Expounds on the priesthood of every believer, emphasizing that believers are living stones built into a spiritual house and a holy priesthood. It highlights that this priesthood is called to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ, not literal ones. The sermon develops this by detailing the sacrifices believers are to offer: their persons as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2), the sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15), the sacrifice of prayer (Ephesians 6:18), and the sacrifice of possessions through cheerful giving (2 Corinthians 9:7). The message concludes by urging believers to embrace these sacrifices as a privilege and an act of worship directed towards God.
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May I briefly review what we have already had by doubt of the Lord as we've been together the past two Wednesday evenings looking upon that blessed portion beginning in First Peter chapter two as we began last week in verse one and read through verse ten and may I briefly cover some of the truths that we have suffered that we've enjoyed relative to this portion and a presentation of some precious truth within it for our blessing and edification. It brings before us a subject that is not very popular or even practiced as it ought to be today among the people of God.
It emphasizes what we can and do call the priesthood of every believer. Let me just briefly say, as we've already read this section two or three times, we have noted the dear Apostle Peter writing to the believers of the early church in his day, who had lost the benefit that they had once enjoined in relation to the Temple of Jerusalem and all that pertained to them as Jews long ago, but they had found Christ They were now His, and Peter writes, of the joy of belonging to Him.
For if you may remember, he tells them in verse three, you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. My beloved fellow believer, may I say to you as well as to my known heart, when you and I came to the Lord Jesus Christ, we came to the most gracious person that we could ever know. the Lord and the King of all grace. And as Peter has written in this section, unto you that believe, he is precious. But beloved, let us not forget the context of our lesson. He's building a house.
Note with me, if you please, for emphasis's sake. Verse five, if you please, the opening of the word. G also as living stones are built up a spiritual house. Let me re-emphasize again the character of the house. Oh, my beloved fellow believer, let me emphasize firmly we belong to a spiritual testimony. Forget the material conditions that we may have or that we may face. or that we may not possess. God calls it a spiritual house.
And if I may remember again our last study of the week asked, we emphasize that every believer is a living stone within it. My fellow believer, let me re-emphasize before going further. We possess the life of Christ. Christ dwells in, as I let us quote the words, of that dear brother again, C.H. McIntosh, that Christianity is the life of Christ communicated to a believer, dwelling in a believer, flowing to flow through a believer.
Beloved me, you and I may hold on there and by God's grace yield. to the claims that he has that we are living stones. In other words, as we shall see further, he is to shine out of our lives. And we emphasize the word living last week. Now if I may, will you please look with me in verse five? I want to emphasize the second word that we would emphasize. Ye also as living stones are built up a spiritual house And note the next words. And holy priesthood. We've emphasized the word living.
And may we all more and more enter into the truth. We are living stones alive in Christ. And he alive in us. But here's another word of great importance. We consist of being a holy priesthood. Now, beloved, please remember, you know as well as I do, if you've read the Old Testament, that people of God in the Old Testament had a priesthood. It was an official one. Certain Levites were delegated to be the priests in the land of Israel amongst the people of God.
And it was the priesthood under the order of Aaron and his sons. who were the high priests and Levites appointed to be under priests. But beloved, may I say again, do you and I realize we are called to be holy priests? Let me emphasize that word holy for a moment or two. Many times, well, you may think of the words of Peter in chapter one when he writes, in that early portion. Be ye holy, as I am holy, says the Lord. Don't be afraid of that word holy.
For you know in the Hebrew text as well as the Greek text, it means to be separated. For may I tell you, and you may know it, that in the Old Testament all the vessels that were in the house of God The tabernacle of old and the temple of old. They were called holy. Yea, they were but vessels, material substance. But they were consecrated to the use of God's glory. And the word holy, when we give you another thought, it's a similar way to the word we have in the New Testament when God calls the children of God today saints.
Don't be afraid of that word, Saint. My name is Saint John. You may be found others with that name, but I want to tell you, according to God's word, every believer is the same. And it's the same word where we get to the derivation of the word holy. Meaning separated unto God. Now please note as we read the end of this fifth verse, G also as living stones are built up a spiritual house. and holy priesthood? What for? To offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
Beloved, are we functioning as we ought to in this character of being a holy priesthood? What are we to be doing? What should we be doing as holy priesthood? Please note the expression at the end of this verse to author up spiritual sacrifices, not literal. You know as well as I do the Old Testament sacrifices were material. Even the blood of both are of goats and of oxen, animal sacrifices. We do not offer those kind of sacrifices.
as holy priests. For we have the responsibility of offering holy sacrifices, spiritual sacrifices, and no, to whom? Acceptable to God. Now may I emphasize that word holy? Or may I suggest some of the sacrifices that are the responsibility of a believer today Go with me to Romans chapter twelve. And I'm sure you may remember these words of verse one and verse two, as often they are being quoted, and they are quoted in relation to the responsibility of a saved believer.
Chapter twelve, verse one and two, if you please. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that she present or offer your bodies, and note the next words, a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable or intelligent service, and be not conformed to this world. but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
May I suggest that in this particular way and manner the sacrifice of our persons My beloved, let me say, I say to my own conscience as well as to yours, I hope. God wants all that you are and all that I am. Your bodies. Beloved, we've been emphasizing and we re-emphasize it again. As Paul said to the Galatians when he wrote in chapter two, verse twenty, I am crucified with Christ.
Nevertheless I live. Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life and I live in the flesh. I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. In other words, beloved, let me say frankly, as Paul has written here in Romans twelve, one, present your bodies. We know from experience in the relationship of our old men, in the unsaved days of our lives.
The body served its desires a lot. But here we have a change. God has called us to be holy priests. And here is the first great responsibility, the responsibility of the sacrifice of our very persons, these bodies of ours. A living sacrifice. In other words, the sacrifices come all the way through your life if you'll do them and if I will do them. Oh, beloved, let me emphasize again, how much of your body and mind does Christ have, all of it?
It's an old hymn that used to be sung. It's not sung very often. I haven't heard it for years. It's a dedication hymn. I surrender all. All to be my blessed Savior. I surrender all. Oh my beloved fellow Billy, let me say. Let me go back again and remind you of the fact as we have already noted I believe from second Corinthians chapter six or rather first Corinthians chapter six are what know ye not that your body is what the temple of the Holy Ghost and may I remind you that the word temple there means the holy place and my beloved What a blessed honor, but what a great responsibility.
He, and will you please note, I put it very carefully as the Apostle Paul did in the opening of verse one of chapter twelve of Romans. Know what he says. I besiege you. I beg you. In other words, God is asking for our yieldedness not commanding us as it were in legislation but as you have it here I beseech you why brethren by the mercies of God what are those mercies you know them in Romans and the preceding part of it how he saved us by his grace who's taken the gospel Because, no.
If there's only one reason you should do it, it's because He saved you. So may God help us to realize that responsibility, the sacrifice of our person. But let's go to another sacrifice that is mentioned in the Word of God. Go with me to the book of Hebrews, if you please. Chapter thirteen. chapter thirteen in the book of Hebrews and let me read the words of the beloved apostle Paul in verse fifteen and note then in verse fifteen by him that is by Christ therefore let us offer and is another offering the sacrifice of praise to God continually and that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name can I raise a question in this manner how often do you praise the Lord I
have met you not many but I can recall one or two old age saints in fact I was talking to one just in Last night he was talking to me, and they could not help but realize. There was continually on his lips a praise to God, even though he may have been suffering and he was suffering physically. But here's the thought. Known it very carefully, as Paul writes it in this fifteenth verse. By him. Therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God. How often? Continually.
Now let me give you the thought. This is not only personal, but it also relates to the assembly corporate character. In other words, the children of God should be gathered together to give praise and worship continually. And I give you the emphasis. and the encouragement and the challenge. One of the dearest places I enjoy doing it is when I gather with the saints of God at the Lord's Supper. I want to emphasize the character of the Lord's Supper is one of worship, praise, adoration to God for the gifts of his Son and for Christ and the suffering that is born at Calvary.
And there is a corporate curvature of joining together with the saints who meet to praise God and thank him. As Paul wrote, thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. But then let me re-emphasize again. How about doing it in between? As I said again, I think of one or two dear old saints. I could not even meet them without hearing them say to me. in their conversation. Praise them unto God for who he was, for what he was doing, for what he would do. My beloved, praise to God should be a holy characteristic of our priesthood.
And may God hath us indeed to be praising him as much as we should and as often as we should. But then may I link it also in Hebrews or rather in Ephesians chapter six. In Ephesians chapter six. I'd like to link it to what we have here before us tonight in our own audience. The special time of an assembly prayer meeting. And let me read verse thirteen of this sixth chapter of the book of Hebrews. And as I read the words in this sixth chapter, verse eighteen rather I should say. Verse eighteen.
Notice these words. Paul in his admonition to the Church of Ephesus, to be praying when, always, with all prayer and supplication in a spirit, and watching thereon to, with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. Yea, praising God continually, yes, and corporately yes, but not forgetting. Here Paul is giving the responsibility. that we should be praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. This sacrifice of our prayer, my beloved, it may be and it could be and it should be and it probably will be to some degree a sacrifice if we give ourselves to prayer unto God as we should.
Oh, I think of some of the men whose lives I've enjoyed reading in my young Christian days, who were an encouragement to read of their prayer life, to read how they encouraged one another and others to be praying. I think of a dear servant of God as he wrote. He said every time he met another Christian, he said, Brother, do I meet you praying? And another one made the same man made the statement. While I'm talking to you, I'm praying to my Father. In other words, let me give you the thought. Prayer should be entirely a constant condition.
In the spirit of prayer, the sacrifice of prayer. Oh, beloved, may God help us to do more sacrificing. to spend time alone with God and in prayer. But then, I'd like you to go with me to another scripture, Hebrew chapter thirteen again, the thirteen chapter of the book of Hebrews, the very next verse, after the fifteenth verse, where we have previously read. But in this sixteenth verse, please note the words of the apostle. Let me read the sixteenth verse. after encouraging us and telling us to offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually?
Now in verse sixteen, but to do good and to communicate. Forget that. For with such sacrifices God is well pleased. What does he mean by doing good? And communicating. Oh, this is a Greek word that means to be given. to be helping and ministering not only the sacrifice of our persons the sacrifice of praise the sacrifice of prayers but the sacrifice of our possessions look with me in first corinthians if you please or second corinthians first of all second corinthians chapter nine second corinthians chapter nine reading if I may the seventh verse of that chapter for the Paul the apostle writing in second Corinthians chapter nine is writing about giving material giving the giving of our substance you have the whole chapter touching upon the giving for the believers or of the believers to the saints of God and for the work and
the labor of God's people but notice if I may emphasize verse seven For the time being, well let me go back a little bit. I'd like to read from verse six through verse seven. But this I say, He which soweth sparingly, meaning giving but sparingly, shall reap also sparingly, and he which soweth bountifully, shall reap also bountifully. Every man according is the purpose of it in his heart, So let him give, not grudgingly, or of necessity, for God loveth a cheerful giver.
My beloved, let me make a comparison. Let me quote the words we know very familiar, John three sixteen, for God so loved the world that he gave what? His only begotten Son. may also quote the words that you find at the end of this ninth chapter in second corinthians where the beloved apostle declares at the end of the chapter thanks be unto god for what is unspeakable is indescribable gifts meaning what the value of it Could you name, could you probably, could you possibly put a value on the person of Christ?
Never. And God gave him. And as the apostle has written in our ninth chapter that we have read, part of, let me go back again, if you please, in verse six of this chapter. But if I say he which saw us far again, Shall reap also sparingly. He which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Oh, my beloved, let me say this. I don't know. Well, let me emphasize what Paul does in this Sabbath first. It tells you how to give.
It should be deliberately. In verse seven, every man according is the purposer in his heart. Now may I say, and I would like to emphasize this fact, the Old Testament proportion of giving according to the law was the tenth. Every Israelite on the law was obligated to give a tenth of his possessions to God. They didn't all do it. We know that from the Scriptures. In the Old Testament again and again they failed.
But under law they were supposed to give a tenth. I would not apply the tenth to the New Testament. But one thing I will apply in verse seven here. Every man according is the purpose within his heart. We go back with me or further on with me in second Corinthians chapter sixteen and verse one. The last chapter, I believe, in the second epistle of Paul to the Corinthians. And in chapter sixteen, and I believe in the very first verse. I think I got the wrong one.
First what? Oh, First Corinthians chapter sixteen. Yeah, First Corinthians sixteen, that's right. That's right. First Corinthians chapter sixteen. Now concerning the collection for the saints as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do you. Upon the first day of the week, Let every man of you lay by him in store. And here's the principle of giving. Not the tent, the tithing, but as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
And you can read the context. Paul was going to visit the Corinthian assembly. And he was hoping that they would send some gifts to the poor saints of Jerusalem. And he's telling them in encouragement, Do it before I come. Then they won't have to take his collection when I come. But here's the principle of his gift. Has God has prospered you? It could be a tent. It could be left. And it could even be more. According to his God has prospered you. But let me remind you of something in chapter nine that we read. Verse seven, if you please. in chapter nine of second Corinthians where we read in verse seven God loveth a cheerful giver as you've got it in verse seven not only every man according as he purposes in his heart so let him give not grudgingly or of being compelled to do it so God loveth and you know what the word cheerful means and hilarious giver I think of an incident that I read in a certain paper, Sunday
school paper years ago, of an incident that happened on the farm field where there was a little local church and it was in need of repairs very badly and the dear brethren gathered together and talked about what they should do and how much it would need to pay for the repairs and the elders as they presented the need to the members of the congregation. They told them they should get scripturally as God had prospered them and according to their purpose of heart. And they demanded, do it in the right spiritual, scriptural way.
Well, strength to say in that same occasion, One of the members of that congregation had been greatly blessed materially. But he put an offering in that was very small in comparison to what he could afford. Well, the elder, to whom he brought it, told him, take it back. Why? He demanded. Not enough. You know you can give more than that. He knew with circumstances. Take it back. It's not scriptural. Well, it touched his heart.
Well, to save faith, he came up a little later and brought another gift. Much larger. The elder looked at it and looked at the man and watched his faith and said to him, Take it back. The man said, Well, that's as much as I could give. Yay, said the brother. He said, But you're not doing it cheerfully. Now go back till you can do it cheerfully. Oh, how much you get if you told people to do that today? But anyway, if the story concluded, it broke the brother's heart.
And at last he came up with a smile. Look. You know what the book says. The Lord love it what? a cheerful giver. Ah, beloved, it should be a joy. Let me be reminded with you, please. To whom do you give it? Go back again to our scripture in First Peter. First Peter, go back in our fifth verse. Ye also as living stones are built of a spiritual house. and holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices?
Acceptable to who? God. By Jesus. Look, my brother, my sister, please let me say this. Can I say it lovingly? I say it personally. I counted a privilege for me to give whenever I can and wherever I may to God. And this I don't do it just for the people. I do it for God. It makes a lot of difference who you give it to. I know I can recall a dear brother in the Lord who made a very gracious gift to a young man that went out to serve the Lord.
but who ultimately returned from the place where he went to serve the Lord after a year or two. And this dear aged brother who had made a gift to help him go was very much troubled. And he complained about the fact he had given money to him until one of the brothers said to this dear one, this dear brother that was complaining. He said, listen, brother Alan. Who did you give it to? Did you give it to God or did you give it to Him? Beloved brother and sister, look, as far as the collection and the offering to the Lord, I mean the assembly.
My gift is to be given to the Lord. And please remember what Paul wrote, God loveth a cheerful giver. And oh, the joy of knowing that. For his acceptance. And for his honour. And for his glory. Now these are just a few thoughts. I pass them on again. This is the Godwin aspect of our priesthood. Godwin. The sacrifice of our person. The sacrifice of our praise. The sacrifice of our prayers. And the sacrifice of our possessions. Many other things perhaps could be named.
But I think that's enough for tonight. Shall we close in a word of prayer? Our dearly beloved Father, always thank you for making us free. Bringing us to thyself in salvation and making us preach unto our God. We're not like the Old Testament saints in priesthood. We have a better one. And oh, how we thank thee. Our sacrifices should be spiritual. Lord, we pray by thy Holy Spirit.
Then we may be reminded. We should be spiritually minded. and grant the thought that we have covered tonight may make for of each one of us here better holy priest and Lord what may we say as one old hymn has put it Lord take my life and let it be consecrated holy Lord to thee We ask in our Savior's precious and worthy name, giving thanks. Amen.