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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