Participants: John Stanton, C. A. Murray
Series Code: HCL
Program Code: HCL110022
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00:01 Hello, friends.
00:03 Grab your Bible and a friend and sit back 00:04 as we explore God's word together 00:05 on this edition of House Calls. 00:21 Welcome to another program of House Calls. 00:23 We are excited that you have joined us today. 00:25 Without your participation, without your willingness 00:29 to be part of this program it wouldn't be what it is. 00:31 And that is a Bible study program 00:34 where we answer questions, we cover a topic. 00:36 House Calls, we've been going 00:37 for quite a few years now here and we have been blessed 00:40 from year to year as we receive your encouragement, 00:44 your words, your questions, your participation. 00:49 This program is all about Christ 00:51 and it's about making Him real to each and everyone of you. 00:55 Thank you for joining me in this program today. 00:57 With me, Pastor John Stanton, is C.A. Murray. 01:01 Pastor Murray, thank you for being here again today. 01:03 Good to be here. 01:04 Yeah, it's a blessing to always have an opportunity 01:06 to sit here open God's word and just let it speak. 01:09 Amen, it is. 01:11 Why don't we--before we dive into our questions 01:13 why don't we go ahead and turn some time here 01:15 to you to lead us in prayer so that we make sure 01:17 we have God's spirit here with us. 01:18 Praise God. Again Father, 01:20 we come to thee and call upon thee 01:23 to be the author and finisher of our faith. 01:26 The beginning and the end, the alpha and the omega, 01:29 the center and circumference of all that we do. 01:32 We know that there is truth in Your word. 01:34 We know that there is light in Your word, 01:38 information and inspiration. 01:41 And we ask that as we, as it were, 01:44 dig into the depths of Your word as we take shovel 01:47 and mine the gold that's in Your word, 01:50 that we will find that gold, and that we will make 01:53 application to our own lives, so that we may indeed 01:56 be shining lights for thee. 01:58 Show us Your truth this day and help us to walk 02:01 in that truth and to shed the light of that truth 02:04 to a world that needs to know the goodness of the Lord. 02:07 Bless this particular sitting, this program, 02:09 all that is said and done. 02:11 And we thank you in Jesus' name, amen. Amen. 02:15 You know, pastor, thank you for praying there. 02:18 I shared what I did there about this program 02:19 and opening up the word of God because 02:22 the topic we're covering is about "Sharing Our Faith." 02:26 It's an accountability to God, we don't just receive 02:29 His blessing and hoard them. 02:31 We receive His blessing so that we might be a light, 02:33 a channel of blessing to others. 02:35 And that is what our hope is, our prayer is about 02:39 this program that there is a light out there 02:41 in a very dark world. 02:43 So thank you again for joining us. 02:44 We're gonna dive into our questions here now. 02:47 Before we read our first question 02:49 and Pastor Murray will lead us in that. 02:51 I want to give or at least put up 02:52 for our viewers and our listeners our address. 02:56 You can mail your questions into housecalls@3abn.org, 03:01 that's housecalls@3abn.org. 03:04 You can send them in by email 03:06 that way or feel free to give us a call. 03:09 Our call center does take some questions 03:11 and passes them along to us. 03:14 Also you can send them by snail-mail, 03:16 they call it today, that is the US Postal Service. 03:18 And they will make sure that if you put it in 03:20 care of House Calls, it will get to us as well. 03:22 So those are the different ways 03:24 that you can get your questions to House Calls. 03:26 Thank you for doing that. And our first question today. 03:30 Well, you know, I've got two 03:31 and I am trying to decided which one to go to first-- 03:33 I think I'll take this shorter one to begin with. 03:35 The second one is a bit longer. 03:37 We may or may not have time to get to it. 03:39 The person is asking about convictions 03:42 that come from the Lord. 03:43 The question is, does it add several segments to it. 03:46 Some people say that God gives them dreams 03:48 to go to a particular church. 03:51 I was led by the Holy Spirit to the Adventist Church, 03:55 went to a Baptist Church basically most of my life 03:57 but then was led to the Adventist Church. 03:59 So does God lead people to go to Sunday churches 04:02 or other churches, if so why? 04:04 For my understanding of God, He is a God of order, 04:08 so why would He do that? 04:10 Some are convicted to eat meat, others are not. 04:16 What do you say about that? 04:18 Basically the question is about convictions. 04:21 What comes from the Lord and how does God lead? 04:24 When she says church, I don't know 04:26 if she means a particular building, 04:29 a particular church, or a particular denomination, 04:31 I'm not quite sure. 04:32 So I want to paint in the 04:33 largest possible brush strokes. 04:36 I believe that it is God's desire to lead us to truth. 04:44 John 14, rather 16:13, tells us one of the jobs 04:48 of Holy Spirit is to lead us into truth, 04:51 and testify of Jesus Christ, because we get John 17:17, 04:55 that tells us that His word is truth. 04:57 So it's God's I say job, I use that term, 05:02 I can't think of anything else more fitting at the moment. 05:05 It's His job, His desire to lead us into truth. 05:09 Whatever path that leading takes for different people, 05:14 it comes in different ways. 05:17 This person was Baptist was led into 05:19 the truth of the Adventist Church. 05:21 I think God takes you where He finds you 05:23 and leads you along a road that you can follow, 05:27 the ultimate end of His truth. 05:30 For some it may mean a stop over in a First Day church, 05:38 while He is preparing us to go further. 05:42 There are those who may have never had or heard about 05:46 the Adventist Church, they were led 05:49 into a particular church and find a level of truth there. 05:53 Then may be later on, they find out about the Sabbath. 05:57 They get more light. 05:59 And then they follow that in priest light, 06:01 they leave where they are because there is 06:04 additional light that comes into our life, 06:06 and we are called to follow light. 06:08 Our early church pioneers didn't believe 06:11 in it or accept trinity. 06:13 They had a close door mindset but as truth came 06:17 they grew into that truth. 06:19 We have an example in Acts Chapter 19 verse 2, 06:23 a group of believers were asked, well, 06:28 "Were you baptized into the Holy Spirit?" 06:30 Well, we don't even know. Yeah. What is it... 06:32 If there is a Holy Spirit, who know what that is. 06:34 So once they were explained, 06:37 we were baptized in John's Baptism. 06:38 Basically repent for your sins and be baptized 06:42 and that's what we did, but we didn't know about this, 06:44 this new light, so now that new light comes 06:47 we walk into that new light. 06:49 So there is this process that God brings us along. 06:53 For some it may mean they're into or attending a church 06:58 that for at that point in their lives was truth for them 07:02 but then as they got more light, 07:04 they felt moved of the Lord to leave this, 07:08 I'll say partial truth, I'm trying to be delicate here 07:11 and move into fuller truth. 07:13 So you're following along that progression into truth. 07:17 So you're in a particular church, 07:20 a particular denomination, it satisfies for a while 07:24 but you go back to the word and we've seen this 07:26 from pastors who said, 07:28 I just never saw the truth of the Sabbath. 07:30 I just never saw it. 07:31 I studied and I believe, but I just didn't see it. 07:34 Now that I see it, I've got to walk into that. 07:37 So can that happen, of times it does, 07:41 but your job is, the Holy Spirit's job is 07:43 to lead you to truth. 07:44 You job is to follow truth where ever truth is made, 07:48 wherever and whenever truth is made available to you. 07:51 It may, you may get a pit stop 07:54 in one denomination but as more light comes 07:58 you are called not to follow a church 08:00 but to follow truth and God would indeed lead you 08:04 through His Holy Spirit into all truth. 08:06 You know, and one of the trouble, 08:08 troubling things is that many who started on this road, 08:12 who have found the Lord, and entered 08:14 into a very joyful relationship with Him, 08:19 have kind of parked in one specific denomination 08:23 or one specific or level of truth. 08:25 They're not shifting into full goal forward, 08:28 they're not going forward with studying and reading 08:30 their Bible and continuing to find truth, to seek truth. 08:34 The Lord says, if you seek me. 08:35 Yeah. Then you will find me. 08:37 Then you will find me. 08:38 So seeking the Lord and seeking His truth 08:41 which He is the word of truth, right? 08:43 Christ is the word of the Spirit. 08:46 The spirit of truth but Christ is the word of truth, 08:48 then we need to be following by seeking Him 08:51 through reading His words studying and everything. 08:53 But a lot of folks are just parked. Yeah, yeah. 08:55 And so I think conviction doesn't begin when you-- 08:58 It's not like when you get to a church you're arrived, 09:01 you're as far as you need to go. 09:02 The Lord is asking you to continue to grow day by day. 09:05 And so, pastor, I like what you are saying 09:07 there is as you continue to study, 09:08 you accept further truth, 09:10 there is additional light that comes. 09:12 If we're not finding additional light 09:14 wherever we are, even if you're in the church 09:16 that we have seen has got the most light of all, 09:19 if we're not still receiving that light 09:21 we're stagnant, we're parked. Yeah. 09:23 We need to shift it in a gear and go forward. 09:24 Precisely, I like that idea of shifting out of park. 09:27 You know, our calling is to maintain the attitude 09:33 of a learner, even when you are in the church 09:35 that is very comfortable and everything you know 09:38 about it that's only His sound, 09:39 you don't ever put it in on auto pilot, 09:42 you know, you're always. 09:43 The price of being a Christian is vigilance, 09:46 it's continual study, it's continual seeking, 09:49 it's continually asking questions, 09:51 it's continual growth in the Lord. 09:53 And whatever church you're in that is the test 09:55 that ought to dominate your life. 09:59 When I'm sitting under a teaching, 10:01 when I am accepting the doctrines of this church, 10:04 do they line up with the Bible? 10:05 You continually ask those questions, 10:07 and if at any point in your search you see a dissonance, 10:11 a disconnect with the word of God, 10:13 then you need to make a decision. 10:14 Do I stay? Do I accept this dissonance? 10:17 Or do I look for a church that lines up totally 10:20 with the word of God? 10:21 And that, of course is our calling 10:23 to go into all truth, not half truth, 10:25 not three quarters but all truth. 10:27 Yeah, and that can be painful at times? 10:29 It can be. Do you recognize that? Yes. 10:31 You know, what a great segue 10:32 into the question I have here. 10:35 This person asked me not to share his identity. 10:38 So I'm not going to even read his name or where he's from? 10:41 But a great question and it's along the lines of conviction. 10:44 Often my friends and I pray that the Lord will help us 10:46 in making a decision like, 10:48 should I go to this school or another? 10:50 What should be my area of study? 10:53 Where should I work? 10:55 Should I take this job or that? 10:57 And thank God, we have made good decisions 11:00 for the most part, some are still questionable. 11:03 How do we know the right answer is from the Lord 11:06 and whether it's from the Lord? 11:07 Do we choose the first thing 11:08 that comes to mind after we pray? 11:11 The answer to these questions can be found in 11:13 Judges 6:36 to 40. 11:15 We need to do the Lord's will, have constant communication 11:18 with Him and ask for multiple signs 11:21 so we can be certain of the answer. 11:24 This is what Gideon did? Can you send me more examples? 11:27 And that's the Judges 6:36 to 40 11:30 is the story of Gideon, probably the fleece 11:32 is what I'm gathering here. 11:35 So please kindly discuss this on your program, 11:38 I look forward to your answers. 11:39 So there are several texts that I'll share with you, 11:42 as far as the story, you know, I can hear, 11:45 I can think of a story of someone who 11:47 did not follow the Lord's leading. 11:48 And the Lord gave him opportunity after opportunity, 11:51 but this man even prayed for the Lord 11:53 to reveal His will and still did not follow it. 11:57 Was determined to take his own course, 11:58 and that is life of Saul, the first King of Israel. 12:01 He was chosen, he was a man that 12:04 who had a heart for the Lord, 12:06 who prayed that the Lord will lead him. 12:08 He was very humble about his initial going 12:10 into the office of king within over time, 12:14 he began to stop following the Lord's leading 12:16 and doing His own thing, following His own ways. 12:19 And so you see that he continually took 12:22 or made bad decision after decision, 12:25 and found himself no longer with the Lord 12:27 by the time he would get to the middle 12:29 and even end of his life. 12:31 So the Lord gives this opportunity and reveals 12:34 ways that He is leading us 12:36 but we must be open to responding to that call. Yes. 12:40 And not asserting our own will. 12:43 You know, there are some people that 12:44 and I've heard this question 12:45 and I think some of it's very facetious. 12:48 You know, when I get up in the morning, 12:50 I pray to the Lord, should I eat hot cereal or cold cereal? 12:54 Should I drive this car or that truck? 12:58 You know, should I, you know, 13:00 some of the most trivial things, 13:01 you know, they're praying about. 13:03 And I believe the Bible actually is telling us 13:06 that we are the ones to make those decisions, 13:08 God helps us make the big decision in life 13:11 and really sets the course of our life. 13:13 And so let me turn with you to first of all Proverbs 16. 13:19 Proverbs 16 verse 9. 13:26 All right, here. 13:29 I'll read it for you Proverbs 16:9, 13:32 "A man's heart plans his way, 13:34 But the Lord directs his steps." 13:37 In other words, in our own heart we have desires, 13:42 we've thousands of these things 13:43 we like and we don't like, and we set our plans. 13:46 We put them, we put them out each day 13:49 and we set them before the Lord. 13:51 And I think some of these plans, 13:52 the Lord is saying it's implied here, 13:54 you make up your mind on what cereal you want. 13:57 You want hot cereal or you want cold cereal. 13:59 The Lord isn't asking to control 14:01 every single aspect of your life. 14:03 What He wants you to do is set your course. 14:05 What are the things you like, 14:07 what direction do you want to go in life? 14:09 I will help to lead you that way, 14:12 and if you really would like to know and have my input 14:15 on especially major things, please ask, I will respond, 14:19 I will set your course because I know your-- 14:21 What will be best for you in the future, 14:23 but I want your involvement in here. 14:25 You make some decisions you have to set your plans. 14:27 But I'll direct your steps. 14:29 I will make sure that these things open up before you. 14:31 If I know something is wrong that you shouldn't go 14:33 in certain way, I will put up barriers. 14:36 The question is, I think when we're kind of 14:39 talking about the sermon and conviction is, 14:40 are we looking for the doors God opens 14:44 and the doors God closes. 14:46 There was a girl that was in a church in Springfield. 14:50 And she's died now, but she's a wonderful lady. 14:52 She would come to me everyday 14:54 and she had resisted the truth for years. 14:57 But eventually I had an opportunity to extend her 15:00 profession of faith and she became 15:02 a Seventh-day Adventist. 15:03 She just became convicted. 15:04 She would say to me over and over again, 15:05 she said, pastor, the Lord has opened the door for me again. 15:11 You know, and it was her way of saying 15:13 I've been convicted yet again of another truth. 15:16 But sometimes we get into these thing 15:18 where we're praying but when the Lord closes the door 15:22 we stick our foot in that door and we push through it 15:26 because that's what we really want to do. 15:28 I've done it. I know you've done it. 15:30 Oh, sure. 15:31 And even the Bible, I believe alludes 15:33 to that just a quick text Proverbs 4. 15:36 You're in the same book Proverbs 4:25 to 27, 15:42 "Let your eyes look straight ahead 15:44 And your eyelids look right before you. 15:46 Ponder the path of your feet, 15:47 And let all your ways be established. 15:49 Do not turn to the right or the left, 15:51 remove your foot from evil." 15:54 In other words, don't stick that foot in the door, 15:55 remove your foot, let the Lord close the door 15:58 to evil and establish your direction 16:00 through another door that He is opening. 16:03 And I feel for this, this young man and his friends, 16:08 my counsel to them would be, let the Lord open and close 16:12 those doors, discern, be open to discerning 16:14 His will for your life 16:15 and let Him establish your convictions. 16:18 Sometimes we convict ourselves, 16:20 we do a good job of rationalizing. 16:22 We don't try to, try not to do that. 16:24 Pray about things, lay them before the Lord 16:25 and then keep your eye out. 16:27 It may not be a fleece like a test. 16:29 Lord, I'm gonna see if there is if it rains 16:32 and there is water on the ground tomorrow 16:34 that's not the kind of test 16:35 we're asked to throw before the Lord. 16:37 We're asking Him to establish a clear path and then give us 16:41 discernment to be able to follow that path. 16:43 Yeah, you know, I want to just, 16:44 just show it goes back to a question and we're-- 16:47 The second part of this question that Lennox 16:49 asked me just a moment ago. 16:50 He also talking about particular churches, 16:54 talked about being convicted to eat meat or not. 16:56 Again this, I think this really 16:58 ties into what you're talking about. 17:00 I think the Lord, John will become as intimate 17:04 with you as you allow him to. 17:06 I think there were times when he will actually deal 17:09 with the minutia in your life if that is necessary. 17:14 For the most part of it is not, 17:15 but say you're in a country and someone puts something 17:19 on your plate and you don't even know what it is. 17:21 And you're saying, Lord, shall I eat that or not? 17:24 You need help right there. 17:26 Yeah. Right now, I need an answer 17:27 because I don't know what that is. 17:28 And it may harm me, may kill me, 17:30 may do me some harm. 17:32 And the Lord will give you an instant impression particular 17:35 when He's trying to help your avoid eminent danger. 17:37 Now normally you go to a pastor's house for dinner. 17:41 Should I eat the beans or should I eat the peas. 17:43 You know, okay, that's not, you know, as a rule. 17:46 No, but you know, 17:47 there are times when the Lord will involve Himself 17:50 in the minutia of your life because it is for your safety 17:52 or for something that He's trying to accomplish. 17:55 And this person's asking a question about meat. 17:57 Now for me, I was in the Adventist Church 18:00 and pastoring for a while and was not convicted on me. 18:04 But once I took a course and visited a slaughterhouse 18:08 and there are some other things 18:10 that conviction came fairly easily. 18:12 You know, I was very convicted 18:13 and so I put it down for a longtime even until 18:16 after I've got to 3ABN, 18:17 I was drinking fairly large quantities of milk. 18:21 Did some study on milk and some of the harmful effects 18:24 of particularly milk in the quantities that 18:26 I was drinking, and some other things 18:28 and was convicted not to do that. 18:31 Well, a lot of times our convictions 18:33 are driven by information. 18:35 You get the raw data. Right. 18:36 And the data will convict you, that's not a wise thing to do. 18:41 So the Lord will expose you to the data. 18:43 Once the data comes, then you prayerfully 18:46 make that determination and God will help you to do that. 18:48 But as a rule the Lord does not insert himself 18:51 into the minutia of your life unless you ask Him 18:55 to or unless there is something to be gained or lost 18:58 by He is not intervening in that part of your life. 19:02 Yeah. I think, these are all good principles 19:04 and I hope that also provides some counsel, 19:08 at least a direction when you are seeking the Lord 19:12 and His will for your life. 19:13 You know, because we're on this subject, 19:15 it's like we have three questions 19:17 because I've got two of them and I don't know the question 19:19 that you have still is completely 19:20 on a different subject. 19:21 If it is may be I just read the one that I... 19:23 Yeah, go yours because mine totally changes, 19:24 yeah, the trajectory. 19:26 This is saying and it's a person asking, 19:28 what are the best message to approach Bible reading? 19:33 I pray but I like to know how to approach 19:36 Bible reading, Bible study. 19:38 In other words, they're seeking 19:39 conviction about truth again. 19:41 So how do I allow myself to have the word speak 19:44 to me to convict me of what's right, and what is wrong. 19:48 You know, every preacher, 19:51 teacher has their own way of saying, 19:53 you know, those buzz words on Bible study, what to do. 19:55 Yeah. I use two simple ones. 19:57 A prayer probably is not all encompassing 19:59 but my whole thing is when I read the word, 20:02 context, and comparison. 20:04 Those are the true simple things 20:06 I remind myself of. 20:08 Context, where is the context 20:09 of the passage that I'm reading? 20:11 I want to make sure I am reading, 20:12 I am talking the whole thing in to really 20:14 get the main point the author is speaking. 20:16 So when I read my Bible 20:17 I just don't take an isolated text. 20:20 I read the whole passage. Yes. 20:22 To provide the entire, 20:25 the meet of the subject matter, 20:26 and to be convicted on the wholeness 20:29 of or the whole point the author is trying to make. 20:31 Comparison is adding them to the passage 20:35 I'm reading with other passages, other texts. 20:39 And this is where comparison comes in. 20:41 I begin to take a concordance, 20:44 I pick a topic, I pick some words out 20:46 of that passage and I match them with words 20:48 where those words are used in other passages 20:50 and so I have a comparison as well. 20:52 I also do contextual study of that other 20:54 passages to build on it. 20:56 So context and comparison, 20:58 those are the two things 20:59 that I use and of course, I always share the text from 21:02 Isaiah Chapter 28, 21:05 which in verses 9 and 10 says 21:10 "Whom will He teach knowledge, 21:12 He being whom." 21:13 Anybody that's teaching, 21:15 in fact, even the Lord as He leads. 21:17 And whom will he make to understand the message? 21:19 Those just weaned from milk? 21:20 Those just drawn from the breasts? 21:22 For precept must be upon precept, 21:25 precept upon precept, 21:27 line upon line, line upon line, 21:29 here a little, there a little. 21:30 So you have not only a contextual issue here-- 21:37 a direction but you have comparison, 21:40 matching things up with other scripture. Yeah. 21:42 I think, you know, I took that question 21:44 in total different way. 21:45 Of course, there are two ways, 21:47 you can read the Bible just for inspiration. 21:49 You're just reading through the Bible 21:51 following the storyline as it were. 21:54 Then more of what you were just telling, 21:57 which is Bible study. 21:58 You're trying to mine or dig or unearth a truth. 22:02 So now you've got to find everywhere 22:04 the Bible talks about that particular subject. 22:07 Put them all together and sort of bake your cake. 22:09 You don't, you don't bake a cake 22:11 with just flour. Right. 22:12 If you only use flour, you're gonna have 22:14 a pretty lousy cake. 22:16 So you need all the ingredients together, 22:18 then you put it together and then you get your cake. 22:21 Sadly there are some people 22:23 who try to develop a doctrinal premise on one text 22:26 and that is very dangerous. 22:28 Even if you have a context right, 22:31 you need to find everything the Bible says about death. 22:38 Look at everything, 22:39 then develop your doctrinal premise. 22:41 And let the context as you have rightly said, 22:44 have its way, don't pull it out of context 22:46 and try to misapply it but let the context 22:49 have its way then see everywhere that, 22:53 that idea is spoken off, 22:56 bring all that together and then develop 22:58 your doctrinal premise from that point. 22:59 Yeah, you know, I like the other aspect 23:01 that you brought into this here too 23:02 'cause I didn't touch on it but there's some reading 23:05 of scripture that is stories 23:07 and you're getting the big picture here. Correct. 23:09 And so there are times 23:10 and this is often the devotional reading 23:13 that I do at night before I go to bed. 23:14 I'm worn out of the day Bible study is probably 23:17 just my mind isn't ready for it. Right. 23:19 I want to read the Bible, 23:20 get a good story and take a principle 23:22 from that and go to sleep with it. 23:23 Go to sleep, right? Okay. 23:24 So I'll read the scriptures more 23:26 in story form, more just kind of through 23:28 and it gives me kind of, God speaks to me that way 23:31 and I'm content, I can pray, 23:33 I can sleep soundly. Yeah. 23:35 But Bible study, different picture. 23:36 A little different approach, 23:37 so I appreciate the balance here. 23:39 We need to do both. 23:40 Yeah, you do need them both. Yeah. Yeah. 23:42 Well, maybe we ought to just dive 23:44 right into our topic. Yeah. 23:45 Because there is quite a bit of stuff here 23:47 still to cover and this is our last program 23:49 of our part II and it's our last part 23:52 on "The Priesthood of Believers, 23:54 " a study that we're doing on God 23:56 establishing His priesthood from old through Israel 24:00 who He chose to be a kingdom of priests, 24:02 to then the church itself that continues to exist today 24:06 which we will see in some textual 24:09 reading today is still God's 24:10 continuing priesthood on earth. Yeah. 24:13 And I think we just, 24:14 we established the last time when we spoke, 24:16 John, that the idea of a kingdom of priests 24:19 has always been God's plan. 24:22 The priesthood, the Aaronic priesthood, 24:26 the Levitical priesthood was the God 24:30 dealing with what he had, you know, 24:33 they're not buying into this 24:35 and so the Levitical priesthood is setup now 24:41 but it's the plan B. 24:43 God's original plan was that all men 24:46 that everywhere and, of course, 24:47 now that we've moved into the dispensation 24:50 of the era of the church. 24:52 Again God brings this idea to the floor. 24:55 You've got pastors and we have this clergy, 24:58 laity kind of thing but it's always been God's idea 25:02 that when He calls you, 25:03 He calls you to be a priest person on your own. 25:06 And secondly, to that sphere of influence 25:09 that you have around you, work, job, friends, family, 25:13 whatever it maybe church community. Yeah. 25:15 But each one of us now is called to accept 25:18 that and we use the term mediatorial work 25:23 for the world around us and that's how God gets 25:25 His love, His light up to us. 25:27 Begin an agent for God. Precisely. 25:28 To reach the world. 25:29 You know, the one thing you touched on that, 25:32 I wanted to elaborate on, when God first was choosing 25:35 His people to be a kingdom of priests, 25:37 He actually was choosing the firstborn. 25:39 That's the first step that He took. 25:41 Yes, yes, yes, yes. 25:42 Because as the firstborn we're judged, 25:44 the Egyptians upon the deliverance, 25:46 he chose the firstborn from Israel to serve as priests. 25:50 Well, things changed 25:51 at that burning at that calf experience 25:54 and He clearly transitions then to Aaron, 25:57 His sons and then the tribe of Levi. Yes. 25:59 And then no longer is all the firstborn, 26:01 it becomes the tribe of Levi 26:02 specifically for the high priests 26:04 it's Aaron and His sons. Yes. 26:06 So you have this shifting of gears constantly 26:08 because of what the people are giving God to work with. 26:10 Right, right. And so now we're at a point 26:13 where God has chosen His people 26:17 and specifically the high priesthood 26:20 from Aaron and His sons, 26:21 and the priests and those that are helping 26:23 in the priesthood from the tribe of Levi. 26:25 And I want to bring just a text, 26:27 a passage here to view just to kind of make 26:30 this point very clear. 26:32 Numbers Chapter 3 verses 6 through 10, 26:35 it says, and the Lord is asking for Moses 26:38 "To bring the tribe of Levi near, 26:41 and present them, 26:42 notice where they're bringing them. 26:44 Near. Near again. 26:45 This is constantly appeal to come here. 26:47 People stood off, Moses went near, 26:49 Tribe of Levi now comes near. Now comes near. 26:51 Bringing them near and present 26:54 them before Aaron, the priest. 26:55 So he's talking about the tribe now, 26:57 He is gonna be under Aaron, 26:58 the high priest that they may serve him 27:02 and they shall attend to his needs 27:03 and the needs of the whole congregation 27:05 before the tabernacle meeting. 27:07 Two people they're gonna serve, 27:09 the tribe of Levi is gonna support 27:11 the priesthood of Aaron, the high priest. 27:14 And they're also gonna support the congregation. 27:16 This is a priesthood, the Levitical priesthood 27:20 beyond the high priests, 27:21 these are the priest that serve 27:23 in multiple capacities. Okay. 27:25 So this trying to establish 27:26 the foundation 'cause you're gonna see some, 27:28 the same truths when we get to the church. 27:32 Let's see, to do the work of the tabernacle 27:34 verse 8, "And they shall attend to all 27:36 the furnishings of the tabernacle of meeting, 27:38 and to the needs of the children of Israel, 27:41 to do the work of the tabernacle. 27:42 And you shall give 27:43 the Levites to Aaron and his sons, 27:46 " notice giving the Levites to Aaron and his sons, 27:50 "They're given entirely to him 27:52 from among the children of Israel. 27:53 So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, 27:56 and they shall attend to their priesthood, 27:57 but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death." 28:00 This is a very serious issue. 28:02 So now here is a beautiful picture 28:05 as we transition to the church. 28:08 Who's the high priest? 28:11 Who's our high priest? Jesus is. 28:14 The priesthood, the Levitical priesthood 28:17 are given to Aaron. Yes. 28:19 The example of Christ to serve him 28:22 and to serve the congregation. Yes. 28:25 We as the church, as the priesthood, 28:28 which we'll get into there just a minute, 28:30 are given to Jesus. Yes. 28:32 The high priest to serve him 28:35 and administer to the congregation, 28:37 everyone around us. Correct. 28:39 And you will see this principle carry right 28:41 on into the church, the same principle God 28:44 sought to establish with the children of Israel 28:46 and its priesthood way back when. 28:48 So what am I saying here and this is just 28:51 kind of a lead-in to give you some way in here. 28:56 We talked at the Seventh-day Adventist Church 28:58 about one of the pillars of our faith 28:59 which is the sanctuary. 29:01 And we look at the building, 29:03 we look at its apartments, we look at the emblems, 29:05 we look at the sacrifice, we look at the other things 29:08 that are going on the furnishings 29:10 but what about the priesthood? Yes. 29:12 What example is it giving us as a church to live by? 29:17 Powerful! Yeah. 29:18 We have the plan of salvation 29:20 through the sanctuary service 29:21 but we're missing the Ministry 29:23 part of the plan of salvation. Yes. 29:25 Which is you and me. That is powerful, John. 29:29 The parallel is direct and very striking. 29:32 It's not something that is, you know, 29:35 it's not rocket science in this particularly instance. 29:38 You see the direct parallel 29:40 between the Aaronic priesthood and the people 29:46 and the ministry of Christ now and the people. 29:49 And as we are here, we're called to serve Jesus, 29:54 but to serve Him in doing what? 29:56 The first living like Him and then living for Him. 30:02 And it's the for Him part 30:03 that is the congregational aspect, 30:05 the society aspect, 30:07 the church and the world aspect. 30:09 So then it says if we come to church, sit, 30:12 sing, pray, praise the Lord, and go home. 30:15 We do our Lord a great disservice, 30:17 that's only half of the function. 30:20 The second part, the other leg of the stool 30:23 is to go out and serve the world for whom Christ died, 30:26 that's the complete ministry. 30:29 Ministry to God which takes care of cleaning us, 30:32 gives us the Holy Spirit, 30:33 then ministry to our fellow man 30:35 which is the second part 30:36 and equally as important as the first part. 30:38 You know, the other thing 30:39 it dispels to is this notion that, 30:41 do I have to be part of the church. 30:43 I mean, can I just accept the truth 30:45 and I can be at home 30:46 'cause, you know, the people there, 30:47 they're a bunch of hypocrites. 30:49 Yeah, we've heard this argument, 30:51 do I have to become part of the church 30:53 if I get baptized or something. 30:55 And what this priesthood of believers 30:57 teaching in the word is telling us is that, 31:00 yes, being part of the body of Christ 31:03 is an integral part of His calling upon our lives. 31:07 Oh, yes. Not only to work individually for Him 31:09 but to work together for Him as the priesthood, 31:12 not just a priest. Yes, yes, yes. 31:14 And that cannot be done at home alone. 31:17 There is a call to not forsake 31:20 somewhere else together, 31:21 but there is beauty in that idea 31:24 that we encourage one another, 31:25 we fortify one another and then together 31:27 we are stronger than we are individually. 31:29 Just like you can tear one sheet of paper 31:31 but you cannot tear a phonebook. 31:33 Together we become a formidable weapon 31:36 in the hand of God to go out 31:38 and evangelize the world. Amen. Yeah. 31:40 Look at Acts Chapter 13 verses 45 to 47. 31:44 We have here a transition of sorts 31:46 and it's not directly referring 31:47 to the priesthood but the principle, 31:49 the thing behind this transfer or transition 31:53 I should say is a better word 31:55 of the priesthood to the church 31:57 is found in this passage. 31:59 Verse 45 it says, "That when the Jews 32:02 saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy." 32:06 In other words, when they saw the multitudes 32:07 responding to the preaching of Paul and Barnabas. Yes. 32:10 And they were accepting Christ, 32:11 and they were coming in droves 32:13 they were leaving Judaism and coming into Christianity. 32:17 Yes. They were filled with envy 32:19 and contradicting a blaspheming 32:21 they opposed the things spoken up by Paul. 32:24 Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold 32:26 and said "It was necessary that the word of God 32:30 should be spoken to you first" 32:31 that is you being the Jews." 32:35 But since you rejected and judge yourselves 32:38 unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn, 32:41 " in other words re-transition, 32:42 we changed and we are now motivated 32:47 or "gospel then goes to the Gentiles. 32:50 For so the Lord has commanded us." 32:53 Now love this. 32:54 "I have set you as a light to the gentiles, 32:57 that you should be for salvation 32:59 to the ends of the Earth." Yes. 33:00 The same prophecy used for Israel as a nation 33:04 is now used for the church of the Gentiles 33:08 and Jews alike 'cause both of them were 33:09 worshiping together in the era of the church. 33:12 And as such you see the parallel very strikingly, 33:14 very clear, almost the exact 33:15 same words used. Yes. 33:17 For the Jewish nation now for the "Christian nation" 33:22 or the New Testament church. 33:23 The same mandate has not changed. 33:25 God's mindset to enlighten the earth with the love 33:30 and the knowledge of Christ has never changed. 33:33 The mechanism has changed 33:34 because of our failure 33:36 but the mandate has not changed. Yeah. Yeah. 33:39 You know, this kind of sidebar here for you and I. 33:44 This is where a lot of preachers, 33:46 a lot of teachers go wrong 33:48 because their eyes are on the Jews as a nation still. 33:52 And while I believe that there are manyJews 33:55 who will come to Christ. 33:57 There is currently no existing covenant 34:01 so to speak with the Jewish nation. 34:03 The nation, correct. 34:04 That covenant now Israel itself, 34:07 "Israel" is spiritual Israel of the church. 34:10 So when you read the Old Testament 34:12 prophecies of what God will do for Israel, 34:16 those prophecies will be filled, 34:17 be fulfilled in the church 34:19 not in literal the nation of Israel. Yeah. 34:23 And I think that's very important. 34:24 God is not going to re-trench or go back 34:27 and try to pick up the pieces of a broken system. 34:30 We use this term a couple of times 34:32 in this show dealing with what we have. 34:34 You had a people who were called, 34:37 who did not totally fulfill that calling. 34:41 So God put in a plan B, of course, 34:44 what we say plan B was no surprise to Him 34:46 because He knew. 34:47 So that this other plan is put into act 34:50 and now He spreads it out to whosoever will, 34:53 let him come. I'm not covenanting 34:54 with one small group of people anymore. 34:56 Now the church is, whoever chooses 34:59 to accept Jesus Christ. 35:01 You become now my priest. 35:03 He is really -- From the doors open wide. 35:06 Whoever comes to me I will train you, 35:09 I will teach you, I will mold you, 35:10 I will give you my spirit, 35:11 and then send you right back out 35:13 into that world to share my love with that world. 35:16 And this is by faith? Yes. 35:17 By faith in Christ it happens, 35:19 by faith that call to the priesthood becomes 35:22 reality and you become that priesthood amongst 35:25 other believers by faith as well. Yeah. 35:27 And here's where I start getting excited, 35:29 so keep me down in my chair if I get too 35:31 excited about this because I want to look 35:32 at the new covenant as written 35:35 in the Old Testament because something is going 35:38 to come alive here 35:39 that may not have come alive to you before. 35:41 I want you to see something, 35:42 I think it's really, really wonderful. 35:45 Jeremiah 31 verses 33 and 34, 35:49 and this is repeated by the way 35:51 in Hebrews Chapter 8 and in Chapter 10, 35:56 at least parts of this, and almost verbatim. 36:00 So here we go, "But this is the covenant 36:02 that I will make with the house of Israel 36:04 after those days" In other words, 36:05 not the former. Yes. 36:06 But this is the latter, says the Lord 36:08 "I will put My laws into their minds, 36:10 and write them in their hearts, 36:12 so clearly the law is part of their experience in Christ. 36:16 And I will be their God and they shall be my people. 36:21 No more shall every man teach his neighbor 36:23 and every man his brother saying, know the Lord, 36:27 for they all shall know me from the least of them 36:32 to the greatest of them, says the Lord, 36:34 for I will forgive their iniquity 36:35 and their sin I will remember 36:36 them no more or remembered no more." 36:38 Notice here, the issue from the beginning 36:41 was the willingness of the people to draw near. 36:45 You can only get to know somebody, 36:46 see I only know you because of time 36:48 that I've spent in closer association with you. 36:51 I don't, I can't get to know 36:53 you by distance-learning. True. 36:55 It doesn't happen well in relationship, 36:56 and they happen in school. 36:57 But distance-learning doesn't work with relationships. 37:00 So God said, drawn near, 37:03 the people did not draw near. 37:05 So God is saying here, you don't have to just 37:07 command somebody, hey, know the Lord, 37:09 get the right experience with Lord 37:11 because they really will know me because why? 37:15 They will draw near to me. 37:17 The goal from the beginning is for God 37:18 to get to know His people and have an intimate 37:21 relationship with them. 37:23 So that he may call them 37:24 and may respond not just by what they've heard 37:27 but by experience. 37:29 Today in the new covenant, 37:31 all those that become part of the priesthood of believers, 37:34 know the Lord intimately 37:36 because they by faith have drawn close to him 37:39 and have had an experience in God. 37:41 That is truly the essence 37:42 of the new covenant relationship 37:44 we have with Christ. 37:45 Something pops into my mind, what we read on the last show 37:50 and a little bit earlier in this show. 37:52 Of the Jews sending Moses forward, 37:56 sending the priest forward, 37:57 but as our nation standing far off, 38:00 not only was that true of Sinai, 38:02 it was a metaphor for their entire existence. 38:05 You know, they never really drew as close 38:07 as they could have indeed should have. 38:11 The priests did it. Moses did it. 38:14 Prophets did it. 38:15 The occasional king did it but as a people 38:18 they never drew close to the Lord 38:21 like they should have. 38:22 So as such they had to be taught 38:25 what the Lord was all about 38:26 because they couldn't do it experimentally. 38:28 They weren't close enough, they just, 38:30 they just weren't there. 38:32 Now comes in New Testament dispensation 38:34 and the Lord actually doesn't wait for us 38:37 to draw near to Him. 38:40 He is chasing us. He's drawing close to us. 38:43 And not only is He is drawing near 38:45 He is moving inside through the Holy Spirit. 38:47 Yeah, so He's making up the difference. 38:50 He is bridging the gap. 38:52 He is tearing down the wall of partition 38:55 as it were by coming inside of us 38:58 through the Holy Spirit. 38:59 So now you don't have to say, C.A. know the Lord. 39:02 I can say to you, John, I do because the same spirit 39:05 that's in you is now in me. 39:07 And it's a wonderful way of God 39:11 making of a human deficiencies, 39:13 human arrogance, human stubbornness 39:16 by doing all He can, one to draw close to us, 39:21 and then to motivate us to take 39:23 His love to a dying world. 39:25 It's a powerful, powerful metaphor 39:27 and a powerful, powerful scenario. 39:29 And pastor, isn't really this 39:31 the difference between old and new covenant anyway? 39:33 Precisely. The old covenant was based upon a law 39:36 that was outward 39:37 that was seen as something they, 39:38 they needed to do. They needed to do. 39:40 They needed to know the Lord and follow Him. 39:41 Okay, I'll obey. Yeah. 39:43 But the new covenant was all about 39:44 the experience, not just knowing the Lord 39:47 but allowing the Holy Spirit to fill them. Yes. 39:49 Putting the law from an outward tables of stone 39:52 to inward heart of flesh. 39:53 And to, not that the old teachings were bad, 39:57 nothing was wrong with them. Yes. 39:58 But it came now inside through experience. Yes. 40:01 And in the conversion of the heart, 40:02 through the work of the Holy Spirit 40:03 now makes you a priest in new covenants. 40:07 Yes, yes. 40:08 In the church amongst other priests and other believers. 40:11 It's the Lord, you know, the Lord has not changed. 40:13 He has not altered. 40:14 He is still taking us down the same road, 40:16 but instead of pulling or pushing us 40:18 as the Old Testament model is a little more 40:21 of the sort of encouraging, you got to do this. 40:23 Now He's inside, 40:26 move where the love of Christ constraineth us. 40:29 It's movement from inward motivation 40:32 for want of a better thing. 40:33 Yeah, absolutely. 40:34 Go on the same direction, 40:35 but now instead of being cattle prodded down the road, 40:38 you're going because it's in you, 40:39 you can't do anything else but walk down the road 40:42 because that's in you to walk. 40:43 It's not your parent telling you to do, 40:44 to obey this or that? Yeah. 40:46 It's your true motivation 40:47 and desire to go from within, amen. Yeah. 40:49 Hebrews 10 Chapter, Chapter 10 verses 19 to 22. 40:54 Now transitioning. 40:55 Of course, Hebrews 10 is about the new covenant. 40:59 It says here, "Therefore, brethren, having boldness 41:01 to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 41:04 by a new and living way, 41:06 which He is consecrated for us. " 41:07 Notice who did the work here. 41:09 "He through the veil, that is his flesh, 41:12 and having a high priest over the house of God. " 41:15 Notice the priesthood language here, and then 22. 41:18 "Let us draw near", there is it again. Yeah. 41:21 "With a true heart in full assurance of faith. " 41:24 You know, I think if we did a study just on draw near, 41:30 what a powerful study would be, 41:32 here it comes again, "they failed to draw near. " 41:35 Moses you draw near what's the end back? 41:36 Aaron and priest you guys draw near what's the end back. 41:39 Now the Lord says, 41:41 knowledge time really to draw near. 41:43 The whole new covenant idea is about drawing near. 41:46 So we pick up the same language again, 41:48 it's really powerful and fascinating. 41:49 Yeah, it really is. 41:51 Why don't you read the, 41:52 the main text we've got here today 41:54 this is really the, the launching test, 41:56 text often for the priesthood of believers. Yes. 41:58 So you see we've already launched 41:59 through several of them, 42:01 so we're now get, building up to the key point here. 42:04 First Peter 2:9, 42:05 this is one of ones that you know, 42:07 you commit to memory verse early on. 42:08 "But ye are a chosen generation, 42:11 a royal priesthood, a holy nation, 42:14 His own special people 42:16 that you may proclaim the praises of Him 42:19 who called you out of darkness into this marvelous light" 42:23 and there is so much, John, in that particular. 42:25 You know what, in the mindset 42:27 in the foundation established here up to now. 42:29 Your mind comes alive 42:31 as you read every word there, doesn't it. 42:32 Yeah, yeah. 42:33 Because you're reading chosen, you're reading priesthood, 42:36 you're reading holy, you're reading special people, 42:38 you're reading Him who called you out of darkness into light 42:41 and everything pops in this text. 42:44 And they all send it towards that, 42:46 little part of the comment that you may proclaim. 42:50 So you are chosen, 42:51 you're royal, you're holy, you're special, why? 42:55 That you may proclaim. 42:58 Yeah, it's a work given to you as a, 43:00 well priesthood. Yes. To do, go proclaim. 43:03 Yeah, and we touched on this, you know, in the last show, 43:05 the idea chosen for what? 43:07 You don't stop and put appear that chosen, 43:09 that's basically what is a exclamation point 43:12 or even a colon or a semicolon. Right. 43:15 Chosen to do something. 43:16 Here it is, chosen to proclaim, yeah. 43:19 And we proclaim not in just word, 43:23 we proclaim in deed. 43:24 Because God, over and over again 43:27 we're called to not just to hear it 43:28 and say we believe it. 43:30 And even preach it, we're called to do it. Yes. 43:33 The doers of the word 43:34 those are the ones that are justified by God. 43:37 So now let's expound a little bit on this ministry. 43:41 Paul continues to talk about this work 43:44 and uses some different language here 43:46 but also we find in this different language 43:48 we are seeing the same priesthood imagery going on. 43:52 And that's in Second Corinthians 5:18-20 43:56 you want to read that one as well for us? 43:57 Here we go, 43:58 "Now all things are of God, 44:00 who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, 44:05 and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. 44:09 That is, that God was in Christ 44:12 reconciling the world to Himself, 44:15 not imputing their trespasses to them, 44:19 and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. " 44:24 And 20, "Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, 44:28 as though God were pleading through us, 44:31 to implore you on Christ's behalf, 44:34 to be reconciled to God. " 44:38 Again things just coming alive here, 44:40 the basic ministry of a priest is be a mediator agent. Yes. 44:46 An agent to bring together 44:48 something that is apart, right? Yes. 44:52 And that's what reconciliation is all about. 44:54 To bring people to God and God to people 44:57 and this is a two way street. 44:59 The priest didn't just help 45:00 to bring the sacrifices of the people 45:03 and their offerings and things to God, 45:07 they were an example of Christ the high priest to the people. 45:12 So the ministry they did was Christ like, 45:15 high priest like of old, 45:18 Christ like in the new covenant, the church. 45:21 And so our ministry is priest is two ways, 45:24 we bring to God, people 45:27 and we bring people or God to the people. Yes. 45:30 It's a mediatory thing going on here. 45:32 Yes, yes, this text is, there is so much here, 45:35 when you do the background work 45:37 as you've said rightly as we've done. 45:39 God was in Christ reconciling us to himself. 45:42 Now as ambassadors and that is a representative 45:45 of the highest level. 45:46 For Christ, our job is to pass that reconciliation 45:53 on to others, first to inform them of it. 45:55 And to show them how they can participate in it 45:58 and get the benefits from it. 46:00 There is this a far off and it wasn't God's fault, 46:03 God always wanted to be near, 46:04 from the time Adam and Eve sinned, 46:07 who came looking for them? 46:08 God came looking for them, 46:10 so God always wanted to be near. 46:11 The people doing the running always been us, 46:14 they went and hid themselves. Right. 46:16 Because they were naked and God said, 46:17 well, who told you were naked? 46:18 Why are you hiding from me? 46:19 And we've been hiding ever since. 46:21 The Jewish community, 46:23 the Bible says, stood to far off. 46:24 So here comes God looking again, 46:26 so now He is reconciling through Christ, 46:28 he's bringing His spirit to us and He's saying 46:31 please now take this to a world that needs to know, 46:34 I'm here, I haven't run away, 46:36 in fact I'm seeking for you, I'm searching for you. 46:38 If you'll just stop running 46:40 we can have a glorious eternal relationship. 46:43 But you gotta sort of let me catch you. Yeah. 46:45 And hold on to you and put my arms... 46:47 That's our part, stop running. Stop running. 46:50 Stop running, very good. 46:53 Revelation 1 verses 5 and 6. It says, 46:56 "To Him who loved us, 46:58 and washed us from our sins in His own blood. 47:01 And has made us kings and priests 47:04 to His God and father, 47:06 to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. " 47:10 He's made us what? 47:11 Kings and priests to His God 47:14 and that is, the Father to Christ God, 47:17 who is our mediator, the high priest, 47:20 He is made us co-laborers with him. 47:24 You know, this is one of the things 47:25 that we miss in the imagery 47:27 if we don't have the Old Testament, 47:29 we miss the completeness of what God is saying here. 47:31 Yes, yes. 47:32 Because in the Old Testament, 47:34 we find that the priest united with our high priest 47:37 and they labored together for the people. 47:40 The high priest we know points to Christ. 47:43 But we as priests in the church are ministering 47:47 for Christ, the high priest in heaven today. 47:49 In the heavenly sanctuary, 47:51 so as we see their ministry we also understand 47:54 that we have a joint ministry with Him. 47:57 I mean, we can't deny 47:59 that there is a ministry for every one of us to do. 48:01 For every single one, very, very true. 48:03 And again, if we stop running and cooperate 48:06 with the Lord, you know, things are so much better, 48:10 there are so much you know, as children 48:12 we used to get in trouble, 48:13 my parents would says, "don't run. " 48:15 You know, don't make me come after you. 48:16 You know, consequences are really worse 48:19 when you really run, standstill. 48:21 It's the same way with the Lord if you standstill 48:23 and walk in His love and abide in His love, 48:27 you will become this well spring, 48:29 this fountain for others, you know, 48:32 it's all about sharing His life with others. 48:35 Ultimately, God wants to save the world 48:37 and He will use anybody now who will come to Him. 48:42 In love and in faith, 48:43 He will make that person a king, a priest, 48:46 an ambassador for Him to share His love with the world. 48:49 One thing I've done in this study, 48:52 I actually have an entire list of all the things 48:54 that priests used to do. 48:55 So we don't have time to do all this, 48:57 but it carries right on to what the 48:59 priesthood of believers does within the church. 49:02 And it's just powerful, 49:03 everything from teaching to ministering 49:06 as far as words of encouragement 49:07 to a lot of others things. 49:09 We can talk about a couple of them here coming up. 49:11 But I want to read this passage here 49:14 because as part of our work as the priesthood unto God, 49:20 there is a text that is directly on point. 49:22 And we got to go back to First Peter Chapter 2, 49:24 for this passage. 49:26 And we'll back up a little bit 49:27 from the royal priesthood text to verse 4 and 5. 49:31 It says, "Coming to Him as to a living stone, 49:34 rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious. 49:37 You also, as living stones, 49:39 are being built up a spiritual house, 49:42 a holy priesthood," to do what? 49:45 "To offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable 49:49 to God through Jesus Christ. " 49:51 There are sacrifices that the priesthood 49:54 today in the church still must offer. 49:58 Where before it was the sacrifices of the lambs 50:01 brought, of the offerings brought, of the - 50:06 The multiple things that priests did, 50:08 I wish we had a time to go through the entire list. 50:10 But all these things that priesthood did then 50:12 are examples of the things we ought to do now spiritually. 50:16 Yes. For the people as ambassadors for Christ. 50:19 For Christ, yes, yes. 50:20 We do well to study the Ancient Sanctuary Services. 50:24 And the role of priests then 50:25 because it so closely parallels 50:28 to the role of believer priests now 50:30 and those things that they were asked and called to do, 50:33 we need to replicate even in these latter days. Amen. 50:37 Could you read for us Matthew, 50:39 excuse me Malachi 2 verses 4 through 7. 50:42 Malachi has very, very much an end time slant to it. 50:48 It's a prophecy about the end time, the last days. 50:51 And it brings in the priesthood here 50:54 and especially the covenant language. 50:56 Yeah. "Then you shall know 50:58 that I have sent this commandment to you, 51:00 that my covenant with Levi may continue, 51:04 says the Lord of hosts. 51:06 My covenant was with him one of life and peace, 51:11 and I gave them to him that he might fear me, 51:14 so he feared me and was reverent before my name. 51:18 The law of truth was in his mouth 51:21 and injustice was not found on his lips, 51:24 he walked with me in peace and acuity 51:27 and turned many away from iniquity. 51:29 For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, 51:33 and the people should seek the law from his mouth, 51:36 for He is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. " 51:41 Contextually this passage is last day remnant language. 51:47 This Levi, the covenant with Levi expressed here 51:50 is remnant of the last of, at the end of time. 51:54 Yes, yes. 51:55 And of course we know that the message is 51:57 one of fearing God, giving glory to Him, 52:00 of speaking about His law, keeping His commandments. 52:03 All the language is still here 52:05 that we find in the three angels messages. 52:07 Yes, yes, yes. 52:08 And so God really in every sense of the words 52:10 still sees His people on this earth, 52:13 that are faithful to Him as His priesthood. 52:15 Yes, that has never changed, that has never changed. 52:18 The way one goes about it, 52:20 now it's been altered because of the reality 52:22 of the time and the situation, 52:23 and what Christ is doing in heaven 52:25 but the goal has never changed. 52:27 God still wants His special people 52:29 to be priests and ambassadors for Him. 52:31 And I'm gonna finish up with Malachi 3, verses 2 and 3, 52:35 "But who can endure the day of His coming? 52:38 So we know this is last day language. Yes. 52:40 "And who can stand when He appears? 52:41 For He's like a refiner's fire and like launderers' soap, 52:44 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver, 52:47 he will purify the sons of Levi, 52:50 and purge them as gold and silver, 52:53 that they may offer to the Lord an offering, 52:55 a spiritual sacrifice an offering, 52:57 in righteousness. " Yes. 52:59 So we have here almost similar language 53:02 to the Church of Laodicea, 53:04 that means purifying the trying of gold in the fire. 53:09 So that we may offer to God 53:11 spiritual sacrifices acceptable to Him. 53:14 To him, yes, yes, powerful, powerful. 53:17 Let's just finish by talking a couple of things 53:21 that I think have been sorely neglected 53:25 within the church as the priesthood. 53:29 One of them is obviously the love for one and another. 53:32 I think over and over again we see Paul the same one 53:35 who wrote about the priesthood of believers. 53:38 As the church admonished the disciples repeatedly, 53:42 love each other, pour out your love 53:44 and of course that love translates to service, 53:46 but love is something that the priesthood of old 53:49 was called to do as a family, 53:50 they frequently got together to encourage support, 53:52 love each other. Yes. 53:54 We need to be doing that as a church. 53:55 Very true, very true loving service, 53:57 not only is it a love, 53:59 it's an emblem of your being in Christ 54:01 to distribute that love that He has given you 54:05 to world that sorely needs that love. 54:07 Yeah, I had said to one person, 54:09 they were, some - there was an issue 54:12 where their focus was on these, 54:13 what I thought were miniscule more, more tedious things, 54:17 they didn't matter as much. 54:19 And I made the comment I said, you know, 54:21 God has called us to love each other above everything. 54:23 Yeah. 54:24 And I said, that may sound like I'm saying 54:26 love is more important than the other things. 54:28 Oh I am? 54:31 And it kind of sets them back 54:33 but even Paul says as much, says, you know, 54:36 if you have all of these things, 54:37 you have prophecy, you can speak eloquently, 54:39 you can do all these things, if you have not love. 54:41 Yeah. 54:42 They're like this clay symbol, 54:43 this brassy thing that's just not appreciable at all. 54:48 You know, I think in another way to say 54:50 for those who may get a little squeamish is that, 54:53 it is at the foundation of all those other things. 54:55 It's got to come first. 54:57 It's got to come first, it must be preeminent 54:59 because if you have those things 55:00 and they're build on a shaky foundation 55:02 then they're not gonna last, they're not gonna endure. 55:04 So love has got to be the first brick in the wall. 55:07 It's gotta be the cornerstone, then you begin to build. 55:09 And if you don't have that cornerstone 55:11 if you don't have that good solid foundation, 55:13 those other things will come crumbling down. 55:15 Absolutely. Love, not love without these things. 55:18 But love may gives these things, 55:20 that real meaning. Very true. 55:23 The last thing is, I think one of the most important 55:26 and I just get on a soapbox here for me. 55:29 And I need to help, I need, 55:30 I'm just preaching to myself here. Yes. 55:32 But one of the major things 55:33 the priesthood did is that they were intercessors. 55:37 Remember we talked about a mediatory agent, 55:39 they are intercessors and they brought the prayers 55:42 of the people before God. Yes, yes. 55:45 The high priest as well was involved in this work. 55:48 And so when you see the priests 55:50 bring in the prayers of the people 55:51 to the high priest Jesus in their own prayers, 55:54 picturing, you know, a picture of Christ 55:57 who we know is our righteousness 55:59 mixed with our prayer. 56:00 What I believe God is saying and asking 56:02 the priesthood of believers to do is to engage in warfare 56:06 in behalf of others through intercessory prayer. 56:09 We pray for ourselves, we pray for our needs, 56:11 we pray for our family members 56:13 and we pray for things that are important to us, 56:15 but rarely do we have a prayer list of people 56:20 we are going to fight for on our needs. Yes. 56:23 And I appreciated at one point years back 56:25 you talked about your prayer list that you pull out 56:27 and you had people on that prayer list and I, 56:29 and I'm not elevating you, 56:31 I'm just saying that's an example 56:32 of what we all need to be doing 56:34 which is having a prayer list to engage in warfare 56:38 as a priest unto God 56:39 to cooperate with Him for others. 56:41 Very true, very true. 56:42 You know, our time is slipping away 56:43 but I think that idea of one of the chief roles 56:48 of the ancient priesthood and of us as modern priests 56:51 is to intercede for our fellows. 56:54 We have the privilege of doing that, 56:55 there is a wonderful statement in the book Testimonies, 56:59 where we are told, God accepts our faith 57:02 in behalf of other individuals. 57:04 Now thus He hears your prayers 57:05 on behalf of other individuals 57:07 and it's a key part of our ministry. 57:08 Amen. Yes. 57:10 Well, friends, it's the end of another House Calls Program 57:13 and sadly that is the case, 57:15 but we do want to encourage you 57:17 as you've learned about the priesthood of all believers 57:20 and your involved with the church, 57:22 that you engage in that priestly ministry 57:24 that you co-labor with Christ, 57:26 make Him a part of your life. 57:27 And to love each other, 57:29 pray for others and encourage them 57:31 to also become a priest with God. 57:34 God bless you. |
Revised 2014-12-17