WelcomeWelcomeMay 21, May 21,

20062006

The Priesthood of The Priesthood of BelieversBelievers

Part 3Part 3

Open Your Bibles to Open Your Bibles to Exodus 19:5-6Exodus 19:5-6

KJV Exodus 19:5 “Now therefore, if ye will obey

my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then

ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above

all people: for all the earth is mine:

19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests,

and an holy nation. These are the words

which thou shalt speak unto the children of

Israel.”

1 Peter 2:9a “But ye are a chosen generation, a

royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar

people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his

marvelous light:”

Review Review God called ALL of the God called ALL of the

people to be priests, people to be priests, not only a select few!not only a select few!

The OT promise was The OT promise was conditional. Words like conditional. Words like “if”, “then”“if”, “then” indicate the promise had yet to be fulfilled.

The NT declares that believers inherit the priesthood. Words like “are”.

NT believers are expected to fulfill their duties of priest. “Ye shall”.

The duties are shadowed in the OT through the Levites.

The NT teaches what these duties are.

Believers have a unique Believers have a unique priesthood: Their own priesthood: Their own private priesthood private priesthood directly before God.directly before God.

Believers/priests have Believers/priests have direct access to God.direct access to God.

The NT believer/priest The NT believer/priest has duties. (4x sacrifice-has duties. (4x sacrifice-Body, Praise, Substance, Body, Praise, Substance, Deeds)Deeds)

The NT believer/priest is The NT believer/priest is also to be an intercessor.also to be an intercessor.

In this last part of the In this last part of the priesthood teaching we will priesthood teaching we will

be looking at the most be looking at the most difficult part of the priestly difficult part of the priestly

duties; duties; SACRIFICESACRIFICE!!

Attention!!Attention!! Our Our ETERNAL salvation is NEVER ETERNAL salvation is NEVER

and will NEVER be based and will NEVER be based upon our personal merit!! upon our personal merit!!

That means WORKS or even That means WORKS or even priestly DUTIES!!!!!!!!!! priestly DUTIES!!!!!!!!!!

These duties will NOT get These duties will NOT get you to God…only closer to you to God…only closer to

God!God!

KJV John 6:28 “Then said they to him, What shall we do, that we might

work the works of God?

29 Jesus answered and said to them, This is the

work of God, that ye believe on him whom he

hath sent.”

KJV 1 Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I

declare to you the gospel which I preached to you,

which also ye have received, and wherein ye

stand;

2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory

what I preached to you, unless ye have believed in

vain. 3 For I delivered to you first

of all that which I also received, how that Christ

died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third

day according to the scriptures:

5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of

above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part

remain to this present, but some are fallen asleep.

7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the

apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen

of me also, as of one born out of due time.

9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet

to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the

church of God.

10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly

than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was

with me.

11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we

preach, and so ye believed. 12 Now if Christ be

preached that he rose from the dead, how say some

among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then

is Christ not risen: 14 And if Christ be not risen,

then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he

raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.

16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:

17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye

are yet in your sins. 18 Then they also which are

fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 But now is Christ risen

from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that

slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also

the resurrection of the dead.

22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made

alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits;

afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the

kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority

and power.

KJV Galatians 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon

removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ to another gospel:

7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the

gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an

angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that which we have

preached to you, let him be accursed.

9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel to you than that ye have received, let him

be accursed. 10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please

men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of

Christ.

Daniel AleshireDaniel Aleshire.(Executive .(Executive Director of the Association of Director of the Association of

Theological Schools) Raises the Theological Schools) Raises the question; “Is the belief that question; “Is the belief that leads to salvation a belief in leads to salvation a belief in

Jesus Christ –trusting in Him as Jesus Christ –trusting in Him as Savior and Lord? Or is it belief Savior and Lord? Or is it belief that Jesus is the Son of God, that Jesus is the Son of God,

was crucified, buried, and rose was crucified, buried, and rose on the 3on the 3rdrd day?” day?”

Dr. Aleshire then goes on to Dr. Aleshire then goes on to describe a series of works describe a series of works

that equate salvation. that equate salvation.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, friend Dietrich Bonhoeffer, friend and student of Karl Barth and student of Karl Barth (world famous theologian) (world famous theologian) coined the phrase “cheep coined the phrase “cheep grace”. Today, some refer grace”. Today, some refer to this as “greasy grace”. to this as “greasy grace”.

Bonhoeffer, because of the Bonhoeffer, because of the Nazis claim of Christianity, Nazis claim of Christianity, was driven to the thinking was driven to the thinking

that works had to be that works had to be attached to salvation. He attached to salvation. He stated that “cheep grave” stated that “cheep grave”

was grace with out was grace with out discipleship”. discipleship”.

Dr. Bonhoeffer said; “The Dr. Bonhoeffer said; “The failure of the church is failure of the church is

making grace available to making grace available to all at too low of a cost.”all at too low of a cost.”

In our flesh, apart from the In our flesh, apart from the Spirit, we think this way. Spirit, we think this way.

The word grace is the word The word grace is the word “charis” in Greek. This word “charis” in Greek. This word means “gift”. A gift is free! means “gift”. A gift is free!

There is not, nor will There is not, nor will there ever be such a there ever be such a

thing as “cheep grace”!thing as “cheep grace”!

Grace is given by God, Grace is given by God, not man;not man;

KJV Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved

through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

The motivating factor for The motivating factor for works in the life of a works in the life of a

believer is not to prove their believer is not to prove their faith. Our works faith. Our works

demonstrate our love for demonstrate our love for our Savior.our Savior.

As we learned last week, As we learned last week, the grace/faith given by God the grace/faith given by God that saves unto eternal life, that saves unto eternal life,

is free and constitutes a is free and constitutes a born-again experience. Any born-again experience. Any

work done in response to work done in response to this gift is what identifies a this gift is what identifies a

believer as a believer as a disciple/follower of Christ, disciple/follower of Christ,

aka, a Christian.aka, a Christian.

We also learned last week We also learned last week that there are that there are

consequences for the consequences for the believer not to exercise, or believer not to exercise, or exercise properly the duties exercise properly the duties

of the priesthood. The of the priesthood. The reason these consequences reason these consequences

exist is because the high exist is because the high cost of grace! cost of grace!

God accepts us as we are. God accepts us as we are. He saves us through the He saves us through the

blood of Christ. But when blood of Christ. But when we fail to reciprocate God’s we fail to reciprocate God’s

love with our own love, love with our own love, expressed by outward expressed by outward

works of the priesthood, we works of the priesthood, we can expect to experience can expect to experience

consequences as trials and consequences as trials and tests. tests.

Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yes, and his own life also,

he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever doth not bear his

cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down

first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to

finish it? 29 Lest haply, after he hath laid

the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to

mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to

build, and was not able to finish.

How many people who How many people who claim to be Christians and claim to be Christians and don’t display a Christian don’t display a Christian

way of life are mocked by way of life are mocked by unbelievers. unbelievers.

27 And whoever doth not bear his

cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

How is it that Jesus spoke of the cross as our cross to bare unless

He knew the cross was His to bare first. We as believers are

expected to experience hardships from the world because of our new

life style as NT priests.

The closing of last weeks The closing of last weeks teaching focused on OT priests teaching focused on OT priests persecution. persecution. 1 Samuel 22:17 And

the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and

slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew

when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.

These priests suffered and These priests suffered and were killed because they were killed because they

chose to stand for God and chose to stand for God and go against those set against go against those set against

God. NT disciples were God. NT disciples were arrested, beaten, stoned arrested, beaten, stoned and killed because they and killed because they

stood up for their belief. stood up for their belief.

KJV 2 Corinthians 11:24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.

25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night

and a day I have been in the deep; 26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in

perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false

brethren; 27 In weariness and painfulness, in

watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

2 Corinthians 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions,

in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak,

then am I strong.

Taking up our cross daily for Taking up our cross daily for Christ is taught today as Christ is taught today as

just some kind of just some kind of uncomfortable burden. The uncomfortable burden. The truth Jesus was stating was truth Jesus was stating was that we must be willing to that we must be willing to die even to the extent of die even to the extent of

torture for Him daily. torture for Him daily.

EVERY DAY WILLING TO GO EVERY DAY WILLING TO GO ALL THE WAY FOR HIM. Not ALL THE WAY FOR HIM. Not

because our eternal because our eternal salvation depends on it, but salvation depends on it, but

because He did it for us. because He did it for us. We owe Him everything! We owe Him everything! When we reject the duties When we reject the duties of the priesthood we are of the priesthood we are

rejecting God. rejecting God.

A believer has already A believer has already received Christ, but they are received Christ, but they are now rejecting God. At every now rejecting God. At every

rejection toward God’s rejection toward God’s priestly duties for us, we are priestly duties for us, we are

rejecting Him. Peter rejecting Him. Peter received his salvation upon received his salvation upon

his statement that Jesus his statement that Jesus was the Christ the Son of was the Christ the Son of

the living God.the living God.

Yet Peter later rejected Yet Peter later rejected Christ 3 times. Peter later Christ 3 times. Peter later

died a martyr's death on the died a martyr's death on the cross because he accepted cross because he accepted

his duties of priest unto his duties of priest unto God. What of the other God. What of the other

disciples?disciples?

They took up their crossThey took up their cross

Andrew; Crucified for Andrew; Crucified for 3 days.3 days.

James; Beheaded.James; Beheaded. John; Beaten, boiled in John; Beaten, boiled in

oil. Exiled for 2 years, oil. Exiled for 2 years, forced to drink poison. forced to drink poison. Lived and died at Lived and died at 101.101.

Matthew; nailed to the Matthew; nailed to the ground with spears, ground with spears, beheaded.beheaded.

Phillip; Whipped, Phillip; Whipped, imprisoned, crucified.imprisoned, crucified.

Thomas; burnt with hot Thomas; burnt with hot plates, put in a furnace, plates, put in a furnace, speared.speared.

James (Jesus’ lil bro); James (Jesus’ lil bro); Thrown off the temple Thrown off the temple roof, stoned, stabbed. roof, stoned, stabbed.

Jude; beaten to death.Jude; beaten to death. Simon the zealot; Simon the zealot;

Tortured and crucified.Tortured and crucified. Bartholomew; Tortured, Bartholomew; Tortured,

beaten with rods, beaten with rods, skinned alive, crucified skinned alive, crucified and then flayed, and then flayed, beheaded.beheaded.

The cost of following Christ The cost of following Christ is great…but, the cost of is great…but, the cost of rejecting our Savior after rejecting our Savior after

putting our trust in Him is so putting our trust in Him is so much more costly, I never much more costly, I never

want to be called into want to be called into account for it! account for it!

If every believer accepted his If every believer accepted his or her duties as priest, and or her duties as priest, and

picked up their cross daily, the picked up their cross daily, the Body of Christ would be strong Body of Christ would be strong

and effective, in a constant and effective, in a constant state of revival. We must state of revival. We must

accept our calling and accept our calling and encourage all believers to take encourage all believers to take up their cross daily, by Christ, up their cross daily, by Christ,

by the apostles, by our by the apostles, by our example.example.