Easter 5

Living as Holy Priests

May 2, 1999

Introduction: Fellow Christians, we are in the midst of the greatest battle over our identity that the Church has ever faced. Who we are and what we are all about is being redefined almost daily by the spirit of the age. And unless we know who we are, we will most certainly be lost to Christ and his kingdom. Although we receive our identity from God in Christ, the spirit of the age wants us to believe that being Christian is only one way among many to get to the heavenly places.

1. Who are the priests? The crisis of identity is not new, only its form is new. It comes with the appealing glamour of tolerance and acceptance and benevolence, witness the trend toward thinking euthanasia is an acceptable compassionate answer to health and old-age problems. But, consider the identity of God’s people as stated in Peter’s letter “God’s elect, strangers in the world …a chosen people, a holy nation, a people belonging to God.” To anyone who has lived in “debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry” such high and respectable titles seem unwarranted and so, leave a deep impression. That’s the goal of our meditation today, to leave an indelible impression on our souls of who we really are in Christ.

In every age some have regarded people as little more than animals. Karl Marx said that man is a hungry animal. What he wants most, claimed Marx, are three meals a day. If he doesn’t get enough to eat he’ll be troublesome. He must be assured that he won’t get hungry; ultimately this is the way to world peace.

Charles Darwin thought man is a fighting animal. He has to struggle and gain power if he is to be satisfied. Just having enough to eat isn’t enough; he must dominate. Make him boss so he can give orders and bask in the praise of others and he’ll be content.

Sigmund Freud thought of man as a lusting animal. He must have freedom in sexual matters or he’ll be unhappy. Let his biology have free rein and all will be well.

Aristotle also said that man is an animal. His greatest need is knowledge. Educate him about the consequences of right and wrong and he’ll choose the right. He misbehaves because he doesn’t know any better. That, my friends is a reasonable look at the spirit of the age, in any culture. They all widely miss the mark of truth.

On the other hand, the witness of truth says that by nature we are all “dead in transgressions and sins” (Eph 2:1), “hostile to God” (Rom 8:7). That’s the real starting point for every human being. Because of this condition it is therefore absolutely necessary to be “born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable through the living and enduring Word of God.” Our Lord said, “No one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit” (Jn3:5). In the waters of Baptism, bonded with the Word, the Holy Spirit works saving faith in Jesus Christ and a person is truly reborn.

This work of God, alone, qualifies people to be what they are called by scripture, holy and royal priests. When Israel became a nation, only people from one of the 12 tribes, the Levites, were set apart to be priests. Among other requirements, a priest had to be without physical blemish and could marry only a virgin. The new priesthood, however, is based solely on the faith worked in human hearts by the living God. That is how we are identified with God in Christ. The Holy Spirit providing the seal and guarantee. So, now that we know that we are God’s holy people and priests, …

2. What are the priests to do? The major task of Old Testament priests was to offer sacrifices to God. But, another kind of sacrifice is the responsibility of the new priests. Peter says, “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 us out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

The immediate sacrifice of “praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name” (Heb 13:15) is a good beginning. The apostle Paul indicates even more extensive capabilities as people living in God’s mercy. He says, “to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God … being transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Here, we remember Mary of Bethany, who chose “what is better.” Remember how her sister Martha got irritated and reprimanded Jesus for not directing Mary to help her with preparations that had to be made for their guest. And do you remember how Jesus gently informed her that listening to the Word has priority (Lk 10:39-42).

But worship doesn’t stop there. We declare his praise when we “do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifice God is pleased” (Heb 13:16). It is interesting to note how Jesus responds to people who have some need. He never scolded people for their failures, and immorality. He simply tends to the need that is there. In our times we have opportunity for such service by supporting organizations like FISH and HABITAT FOR HUMANITY. There are so many ways that we can offer ourselves “as living sacrifices, holy, and pleasing to God” simply because there will always be those in need.

Conclusion: I would like to close our meditation with a Quote from O.S. Hawkins, Moral Earthquakes and Secret Faults. I think it makes the point very clear. He writes, Princess Elizabeth, the widow of King Albert of Belgium, visited then-Soviet dominated Warsaw. A protocol agent was assigned by the communist government to accompany her. So on Sunday he had to accompany her to church. She asked him, “Are you a Christian?” The bureaucrat answered, “Believing but not practicing.” “Oh,” said the princess, “then you must be a communist.” This time the agent replied, “Practicing but not believing.” The point is this: God’s holy priests are both believing and practicing. So, let there be no confusion. Because of ones identity with God in Christ we can believe and practice what we have been called into his glorious light to do. Amen.