God has made us a Royal Priesthood

God says in the Bible that He has made us priests. What does this mean and how do we do this?

1. God gives us an amazing privilege to speak on His behalf and represent Him to others.

2. We communicate the Gospel to those who have not yet received God’s grace.

3. We extend God’s mercy and compassion to those in need.

4. We teach others what God has taught us.

5. We represent people before God when we intercede for others in prayer.

Making Great Sacrifices Part 6

The 2nd thing we should have if we are living a sacrificial life is a Servant’s Spirit:

In Matthew 20: 28 Jesus says, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” And He wanted that attitude to develop in His disciples.

The key word is develop. The attitude of desiring to be served as opposed to wanting to serve doesn’t come naturally. Jesus had to tell us its better to give than to receive because we are born receiving.

Paul wrote to the Thessalonian church and complimented them on being a model church. Then he described their secret. “You turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for His Son from heaven.” Turn to God. When we become a Christian, that’s what we do. We demonstrate a desire to have a relationship with God, and then we begin to draw from Him what He offers and move constantly closer to Him. When we turn to God, certain things happen. First, we turn from idols. We can’t serve both. We must also serve Him well. Lots of people turn to God as a last resort. Their lives are a mess and they’ve tried to fix it themselves, but can’t. So they finally come to Him to fix what’s wrong. Which is ok, but then they have to do their part and quit treating God like a Genie in the sky and realize we exist to serve Him.

When we share the gospel with people in need we can’t leave that part out. To do this we have to concentrate on who God is, in all His majesty and wonder. Then we can show needy people how to come to Him, in glad submission with an overwhelming desire to honor Him.

The verse I mentioned earlier is Colossians 3:23-24. And the whole thing is “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” This doesn’t mean we have to get a job in the church. Whatever someone’s occupation is, and that includes housewife and mother, so long as it is compatible with God’s holiness, there’s an opportunity, by the person’s demeanor, by their commitment, faithfulness, energy and the way they go about their task, to serve God in any situation.

Getting up and thanking God for a new day. And at the end of the day, saying, “Lord, this is what I did today. I trust I brought you honor: I served You in my situation today.”

We not only serve God, we serve the Christian community. Paul tells us in Galatians 5:13 to serve one another in love. What would it be like to belong to a church where every member said, “Here I am, Lord, ready to serve You by serving my brothers and sisters in the community”?

When people stop sitting in the pew saying, “They’re not meeting my needs.” And start saying, “Whose needs can I meet?” Then the servant spirit flourishes in a congregation and you’ve got a church on fire!

Each of us needs to identify the way we are serving God. We need to identify the ways we are serving the church. This is our calling.

Many of us feel that society in general and the government in particular owe us something, when in actuality we owe our loving service to the world in the name of Christ. That’s the Christian attitude. It’s a free choice to make, but a necessary one to live out the Gospel. It’s a privilege to belong to God and also a responsibility to be called a Christian.

Paul said in Acts 27:23, “God whose I am and who I serve.” He said this while his ship was sinking in the Mediterranean. Things weren’t going well right then, but he kept his eyes on God.

God does have a plan. And it’s that one day Jesus will be acknowledged as Lord of all. Every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess Him as Lord. When that happens God will be recognized on the cosmic scale to all. That’s where we’re headed. That’s the future that Scripture gives us.

But, God has a personal plan for our lives too. Like the line in the old hymn: “There’s a work for Jesus that only you can do.” Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:17, “Do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.”

In Colossians 1:9 he prays that believers will be filled “with the knowledge of His will.” Yet most Christians, if you ask them, say they don’t know God’s will for their life.” It’s possible that people like living this way because if it became clear they might have to do it! J

God’s will is excruciatingly practical. Here’s how it works: 1. God has a plan for my life. 2. God made me 3. God’s not stupid.

Therefore! God must have made me fundamentally ideal for what He wants me to do. So instead of waiting for organ music and lights flashing from the sky and a big voice booming out your name, he suggests getting a piece of paper and making a list of how God made you. Write down your abilities, your likes and dislikes and your experiences. Have someone who knows you well look at it. Then start to look for things that need to be done, that fit the kind of person you are. Then do them!

You may not do it well in the beginning, but don’t let that stop you. Do it the best you can and you’ll get better. If you continue to do it badly, eventually someone’s going to say, “For heaven’s sake, let me do it!” and either way, somebody discovers God’s plan! J

We’re not meant to be spectators in church. We’re not meant to put the Pastor on a pedestal because he’s the only one who can do God’s work. The church needs people with a servant spirit channeled into a sense of God’s purpose.

And not just the local church’s need, but also the world’s need. Jesus is going to ask us what we did on earth some day.

Revelation 3:7-13

Here is something else I learned while teaching from Anne Graham Lotz’ book The Vision Of His Glory that I thought was really great:

Revelation 3:7-13
To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Jesus is revealed as the One “who holds the key of David. What He opens no one can shut and what He shuts, no one can open.”

Jerusalem is known as the City of David and heaven is referred to as the New Jerusalem. “The key of David” represents acceptance in and free access to heaven. And Jesus holds the key. He is the one who determines who can come into heaven and must stay out. He opens the door to those who receive Him by faith and shuts the door to those who reject Him.

In the next verse, Jesus says He knows they have little strength. They’re a little church and pagans surround them. But, He says they have kept His Word and haven’t denied His name.

The other door Jesus controls is opportunity to service for Him. Even if people haven’t done much in the past. If they have kept His Word and are loyal to it, He will open the door of opportunity to more and maybe bigger service to Him. And at that point it doesn’t matter how small or inadequate we feel. An open door of opportunity from God implies the command to walk through it. His grace is sufficient and His strength is made perfect in weakness.

He doesn’t tell us we can do something – we just have to try harder. Or that we’re perfect for the job. Instead He acknowledges that on our own, we couldn’t do His command. But, He says He’ll work through us if we just make ourself available to Him in obedience and dependence.

If we say to Him, “But I don’t have time, strength, education, money or ability, He tells us in Revelation 3:11, “hold on to what you have”. We have Him! We have His Word. We can walk through the open door, holding on to that.

God will never command us to do something He is unable or unwilling to do in us and through us. And our motivation to serve Him? Revelation 3:11 also says, “I am coming soon.” Time to serve Him on earth is short. In Revelation 3:12 Jesus promised, “Him who overcomes, I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. I will write on him the name of my God.” The pillar represents strength, the temple of God is His presence and His name written on us is His identification with us. It is a promise that our obedient, dependent service will be so rooted in His presence and His person that others will see only the strength and identification with God – not how inadequate we are.

Serving God

I’m teaching a lesson from 9 Attitudes that keep a Christian Going and Growing by Stuart Briscol and I wanted to share a few things he talks about over the next couple posts.

In Colossians 3:23-24 Paul says “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” This doesn’t mean we have to get a job in the church. Whatever someone’s occupation is, and that includes housewife and mother, so long as it is compatible with God’s holiness, there’s an opportunity, by the person’s demeanor, by their commitment, faithfulness, energy and the way they go about their task, to serve God in any situation.

Starting with getting up and thanking God for a new day. And at the end of the day, saying, “Lord, this is what I did today. I trust I brought you honor: I served You in my situation today.”

We not only serve God, we serve the Christian community. Paul tells us in Galatians 5:13 to serve one another in love. What would it be like to belong to a church where every member said, “Here I am, Lord, ready to serve You by serving my brothers and sisters in the community”?

When people stop sitting in the pew saying, “They’re not meeting my needs.” And start saying, “Whose needs can I meet?” Then the servant spirit flourishes in a congregation and you’ve got a church on fire!

Each of us needs to identify the way we are serving God. We need to identify the ways we are serving the church. This is our calling.

Many of us feels that society in general and the government in particular owe us something, when in actuality we owe our loving service to the world in the name of Christ. That’s the Christian attitude. It’s a free choice to make, but a necessary one to live out the Gospel. It’s a privilege to belong to God and also a responsibility to be called a Christian.

Life's little choices

Joshua 24:14 says, “but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

This is a daily decision and everything we do all day should reflect on this promise. Obeying God is the first step. We need to check our thoughts and actions to see if there is an area where we lack total commitment to God. Often our motives, not our actions, contain the sin. If we fill our life with God, worship and service we will have no room for sin. But, it’s a daily and sometimes hourly decision to put God first. To put His will before ours, to choose the higher ground.

Luke 9:23 says, “Let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” We are called to ignore our selfish desires and follow Christ’s way. To strive to become more and more like Him.

John the Baptist told the Pharisees and Sadducees in Matthew 3:8 to “bear fruit that befits repentance.” Our words are judged by the actions that accompany them.

To help out at church, call the sick or lonely, give our time, talent and money always. Not just now or then in big things, but in constant daily things. God wants us to love others, help them and witness to them. That’s what Christians do. Love is the very foundation of Christianity. In every event of our day we can make a choice to put God’s will before our own. Should I pray first or get my chores done? Should I volunteer to teach a Sunday school class or just attend the class? Should I cook a meal for a sick neighbor or go out to dinner with my family. Should I read a Bible story to my child or send him off to bed with his own book. Should I lie to make things easier, or tell the truth and take the consequences? Should I put on an uncomplaining smile or grumble about my problems. Should I choose to accept my problems as a part of life and an opportunity to grow? Should I confess a sin and repent, or try to ignore it and live with the guilt.

The key ingredients to obedience can be found in Exodus 15:26. “If you will diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord your God and do that which is right in His eyes and give heed to His commandments and keep His statutes.” Then we are obedient to God. We are in His will. And our daily choices will reflect this

Lord, fill me with the Holy Spirit. Let me enter into the full inheritance of Christ. Show me what’s holding me back and help me repent of it.