Sunday, February 27, 2011

February 27 - 1 Peter 2:5

God is building you,
as living stones, into his spiritual temple.
What's more, you are God's holy priests,
who offer the spiritual sacrifices that
please him because of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:5
 
Under the Old Covenant -- see Numbers 3:10 -- the Lord said to Moses, "any unauthorized person who goes too near the sanctuary must be put to death."
 
Under the New Covenant -- see 1 Peter 2:5 -- YOU ARE the sanctuary. You are the spiritual temple. And you are "God's holy priests."
 
This is a HUGE contrast. Why the dramatic difference? Christ!
 
Jesus Christ is a very different kind of high priest. He confers priesthood and royalty not on the basis of birthright, but on the basis of faith. He invites -- Hebrews 4:16 -- to "approach the throne of gracewith boldness" rather than with fear. And he promises that in this faith-inspired approach, we will "receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
 
In Christ's Love,
a priest
(and not because I went to seminary,
but because he invites us all to be one!)

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