“Every high priest taken from among men is ordained to offer sacrifices for men’s sins… who should do it with compassion on the ignorant and those that have fallen out of the way because they themselves have, and do, fail… and by that also offer sacrifices for his own sins… and no man takes this honor to serve as a high priest for themselves – this is something God appoints.” This little passage really deals with the heart of the “priest.” It has to do with a potentially hazardous approach of pride for people in leadership. It deals with the “high priests” identification with the people he serves. He’s seeing and hearing about the people’s sins and having to perform the odious work of making the prescribed sacrificial offering – dirty, ugly business. It would be easy to say things like: “Well, if you hadn’t been so stupid, we wouldn’t be in this position now would we?” Or, “How many times are you going to fall into this same dumb sin?” Or, “It’s a good thing I like you because if I didn’t I wouldn’t do this to help you out of this jam!” All issues of prideful judgment and spiritual separation. Ugly to say the least. And all the people said, “Amen!” “Ya!” “Those mean preachers and priests!” “They need an attitude adjustment!” “All up on their pedestal!” “Who died and appointed them…” The same guy, THE CHOSEN HIGH PRIEST, who “loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood (the last necessary sacrifice) and has made all believers kings and priests unto God!” That says something to every single person who calls themselves a Christ-follower, that we need to guard our hearts from prideful separation… that we need to always remember there is only One who was ever perfect… that we need to deal with each other in tenderness and compassion because we are all in the same boat… and that without God, providing the one lasting, fully accepted, sacrifice for our sins we would, as a whole, be separated from God forever! Instead, He calls and appoints each one of us to love one another, to help provide the opportunities and advantages of salvation needful for people to succeed in life, to be at work – ugly as it may get – to keep people up on their feet and moving forward in God’s plan. What an honor it is to be given opportunity to be like Jesus; to get in the way of the enemy of men’s souls, to restore and replenish hope, and to deliver people to the front gates of heaven! Your faith is not your own… it belongs to all mankind… Get centered, understand the leader role as servant to others, and be busy!
Posted on: Mon, 25 Aug 2014 12:55:04 +0000
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