School is in Session

Last week officially kicked off the first semester of The Community School of Worship, with last night being the first Foundations of Worship class. It was such a joy to teach this wonderful group of 19 students. Each week I will be posting a few little jewels from my notes. I trust it will be of help to you in your journey of faith. Please leave a comment on your thoughts. I would love to keep the dialogue going.

Week 1: Who Am I?

I am a PRIEST!

1 Peter 2:5

New International Version

⁵ you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:9

New International Version

⁹ But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

My identity makes a HUGE difference in how I act & behave. If, as a congregation member, I see the platform ministry as being the only Priests, then that relieves me of any priestly duties. What would happen if the entire congregation saw ourselves as Priests? It would completely change the way we relate to God & the world around us.

As a Priest, our first job responsibility is to...

Build tabernacle.

Hebrews called the tabernacle the Tent of Meeting. When going to the tabernacle there was always an expectation of meeting with God. Only Priests can host meetings with God, or set up tabernacle. As a Priest, my most important responsibility is to make tabernacle everywhere I go & in everything I do, to set up intersections between God & man.

Deuteronomy 10:8-9

New International Version

⁸ At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister and to pronounce blessings in his name, as they still do today. ⁹ That is why the Levites have no share or inheritance among their brothers; the LORD is their inheritance, as the LORD your God told them.)

The 2nd thing Priests do is...

Carry the presence of God.

Anywhere I go, the Priesthood (Kingdom of God) is with me (ex. diplomatic immunity). I am an Ambassador to the Kingdom of God no matter where I go. The Kingdom of God trumps everything else when the Priesthood is present. When I walk into any room, the Kingdom of God is represented by me!

The 3rd thing Priests do is...

Minister to God.

Your primary responsibility is not to minister to the people, but to the Lord Himself first. Whether you're in the congregation or on the platform, focus your worship upon the Lord & His tastes.

The 4th thing a Priest does is...

Bless the people.

In the passage we read from Deuteronomy, God says that their next responsibility is to pronounce blessings in His name as they do today. Let's look at "blessing" from the perspective of Hod God instructed Aaron to bless the people.

Numbers 6:22-26

New International Version

The Priestly Blessing

²² "The LORD said to Moses, ²³ Tell Aaron and his sons, This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

²⁴ The LORD bless you
and keep you;
²⁵ the LORD make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
²⁶ the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace."

When we bless people we catalyze destiny inside that person. Ministering to their tastes is not ministering to God, but helping them walk into their ministry (priesthood) is blessing them.

If we bless people from the world's perspective, they would remain who they are comfortable being, but if we bless them through the eyes of heaven we're going to propel them into God's destiny!

WOW, THAT'S GOOD STUFF!!

Until next time...

-Original lesson from Zach Neese at Gateway Worship. Modified by Mark Edington