9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)
When I was going to Bible School and would come home for Christmas break I’d be asked by co-workers, “Where are you going to school?” I’d say, “It’s a Bible School in the LA area.” And they’d follow that up with, “Are you studying to be a priest or something?” “No, I’m protestant!” I’d say which, looking back, I don’t think they understood because someone else would come up to me and say, “I hear your studying to be a priest. That’s a noble thing. Do you think you could perform my daughters wedding ceremony?” “NO! I’M PROTESTANT! And yes I can perform her ceremony.”
And every so often at our churches' dinner and movie night I get asked, “Father, what time is mass?” “I’M PROTEST…never mind…10 am.”
For whatever reason, I didn’t like the idea of being considered a priest. But the truth is I am a priest and guess what? You are too!
What Peter is saying is that God is using us to construct a living church so we can serve in it as holy priests. For some of us being a priest may be the furthest thing from our minds, but it’s not far from God’s. In first Peter we’re called “holy priests,” “a royal priesthood,” in Exodus a “kingdom of priests,” and in Isaiah the “priests of God.”
I want you to say these next four words out loud: “I AM A PRIEST!” That may make you uncomfortable because we have a picture in our mind of what a priest is and we don’t see ourselves fitting it. But a priest is simply a mediator, a go between. I've read that the Pope, who is the head priest of the Roman Catholic Church, is called in Latin pontifex –bridge builder. And that’s what you and I are called to be; we find ways to build bridges between Christ and people who need Christ. We bring people to Christ and bring Christ to people.
Questions to Consider:
Why do you think it's difficult to see yourself as a priest?
Who around you needs you to be a bridge builder?
Imagine: What would your church look like if we all lived like priests?
When I was going to Bible School and would come home for Christmas break I’d be asked by co-workers, “Where are you going to school?” I’d say, “It’s a Bible School in the LA area.” And they’d follow that up with, “Are you studying to be a priest or something?” “No, I’m protestant!” I’d say which, looking back, I don’t think they understood because someone else would come up to me and say, “I hear your studying to be a priest. That’s a noble thing. Do you think you could perform my daughters wedding ceremony?” “NO! I’M PROTESTANT! And yes I can perform her ceremony.”
And every so often at our churches' dinner and movie night I get asked, “Father, what time is mass?” “I’M PROTEST…never mind…10 am.”
For whatever reason, I didn’t like the idea of being considered a priest. But the truth is I am a priest and guess what? You are too!
What Peter is saying is that God is using us to construct a living church so we can serve in it as holy priests. For some of us being a priest may be the furthest thing from our minds, but it’s not far from God’s. In first Peter we’re called “holy priests,” “a royal priesthood,” in Exodus a “kingdom of priests,” and in Isaiah the “priests of God.”
I want you to say these next four words out loud: “I AM A PRIEST!” That may make you uncomfortable because we have a picture in our mind of what a priest is and we don’t see ourselves fitting it. But a priest is simply a mediator, a go between. I've read that the Pope, who is the head priest of the Roman Catholic Church, is called in Latin pontifex –bridge builder. And that’s what you and I are called to be; we find ways to build bridges between Christ and people who need Christ. We bring people to Christ and bring Christ to people.
Questions to Consider:
Why do you think it's difficult to see yourself as a priest?
Who around you needs you to be a bridge builder?
Imagine: What would your church look like if we all lived like priests?
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