Step Church I think we’ve got a pretty good priesthood. We have family meetings and look at how and what we budget to, and we consider how best to distribute the resources we have pooled, and throughout that helping the needy should be a primary focus. And I think for the most part it is.

But I want to challenge us today to really critically examine ourselves as individual priests. It’s easy to do a quick examination and come up with one of two answers:

I’m good or I can’t

Here’s an honest example: we’ve had business meetings where I’ve been surprised, “Oh yeah! We give to that ministry. I totally forgot.” And now I feel really good about my generosity to the church. I’m good and don’t need to think about it anymore.

Here’s another one: I feel more comfortable being up here singing my heart out and even preaching, than I do having a one on one conversation with a stranger. This is true. I’m not a great conversationalist. I get nervous and say dumb things. So I really shouldn’t be on the front lines having direct contact with strangers, the needy, the poor, the vulnerable, I don’t know how to help. I can’t. God hasn’t gifted me in this area so I just don’t need to think about it anymore.

There’s any number of things I could point to and say “I’m good” or “I can’t” but at the end of the day I’m really just trying to get to the point where I can comfortably and guilt free say I don’t need to think about this anymore.

I’ll be honest, I feel really unqualified to preach. I mean, in general, yes absolutely this is terrifying. But specifically, with this topic. My heart doesn’t like me digging deeper.

Here’s what I know. Throughout Pastor Dusty’s sermons, regardless of what series we’re in, through the prophets, that was a good one, or the book of Matthew, what we’re in right now, how often does our responsibility to the needy, the poor, the least of these, come up? Pretty much every other sermon! And it’s not like he’s manipulating the text or making stuff up. It’s everywhere, all throughout scripture, Old and New Testament, and it’s part of what it means to be a priest.

So saying I’m good and washing my hands of it so to speak or saying I can’t and making excuses doesn’t work.

Now, I’m not telling anyone, “you’re not doing enough.” It would be easy to judge outwardly and look at how many hours she spends at the park, or how often he welcomes a stranger to our church. Let’s not even go there. I know you have jobs, school, limitations that might keep you from doing this or that, shyness and uncertainty, etc., where you’re located. I’ve got them too.

And there’s no rubric to grade yourself by, how many hours spent here, how much money donated there, how big a sacrifice it is. But let’s each of us examine our hearts. Dig beyond the I’m good or I can’t answers. Are you, am I, fulfilling this role as a priest, to be a part of the distribution of resources to the needy, not just with your hands, or finances, but as an integral part of what makes you, you? A priest to God.

The Role of a Priest

These four roles of a priest. It’s a lot. I need to look, act, and be different. While I’m doing that I need to help those walking with or seeking Jesus. Then I need to be praying, and not just dutiful praying but desperate praying, and then I also need to be helping the needy. And my heart needs to be in it the whole time because it’s really more of a heart issue than anything else.

I’m exhausted, and have already 100% failed. But as always, there’s good news. We are not the only ones called to be priests. Hebrews 4:14-16

Hebrews 4:14–16 ESV

14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Jesus, our great high priest, came to earth and took on all the roles of a priest. In the pages of the Gospels we see Jesus in each of these roles. He knows how hard it is to live this out. He, in every respect, has been tempted.

So when he was being persecuted by the Pharisees and called out for his radical way of living (eating with tax collectors and prostitutes!), was he tempted to tone it down a bit. To maybe not be so different? To not put God on display quite so much? It says in every respect.

And when he was preaching the gospel, calling people out of darkness and into the light, when he was walking along side his disciples, helping them to work out their atonement, was he ever tempted to just quite instead. He had to know that sometimes, even most of the time, his words would fall on deaf ears. I wonder if he ever worried he wouldn’t have the right answer. I know that sounds silly. But even Jesus didn’t know everything. Remember Pastor Dusty’s sermon from a few weeks ago: who knows the day and time of his return? No one. Not even himself.

Or how about interceding. Praying to the father. We know Jesus did this. Do you think he was ever so frustrated with the sinful, broken world around him that he was tempted to not pray. They certainly didn’t deserve his intercession. Or even to just be lazy and put it off.

Or how about helping the needy. We know from Scripture that Jesus and his disciples were not rolling in dough. There were times they went hungry. There were times Jesus sent them out with only the clothes on their backs and the shoes on their feet. Relying completely on the hospitality of others. Could there have been a temptation to not be generous. To not help someone in need, because he himself didn’t have much?

Can the worship team come up?

I don’t know, it’s all speculation, right? But it says here he has been tempted as we are in every respect. And as we walk into this priesthood, as we take on these roles of a priest, we will be tempted to take them right back off. Because it’s hard. And because we are going to fail. But we’re told Jesus sympathizes with our weakness. He knows and he understands. And we can with confidence draw near to the throne of grace with all our doubts and fears and grossness, to receive mercy and find grace to help. So let’s do that now, as priests to God, draw near to our great high priest, in worship and praise.

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