The Priesthood of Every Believer

Elements of their rôle from the Old Testament

•Sacrifice•Mediation –be in touch•Teaching – to assist the people•Purifying – making the people a

holy nation•Caring – shepherd’s-heart aspect –

like THE Great High Priest to come, our Lord Jesus Christ, THE Chief Shepherd

•Agency of blessing for ‘others’

Jesus Christ – Messiah, Great High Priest

• He ministered with compassion!

• He showed respect for people, even those from low social status groups.

• He showed mercy.

• And He went to the cross, as the sacrifice of all sacrifices – and opened the door to restored relationship between God and (now) all who call on the name of the Lord.

The Priesthood of Every Believer

•As Christ / Messiah [the One with the Anointing / Spirit], after His ascension to the Throne, He poured out the Holy Spirit upon the believers, thus initiating all of them into

•the new (Melchizedek) PRIESTHOOD OF EVERY BELIEVER!!

•A REVOLUTION HAD BEGUN!!

The Priesthood of Every Believer

• Core Biblical truth…..

• EQUAL IN VALUE, but…

• DIFFERING IN FUNCTION

The Priesthood of Every Believer

in operation

• Acts 2:41-47 - heart response

• Rom 12:1-8 - the charismas

• 1 Cor 12:7-31 - the Body functioning

• Eph 4:7-16 - the development of the charis (grace) in every believer

Grace gifts and the Body relationship

• the menorah – 7 lamps in one lampstand;

• 7 lamps in a level row• all integrated into the

lampstand, burning together, to light up a darkened area….

• Lit by oil in each lamp• a picture of the local

church in an area (Rev 1:20).

Grace gifts and the Body relationship

prophesying leadershipencouraging givingserving showing mercyteaching

[Rom 12:1-8] Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your

spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of

yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not

all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts,

according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let

him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern

diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

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[Mat 5:14-16] "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your

good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Teaching on Body ministry…

Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

ordinary people doing extra-ordinary things when they learn how to work and minister together as one!

now for the heavy revelation!!

In 2003 in Nyamandlovu, Brian used the Sydney AFL Swans as a classic example of a bunch of “ordinary” players who achieved together a level of accomplishment beyond what they could have done as individuals… under the tuition of a popular low-key coach

BY GOD’S E

NABLING

GRACE…

YES, WE C

AN !!!

2 years later, the same team won the national premiership for the first time in 73 YEARS!!!

Ordinary people can do extraordinary things – when they do it TOGETHER!!!