Life Ministries

“Thanksliving” 2
 Hebrews 4:14-5:3 and 7:23-25 and 1^st. Peter 2:4-9

    Now, we heard the words; “you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house - to be a holy priesthood”… And, in verse 9 - “But, you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood.” This is kind of a neglected subject among Christians today - that which we call the “priest-hood of believers.” Maybe it’s because we don’t really understand the concept, or we have a misconception of what this term means. As I read and re-read this scripture, I thought to myself; “If we are to be a priesthood, then we need to know what a priest is and what a priest does.            

    Well, if you go back into the Old Testament, you soon find that a priest had a two-fold purpose on behalf of the people; One was intercession and the other was sacrifice. They interceded with God and they sacrificed to God on behalf of their people. Our Scripture from Hebrews tells us the same thing.
    First, let’s look at intercession. In 1^st Timothy 2:1 we read; “I urge you then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone.” As “ministers of reconciliation” as we are referred to in this scripture, this ministry of prayer, intercession, and thanksgiving should be our top priority. “I urge you, first of all” says Paul. There is no greater prayer we can pray than that of intercession on behalf of someone else. One of the problems in the church, I believe, is that we have lost sight of just how powerful that can be.
    A story is told of a young English woman who was an invalid. She was unable to attend church, but she carried a great burden of prayer for God’s work. She read about the ministry of D.L. Moody and she began to pray, “O Lord, send this man to our local church”. Day after day she prayed that prayer, believing that Moody was God’s man to bring revival. She had no way of reaching Moody…only God could bring him to England. Well, it just so happened that Moody was planning a vacation to England, but not to preach. However, when the local pastor learned of Moody’s plan to visit, he asked him to preach at a local service. Moody accepted the invitation, and when he preached in that church, the power of God fell upon the people and literally hundreds rose to their feet to dedicate their lives to Jesus.
    Moody was surprised by such a large response and realized that God was working in a special way in this local church. He decided to stay 10 more days, and as a result hundreds more found salvation, and 400 of them joined that local church. This invalid, this lady named Marianne wrote down the date in her diary - February 5, 1872 - the day God answered her prayer and sent a spiritual awakening! And, from that time on she prayed in intercession for the evangelist D.L. Moody…for 29 years, until he died.
    This is just one of hundreds of stories that could be told about intercessory prayer. James 5:16 says; “The prayer of a righteous man” or in this case a righteous, invalid woman, “is powerful and effective.” Moses interceded for the nation of Israel; Abraham interceded for Lot; Elijah, Samuel, the list could go on and on; they interceded in prayer, and in some cases changed the course of history!
   In the Book of Acts, chapter 12, we find Peter in prison, facing death, and verse 5 tells us that the church was interceding - “earnestly praying to God for him.” And of course, the angel came; unbound Peter; and led him right past the guards and out of prison. He came and knocked on the door of the house where they were praying. It’s interesting that they were “earnestly praying” but when Peter came to the door, they didn’t believe it. My friends – “God is who He says He is…and He can do what He says He can do!”
    Who can we pray for? Who can we believe God will move in some way to save and bring into the kingdom? The Bible says we ought to pray for our leaders and those in authority;  We certainly should intercede for our unsaved family and friends;  And, we can certainly pray and intercede for our missionaries all over the world;  We can, and should pray for one another; We can and should pray for the church; As a priesthood of believers, this is our number one duty, responsibility, and privilege! Not just a quick prayer whenever we happen to think about it, but a regular, consistent, time of intercessory prayer. We ought to be thankful as Christians that God has given us this connection that opens and moves the very heart of God! 
    In his Book “Power Through Prayer”, E.M. Bounds says; “Talking to others about God is a good thing; but talking to God about others is an even greater thing!  We will never be able to speak to others about God with success until we have spoken to God about them!  (repeat that in your mind.) Prayer warriors pray so as to affect their own lives - and the lives of others, so as to have an impact upon the church!”
    The second responsibility of the priest was sacrifice. The New Testament tells us of four sacrifices that can be made by us as Christians; #1. Romans 12:1 says “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice”  #2. Hebrews 13:15 says we can “make a sacrifice of praise”. #3. Hebrews 13:16 speaks of a “sacrifice of good works” And #4. A sacrifice of “sharing”. It says “with these sacrifices God is pleased!” It seems to me that if the first one is true, if we offer ourselves, our bodies as a living sacrifice; the other three ought to follow. (Praise, good works, and sharing!)
    Sacrifice is simply a way of life to those who give themselves in service of Almighty God.  Phil. 2:3&4 tells us; “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself. Each one of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” When we are doing for others, it is a sacrifice because it takes away from something we could be doing for ourselves. However, when we give, share, and do for others they are blessed, but do you know that we receive an even greater blessing? Some of you know exactly what I am talking about!
    During this season we call Thanksgiving, the time when we typically remember all the ways that God has blessed us; with salvation; forgiveness; mercy; grace; love; good health; prosperity; family and friends; I would call you to remember that we are a “priesthood of believers” whose responsibility it is to “intercede” for others and to “sacrifice” for others - THAT WE MAY BE BLESSED!  I call this a life of Thanks-living. It is a way of life, and not just a holiday. 
    In light of all this, let me close with God’s Word from 2^nd. Cor. 9:12-15…“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people, but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the Gospel of Christ, (What is this service of which he has spoken twice?) It is the service of the priesthood, of intercession and sacrifice.) “And, in their prayers for you, their hearts will go out to you because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” What kind of gift is it?  (Indescribable!)