Amen, so this morning we're continuing on with our series that we're going through
on Sunday mornings just going through that Baptist acronym you know B-A-P-T-I-S-T
which is basically when you break it down just goes through and is what most
people would call the Baptist distinctive so the series is called
distinctive doctrines and what we're going through our doctrines that when
you walked into a Baptist Church you would expect that church to believe
these are not unique to this church or any one particular church but this these
are beliefs that we have as Baptists in general you should be able to walk in
again any Baptist Church and ask them do you believe this and hear them say yes we
believe in the in the the inspiration of the Bible we believe in biblical
authority we believe in the autonomy of the local church and today we've weighed
our way down to the priesthood of the believers and that's what we're going to
talk about of course that's that third letter in that acronym if you're
familiar with it the B-A-P the P stands for the priesthood of the believers and
as I've been thinking about this series and thinking about the different topics
that we're going to cover this one really is probably stood out to me the
most I think you know this is just a really unique one this is really
something I think a lot of people take for granted this is or some people never
really fully understand what exactly it means to be a priest in the faith or to
be or what it means to be at because you are a believer that you are a member of
you are a spiritual priest it's and it's really a great privilege that we have as
New Testament believers to be able to act on the behalf as priests before the
very throne of God so this basic this doctrine basically just breaks down as
this it's the belief that all believers have direct access to God that you and I
as born-again Christians you and I those that have put our faith and trust in
Jesus Christ that we have direct access to the very throne of God himself we
don't need a human intermediary between between you between ourselves and God we
don't need to go to some man and ask him to act on our behalf for God for God we
don't need him to go and say well I'm going to stand between you and God and
act as the intermediary I'm going to be the mediator between you and God and you
say well why is that important oh I don't know because there's entire
religions that that practice that that will say oh you can't come to God you
have to come through a man and so this is a very important doctrine and it's
one that we we should not take for granted it's one that we should exercise
in fact in our lives and the Old Testament it the Old Testament priests
as you saw there in Hebrews chapter 10 are a picture of our spiritual priesthood
the priest acted it they acted as such as an intermediate intermediary if you
recall there in Hebrews chapter 10 verse 1 the Bible says the law having a
shadow of things to come and not the very image of those things can never
with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually made the comers
there aren't too perfect so it says the things of the law are a shadow of the
things which were to come they were not the very image of those things so they
were a picture of what was to come what was to come is was the the real deal
that was the the authentic thing that was what the goal was that if I were to
stand in front of a light source and cast my shadow the Old Testament's the
shadow I would be the New Testament it's that object that stands in the light
sources that is illuminated that is what we were to be looking to and the Old
Testament tells it is is a shadow of things to come and that includes the
priesthood the priesthood is a picture of things to come and that picture what
it pictures is is the New Testament believers priesthood and really we could
see several things in the old Levitical priesthood that picture the New
Testament priesthood of the believer now of course the priest they acted as such
intermediaries in their time didn't they they were a go-between between God and
man they offered sacrifices on behalf of the people in the Old Testament you'd
have to bring your sacrifice year by year continually and those sacrifices
would be offered by the priest they would burn it on the altar they would
sprinkle the blood they would keep the tabernacle they were the ones that kept
the temple later and they sprinkled the blood upon the altar they they did all
of all the ceremony that took place there that was all done by the sons of
Levi now and nobody else was allowed to do that and then of course we understand
that Christ he came and he offered himself as a sacrifice and he sprinkled
his own blood because again those Old Testament sacrifices were always have
been just a picture of what was to come those were when they were offering those
sacrifices they understood it was not those particular sacrifices that were
saving them but they understood by faith that that was a picture of what was to
come the sacrifice as Abraham said that God would provide himself a lamb so of
course Christ came being that lamb he offered himself as a sacrifice he
sprinkled his own blood upon the altar and why did he do that not only to save
us from hell not only to pay the penalty for sin but also so that we could have
direct access to the throne of grace oh in our standing in Christ gives us that
access because we are saved because we are born again because we are in Christ
we have access to the very throne of God so again the Old Testament the
priesthood is just a foreshadowing of those things to come the coming of
Christ his sacrifice and him making the coming the comers there unto him
perfect in his blood so the Old Testament priesthood of course is a
picture of the New Testament believers priesthood and there's a lot of
different things that we can look at about the Old Testament priesthood which
is what I'd like to do to begin with and if you would turn over to Leviticus
chapter 21 we'll start to see some things about the Old Testament priesthood
that are a picture of the New Testament believers priesthood and that they
should be an encouragement to us and they should be a reminder to us about
the priesthood that we have in Christ of course there in Leviticus chapter 21
verse 17 the Bible says speak unto Aaron saying whosoever he be of thy seed in
their generation that hath any blemish let him not approach to the offer the
bread of God verse 18 for whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish he shall not
approach a blind man or a lame or he that had a flat nose or any suit any
superfluous or any man that is broken footed or broken-handed or crook backed
or a dwarf or that a blemish in his eye or be a or be scurvy or scabbed or hath
his stones broken no man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest
shall come nigh unto the offerings of the Lord made by fire he hath a blemish
blemish he shall not come nigh to the bread of his God he shall eat the bread
of his God both of the most holy and of the holy only he shall not go in unto
the veil nor come nigh unto the altar because he hath a blemish that he
profane might not my sanctuaries for I the Lord do sanctify him so the Lord of
course here is telling them that look if there's you know the the priesthood was
reserved to the sons of Levi they're the only tribe that was allowed to minister
in the tabernacle to offer the sacrifices but if there were any one of
those men that had any kind of a blemish we read that there you know any one of
these things that that that the Bible lists he was not allowed to come near
unto the altar he was not allowed to go into the most holy place he was not
going to be a high priest he was not going to offer the sacrifices of his God
and why is it because he has a blemish and as that that's a picture of of us
today not that we have a blemish but that we do not have a blemish we had a
blemish when we were lost in sin when we were unsaved we were blemished we were
all of these things not physically but spiritually we had the stain of sin upon
us and we were we were all of these things but now we are we are sanctified
in Christ the Bible says in Ephesians 5 I'll read to you husband love love your
wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it that he
might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that he
might present to himself a glorious church having not spot had not having
spot and or wrinkle or any such thing so in Christ we are presented to God
perfect faultless we do not have a blemish in Christ and that is what the
Old Testament is but you say why was God just picking on on these poor
disfigured people just because God's up there just like some maniacal like a kid
with the magnifying glass roasting ants he's just picking on people no there's a
picture here there's something that we should look to these things in Scripture
and try to understand that if we have a blemish we cannot approach unto God and
here's the thing all have Hall of Sin to come short of the glory of God and
that's why we need Christ to come and to cleanse us and to sanctify us why so
that he can present us before God's throne without a blemish not only did
the Old Testament priests could they not have a blemish they also had to have
proof of their genealogy if you would turn over to Ezra chapter 2 Ezra chapter
2 again the Old Testament priesthood is a picture of the New Testament believers
priesthood we see first of all it's a picture in the fact that they had to be
without blemish just as we must be without blemish today on our made
without blemish in Christ not only that what they had to have a proof of their
genealogy they had to be able to tell you what their their lineage was they
had had their family tree in order they had to go and do 23 and mean and present
the results to you right so Ezra in chapter 2 look at verse 61 and the
children of the priests the children of haba habaia the children of cause the
children of Barzillai which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the
Gileadite was called after their name now if you recall of course in the time
of Ezra this is when they're coming back into the captivity they're setting up
the walls they're setting up the temple they're starting to get the priesthood
in order and the children of the priests of the children of habaia the children
of cause the children of Barzillai which took a wife of the daughters of
Barzillai the Gileadite were called and was called after their name so they're
taking a roll call these sought their register among those that were reckoned
by genealogy so they're looking for the records to prove that they are the sons
of Levi but they found not therefore they said well we can't find our records
we don't know what happened when they got lost when we got taken into
captivity whatever some somehow they got lost in the captivity they weren't kept
track of so they could not come and they were not found therefore they could not
prove although me many maybe people probably said well yeah I remember your
dad I remember your granddad and we it was only been 70 years it's only been a
couple generations we all know that but they could not prove it could they they
had no record to prove that that that's who they were of and it says there
because they were found not therefore they were were they as polluted and put
from the priesthood they said if you can't prove your genealogy you can't be
a priest he goes on and says there and the church
terseitha said said unto them that they should not eat of the most holy things
till they're stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim so they were put out from
the priesthood and said look no proof sorry you can't be you cannot come before
the throne of God you can't come to God's sanctuary you can't come and offer
the sacrifices you can't go into the holy place so they were put out of the
priesthood because that was reserved for the Levites exclusively and they had to
be able to prove that now the Bible says in Hebrews chapter 7 I'll read to you
and very they that are the sons of Levi who receive the office of the priesthood
so again it's only that specific group that's allowed to take part in the
priesthood and these men could not prove that they were of that that that
priesthood and there's a lot of other verses that you know I think we all
understand that but you say well how does that apply us to us today we'll
turn over to John chapter 3 you see we had the same thing we have to be able to
prove our genealogy if you want to go to heaven if you want to stand before God's
throne you have to have a certain lineage you have to have been born in a
certain line and I'm not talking about a physical line you know some people would
have us to believe you know about the the the nation of Israel over there
today they'd say well they get a pass they don't have to they can reject
Christ you know they can say blasphemous things against Christ and it's okay
because they're of a certain lineage I'm not so my friend this is the New
Testament you know and it's never been that way in the Old Testament it's
always been by faith and that's a whole nother sermon in and of itself but the
Bible says in Romans chapter 8 you're going to John 3 it says but ye are not
in the flesh but in the spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you now
if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his the Bible says right
there if you do not have the Spirit of Christ you are not of God if you have
and he that hath not the son hath not the father you know so you can't say oh
we all they all worship the same God well if you don't have the son you
don't have the father the Bible says the Bible says there in John chapter 3 well
how how do I have the Spirit of Christ how is it how what how do I get the
genealogy right I want to go to heaven I want to stand before God's throne I
want to be a priest of God how do I how do I get that John chapter 3 look at
verse 3 Jesus answered and said in him verily I say unto thee accept the man be
born again he cannot see the kingdom of God verse 5 Jesus answered verily I say
unto thee accept the man be born of the water and of the Spirit he cannot enter
the kingdom of God that which is born the flesh is flesh and that which is
born of the Spirit is spirit marvel not that I say unto thee ye must be born
again that's the genealogy you need today that's the birth that you have to
have that's the the the the the heritage that you need to be able to point to
when you stand before God and show the record and you say well why should I let
you into heaven what where's your proof you know what what what who do you hail
from well I'm born again in Christ that's my genealogy I've been washed in
the blood of the Lamb I've been born of the Spirit you become God's child the
Bible says as many as received him to them gave you power to become the sons
of God even to them that believe on his name which were born not of blood nor
of the will of the flesh nor the will of man but of God when we believe on Christ
when we receive him we become the children of God and we have that
spiritual genealogy we have that proof of the genealogy that we can enter into
that spiritual priesthood that we have access to today so we see that the Old
Testament priesthood is a picture of the New Testament believers priesthood
because they were without blemish and because they had a proof of genealogy
just as we are today in Christ we have that we are without blemish in Christ we
have that proof of genealogy in Christ but not only that if you would turn over
to Exodus I should have had you stay there and when you get there keep
something in Exodus Exodus chapter 28
Exodus 28 another picture that we see in the Old Testament priesthood of our New
Testament priesthood is the fact that they had to wear special garments they
couldn't just show up wearing whatever you know they had there was specific
things that God wanted them to put on he says in Exodus chapter 28 verse 1 and he
said and take unto thee Aaron thy brother and his sons with him from among
the children of Israel that they may minister unto me in the priest's office
even Aaron Nadab and Abihu Eliezer and Ithamar Aaron's sons and thou shalt make
holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty and thou shalt
speak and all the wise hearted whom I filled with the spirit of wisdom that
they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him consecrate him that he
may minister unto me in the priest's office verse 43 go and jump down to
verse 43 and they shall be upon Aaron and upon his son so if you were to read
the of course the context of the chapter he describes all those things very
specifically the color the manner in which they were to be made and how are
they were to be worn and tells them everything they were to put on these
special garments that they were to wear as priests of God and it says in verse
43 and they shall be upon Aaron and upon his sons when they come into the
tabernacle of the congregation or when they come near into the altar to
minister in the holy place that they bear not iniquity and die it shall be a
statute forever unto them and his seed after him so he's saying look he wasn't
just putting these clothes on them just so that they could look pretty you know
because he just wanted to look a certain way he put it in clothes on him so why
these garments were there so they would not bear iniquity and die he said
they're gonna put these on and it's going to sanctify them it's gonna show
me that they they are they're they're wearing the garments and only they're
allowed to wear and it was so that they would not bear their iniquity and die so
you say well how does that apply to us today well if we recall the the the the
parable that Jesus Christ gave in Matthew chapter 22 about going in the
the the the the king that prepared a a wedding and they're the one and invite
that those that were bidding would not come of course then he goes out and he
sends out others into the highways and byways and the hedges and it compels
them to come to his house that his house may be full to the wedding there and it
says that when the king came in to see the guest he saw there a man which had
not on a wedding garment right so you say that guy in this parable he was
supposed to have a special garment on and he saith unto him friend so even
calls him friend so it's not it wasn't it wasn't that God disliked this guy he
says friend how cameest thou in hither not having a wedding garment and he was
speechless he didn't know what to say he got caught you know he shows up
everybody else has got the wedding garments on he's just kind of standing
out like a like a sore thumb and then he gets called on the carpet and I've had
this happen personally you know I've got I remember going to a wedding one time
and just thinking well you know it's I'm not I could dress down a little bit I
think I just you know no tie blue jeans and sneakers and I show up and every and
realized real quick everybody else is in there and you know suit and tie everyone's
looking nice and sharp and that that's how you realize real quick how important
is that to dress up a little bit for a wedding and of course the pastor comes
over and he said these words to me friend how cameest thou hither now
having a wedding garment and I had the same reaction speechless right but he's
showing us here that you know we have to have this special garment on to be part
of that feast to come before God's throne and of course he says in verse
13 then said the king unto the servants bind him hand and foot and take him away
and cast him out at our outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of
teeth and again he called him friend and it wasn't because that he says this guy's
not good enough this guy isn't up to my standards the guy just didn't have the
right garment on he could have been a terrible lousy person he could have been
the worst person in society and still been allowed if he just had on the
garment so it's not about how good again showing us it's not a good about how
good we are to go to heaven it's about whether or not we've got the garment on
right and that you know we as New Testament believers we wear a spiritual
garment today of course we can't see that you know sorry Mormons you know you
could take off magic underwear that's not what it's referring to they wear
magic underwear by the way I've had one come to the door wearing it I mean he
had pants on too but it goes all the way it's like this leotard type of thing and
I didn't realize that at the time that my partner is like man that guy had his
magic underwear on it was anyway I'm going on I think we could we could have
fun with that one but we're not going to but if you would keep something in
Exodus and turn over to Romans chapter 13 we as New Testament believers as New
Testament priests in Christ we have to have our special garments on you know
just as that parable shows us the Bible says in Ephesians you're going to Romans
13 it says finally my brother and be strong in the Lord and the powers of not
of his might put on the whole armor of God there is a garment that we need to
put on today spiritually you know some of us aren't you know we might be saved
but are we go wearing the armor of God are we ready to go out and do battle and
fight for the Lord spiritually they may be able to stand against the wiles of
the devil for Romans chapter 13 verse 12 where you are the night is far spent the
day is at hand let us cast off the four therefore off the works of darkness and
let us put on the armor of light let us walk honestly as the day not in rioting
and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness not in strife and envying
but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh to lust
the fulfill the lust thereof you know part of putting on that special garment
is you denying the flesh and walking in the spirit not giving into these
temptations Bible says in Revelation chapter 19 verse 6 and I heard as it
were the voice of a great multitude is the voice of many waters go ahead and
turn over there to 19 you chat revelation 19 and as the voice of
thundering saying hallelujah for the Lord God on the potent raineth let us
be glad and rejoice and give honor to him for the marriage of the Lamb has
come and his wife hath made herself ready and her was granted that she be
arrayed in fine linen clean and white for the fine linen is the righteousness
of Saints so there's there's people in heaven wearing that special garment
wearing that fine linen look at verse 11 and I saw heaven open and behold a white
horse and he that sat upon him was called faithful and true and in
righteousness to the judge and make war his eyes were as a flame of fire and on
his head were many crowns and he can't and he had a name written that no man
knew but he himself and he was closed closed with a vesture dipped in blood
and his name is called the Word of God and his armies which were in heaven
followed him upon white horses clothed and fine linen white and clean you know
if you get that when we get to heaven there's going to be a special garment
we only get to wear that God's going to put upon us that fine linen and it's the
righteousness of the Saints it's the it literally will be a literal garment in
heaven that we wear it will be literal fine linen that's what he's describing
here I mean that's us there as say believers if you wonder well who are
these people that are you know following him on white horses clothed in fine
linen white and clean that's me and you that's a horse ride I'm looking forward
to you know you get all excited about the carousel you know it goes around the
pony that goes up and down and you can ride the alligator and you can ride the
you know the dragon and all these other ones I'm looking at that for to that one
that's give me a ride you'll never forget so we see that we as New Testament
believers we have we are made to have be without blemish and that we have this
spiritual garment on but not only that we are also have to be purified by blood
this is something else that we see in the Old Testament Saints or the Old
Testament priests and if you would turn back to Exodus chapter 29 Exodus chapter
29 we should never read the Old Testament and think well what was the
point of all this or think it's just old news it doesn't apply today
everything in there is a picture of something to come in we're I was talking
to a gentleman just recently about all the difference just the amount of
symbology that's in the Old Testament the amount of things you could just read
over and over again how deep it goes all the different things you can see that
are a representation of Christ and representation of the church and and
things to come it's very deep and you know Exodus 29 verse 19 shows us that we
have to be purified by blood just as they were back then it says in Exodus
29 verse 19 and thou shalt take the other ram and Aaron and his sons and put
that and shall put their hands upon the head of the ram then shalt thou kill the
ram and take of his blood and put it in the tip of the right ear of Aaron upon
the right tip of the ear of his sons and upon the right of the thumb a thumb of
the right hand and upon the great toe of their right foot and sprinkle the blood
upon the altar roundabout and thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the
altar and the anointing oil and sprinkle it upon Aaron and upon his garments and
upon his sons and upon the garments of his sons with him and he shall be
hallowed and his or hallowed and his garments and his sons and his sons
garments with him I mean how would you like that I said hey I got to do this
and just start throwing you know some animals blood on you you know that's
what had to happen to Aaron and his and his in the priesthood they had to take
the that ram and kill it take that Rams blood and sprinkle it upon him and upon
the garments and around the altar they had to put it on his right ear and his
right thumb and his right toe he had to be sanctified by the blood or he could
not fulfill that office of a priest that's the same way with us today if we
want to go before the throne if we want to stand before God if we want to act as
priests today spiritually speaking we have to have that blood applied we have
to have been washed in the blood as well go and turn over to Hebrews chapter 10
where we were Hebrews chapter 10 the Bible says in 1st Peter chapter 1 for as
much as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things you
know the Rams blood is corruptible you were not redeemed with with corruptible
things as silver and gold from your vein conversation received by tradition of
men or tradition of your fathers but with the precious blood of Christ as of
a lamb without blemish and without spot I mean that blood could not make the
comers there unto perfect that Rams blood I mean it was a picture of things
to come the fact that if we want to be priests today we have to be sprinkled
with the blood of the lamb that of Christ Hebrews chapter 10 verse 10 by
the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ
go down to verse 29 of how much sore punishment shall you suppose ye shall be
a thought worthy who hath trodden under the foot of the Son of God and hath
counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy
thing and at the despite unto the spirit of grace so what are we sanctified by
the blood of the Covenant whose blood is that the blood of Jesus Christ
through his sacrifice through his offering so we see that just as the Old
Testament priests had to be sanctified by blood we today as priests before God
have to be sanctified by Christ's blood let's say well you know then there's a
lot of symbology there but what's the point of it all for us to understand
that we have a priesthood today that just as they had our priesthood today
before God is every bit as real as as Aaron and his sons were back then I mean
they had no doubt about that they were priests when they're putting on garments
when they're being sprinkled by blood when they're offering the sacrifice to
God do you think they had any doubt whether or not that was real but I
wondered a how many how many even New Testament believers Christians
understand the fullness of what it means to be a priest that we are made unto God
priests and kings in the earth and the priest of the believer grants us great
privilege I mean wouldn't you say that was a privilege for them back then I
mean every time I fire up the barbecue and I'm throwing burgers on I'm thinking
we should probably rethink this Levitical priesthood thing you know but
then I remember they couldn't eat pork I'm like well if I can't barbecue a pig
forget it you know I mean they came with privileges didn't they they were put in
a place of honor people looked at them they they got to wear these garments
they got to do a service nobody else could do we're privileged today too as
New Testament believers and it's for everybody anybody can become one today
if they have the right genealogy if they're in Christ and that great
privilege is not that we could just stand in some tabernacle built by a
man's hands and offer you know animals on some altar we get to come before the
very throne of God himself maybe we can't see it maybe we can't behold it
with our physical eyes but it's every bit and more so a hundred times over
more glorious than anything those Levitical priests saw way more glorious
than anything they saw in the tabernacle way more beautiful than anything they
saw in the in the in the temple the gold and the jewels and all of it are is
nothing when we when we start to understand the full of the throne of God
that's whose throne we become from will come for we don't just go into some
tabernacle somewhere that we actually going before the very throne of God
that's the access that we have as New Testament priests believers in him the
Bible says in Matthew 27 verse 50 when Christ had given cried again with a loud
voice yielded up the ghost and behold the veil of the temple was rent and
twain from the top to the bottom I mean what's the symbology of that that that
veil in the temple that was that that that final barrier from the holy to the
holiest of holies that only the high priest could go into once a year to
offer sacrifices for sin and he had to make sure his heart was right that he
was sanctified and he his own sacrifice that he made before he ever went in
there and when Christ died the Bible says that that that and it wasn't that
somebody got up on a ladder and started cutting it with scissors it just super
naturally God just reached down and just tore that thing that's a symbolic that's
symbolic that that veil between us and God is gone away in Christ that through
his blood that through his sacrifice we as priests can enter into the holiest of
holies and offer sacrifices and praise before God spiritually speaking that's
the privilege that we have that's the importance of this doctrine oh the
Baptist acronym here we go again another series priesthood of the believer it's a
powerful thing to think about that we can go before the very throne of God
Almighty that we don't have to go through some man then we have to go
raise you know buy some ram or some sheep or some ox or some bullock
somewhere and care you know take it to some specific place and shed its blood
and have some man go on our behalf and even then understand that that could
make us perfect but that we can just go right past all that go right past the
altar go right by past the priests go right in the holy the holy place and go
right through that veil that's that's on the floor today and walk right up into
that spiritually speaking of course and offer our sacrifices God and God will
hear us and God will answer us the Bible says in Ephesians 2 but God who is
rich in mercy for his great love were with he loved us even we were dead in
sins hath quicken us together with Christ by grace are you saved and hath
raised us up together to and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ
Jesus that's where our seed is today it's in heavenly places in Christ that's
a wonderful thought and what is the purpose of all that so that we could is
it just so that we could sit back and just say well we're priests look at us
we're really something I mean it's great it's privilege we should feel that we
should feel very privileged to be able to say that about ourselves but the
reason why that is so that we can perform a duty it was the same way with
the priests back then they had a job to do it wasn't just so they could stand
around wearing a special garments and say look at me everybody I'm a priest
and everyone just so great no they had a job to do they had work to do right they
had to slay those animals had to sprinkle the blood they had to they had
to do things that God demanded of them and we have to do some of those same
duties today spiritually speaking that's the spiritual application that's made
today if you would turn over to revelation chapter 1 revelation chapter
1 we have spiritual duties as priests today revelation chapter 1 beginning in
verse 4 the Bible says John to the seven churches which are in Asia grace be unto
you in peace from him to him which is is and which was and which is to come
and from the seven spirits which are before his throne and from Jesus Christ
who is the faithful witness and the first begotten of the dead the prince of
the kings of the earth unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in
his own blood and hath made us kings and priests unto our God unto God and his
father to him be glory and dominion forever and ever and you got saved from
you got washed that blood when your sins were washed away in the blood of Christ
that's not all that happened is that your sins were forgiven that you were
made a king and you were made a priest unto God his father and our father so
that's what we have to do today we have to act as priests spiritually speaking
and what does priests do they offer sacrifices and our job today as New
Testament believers as priests as New Testament priests in Christ is to offer
spiritual sacrifices you know don't let me hear about any of you guys going out
after the sermon and and and start you know offering you know sacrifices at
some altar somewhere my brother Corbin said we got offer sacrifices no one got
me a goat you know now if you want to go get a goat and have a little cookout
just makes you invite me all right but just just only you know I don't see
sprinkling blood anywhere okay we're gonna offer spiritual sacrifices as it
says in first Peter chapter first Peter it says as newborn babes desire the
sincere sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby even so even so be
you have tasted the Lord is gracious to whom coming as unto a living stone
disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious ye also as lively
stones are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood that's what we are
we're in holy priesthood to do what to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable
unto God by Jesus Christ and you know we talked about this a little bit this
last Thursday night when we were going through the book of 1st Timothy chapter
2 you know we're to offer up sacrifices and what those are referring to our
spiritually speaking our prayers and intercessions and and supplications it
says in 1st Timothy chapter 2 I exhort therefore all that that all first of all
supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men say
what's the sacrifice I'm supposed to make today well sacrifice your time and
intercede for others that's what the Old Testament priests did he was
interceding on behalf of the people he was just acting as a mediator between
God and men he was the one that was doing all that work well we should do
that spiritually speaking we should be praying for the lost we should be
praying for our loved ones we should be praying for one another within the
church our brothers and sisters in Christ we should be interceding and
pleading and going before the throne of God and making that kind of a spiritual
sacrifice the Bible says that you know it shows us that all that all of this is
made possible by the blood of Christ I mean that's that you say what a
wonderful standing that we have that we can we can come boldly before the throne
of God that we can we can make prayer that we can offer spiritual sacrifices
for one another that we can make supplications we can make intercessions
we can pray for one another and others that we know and others that are lost
that we can go and perform this spiritual duty that we have and what a
really an important job that it is and we talked about the first when we were
going through it last Thursday about first Timothy he says first of all I
exhort there first of all supplications prayer and intercessions be made for all
men for kings and all that authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable
life he said first of all you know and that's the thing that we probably gets
neglected the most by most Christians is prayer I mean because because no one
sees it at least they shouldn't I mean Jesus said go into your closet and pray
you know and that when you've done that your father may reward thee openly and
not to be like the hypocrites not to be like those that's that love the praise
of men and to stand in the marketplace and make long prayers for pretense so
that people could just admire us and our mighty prayer you know be part of the
the the national prayer breakfast where they just get up and read off of a piece
of paper and they call it a prayer that's not prayer prayer is personal
prayers private prayer is unseen prayer goes unrecognized and that's probably
why a lot of Christians leave it off because Pete a lot of times we just want
to be recognized we're gonna do something for God we want somebody to
notice we don't want to just do it because we love God or because that's
what God asks of us that's why it goes on undone but that's the thing that Paul
said first of all supplications prayers and intercessions and giving of things
prayer should be a major priority in life it should be something that we
schedule and if you see something we do and you what the great thing about it is
is that you can pray at any end of the drop of a hat you don't have to go find
the tabernacle somewhere and offer something and then you can talk to God
you can prayer you could pray anywhere as New Testament believers as priests in
Christ I mean you could pull into your driveway after a long road trip and just
in your own mind say thank you Lord for a safe ride home and it's genuine it
comes from the heart you know you we pray it anywhere anytime anyplace in
our own heart but there ought to be a plime in a place where we go before the
throne of God privately nobody else needs to know about it and there we make
spiritual sacrifices on the behalf of other people as priests before God
that's the privilege that we have and it's all made possible by the blood of
Christ if you would turn over to Hebrews chapter 4 Hebrews chapter 4 I'll remind
us of Hebrews 10 where it says having therefore brethren boldness to enter
into the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath
consecrated for us through the veil that is to say his flesh and having an high
priest of the house of God let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance
of faith having a heart sprinkled from an evil conscience and a body washed
with pure water he's saying look we should have boldness to enter in to the
holiest by the blood of Christ say well I don't think I deserve to go before
throne of God you don't none of us do but that's the privilege that we have
through the blood of Christ that we can go through his blood through that veil
through his flesh and make our petitions known unto God the question is are we
taking advantage of our position as priests so that's a beautiful thing to
think about wow it's it's so inspiring it's I never thought about it that way
that we're priests and a God well we are but here's the question are you taking
advantage of it are you doing something with it or is the prayer closet empty
day in and day out or the prayers go unsaid are we coming to our high priest
in heaven the Bible says in Hebrews chapter 4 verse 14 seeing then that we
have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God
let us hold fast our profession for we have not an high priest which cannot be
touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tented
like as we are yet without sin you know there's nothing you can bring before God
that he doesn't know about and he's not familiar with because he came and lived
among us he was tempted all points like this we are you know I tell God I'd go
pray and tell God about this I'd go an intercede or I'd go make a supplication
but you know I don't think he'd understand but here's the thing he would
understand maybe it says he was tempted in all points as we are yet without sin
there's no temptation there you're gonna feel that Christ himself didn't feel
look being tempted by sin is not sin right it's when we give in that sin when
a man is tempted he's drawn away of his own lust when he's enticed and when sin
hath conceived then it bring forth death it's not just being tempted oh I'm in
sin and that's your flesh that's your infirmity of your flesh the devil it's
when we give into that he was tempted in all points like as we are yet without
sin he was tempted but did he ever give into it never not one time so when we go
before the throne of God when we have a burden when we have a need whether it's
with sin whether it's with some we need something from God whatever it is
there's nothing that you can't say to him that he doesn't know about and
understand he can feel it you know it says there that he can feel our
infirmities he can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities you have some
burden for somebody or some situation he can feel that he knows what that's like
they have family members that reject Christ he knows what that's like to be
despised and rejected of men he knows what that's like and he says he was into
all points tempted as we are you without sin let us therefore come boldly under
the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace and help to help in
time of need I love how it just keeps using that same word over again boldness
therefore brethren having therefore brethren boldness to enter the holiest
by the blood of Christ let us come boldly under the throne of grace you
say no come timidly don't come in there like oh I know I don't deserve to be
here Lord but it's gonna be a few these few things I'd like to ask of you you
know like a little kid who wants to get something from dad but it's afraid to
just come out and say it you know hey dad you think later maybe you know what
you're saying come boldly Lord I need you supplications what is that that's
crying that's begging dear God help me I'm crying out to God I had this need I
had this burden I had this loved one whatever it is come boldly with that why
because you're a priest in Christ you made but you're made nigh by the blood
of Christ that's the that's the that's the privilege that you have in Christ
they come boldly before his throne and we leave that off so often don't we we
leave that undone you know that like the song says what a friend we have in Jesus
all all our sins and grief to bear what a privilege it is to carry everything to
God in prayer what peace we often forfeit right why because we do not take
everything to God in prayer so often we just bear our burdens the prayers never
get answered because we never pray them and we could take all of those things to
God boldly before his throne why that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help
in time of need you need help with something it's there but you have not
because you ask not asking you shall receive knock and it shall be open to
you seek and he shall find that's the privilege that we have today as priests
we can make supplication not only for others but ourselves as well we can come
to a high priest with our needs and make all of our all our needs known to before
God before his throne boldly but are we we should be let's go ahead and pray