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I'M A PRIEST
Believers are priests of God, and our identity as priests determines how we function in His Kingdom.
ENGAGE
What is your favorite movie? How many times have you seen it?
WATCH
Watch "I'm a Priest."
(If you are not able to watch this teaching on video, read the following. Otherwise, skip to the Talk section after viewing.)
READ
Worship in our society has become a shrink-wrapped phenomenon that you can turn on and play videos of whenever you like. However, there is a lack of understanding in the Church about what we're really doing.
The purpose of this series is to help develop worshipping people, worshipping leaders, and worshipping churches. We need to take worship off the platform, because worship isn't a thing that is performed. Worship is really what we become. Worship is a way that we live and that the Lord lives with us.
WHO ARE YOU?
Before dealing with worship itself, we need to understand one of the central themes of the Bible-our identity. Who you are determines your understanding of what you do.
Only a child of God can come into deep intimacy with the Father. And only a child of God who is a priest of God can lead others into that deep intimacy. Priesthood is a megatheme of the Bible. We see it over and over again in Scripture.
ADAM AND EVE
Adam and Eve were different from any other creature God made. God made them out of two elements. First, He took a handful of dirt (clay) and formed (squeezed) it. Mankind is shaped like the hand of God. The world can see God's fingerprints all over us.
We're made out of a handful of earth, but we became living beings when the Father breathed into us. We're made out of earth, but we're also made out of spirit. Only a creature made out of both elements can relate to both elements. We have to be made of spirit to relate to spirit and minister to spirit. Man is created to hold the hand of God and the hand of the earth-to be a living intersection between heaven and earth.
Genesis 2:15 says, "The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it." The word watch means 'to guard.' The word tend comes from the Hebrew word avad, which means 'to serve.' As a Levitical term, it means 'to priest.' Adam is made out of earth and spirit and put into the garden to priest creation. As long as he holds on to both, all of God's creation flourishes. When Adam sinned, he let go of the hand of God, and everything under his care suffered.
The entire story of the Old Testament is the story of God working to reestablish that relationship. That was the purpose of the nation of Israel and the tribe of Levi. When they failed, God sent His Son, Jesus.
JESUS
Jesus' mother, Mary, is made of earth, and His Father is of heaven. Thus, Jesus is also made of earth and spirit. He is the Son of God and Son of Man, made to relate to both. This is the purpose for which He was born. Jesus is the intersection between heaven and earth.
Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises (Hebrews 8:6).
WE ARE THE NEW PRIESTS
In John 3:3, Jesus tells Nicodemus, "Unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God." Then in verse 5, He says you must be born of both water and the Spirit to enter the Kingdom of God.
We must be born again. The first time, man was born of the element of earth to minister to it. The second time, we are born of the element of God so that we can relate to and minister to Him.
This is the entire theme of the Bible. You were born and born again to minister to God and to the world around you-to have a hand in the hand of heaven and a hand in the hand of the earth. You are a walking, breathing meeting place between heaven and earth. You are a priest.
In 1 Peter 2:5 and 2:9, Peter says we are God's holy priests and a royal priesthood, made to declare His praises. The apostle is not talking to trained clergy or church workers here. He's talking to new believers in Christ. You are a priest because you were born to relate to the earth and born again to relate to God. Revelation 1:6 says, "[Jesus] has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father-to him be glory and power for ever and ever!" (NIV).
You are a son or daughter, but you are also a priest.
THE PRIESTLY JOB DESCRIPTION
Once we know our identity, what is our job description? Here is a simple version:
At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the Ark of the LORD'S Covenant, and to stand before the LORD as his ministers, and to pronounce blessings in his name. These are their duties to this day (Deuteronomy 10:8).
The priest has three jobs: to carry, to minister, and to bless.
CARRY THE PRESENCE
The priest is to carry the Ark of the Covenant, which represents the presence and the throne of God on earth. The priest's job is to be a living throne on which the King is transported.
Second Corinthians 4:7 says, "We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves." Some translations say we are like "earthen vessels." I remember this verse when I don't think I am qualified or holy enough to carry the presence of God. People can relate to our shortcomings-our earthiness. We all have flaws. We shouldn't compare ourselves to others. We're not golden or silver vessels, though both gold and silver come from the earth. All that matters is that we are in God's hand, and He is the one filling us up. I am a leaky vessel, but God waters the people around me through those leaks.
MINISTER TO GOD
We get this wrong sometimes. Our primary responsibility is not to minister to people. People are fickle. What you minister to is what you enthrone. If I minister primarily to man, I have enthroned man in my heart, which means his opinion drives me. I want the Lord to be the King, enthroned in my heart. Worship is ministering to God.
BLESS THE PEOPLE
"Bless" doesn't mean to make people happy. God will not submit His truth to the whims of humanity. We must look at things through God's perspective. When we bless someone, we see them with prophetic eyes-we see what they can become. We have a prophetic heart toward them and love them as if they are already there. Then we speak prophetic words. Likewise, God sees us seated in heavenly places, and He treats us now as we are going to be.
It's the same with my children. I don't treat them according to their behavior but according to who they are. I still discipline them, but I use my words, my actions, and my heart to catalyze who they are becoming. Just think what could happen if all the Christians you knew (and not just the pastors) did these few things-or even one of them.
I leave you with the high priestly blessing in Numbers 6:24-26:
The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace (NKJV).
NOTES
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TALK
These questions can be used for group discussion or personal reflection.
Question 1
From what two elements were Adam and Eve made? Why are these two elements important?
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Question 2
What do you think would happen if every person in...
