In the Old Testament, a priest had two main duties. They presented the people’s sacrifices to God (Heb 8:3), and passed on God’s instruction to the people (Mal 2:7).

In our text this morning, the Lord tells us that Christians are part of a holy and royal priesthood.

Transition

If you are a Christian, you need to know your duties as a Christian priest.

A Christian Priest is to…

Offer up Spiritual Sacrifices (v.4-8)

1. Peter first describes Christ
   1. He is a living stone, superior to the OT temple.
   2. He is disallowed indeed of men, rejected by men.
   3. He is chosen of God and precious.
2. Peter then describes a true Christian
   1. Christians are living stones (the Lord’s present temple is our bodies instead of a stone building).
   2. Christians are part of a spiritual house (temple of the Holy Spirit).
   3. Christians are part of a holy priesthood (every true Christian is a holy priest before God).
3. Peter details the Christian priest’s first duty
   1. He is to offer up spiritual sacrifices. God authorised the Old Testament priests to offer animal and meal sacrifices. Every sacrifice cost the giver. It could not be reclaimed. The Christian priest does not offer animal sacrifices because Christ was the ultimate sacrifice for sin. We are to offer spiritual sacrifices instead. These are not sacrifices for sin, but sacrifices of appreciation.
      1. Surrendering your body to Christ is a spiritual sacrifice you can give to God. (Romans 12:1) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
      2. Giving to God’s work and workmen is an acceptable sacrifice. (Philippians 4:18) “But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.”
      3. Praise to God is another acceptable sacrifice. (Hebrews 13:15) “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”
      4. Doing good for the cause of Christ is yet another. “But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” (Hebrews 13:16)
   2. These sacrifices are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
      1. Such sacrifices are acceptable or well-received by God. God is delighted when we sacrificially give to Him out of love. Things done for God out of duty or to be seen of men are not acceptable.
      2. Christians are able to offer acceptable sacrifices to God only by Jesus Christ’s enabling.
4. Peter goes on to describe how this can be
   1. He bases his statements on (Isaiah 28:16). Christ empowers us. He is our foundation. Christ is precious to true believers (v.7).
   2. Those who refuse to believe and obey the Bible reject Christ as the corner stone.
      1. To them, Christ is a stone that makes them trip.
      2. He is a stone that blocks their way.
      3. They stumble at the Word of God.
      4. God appointed those who refuse to believe to stumble. He did not appoint them to refuse to believe.
   3. An unbeliever has no ability to offer sacrifices of appreciation to God. To him Christ is a stumbling block.
      A Christian Priest is to…

Show forth the Praises of God (v.9-10)

1. Peter further describes true believers
   1. True believers are a chosen generation (v.9). The word “generation” refers to a family. God has chosen believers to be part of His special family. (John 1:12) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: God also ordained that the local church be the home for his Christian family. That is why every Christian ought to be an immersed member of a local church.
   2. True believers are a royal priesthood. In the Old Testament, a priest offered up sacrifices to God for His people. In the New Testament, every true Christian is a royal or kingly priest before God. If you know Christ, you can go directly to the Lord in prayer.
   3. True believers form a holy nation. The word “nation” refers to a multitude. Christians are a holy multitude of people. We were made holy by the blood of Jesus Christ. He set us apart from the world for the service of the Lord.
   4. True believers are a peculiar people. This term actually refers to a people for possession. We are not our own. We were bought with a price. We belong to the Lord Jesus who purchased us with His blood. (1 Corinthians 6:19) What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (20) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
   5. True believers are now are the people of God (v.10). Before salvation, ever person is a child of the devil (Jn 8:44).
   6. True believers have obtained mercy (v.10). You cannot obtain mercy any other way than by repentantly trusting Christ to save your soul. God cannot overlook sin. Because Jesus paid sin’s debt in full, He is the only one who can offer us mercy.
      Now, go back with me to the middle of v.9 where…
2. Peter details the Christian priest’s second duty
   1. Christians are to show forth the praises of God. What does that mean? Well to “show forth” means to tell out; to declare abroad, to publish; to make known by praising or proclaiming, to celebrate. Be a witness for Christ.
   2. The message that Christians are to proclaim is “the praises of Him who had called us out of darkness into his marvellous light.” The word “praises” refers to virtues or excellence. If you have truly been saved, God called you out of the darkness of sin and eternal doom. God called you into His marvellous light. This change is described in (Acts 26:18) To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
      1. If the Lord has truly saved you, God had done great things for you. You are part of God’s family, His priesthood, His people, and His possession. You were trapped in darkness heading for hell, but now you are in God’s light heading for heaven. It is all because of His mercy. You did not deserve any of it.
      2. God expects you to proclaim that good news to everyone who will listen. “After all he’s done for me, after all he’s done for me, how can I do less than give him my best and live for him completely, after all he’s done for me.”

Conclusion

If you are a true Christian, are you doing your duties as a Christian priest? 1) Are you offering to God spiritual sacrifices of appreciation? Have you surrendered to Him your body? Do you give to support His work? Do you praise Him and live for Him? 2) Are you proclaiming the virtues of the One who called you out of darkness into light? Are you regularly telling others about Christ? When is the last time you passed out a tract or witnessed to a lost person?

If you are not yet saved, you are not yet a Christian priest. If you will repentantly believe on Christ, you can be today.

Song: After all He’s done for me
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Duties of a Christian Priest
21 June 2015 AM – 1 Peter 2:4-10 – 1Pe15 – Scott Childs