A Kingdom of Priests

A couple of weeks ago, Miss Lynn, who is away for a couple more weeks visiting her sister, stopped me in the kitchen and said, “Hey, would you mind doing me a big favor and not ask me any questions about it?”

Well, this is my mother, so who was I to wonder what was going on? She’s certainly done enough favors for me throughout my life that I will never be able to pay her back. So, I did what any good son would do. I said, “Uh … sure?”

“Would you wear a nice shirt when you preach this Sunday?” she asked. “It would really mean a lot to me.”

“Well, Mom, I can’t think of something LESS meaningful to do, but yes, I’ll wear a nice shirt.”

And so, for the graduation party you guys threw for me after church a couple of weeks ago, I was wearing not just a button-down blue shirt, but also a jacket that I threw in for good measure.

I guess she wanted me to look good for the photos that were taken.

Now, you’ll notice that she’s gone this week, and so is the button-down shirt. I’ll wear one again the next time we’re in the sanctuary, but it gets a bit too hot under these lights for a lot of formality.

So, Mom, if you’re watching on Facebook — sorry.

But I suspect you guys have gotten used to a more relaxed approach when it comes to things like my physical appearance and the order of the service here each week.

There’s more to this than simply the fact that I have a lot more in common with Oscar Madison than Felix Unger (there’s an old-school reference for you!).

In fact, when I was called as your interim pastor in 2018, someone asked me if I would be wearing vestments, as previous pastors had done.

Now, some of you weren’t around back then, and you might not know what vestments are. So let me help you out: It’s a formal-looking, satin-y robe, and it’s often very ornate, with embroidery and other embellishments that can reflect the church calendar or even the interests of the minister. Usually, there is also a stole that is also ornately decorated and worn hanging around the neck.

Now, I don’t want to come across this morning as criticizing those who have preached here or anywhere else in such outfits, but I can tell you that when I was asked if I planned to wear them, I didn’t hesitate for a moment in saying, “No.”

Setting aside the fact of how terrible a guy of my dimensions would look in such an outfit, I REALLY wanted to step away from the look of the Catholic priests, from whom the Protestant churches whose ministers wear vestments inherited the tradition.

And there’s a theological reason that I wanted to step away from that tradition. The Catholic church model of church polity, which has orders of authority over the church that include priests and bishops and archbishops, all the way up to the pope, has no biblical standing.

In fact, as we will see today, every follower of Christ is a priest under our High Priest, Jesus Christ.

In fact, we are described by the Apostle John in the Book of Revelation as a kingdom of priests. The Apostle Peter says we have a “royal priesthood.”

And so, as we continue the study I have called “The Church — Revealed,” we will look at this next metaphor for the church.

You may recall that so far we’ve discussed how the church is composed of sheep following the Good Shepherd and how the church is likened to the Bride of Christ.

Both of those metaphors for the church revealed something to us about the church’s responsibilities and, hence, our responsibilities as Christians.

We will see today that the reality of our position as priests under the High Priest, Jesus, also results in a set of expectations for each one of us who has followed Jesus in faith.

But first, we’ll need to look back to the Old Testament to learn a little about the role of priests during that period.

Now, the dictionary definition of a priest is “one who officiates at the altar, or who performs the rites of sacrifice; one who acts as mediator between man and the divinity or the gods in any form of religion.”

In the times of the Old Testament Patriarchs — Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and so on — these men offered their own sacrifices to God.

Even back to Cain and Abel, we see that men were offering sacrifices to God for their families. And so, we can assume that Adam did this, too, after he and Eve had been cast out of the Garden of Eden for their sin. It seems very likely that he had taught his sons about their need to give back to the Lord.

So, what we can understand from the time of the Patriarchs was that fathers were the priests of their families. They taught their families about God, and they taught their families to honor God through sacrifice. Priesthood was universal during this time. Every believer was a priest of God.

And it seems that this is just what God had intended all along, because we hear Him in the Book of Exodus promise the people of Israel that they would be a “kingdom of priests” if they would keep His covenant with them.

We’ll be looking at this event in Exodus, chapter 19 today. While you are turning there, let me give you some context.

The event we will be looking at today takes place three months after the Hebrew people had been rescued by God from their slavery in Egypt.

God had sent the 10 plagues to smite Egypt and its people, and the Pharaoh, whose own son was one of the firstborn of all Egypt to be killed in the 10th plague, had sent them away.

Then, as Pharaoh had changed his mind and began pursuing the slaves as they made their way out of Egypt, God had miraculously parted the waters of the Red Sea so they could cross it on dry land, and He had closed up the waters upon the Egyptian armies as they went after the Hebrew people.

God had turned bitter waters sweet. He had provided water out of a rock. He had given them manna from the sky each morning so they could eat. And He had given them a miraculous battle victory over the Amelekites.

They were on their way to the Promised Land, and God had shown them over and over again that He is faithful, that He is good, and that they could trust Him.

And so, let’s pick up at verse 1 of chapter 19.

Exodus 19:1–8 NASB95

In the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. When they set out from Rephidim, they came to the wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness; and there Israel camped in front of the mountain. Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. ‘Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.” So Moses came and called the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which the Lord had commanded him. All the people answered together and said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do!” And Moses brought back the words of the people to the Lord.

God had chosen this people, Israel. They had done nothing to merit His choosing. There was nothing special about them among the nations except that God had chosen to love them in a special way.

And in His grace, He had set this people apart unto Himself. He had made this people holy unto Himself, even though they had already demonstrated themselves to be faithless and unfaithful to Him.

And He was promising them that if they would keep His covenant with them, they would be a kingdom of priests, a kingdom of people with access to Him, a kingdom of mediators between God and mankind.

But something happens in this chapter that suggests they were not ready for such a personal relationship with God.

Look at verse 9.

Exodus 19:9–11 NASB95

The Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe in you forever.” Then Moses told the words of the people to the Lord. The Lord also said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments; and let them be ready for the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

God commands Moses to set bounds around the mountain so that nobody will touch the border of it. Anybody who does so, God says in verse 12, must be put to death.

Now, look at verse 13.

Exodus 19:13 NASB95

‘No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether beast or man, he shall not live.’ When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain.”

Now, the word that’s translated as “to” in the phrase, “they shall come up to the mountain,” can also be translated as “on.”

In that case, what God would be saying is for the people to wait for the sound of the ram’s horn and then come up on the mountain to be with Moses. This will be important when we see the people’s reaction to God’s presence on the mountain.

And so, the people got ready to see the Lord. Now, look at verse 16.

Exodus 19:16–17 NASB95

So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.

Now, God tells Moses to leave the people at the foot of the mountain, and as they wait there, he goes back up the mountain, and God tells him the 10 commandments.

And when He had finished speaking the 10 commandments — look at verse 18 of chapter 20 ...

Exodus 20:18–21 NASB95

All the people perceived the thunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance. Then they said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin.” So the people stood at a distance, while Moses approached the thick cloud where God was.

So, the people heard the thunder, saw the lightning flashing and the mountain smoking. And then they heard the sound of the horn. And what did they do?

They trembled. The Hebrew word here suggests trembling in terror. They were terrified of God.

This God who had rescued them from Egypt, who had given them miraculous victories over the Egyptians and the Amelekites, who had provided water and food for them in the wilderness. This God who had promised to make them His own possession and a kingdom of priests.

They were terrified of the God who had loved them so well.

In Deuteronomy, chapter 5, Moses reminds the next generation of the people of Israel of what had happened at the mountain, and he suggests that they had heard God’s words with their own ears and had responded in fear, rather than love.

Keep your finger in the Exodus passage and turn to Deuteronomy, chapter 5. We’ll pick up in verse 22.

Deuteronomy 5:22–27 NASB95

“These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly at the mountain from the midst of the fire, of the cloud and of the thick gloom, with a great voice, and He added no more. He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me. “And when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders. “You said, ‘Behold, the Lord our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire; we have seen today that God speaks with man, yet he lives. ‘Now then why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the Lord our God any longer, then we will die. ‘For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? ‘Go near and hear all that the Lord our God says; then speak to us all that the Lord our God speaks to you, and we will hear and do it.’

So, instead of responding in love and faith to God, they responded in terror. They had already broken faith with God. And they would break His covenant when they created and worshiped the idol of the golden ox as Moses was receiving the two tablets of stone at the top of Mt. Sinai.

And so, instead of becoming a kingdom of priests, the people of Israel became a kingdom WITH priests.

Back in Exodus, the rest of chapters 20-24 deal with various laws that were to govern the nation of Israel. And then, chapters 25-27 deal with plans for the tabernacle — the tent in which God’s presence would abide while they were traveling.

And the most significant aspect of this tabernacle was the holy of holies, that place where the ark of the covenant would be kept and where only the High Priest would be allowed — and then only on one day each year, the Day of Atonement, when he would sprinkle blood on the mercy seat of the ark to atone for the sins of the nation.

In chapter 28, God designates Moses’ brother, Aaron, and his sons to be priests, with Aaron as the high priest.

No longer is the idea of a kingdom of priests in play in Israel. The people had forfeited that opportunity with their sin against God. Now, they must come to God through a mediator. Now they must allow the priests to make sacrifices on their behalf.

But this arrangement was only ever intended to be temporary. The priesthood and the tabernacle and the sacrificial offerings for sin were all intended to point forward to Jesus, whom the writer of the New Testament Book of Hebrews describes as the fulfillment of the Old Testament priesthood.

Appointed to this position of High Priest by God Himself, Jesus is presented by the writer of Hebrews as superior to Aaron and the other High Priests.

He was sinless, and so He didn’t need to be sprinkled with the blood of sacrificed animals to atone for His sins. And instead of offering sacrifices for the sins of others, He offered Himself as the spotless Lamb of God, crucified for the sins of all mankind.

And His sacrifice was once for all. There is no need for continual sacrifice anymore, because His death atoned for ALL sin.

When Jesus hung upon that cross at Calvary, Scripture says, He became sin. Having the sins of all mankind placed upon Him, He became the equivalent of the scapegoats of Old Testament times.

And as He bore the punishment that we all deserve for our sins, He offered forgiveness for those sins and eternal life for all who would place their faith in Him.

And in His resurrected body, now returned to heaven, Jesus sits at the right hand of God, performing the duties of the High Priest.

He intercedes for us. He mediates a new and better covenant — one that promises eternal life for those who would follow Him in faith, one that promises that His followers will have His Law written on their hearts and no longer carried around in an ark by a few special priests.

And He offers believers access to God — as children of God — through Himself, indeed through His Holy Spirit who dwells within them.

In the High Priesthood of Jesus, we see his complete dedication and obedience to God and his incredible compassion for people.

But just as the High Priests of Israel had priests below them to help them in their service to the Lord, so Jesus has a kingdom of priests to perform service to the Lord and to show compassion for people.

One writer puts it this way: “In union with [Christ], the priesthood of Christians is their sacrificial obedience to God; this involves spiritual worship and love of God and compassionate activity and prayer for their fellow human beings. Paul wrote, ‘Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.’ Each Christian offers his whole body to Christ and each local church offers itself wholly to Christ, and Christ offers his whole body (the church) to God the Father.” [Walter A. Elwell and Philip Wesley Comfort, Tyndale Bible Dictionary, Tyndale Reference Library (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001), 1073.]

One of the things we can conclude from those passages in Exodus and Deuteronomy, along with many other Old and New Testament passages, is that God has a desire for relationship with mankind. This was at the heart of Old Testament religious activity.

And the priests of Israel were charged with guarding this relationship and nurturing it among the people.

They were charged with declaring God’s will to the people. They were charged with the people’s religious instruction. And they were charged with performing duties related to worship in the temple.

Significantly, these are the same things we who have followed Jesus in faith are called to do within the church. In fact, these duties align very well with all the “one-anothers” we see Christians called to manifest in the New Testament Letters.

“Be at peace with one another.” “Accept one another.” “Be kind, tenderhearted and forgiving to one another.” “Confess your sins to one another.” “Serve one another.” “Be subject to one another.” “Bear one another’s burdens.” “Speak truth to one another.” “Pray for one another.” “Teach and admonish one another.” And all the rest.

We do not need a priest to do these things for us anymore. And we shouldn’t be waiting for someone to do them for us. We are a kingdom of priests, and so we are called to do them ourselves.

You’ve probably heard the term “the priesthood of the believer.” This is one of the linchpins of the Protestant faith.

We have no need to go to a priest for confession and absolution, because each of us is a priest who can kneel before our High Priest, Jesus, and confess our sins in the knowledge that we already have absolution through His death, burial, and resurrection.

We have already been forgiven. Our confession is simply the recognition on our part that we know we have sinned and that we know we must turn from our sins.

As priests ourselves, each of us also has a responsibility to study God’s Word and to teach it — to go and make disciples.

As priests ourselves, each of us has a responsibility somehow to serve the Lord in His church. We followers of Jesus have all received some spiritual gifts, and those gifts have been given for the edification of the Church.

What are your spiritual gifts? Do you know them? There are tests and surveys and questionnaires to help you figure them out. I can help you discern them if you will allow me to do so. This is how you can serve the Lord by serving His church.

What the people of Israel gave up when they turned from God in fear, we have been freely and graciously given in Christ. What a wonderful blessing that is!

I want to encourage you this week to lay hold of that blessing with both hands. How can YOU serve the Lord this week as a citizen of this kingdom of priests?