Once And Forever

Reading: Micah 5-7; Hebrews 7 24 But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. 25 Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. 27 Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins. (Hebrews 7:24-25; 27 NLT) I’ve been thinking about Jesus’ priesthood. Like all priests, he represents us to God and represents God to us. Unlike any other priest, he is our priest forever, and the sacrifice he made for our sins is his very own life! I’ve also been thinking about the priesthood of every Christ-following believer. We are priests in the sense that we represent people we influence to God in prayer and we represent God to them by telling them the Good News and by how we live. These are the things that spoke to me most this morning:
• A priest represents the people to God. People need someone to “speak up for them” and it’s not always at the most convenient times or places.
• A priest represents God to the people. People need to hear someone speak God’s heart and God’s words to them in their toughest times.
• There’s a sacrifice involved in serving God’s people as God’s priests.
• It’s not only ordained pastors who are priests in this sense I’m talking about here. It’s you and me as well! I’m not saying that we have to die on a cross for the people we represent, influence, or lead. Jesus did that once and for all. Nor am I saying that as leaders or influencers, people must go through us to get to God. Jesus opened the way for direct access to the Father for every seeking believer. But there is some sacrifice involved in representing people to God and representing God to people. We are called to lay down our lives for those we love and serve. Prayer: Father, Thanks for sending your son Jesus the Christ to be our forever priest, having once sacrificed himself as the offering for my sins, now, always, and forever on the job speaking up for me. Please help me to be on the job: ready to speak up for others; ready to speak to them on your behalf; and willing to make necessary sacrifices on others’ behalf. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.