Focal passage: 1 Peter 2:4-10
Historically, priests took on the responsibility of going into the presence of God on behalf of many and standing as God’s representative among people. Jesus became our Great High Priest that we might be adopted into the priesthood.
First Peter 2:4 describes Jesus as the living Stone, one precious to the Lord and chosen by Him.
By extension, in Christ, we too are living stones “being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God … ” (1 Peter 2:5).
To offer spiritual sacrifices to God is to deny ourselves and obey Him. Romans 12:1 describes it this way: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God.”
Another example can be found in Hebrews 13:15-16. It reads, “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. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
Through Jesus we are free to enter into the presence of God with praise and supplication.
Christ also endowed us with the privilege of representing Him in the world and called us to serve others as He has served us.
Our Wonderful Counselor is the sole reason believers are positioned as priests.
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10).
As priests we are privileged, but also carry a great responsibility.
That responsibility is to take the gospel, our salvation out of darkness into light, to the ends of the earth.