INTRODUCTION: Would you feel uncomfortable being referred to as a priest? 
Most of us would since we associate this word with denominational practices. We would probably be quick to say that we have no priests in the Church. According to the Word of God, however, there would be nothing wrong with a Christian being referred to as a priest.

BODY

  I.     PRIESTS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
        A.       One who served in offering sacrifices to God 
        B.      The fathers did so in the patriarchal age.

1.      Genesis 8:20-  "Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar."

 1.      Leviticus 2:8-9-  "'You shall bring the grain offering that is made of these things to the LORD. And when it is presented to the priest, he shall bring it to the altar. {9} 'Then the priest shall take from the grain offering a memorial portion, and burn it on the altar. It is an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD."

1.      Leviticus 21:10-  "'He who is the high priest among his brethren, on whose head the anointing oil was poured and who is consecrated to wear the garments, shall not uncover his head nor tear his clothes;"

 II.     PRIESTS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT 
        A.       Every Christian is a priest - no clergy.

1.      1 Peter 2:5, 9 -  "you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ....9  But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;"

2.      Revelation 1:6-  "and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

3.      Revelation 5:9-10-  "And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, {10} And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.""

1.      Hebrews 4:14-15-  "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. {15} For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin."

1.      1 Timothy 2:5-  "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus," 

2.      If there is only one mediator, Jesus Christ, this would certainly rule out any other person, including Mary, from being a mediator.

III.    PRIESTS AND THEIR SACRIFICES
        A.      The duty of any priest is to offer up sacrifices to God

1.      Hebrews 10:11-  "And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins."

1.      Leviticus 16:14-15-  ""He shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east side; and before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times. {15} "Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people, bring its blood inside the veil, do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat."

1.      Hebrews 9:12-  "Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption." 

2.      1 John 4:10-  "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 

3.      Revelation 1:5-  "and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,"

1.      Hebrews 10:16-19-  ""This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them," {17} then He adds, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." {18} Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. {19} Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,"

2.      Romans 6:10-  "For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God." 

3.      Hebrews 7:27-  "who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people's, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself."

1.      Romans 12:1-2-  "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. {2} And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

2.      1 Peter 2:5-  "you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

 IV.    PRIESTS OFFER SPIRITUAL SACRIFICES
        A.      Involves what we say and do as God's priests - Christians
        B.       Offering praise to God - fruit of our lips

1.      Hebrews 13:15-  "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name."

1.      Hebrews 13:16-  "But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."

1.      Philippians 4:18-  "Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God."

Copyright 1999 by Grady Scott may be reproducted for non-commercial purposes at no cost to others.