YOU’RE THE PRIEST IN YOUR TEMPLE – Pastor Chris
Saturday, July 14, 2018
And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen (Revelation 1:6).
As a child of God, you belong in the royal priesthood; our opening text says we’ve been made kings and priests unto God, and every priest has to offer sacrifices (Hebrews 8:3). Your temple is your body; that’s the temple of the Holy Ghost. And as long as you’re in your physical temple—the living tabernacle that God has given to you, you have a job to do: to offer sacrifices. That’s the sole purpose for the temple as revealed in the Old Testament (2 Chronicles 7:12).
God is looking to have His sacrifices in your temple (your body), and you’re the priest over your temple. I can’t be the priest in your body, because it’s a private temple, exclusive to you. No wonder the Spirit, through Paul, writes in Romans 12:1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
1 Peter 2:5 says, “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” We’re living stones, and are to offer spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. That let’s us know that not every sacrifice is acceptable; it has to be by the rules.
Remember, Cain offered to God sacrifices that weren’t acceptable, whereas Abel’s sacrifice was acceptable to God (Genesis 4:3-7). Cain brought to God what he chose to bring to God, and Abel brought to God what God asked for. Doing it by the rules is doing it according to the revealed pattern; doing it according to the Word.
The Apostle Paul says, “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Hebrews 13:15). The fruit of our lips in praise, worship, and confessions of His Name in testimony, are spiritual sacrifices we offer as priests in His temple (1 Corinthians 3:16).
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for the privilege to offer sacrifices as a priest, and honour you with my life. You’re the great God of glory, and in you alone lie strength and greatness. I worship you now and forever, for you’re gracious and kind, marvellous in all your ways. Thank you for making my life glorious, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY: Hosea 14:2; 2 Corinthians 6:15-16; Revelation 5:10
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 22:22-23:1-11 & Job 36-39
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Galatians 4:1-11 & Isaiah 34
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