3. The reading For This morning!
1 Peter 2:4-9
1 Peter 2:4-9 (NKJV) 4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame." 7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone," 8 and "A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

4. In Remembrance of Me

5. Moving to PERFECTION in
Northside
Moving to PERFECTION in

9. The Christian is A Priest
What is a Christian? (1f)
The Christian is
A Priest
Lesson #11

11. A servant assigned to approach God, usually on behalf of others.
Priests!
What is a Priest?
A servant assigned to approach God, usually on behalf of others.

12. Priest of the Most High God
Melchizedek – Genesis 14:18-20
Priests!
Genesis 14:18-20 (NKJV) 18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said: "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand." And he gave him a tithe of all.

13. Priest of the Most High God
Melchizedek – Psalm 110:4
Priests!
Psalm 110:4 (NKJV) 4  The LORD has sworn And will not relent, "You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek."

14. Priests! The Levitical Priesthood
Served Israel under the Law of Moses – Aaron
Ex.28:1-3
Priests!
Exodus 28:1-3 1 "Now take Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to Me as priest, Aaron and Aaron's sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 2 And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. 3 So you shall speak to all who are gifted artisans, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments, to consecrate him, that he may minister to Me as priest.

15. Priests! The Levitical Priesthood
Served Israel under the Law of Moses – Aaron
Numbers 3:10
Priests!
Numbers 3:10 (NKJV)
10 So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall attend to their priesthood; but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death."

16. The Levitical Priesthood They offered sacrifices Enforced purity laws
Taught the people – Lev. 10:8-11
Priests!
Leviticus 10: Then the LORD spoke to Aaron, saying: 9 "Do not drink wine or intoxicating drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, 10 that you may distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean, 11 and that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken to them by the hand of Moses."

17. Priests! The Levitical Priesthood They offered sacrifices
Enforced purity laws
Taught the people –Neh. 8:1-8
Nehemiah 8:1-3 (NKJV) 1  Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded Israel. 2  So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding on the first day of the seventh month.

18. Priests! The Priesthood of Jesus
Patterned after both Melchizedek and the Levitical Priesthood
Priests!
Hebrews 2:17 (NKJV) 17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

19. Priests! False priesthoods Old Testament gods
Catholicism – 1) no clergy/laity system in Bible 2)Matt. 23:5-10 – no titles 3) “Sacraments” do not require special servants (baptism, LS,…) 4) We receive forgiveness directly through Jesus (1 John 1:9)
Priests!

20. The Christian is a Priest
Rev. 1:5-6
Priests!
Revelation 1:5-6 (NKJV) 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

21. The Christian is a Priest Priests!
Rev.5:10
Priests!
Revelation 5:10 (NKJV)
10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth."

22. The Christian is a Priest Priests!
1 Peter 2:4-5
Priests!
1 Peter 2:4-5 (NKJV) 4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

23. The Christian is a Priest 1 Peter 2:9-10 Priests!
1 Peter 2:9-10 (NKJV) 9  But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10  who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

24. The Christian is a Priest We serve directly under Jesus
Priests!

25. Our Duties as Priests! Enter into our duty Be washed, Heb. 10:19-22
Hebrews 10:19-22 (NKJV) 19  Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20  by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21  and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22  let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

26. Enter into our duty Our Duties as Priests!
Before serving, Levites had to wash themselves Ex. 30:20
Exodus 30:20 (NKJV) 20  When they go into the tabernacle of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to the LORD, they shall wash with water, lest they die.

27. Enter into our duty Our Duties as Priests!
Before serving, Levites had to wash themselves Lev. 8:6-7
Leviticus 8: Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons and washed them with water. 7 And he put the tunic on him, girded him with the sash, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him; and he girded him with the intricately woven band of the ephod, and with it tied the ephod on him.

28. The temple a type of the church, Ac. 15:16,
Our Duties as Priests!
Enter into our duty
The temple a type of the church, Ac. 15:16,
Acts 15:16 'After this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up;

29. The temple a type of the church, Heb. 8:2, 5
Our Duties as Priests!
Enter into our duty
The temple a type of the church, Heb. 8:2, 5
Hebrews 8:2-5 (NKJV) 2 a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. 5 who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, "See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."

30. Our Duties as Priests! Enter into our duty
The temple a type of the church 1 Cor. 3:16-17,
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (NKJV) 16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

31. The temple a type of the church Eph. 2:21
Our Duties as Priests!
Enter into our duty
The temple a type of the church Eph. 2:21
Ephesians 2:21 (NKJV)
21 in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,

32. Enter into our duty Baptism – Acts 2:38, 47 Our Duties as Priests!
Acts 2:38-47 (NKJV) 38  Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 47  praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

33. Provide a dwelling place for God He is within us, 1 Cor. 6:18-20
Our Duties as Priests!
Provide a dwelling place for God
He is within us, 1 Cor. 6:18-20
1 Corinthians 6:18-20 (NKJV) 18  Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19  Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20  For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

34. 1 Peter 2:5 Our Duties as Priests! Provide a dwelling place for God
1 Peter 2:5 (NKJV)
5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

35. Our Duties as Priests!
Provide a dwelling place for God
Purity 1 John 3:3
1 John 3:3 (NKJV) 3  And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

36. Provide a dwelling place for God Purity 1 Pet. 1:22
Our Duties as Priests!
Provide a dwelling place for God
Purity 1 Pet. 1:22
1 Peter 1:22 (NKJV)
22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

37. Provide a dwelling place for God Purity James 1:27
Our Duties as Priests!
Provide a dwelling place for God
Purity James 1:27
James 1:27 (NKJV)
27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

38. Purity ensures our prayers are not hindered
Our Duties as Priests!
Provide a dwelling place for God
Purity ensures our prayers are not hindered

39. Serve Him with a pure conscience
Our Duties as Priests!
Provide a dwelling place for God
Serve Him with a pure conscience

40. Makes worship acceptable
Our Duties as Priests!
Provide a dwelling place for God
Makes worship acceptable

41. 1 Peter 2:5 Our Duties as Priests! Offer Spiritual sacrifices
1 Peter 2:5 (NKJV) 5  you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

42. Our Duties as Priests!
Offer Spiritual sacrifices
The Levites offered several types of sacrifices Lev. 1-7

43. Offer Spiritual sacrifices Praising God Heb. 13:15
Our Duties as Priests!
Offer Spiritual sacrifices
Praising God Heb. 13:15
Hebrews 13:15 (NKJV) 15  Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

44. Good works Heb. 13:16 Offer Spiritual sacrifices
Our Duties as Priests!
Offer Spiritual sacrifices
Good works Heb. 13:16
Hebrews 13:16 (NKJV) 16  But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

45. Support gospel Phil. 4:18 Offer Spiritual sacrifices
Our Duties as Priests!
Offer Spiritual sacrifices
Support gospel Phil. 4:18
Philippians 4:18 (NKJV) 18  Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.

46. Our living bodies Rom. 12:1 Offer Spiritual sacrifices
Our Duties as Priests!
Offer Spiritual sacrifices
Our living bodies Rom. 12:1
Romans 12:1 (NKJV) 1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

47. Our lives Phil. 2:17 Offer Spiritual sacrifices Our Duties as Priests!
Philippians 2:17 (NKJV) 17  Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.

48. Proclaim His praises 1 Peter 2:9 Our Duties as Priests!
1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV) 9  But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

49. We need to know our Law – 1 Pet. 3:15
Our Duties as Priests!
We need to know our Law – 1 Pet. 3:15
1 Peter 3:15 (NKJV) 15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

50. Are you faithfully serving in His priesthood?